An al Qaeda-linked militant group that claimed responsibility for recent bombings in Baghdad has declared a new military campaign against Iraqi political parties, according to a group that monitors insurgents' communications. The threat from Islamic State of Iraq was contained in a speech from the group's leader, Omar al-Baghdadi, on an audio tape posted on jihadist forums on Thursday, the US-based SITE Intelligence Group said.
ISI threatened voters before Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election, warning that they risked death if they cast ballots and calling the election a farce aimed at cementing Shia domination over Sunnis. It also claimed responsibility for bombings at three Baghdad hotels in January that killed at least 36 people, and attacks on government buildings in December that killed 112.
Sunni Islamist insurgents were blamed for rocket, mortar and other attacks that killed 39 people on election day, but 62 percent of Iraq's registered voters turned out to cast ballots despite the violence and threats. A successful election is considered a major milestone for Iraq's security forces and its fragile democracy as US troops prepare to depart by the end of 2011. Washington launched its attack on Iraq on March 19, 2003.
"With grace and success from Allah, a co-ordinated military campaign was started in Baghdad and throughout Iraq, to break the idol of democracy and its resulting polytheist elections," the ISI message said, according to a translation from SITE. It said it had been able to "strike the security plan in the heart of Baghdad" and other cities on election day despite increased security efforts to protect voters.
The group cited as part of its campaign a series of pre-election attacks on the headquarters of political parties including the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the National Dialogue Front, the Iraqi Communist Party and others, SITE said. ISI is believed by intelligence analysts to have been created by al Qaeda in Iraq as a local umbrella group for insurgent organisations.
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