The Ansar and “the Journey of Truth”

By Dr. Akram Hijazi


(Translated by Umm Saad)

Since the release of the “Journey of truth” by the Ansar Al Islam (14/7/2008) I found myself forced to review the flow of the Jihadi project in Iraq and return again to read the history of the group and revise its written statements and video releases, especially the decisive one that was released about its set up on (7/12/2007) under the title “History and Steadfastness”.

While going through the events it became evident that what “The Journey” contained was largely based on what was apparent to the reviewers for the past two years and within, and did not require a great deal of insight to be concluded at by the followers of the events. In spite of that, we have, for the first time, a very precious witness, which requires analysis before we talk about their values.




There is no doubt that the time of the release of “Journey” has a significant importance, for it has been released after the storm events that the Iraqi Jihad project is undergoing in Iraq. It is true that the “Journey” relates the events since its very beginning and until the time of its release, but it is necessary to take notice of the events of the fourth and fifth phase, especially, which start with the year 2008, for “the Journey” provides a witness of a phase that is marked by:

- A noticeable advance on the Afghani and Somali front as compared to a step back on the Iraqi front in contrast to what was before the release of the statement of Jaish AL Islami (5/4/2007).

- The release of reviews that targeted jihad as an obligation and some of it (being under) preparation to be released by the tongue of Sheikh Hamid Ali, amidst the aggravation of the sermons and statements of condemnation of the Jihadi project in general at the tongue of some of the scholars, especially the Mufti of Saudi.


- Strong reactions on the withdrawal of the awakening squads project and the death of some of its leaders and the escape of others to outside Iraq.

- Constant dismantling of the “Jihad and Reformation Front”, latest being the withdrawal of “Jaish Al Mujahideen” from it along with new directions of the other frontal components that seem to be searching for the legality of an Arab policy.

- A prominent comparative failure of most of the American and governmental campaigns that targeted the Salafi Jihadi current, especially in Anbar, Diyali and Mausil.
- The penetration of most of the traditional Jihadi-current ways and the emergence of an apparent strategic change on each of, the military operations level and the political and security level.

- The transfer of the relation between the Salafi Jihadi current and other currents from the phase of showdowns and declared opposition to the phase of condemnation without hesitation.


But all these events and what preceded it were results of political, security, military or intelligence elements with the involvement of several international and ethnic sides. And Ansar bear witness that the central problem were not due to the doings of Al Qaeda, but due to the American project that found tools in the framework of the Jihadi Sunni politics that enabled them gradually, to deceive and penetrate the Jihadi project and tamper with it since the year 2004. On the basis of “Occupation is the solution, and not the problem”, the Americans threw their first trap and that is- preventing the Rafidah from Ahl As Sunnah in return for stopping the Jihadi project. However they failed in fulfilling this so the second trap was ready and they switched on to it- preventing the Rafidah from the Ahl As Sunnah in return for cease-fire and securing the areas, and this is what they got.


So the mistakes of Al Qaeda, as per the witness of the Ansar, were nothing but a wax to attack the Jihadi project or besmall it in order to prepare for its end. Had the case been anything other than this, the “Journey” would have stopped, forcedly, at the mistakes of Al Qaeda and others considering it to be the only cause that is hindering the advancement of the Jihadi project. But in actuality, it (Al Qaeda) along with the other constituents of the Salafi current is the central hurdle in the face of the American project. That’s why, it was necessary to wipe it off from the front no matter what it cost. In this relation, the “Journey” talks about what it considers “facts” that stood behind the setting up of the “Jihad and Reformation Front”.


Perhaps, the most surprising matter was the one relating to the declaration of the setting up of the “Front” in Qatar, and this is the first time such information is being released. There is no doubt that this will be considered one of the most important mines that the “Journey” contained without providing much detail to it. But the most important thing in relation to the “Front” lies in the goals that it was setup to accomplish. From its very first goals are- to fight Al Qaeda considering it a group of outcasts, in its methodology and belief, and a group that had permitted the blood of the former fronts of Jihad. As for the second then it is total deviation from the understandings of Jihad, and thirdly- aggravating the Sunni situation and fighting the Sunni Jihadi groups on the ground of reality. And all of these are accusations and wants that address the official traditional security want more accurately than any other. The “Journey” admits in the indispensable part of the talk about the “Front” and for the first time, that the first signs of those Fronts appeared mainly after the events of Amiriyah, Diyali and Ramadi, and that was after they had enacted the American wants even before the fulfillment of the promises made to them, as an initiative to strengthening their bond with America, so the hands that were supporting the project of the “Front” started pouring down huge amounts of money on the ground, and if we follow up the case of Abu Al Abd, the Amir of Jaish Al Islami in Aamiriyah, it becomes evident from his statements to “The Guardian”, the British magazine (10/11/2007) that he had killed alone, 6 of the leaders of Al Qaeda in Amiriyah an year prior to the happenings of Amiriyah without Al Qaeda knowing who is the one who killed them! And this comes in line with the facts mentioned in the “Journey” that the campaign of the army against Al Qaeda was due to political directions and not due to battlefront mistakes made by them (Al Qaeda) or due to competition between the various Jihadi groups, with the evidence that the campaign had started even prior to the declaration of the Jaish or the set up of the “Front”


What is strange in the “Journey” is that it placed the “Front” with all its components as a blood shedding enemy with a pure avenging touch against Al Qaeda. What is more strange is the witness of the “Journey” that completely removes the doubt about the truth of the “repose and demands” meeting that the Jaish Al Islami claims to have held prior to the setting up of the “Front” which targeted extracting Fatwa from the scholars, not only to condemn Al Qaeda but also to fight it. As for the strangest of matters, then it is the pretexts that the withdrawers from the “Front” claim, and which are all based on Sharia violations and ascendancy.


If we take into consideration what the “Journey” mentioned about the goals on which the “Front” was setup, could it be that when it was set up, it was set up on Sharia? It seems as though it was so, at least in their opinion, for even the ones who have withdrawn (from the “Front”) have never admitted having done any wrong, instead the statements of their withdrawals were not empty of displeasure and disavowals from exaggeration and extremism in describing the Salafi Jihadi current especially Al Qaeda. As for Jaish al Islami whose leaders have been very active in the past six months in writings of Sharia color, they too have never accepted of any mistake they committed, and they haven’t apologized yet for any of the crimes committed by Abu Abd or Abu Azzam At Tammimi, and the operations of killing that targeted the civilians and fighters equally. Even after separating Abu Abd from the Jaish, after the shocks of Amiriyah, it came about after 2 months with the pretext of him having committed Sharia violation, without the Jaish accepting any responsibility while Abu Abd was under its leadership?


The question remains- what is the value of these withdrawals from the “Front of Reformation and Jihad” if its setting up, as according to “Journey”, is of American project origin? Why does Jaish Al Mujahideen withdraw after the death of most of the prominent leaders of the awakening squads and the running away of Abu Azzam and Abu Abd? What was it doing before that? When the oppositions were grinding their leaderships? And the foundations were becoming distinct with rage since the time of the set up of the “Front”? And the Jihadi project was ouncing under the attack of the awakening squads and their strangling siege on the Mujahideen and tracking them and killing them and arresting them and giving them up to the American forces? And lastly, are these withdrawals the end of a role or a retrieval of the past?


As for Ansar, then the enemies have the right to consider it a fellow instead of neutral, owing to the fact about the difference in policies and methodology. For since the beginning of 2004, the attempts to contain the Ansar are continuing, on foot and toe, and “Journey” witnesses the details of the events starting from the attempts of merging the political, Jihadi and resistance forces without any consideration of methodology and goal and ways and meanings and ending with the pressures of Abu Vaeil and Abu Sajjad to join with Jaish Al Islami in one front to stand as a single obstacle in the face of Al Qaeda as Shafi’I the Ameer of the Ansar says:


Naturally it is hard to believe that Ansar are responsible directly for causing harm to the Jihadi project, and on the contrary it was targeted especially to play this role, for it is the oldest Salafi Jihadi group, and if the enemies succeed in luring it then it is natural that it will be the most vexing and active weapon in the body of the Salafi current and will cause the greatest harm to it and will snatch from Al Qaeda any sort of Shari’ fortification including organizational and social protection that it is providing it

With this fact we can understand the truth of why the enemies have not been attacking the Ansar and why they haven’t fought it or accused it of violating properties and why they did not work to defame it. In short the enemy took it for granted that they would be able to contain it and to take advantage of its services. And when they failed, they tried to punish it by attacking its organizational structure trying to split it, when they declared its Shari institution- Ansar As Sunnah, of having merged into “Front of Jihad and Reformation”, in spite of the fact that the releases of Ansar start with the word “Diwan” (Council) and has no mention of institution or any other such thing. And they said that 1/3rd of Ansar have joined the institution. And this attack was responsible for the return of the group to its old name Ansar Al Islam instead of Ansar As Sunnah.


And now when the Ansar has given its witness, then it is guaranteed that the fight will become open and will not return to what it was before now, of instruction and concealment and it wont be surprising that the fierce defamation campaigns will make its way against the Ansar, but what is it that Ansar are hiding to have the guts to make this “Journey”? This is what the coming days will answer.