Al Qaeda in Iraq's Black Banner Flying From Rooftops
BAGHDAD, Sept. 5 -- Abu Musab Zarqawi's foreign-led Al Qaeda in Iraq
took open control of a key western town at the Syrian border,
deploying its guerrilla fighters in the streets and flying Zarqawi's
black banner from rooftops, witnesses, residents and others in the
city and surrounding villages said.
A sign newly posted at the entrance of Qaim declared, "Welcome to the
Islamic Kingdom of Qaim." A statement posted in mosques described Qaim
as an "Islamic kingdom liberated from the occupation."
Zarqawi's fighters were killing officials and civilians seen as
government-allied or anti-Islamic, witnesses, residents and others
said. On Sunday, the bullet-riddled body of a woman lay in a street of
Qaim. A sign left on her corpse declared, "A prostitute who was
punished."
The Albu Mahal tribe as of Sunday remained in control of its village
outside the city. However, a car bomb placed by Zarqawi's fighters in
front of the home of a tribal leader, Sheikh Dhyad Ahmed, killed the
sheikh and his son on Sunday, resident Mijbil Saied said. There was no
immediate comment from the U.S. or Iraqi military. A U.S. military
spokesman in Baghdad, Lt. Col. Steven Boylan, said he was looking into
the reports.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
Guess Bush is having a bad year eh?
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