The Pentagon denied that al-Baghdadi was injured in that air strike, but reports that he was keep coming. Why the Pentagon would deny it if it were true is inexplicable, as it would make them look good if it were true. Anyway, the purported new leader has “jihadi wisdom” and was strict when in charge of Sharia adherence — not that this has anything to do with Islam, of course.
“Abu Alaa al-Afri said to replace al-Baghdadi as Islamic State leader,” by Roi Kais, Ynet News, May 2, 2015:
Abu Alaa al-Afri, who is said to be the acting leader of the Islamic State after leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was reportedly gravely wounded in an assassination attempt, is a mysterious figure on whom very little credible information is available.
He was al-Baghdadi’s second-in-command, and even before al-Baghdadi’s reported incapacitating injury, al-Afri had a dominant role in the terror organization’s leadership. But beyond that – very little is known about him.
On Friday, British newspaper the Guardian reported that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi became incapacitated by a spinal injury sustained in an airstrike in March by the US-led coalition in western Iraq.
According to the report, al-Baghdadi is receiving treatment from two doctors from the city of Mosul, but he may not be able to return to the helm of the organization. For now, at least, al-Baghdadi’s deputy al-Afri has taken command.
Whether the report in the Guardian is accurate or not, reports of al-Baghdadi’s severe injury have increased recently, and the belief that al-Afri is now in command has been common even before Friday’s report.
Al-Afri, a former physics teacher whose age is unknown, was born in the city al-Khidr, some 80 km south of Mosul, the strategic Iraqi city under Islamic State control since last summer.
Like al-Baghdadi, al-Afri has been a member of al-Qaeda – the organization that later spawned the Islamic State – for years. In 1998 he went to Afghanistan, and later made his way up the ranks of al-Qaeda. He was loyal to the organizations’ Iraqi branch leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
In 2006, al-Afri was reportedly one of the founders of the Mujahideen Shura Council of Iraq, a jihadi group fighting the US armed forces that invaded Iraq and overthrew Saddam Hussein’s regime.
He was arrested by the US army and imprisoned in American prisons in Iraq, but released later on. While he was imprisoned, he conducted sermons to the prisoners, many of which were affected by his radical positions. Some later joined the Islamic State and other jihad organizations.
Some say that after senior Iraqi al-Qaeda leaders Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri were killed in 2010, al-Afri became Osama Bin-Laden’s top candidate to lead al-Qaeda’s Iraqi branch, which is indicative of his popularity among jihadi leaders.
Dr Hisham al-Hashimi, an adviser to the Iraqi government, told American magazine Newsweek a few days ago that al-Afri’s position in the Islamic State is better today than that of declared leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Al-Afri is “more important, and smarter, and with better relationships. He is a good public speaker and strong charisma,” al-Hashimi told Newsweek. “All the leaders of Daesh find that he has much jihadi wisdom, and good capability at leadership and administration,” he added, using the Islamic State’s Arabic-language name.
Iraqi officials say that when al-Afri was in charge of the sharia authorities in northern Iraq, he was very strict….
…al-Afri’s rise to power as the organization’s official leader should not be perceived as the overthrowing of al-Baghdadi, as even before al-Baghdadi’s injury, al-Afri served as a “supreme leader” for the organization and it was his generals who steered ISIS’ military moves. Past reports characterized al-Baghdadi as the Islamic state’s “spiritual leader,” noting his appointment as the head of ISIS was mostly meant to give the organization a religious seal of approval.
And if approval was the key factor, then al-Afri might face a real problem due to his Turkmen origins. Alquds Alarabi newspaper claimed this week that al-Afri cannot be the Islamic State’s caliph because he is neither Arab not Hashemite.
Don McKellar says
Really, what does it matter which muppet is in charge? They all follow the same same evil texts, which are set in stone and can’t be changed, so it makes no difference.
As for the Pentagon’s denial — this is typical Obama. He has almost certainly sent down the orders that should the US take out al-Baghdadi the US will not take any credit and defer to Iraqi forces. That way moslems get credit for something they didn’t accomplish nor deserve. Which is standard practice and the pattern Obama has established throughout his regime’s time in office. He has done this over and over again. If he could have figured out a way to have given moslems credit for taking out Osama Bin Laden, you can be certain he would have!
Georg says
“Really, what does it matter which muppet is in charge?”
Although I can understand why you’d ask and make the following assertions, I think it’s crucial to go after Baghdadi. IS have doubled down on mystique and supposed religious supremacism and destiny, so it greatly erodes the soundness of their claims to see the caliph added to the list of dirtbag fate a la bin Laden, Zarqawi, Awlaki, Hiter, and the rest of them. We can and will make of him the jerk he is. And it must be known that anyone who emulates these human plagues will lose because the World will not tolerate it.
Don McKellar says
“Alquds Alarabi newspaper claimed this week that al-Afri cannot be the Islamic State’s caliph because he is neither Arab not Hashemite.”
I always find the rampant, usually unsaid racism of Islam amusing.
ken koeder says
I’m confused… what race is islam??
Don McKellar says
According to Alquds Alarabi, there is a racial hierarchy of sorts within Islam.
Islam is always confusing. It is a death cult, not a race, obviously. But then there’s racism within Islam itself. Like in this example, where al-Afri can’t become caliph because he’s not of the “right” race! In fact, this is the only religion I’m aware of that requires the leader of it to be a certain race — it’s not good enough to be a moslem, you must be an Arab or Hashemite to be the top dog.
duh_swami says
it’s even deeper than that…Allah is a racist…Allah is the Arabic god, who lives in Arabia, Mecca specially, who dictated a dark and evil fairy tale written in Arabic, to a semi-psychotic Arab, who shared it with other Arabs…Allah calls them, the ‘best of peoples’, and curses everyone else. Mahound said Arabs are the best looking with the best hair…It’s pretty clear Allah favors one race above all others, the Arab, making Allah, a racist…
Jay Airahs says
Good riddance Bag Laydi
No Virgies
Jack Diamond says
“Alquds Alarabi newspaper claimed this week that al-Afri cannot be the Islamic State’s caliph because he is neither Arab not Hashemite.”
Well yes, if he wants to qualify as the last caliph, the mahdi, who must descend from the family of Muhammad. The late? al-Baghdadi went to great trouble to alter his name so as to meet the standard …to Abdullah, one of the 99 names of the prophet since the last caliph/mahdi was promised by Muhammad to carry one of his names; and that he must be of Muhammad’s line, hence “of Quraysh’ and “Ali ibn Muhammad’ to show he came from the husband of Muhammad’s daughter. Hence: “Caliph Abdullah Ibrahim Ibn Awaad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Ali Ibn Muhammad of Quraysh Al-Baghdadi of the tribe of prophet Muhammad”. But what kind of Mahdi gets himself killed?
As for just being Caliph, the sunnis list ten qualifications:
–of age and not a minor; of sound mind; free not a slave; a man not a woman; able to conduct battle and warfare; courageous; accessible not concealed and hidden; a Muslim; be just; be able to judge and give verdicts on points of law and religion, a Mujtahid.
http://panjatani.net/Panjatani/Index/Imamat/Chapter-21.html
Caliphs have come from many tribes and races (though some legalists do claim he should only be Quraysh).
At Islam Q&A the scholars tell us in “How the Caliph of the Muslims is Appointed”
“The imam (ruler) or caliph was appointed to lead the Islamic state by one of three methods:
1. He was chosen and elected by the decision makers (ahl al-hall wa’l-‘aqd). For example, Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq became caliph when he was elected by the decision makers, then the Sahaabah unanimously agreed with that and swore allegiance to him, and accepted him as caliph.
2. Appointment to the position by the previous caliph, when one caliph passes on the position to a particular person who is to succeed him after he dies. For example, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab became caliph when the position was passed on to him by Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq.
3. By means of force and prevailing over others. When a man becomes caliph by prevailing over the people by the sword, and he establishes his authority and takes full control, then it becomes obligatory to obey him and he becomes the leader of the Muslims. Examples of that include some of the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid caliphs, and those who came after them. This method is contrary to sharee’ah, because it is seized by force. But because great interests are served by having a ruler who rules the ummah, and because a great deal of mischief may result from chaos and loss of security in the land, the one who seizes authority by means of the sword should be obeyed if he seizes power by force but he rules in accordance with the laws of Allaah.
{i.e. the caliph is the last man standing}.
http://islamqa.info/en/111836
Al-Afri is also said to be a disciple of al Qaeda theorist Abu Masab Al-Suri (author of “Call to Global Islamic Resistance”) further demonstrating his al Qaeda bona fides. Anyway, what’s taking so long to confirm if Baghdadi is dead or it was one of his look-a-likes? (these ARE Sadaam’s men after all running things). Shouldn’t al-Alfri be ‘splainin’ he was appointed by Dead Daddi as successor? Where’s all the ISIS chatter about this if it’s true?
Jack Diamond says
I mean, per The Guardian, almost dead. Mahdi sick.
voegelinian says
“The Pentagon denied that al-Baghdadi was injured in that air strike, but reports that he was keep coming. Why the Pentagon would deny it if it were true is inexplicable, as it would make them look good if it were true. ”
It is explicable in one way: if the Pentagon is afraid of committing itself to the likely report, for fear that if it turns out to be certainly untrue, they will have egg on their face (the only problem with this theory, however, is that the Pentagon & State Department haven’t seemed to be worried about egg on the face ever before — indeed, they have more egg on their face than a soufflé chef in a broad comedy…).
Charli Main says
I´m surprised that European Union MPs haven´t sent an air ambulance to Iraq, to pick up this poor Muslim victim of Crusader brutality and bring him back to Europistan.
Ed Miliband´s Muslim arse kissing Jewish mum could be his personal nurse.
Why, the ” Palestinians” might even build a statute to her, for services to Islam.
Judi says
Amen Charli!
Matthieu Baudin says
Al-Baghdadi has either gone underground or is about to.