Iraq Watch: April 25, 2006

Zarqawi Releases Videotape

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh), the Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, released an over 30-minute-long unprecedented videotape Tuesday.

The video titled "A Message to the People" is the first of its kind for the often-shadowy al-Zarqawi. The native of Zarqa, Jordan, a dusty, industrial suburb northwest of the capital city of Amman – from which the militant leader's last name is derived – is shown wearing what is believed to be a suicide bomb vest throughout the clip.

The majority of the high-quality production features Zarqawi delivering a lengthy message against the backdrop of a U.S. military-issued machine gun. Other portions of the clip show Zarqawi meeting with confidants, firing an automatic weapon, and viewing the testing of a guerilla rocket.

A link to the full video can be found at Bareknucklepolitics.com.