http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=101251&d=16&m=9&y=2007&pix=world.jpg&category=World
Sunday, 16, September, 2007 (04, Ramadhan, 1428)
Bounty Offered for Murder of Swedish Cartoonist
Associated Press
CAIRO, 16 September 2007 - The overall leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq offered
money for the murder of a Swedish cartoonist who recently produced blasphemous
images and promised a new offensive in Iraq during the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan, in a statement carried by Islamist websites yesterday.
In a half-hour audio file entitled "They plotted yet God too was
plotting," Abu Omar Al-Baghdadi also promised new attacks in Iraq, particular
against the minority Yazidi sect. "We are calling for the assassination of
cartoonist Lars Vilks who dared insult our Prophet, peace be upon him, and we
announce a reward during this generous month of Ramadan of $100,000 for the one
who kills this criminal," the transcript on the website said.
Baghdadi, who leads the Al-Qaeda front group the Islamic State in Iraq,
announced a new campaign of attacks dedicated to his predecessor during the
Islamic holy month of Ramadan that has traditionally witnessed an increase in
violence in the war torn country. "I am honored to announce the invasion of the
martyr Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi at the beginning of Ramadan," he said.
No photo has ever appeared of Baghdadi, whom the US describes as a
fictitious character used to give an Iraqi face to an organization dominated by
foreigners. The US has said that under interrogation, a top Al-Qaeda member
revealed that Baghdadi's speeches are read by an actor.
The Al-Qaeda leader upped the reward for Vilks' death to $150,000 if he
was "slaughtered like a lamb" and offered $50,000 for the head of the editor of
Nerikes Allehanda, the Swedish paper that printed Vilks' caricature of Prophet
Muhammad on Aug. 19.
Most of Baghdadi's message, however, focused on the situation in Iraq and
he reserved special ire for the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization behind the
country's largest Sunni political party, the Islamic Party in Iraq which he
said worked closely with US forces.
