IRAQ AS THE ARAB WORLD’S DUMPING GROUND FOR ITINERANT SALAFIS<\/b><\/p>\n
The Jamestown Foundation<\/strong> has a data-rich report on the Salafist segment <\/a>of the Iraqi insurgency, including the following points:<\/p>\n Iraqis make up only 8 % of Salafist insurgents who are overwhelmingly Saudis from the Nejd; specifically the Shammari, Otaibi, Shahri and Motairi tribes. Syrians are around 10 %, the next largest figure. Egyptians have vanished from the Salafist-Jihadi ranks since the semi-legalization of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.<\/strong> ” On 30 November, a 44:35 minute audio message purportedly orated by Abu Hamza al-Baghdad, the head of the Shari\u2019a Committee of AQI was issued. The speech, titled: \u201cThe Election is the Way of the Criminals,\u201d expounds upon the group\u2019s belief that the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections and democracy, in general, seek to deify man and denounce Islamic Shari\u2019a, as politicians become the \u201chighest authority and there is no other authority above them.\u201d Further, al-Baghdadi argues that elections serve the American\u2019s purpose to extinguish the jihad spirit within the mujahideen \u2013 that it will resolve the differences between the coalition and Iraq administrations and the insurgents- and \u201cmake your dreams come true.\u201d The speech elaborates upon a multi-point denouncement of democracy\u2019s purpose vis-\u00e0-vis Islam and principles as set out in the Qur\u2019an, and additionally, states that those who participate and elect the men to \u201cpartner with Allah\u201d will be considered infidels, as \u201cthey are the ones who are providing the mandate to the representatives to make the laws.\u201d Also, the speech cites historic examples of America\u2019s alleged tampering in foreign elections for their own interests, such as Italy in 1947, where the United States sought the \u201csuccess of the Christian Democrats over the Communist Party.\u201d The audio concludes with a message addressing the mujahideen to remain steadfast in their jihad and to \u201cdraw your swords of dignity.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/strong>
Roughly 20 % of the Jihadis have a college degree. 50 % have less than a high school education.<\/strong>
<\/strong>
45 % of the suicide bombers are Nejd Saudis.<\/strong>
<\/strong>
Pressure by state security agencies in Arab countries are causing local Salafist extremists to migrate to Iraq. North Africans are a rising contingent.<\/strong>
<\/strong>
Jihadis with prior experience in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, Bosnia number less than 5 %<\/strong>
<\/strong>
Moreover the focus of these foreign fighters is increasingly ideological ( anti-democracy) and takfiri – with Shiites and elected officials being their preferred targets. From CENTCOM<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n