Al-Qaeda thanks Iran's Revolutionary Guard in intercepted letter

[Gauvin]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...t-attacks.html

The letter, which was signed by Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's second in command, was written after the American embassy in Yemen was attacked by simultaneous suicide car bombs in September.

Western security officials said the missive thanked the leadership of Iran's Revolutionary Guards for providing assistance to al-Qaeda to set up its terrorist network in Yemen, which has suffered ten al-Qaeda-related terror attacks in the past year, including two bomb attacks against the American embassy.

In the letter al-Qaeda's leadership pays tribute to Iran's generosity, stating that without its "monetary and infrastructure assistance" it would have not been possible for the group to carry out the terror attacks. It also thanked Iran for having the "vision" to help the terror organisation establish new bases in Yemen after al-Qaeda was forced to abandon much of its terrorist infrastructure in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

This is pretty serious stuff... and it seems only the Telegraph is reporting it.

[danzig]

Hehe well there are a ton of motives for each side in the game to plant this or release it. You got Israel to make Iran look bad, you got AQ to make Iran look bad, you got AQ looking to incite things even more in ME, you got US to make Iran look bad, you even got Iran to make themselves look good by saying Israel or US was trying to make them look bad and of course you got the possibility that it is legit.

[Gauvin]

So, apply Ockham's razor to that equation.

[danzig]

So, apply Ockham's razor to that equation.

Too true, I was just covering all the bases I think Rome's post hits the most likely, that its elements within. I mean as the saying goes the enemy of my enemy is my friend so it is extremely likely there would be elements within Iran who see it in Iranian interest to assist even if the bulk of Iran and its government does not. Same way Pakistan is compromised with its intelligence services basically.

[Каие]

Every time I think I got Al Qaeda figured out, something highly unorthodox happens. I cannot see the strength behind this. On the one hand a bunch of Iranian diplomats get kidnapped by the Taliban, others have been killed before, and on the other hand Iran is teaming up with Al Qaeda? I can understand if the Revolutionary Guard is acting AWOL and alone, it's always been a highly powerful and independent body with it's own motives [after all it's very creation was out of anti-Americanism], but I cannot see the Iranian state actively allying with Al Qaeda, their sworn enemies.

Not to mention we've seen the 'teaming up with terrorists' card displayed before. We were fools before, but not again.

[Gauvin]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Iran has much more in common with Al-Qaeda than it does with the West.

Muhammad did say:

War is deceit.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamen...ml#004.052.268

Iran supports Hamas and Islamic Jihad who are Sunni Muslims.

*** I should add the above hadith of Muhammad is followed by the story of the assassination of Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf, in which Muhammad allowed one of his followers to lie to Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf to facilitate his killing.

[Каие]

Iran has much more in common with Al-Qaeda than it does with the West.

Errr...how?

*** I should add the above hadith of Muhammad is followed by the story of the assassination of Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf, in which Muhammad allowed one of his followers to lie to Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf to facilitate his killing.

Of course you would, you almost went 6 minutes. Time to reset the timer.

[Heinz Guderian]

This is pretty serious stuff... and it seems only the Telegraph is reporting it.

the article doesnt tell how, who, why the "letter" ("signed by Al Qaeda guy Number 2") was interecepted. The article leads me to believe this is a false flag. Unless you have more information.

Of course you would, you almost went 6 minutes. Time to reset the timer.

an itch has to scratched!

noun verb Islam is teh evilz.

[Gauvin]

the article doesnt tell how, who, why the "letter" ("signed by Al Qaeda guy Number 2") was interecepted. The article leads me to believe this is a false flag. Unless you have more information.

What if it was intercepted by a spy in Iran, do you want his name and location? I think such a correspondence would be guarded by a pretty high level of confidentiality, do you think the way it was intercepted can be divulged without compromising their intelligence gathering activities? Why didn't you ask these questions?

an itch has to scratched!

noun verb Islam is teh evilz.

Islam is immoral, yes, I don't know why you all hold that opinion against me. If someone considers Christianity to be immoral it seems to be a noble act of intellectual bravery.... if I say Islam is immoral I get mocked and slandered. But i'm not disproved, and that's why I continue, because if there's no strong argument for it, and it has to rely on ridicule and fraud to get ahead, than it's worth opposing!!!

[Heinz Guderian]

What if it was intercepted by a spy in Iran, do you want his name and location? I think such a correspondence would be guarded by a pretty high level of confidentiality, do you think the way it was intercepted can be divulged without compromising their intelligence gathering activities? Why didn't you ask these questions?

highly confidential? cant reveal our sources? Niger Uranium? WMD? 45 Minutes? Mobile weapons labs. ..........false flag then.

Islam is immoral, yes, I don't know why you all hold that opinion against me. If someone considers Christianity to be immoral it seems to be a noble act of intellectual bravery.... if I say Islam is immoral I get mocked and slandered. But i'm not disproved, and that's why I continue, because if there's no strong argument for it, and it has to rely on ridicule and fraud to get ahead, than it's worth opposing!!!

thats real nice and i'm happy for you. carry on.

[Siblesz]

Iran dislikes Al Qaeda almost as much as it dislikes the U.S.

So the piece is propaganda/disinformation, me thinks. To think that Iran has in any way supplemented logistics to a bunch of unorganized Sunni jihadist suicidals is laughable at best....

[Gauvin]

Iran dislikes Al Qaeda almost as much as it dislikes the U.S.

So the piece is propaganda/disinformation, me thinks. To think that Iran has in any way supplemented logistics to a bunch of unorganized Sunni jihadist suicidals is laughable at best....

They have common goals... that's rarely characteristic of true enemies. You're overstating how much they hate each other, they have disagreements, but they actually have a lot in common, primarily their hatred of the West and Israel, and their belief that Islam should be supreme and established everywhere on the globe.

They fund Sunni jihadists in Palestine, including Hamas who carried out suicide bombings, so I don't know why you think it's so unbelievable, it's a matter of historical record.

[Каие]

They have common goals... that's rarely characteristic of true enemies.

You still haven't provided these common goals.

They fund Sunni jihadists in Palestine, including Hamas who carried out suicide bombings, so I don't know why you think it's so unbelievable, it's a matter of historical record.

Rapid Nationalists, who use religion as a recruiting tool and 'legitimising' technique are not the same, no where near.

[Gauvin]

You still haven't provided these common goals.

Edited my post to include the obvious just for you!

Rapid Nationalists, who use religion as a recruiting tool and 'legitimising' technique are not the same, no where near.

What? lol Hamas are pan-Islamists, that's why they stem from the Muslim Brotherhood which is a pan-Islamist organization, it's goal is to unify Islamic countries, but of course, they can't do this without first having power in their own countries.

[Каие]

Edited my post to include the obvious just for you!

.....

They have common goals... that's rarely characteristic of true enemies.

It actually is very very common indeed. In fact having common goals is the root of all rivalry. See ''France-Britain and the last 1,000 years'' for details.

they have disagreements

The understatement of the century.

primarily their hatred of the West

News just in, Russia and Al Qaeda are allies. More news just in, Adolf Hitler and Stalin, best friends.

and Israel

Ironic, that Al Qaeda has never, ever attacked Israel. And neither has Iran. Saddam did though. We all know how much Bin Laden loved Saddam.

and their belief that Islam should be supreme and established everywhere on the globe.

Apples and Oranges. Their versions of Islam are so radically different, the notion of an impending partnership in the global caliphate is presently quite laughable. Also you must research Al Qaeda a bit more if you want to know their real goals. "Al Qaeda! by the renowned Jason Burke is highly recommended.

What? lol Hamas are pan-Islamists, that's why they stem from the Muslim Brotherhood which is a pan-Islamist organization, it's goal is to unify Islamic countries, but of course, they can't do this without first having power in their own countries

You mean Arab nationalism, masked as 'Islamism'? Read into the brotherhood more. Arab is pasted all over their faces.

[happyho]

Not a single reputable news source is reporting this story, almost undoubtedly fake.

[mrmouth]

Iran dislikes Al Qaeda almost as much as it dislikes the U.S.

Why is that, because they have been attacked so many times?

People need to get past this idea that Sunni and Shiite will not work together. Its happened in Iraq with AQ money movers in Syria also supporting the Shiite militias. It made sense for them to do so at one time.

The Revolutionary Guard Special Group in Iraq also aided the Sunni insurgency by passing on EFP know-how.

Iran's dealings with Sunni terrorists in Lebanon are well known. When it benefited both parties, they worked together.

You don't get things done without negotiating the waters. To think that Iran/Hezbollah and Sunni groups never cooperates is naive.

[Heinz Guderian]

People need to get past this idea that Sunni and Shiite will not work together. Its happened in Iraq with AQ money movers in Syria also supporting the Shiite militias. It made sense for them to do so at one time.

would like to see sources on this (not op-ed)

The Revolutionary Guard Special Group in Iraq also aided the Sunni insurgency by passing on EFP know how.

and this

Iran's dealings with Sunni terrorists in Lebanon are well known. When it benefited both parties, they worked together.

not that well known, would like to see sources on this too.

It would actually be a violation of journalist ethics to give your source against their consent, you're supposed to protect it even under threat of arrest. The point being, if you blab and reveal all your sources especially secret, than no one will approach you any longer because they'd be putting themselves in danger, and exposing their activities. Now, it's good to be skeptical, but you're dismissing it completely.

cos it smells like BS. if you had a power-point presentation to a UN committee given by a highly regarded Secretary of State then i'd be more inclined to bel....oh wait.

In fact, you'd know much less about all of those things you mentioned if it weren't for the media using confidential inside sources that did not want to be revealed.

which turned out to be big piles of BS with bits of straw and undigested industrial cow feed still embedded.

[Gauvin]

would like to see sources on this (not op-ed)

Do you know what op-ed even means? The article I gave was not op-ed. It cited the sources as being multiple people,

Western security officials

and not just one person, and definitely not opinion, it was an account by more than one source on the contents of the letter.

[wilpuri]

Iran dislikes Al Qaeda almost as much as it dislikes the U.S.

So the piece is propaganda/disinformation, me thinks. To think that Iran has in any way supplemented logistics to a bunch of unorganized Sunni jihadist suicidals is laughable at best....

I'm glad people can see through this. "Letter from Al Qaeda" to Iran.