[Marxism] Resistance group condemns killings of Iraqi civilians

["ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxx" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Iraqi Resistance Distances Itself From Civilian Blood


The resistance faction called on its members to avoid cooperation, of any kind, 
with armed groups involved in killing Iraqis or civilians.


By Samir Haddad, IOL Correspondent

BAGHDAD, March 7, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) ? The Islamic Front for the Iraqi 
Resistance (Jama`) has urged all its members to remain committed to the Front's 
guidelines in fighting the US-led occupation, chiefly avoiding the use of 
bobby-trapped cars inside the cities, the slaughter of hostages and the killing 
of any Iraqi.

Sources close the Front revealed to IslamOnline.net that Jama` has issued a 
statement early March to distance itself from people shown lately on Iraqi 
satellite and ground TV stations confessing membership in armed groups involved 
in carrying out attacks against Iraqi police and army troops and in slaying 
?collaborators? with the occupation.

Many Iraqis suspect that the men shown on TV had confessed to such crimes to 
avoid torture techniques, according to IOL correspondent.

?The principles of the Islamic Front contradict the confessions of the groups 
shown on TV. We prohibit targeting civilians, slaying hostages and spilling the 
blood of Iraqis whether civilians or members of police and national guard 
forces, under any pretext,? reads the statement, a copy of which was obtained 
by IOL.

The Front asked all its fighters to ?avoided fighting the occupiers inside the 
cities?, for fear of jeopardizing the lives of civilians.

On Sunday, February 27, Iraqi resistance fighters decided to withdraw from the 
city of Al-Hadytha, following the US wide-scale crackdown therein, to spare 
civilian lives.

Jama` also reaffirmed in the statements that it was out of the question, for 
its members, to target civilian foreigners, such as reporters, drivers and 
relief workers.

It also pressed for not attacking Iraqi infrastructure facilities, such as oil 
pipelines, government institutions and public utilities.

Concluding, the Islamic Front called on its members to avoid cooperation, of 
any kind, with armed groups involved in killing Iraqis or civilians.

Televised Confessions

Jama` statement came after the televised alleged confessions of some Arabs and 
Iraqis.

According to IOL correspondent, the US-led occupation forces, along with Iraqi 
national guardsmen, recently rounded up scores of Arabs, accusing them of 
involvement in attacks against US forces and Iraqi policemen.

In Mosul, Iraqis expressed their deep suspicions after TV stations started 
airing ?confessions? by the detained persons.

?An Arab man, in his confession, said he killed three people. The allegedly 
killed persons happen to be my nephews, who are currently working for me,? Abu 
Abdullah, an Iraqi citizen living in Mosul, told IOL.

Jama`

Jama` is an umbrella organization grouping Iraqi Sunni resistance factions in 
Ninawa and Diyala provinces.

It came into existence on Sunday, May 30, 2004, under a political and military 
wings called ?Islamic Front for the Iraqi Resistance? and ?Saladin Al-Ayyubi 
Brigades? respectively.

?We promise you our Iraqi brethren that the Islamic Front for the Iraqi 
Resistance (Jama`) will usher in the end of the [US-led] occupiers,? the group 
had said in the statement issued then.

The political wing?s motto features the Bismillah (In the Name of Allah) 
written at the peak of an Iraq map with a fist carrying a white flag piercing 
its middle and the word ?Jama`? written alongside, in reference to the 
closely-knit resistance.

The military wing, however, designed its slogan as two crossed swords with a 
hamlet beneath symbolizing Muslim leader Saladin Al-Ayyubi.

Three days ahead of Iraq's controversial Jan. 30 election, the Front vowed not 
to target polling stations or attack innocent Iraqis, saying the real battle is 
against the occupiers.

Since May, 2004, Jama` has claimed hundreds of anti-US forces operations, 
especially in Ninawa province in the north of the occupied country.




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