Author:
Publication: The Times of India
Date: June 3, 2006
Introduction: 'Oh Sunni people, wake up and
prepare to confront the poison of the Shiite snakes who are afflicting you
with all agonies since the Iraq invasion until our day' - Zarqawi, Al Qaida
Leader
The leader of Al Qaida in Iraq urged Sunnis
to confront Shiites and ignore calls for reconciliation in a new audiotape
posted on the web on Friday, saying Shiite militias are killing and raping
the Sunni Arab minority The tape was a four-hour sermon by Abu Musab Al Zarqawi
against Shiites, denouncing their top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani
as an "atheist" and saying the community had collaborated with invaders
throughout Iraq's history.
"Oh Sunni people, wake up, pay attention
and prepare to confront the poison of the Shiite snakes who are afflicting
you with all agonies since the invasion of Iraq until our day. Forget about
those advocating the end of sectarianism and calling for national unity,"
Al Zarqawi said.
The authenticity of the audiotape could not
be independently confirmed. It was posted on a web forum often used by his
Al Qaida in Iraq for messages and the voice resembled that of Al Zaraqawi's
on other confirmed tapes from him. It was the first message from Al Zarqawi
since April 29, when he appeared in a video tape saying that any government
formed in Iraq would be merely a "stooge" of the Americans. That
video was the first time Al Qaida in Iraq had released images showing Al Zaraqawi's
face.
A written statement said Friday's audiotape
was made two months ago and that the group had intended to post it then, but
"circumstances" prevented it from doing so. The statement, posted
with the video, did not elaborate.
The top Arab news networks Al Jazeera and
Al Arabiya reported on the tape, and Al Jazeera aired a few seconds from it
in which Al Zarqawi blamed Shiite militias for killings of Sunni intellectuals
and clerics.
Al Zarqawi, a Jordanian, has claimed responsibility
for some of the most high profile suicide bombings in Iraq and also for other
attacks in Jordan, including a triple hotel bombing in Amman in November that
killed 63 people.
AP
