Al-Zarqawi: life, ideology, and impact

Al Zarqawi

Who is Al-Zarqawi, and why is he today one of the world's most hated terrorists? What are his activities and why is he wanted by the various Intelligence Agencies not only of the U.S.A., but also of the world? Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi is today one of the world's most wanted terrorists, said to be capable of overshadowing even the 'Enemy Number 1', as he is referred to in the United States of America, Osama bin Laden, and whose value, for capture, offered by the U.S. State Department, is said to be at par with that of Osama bin Laden, that is, an astronomical amount of $25 million. However, Al-Zarqawi has not been put on the 'Most Wanted' list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. This terrorist has been at times described as an 'Osama Associate', and also, at times, an individual who is capable of challenging even the leadership and the position of the Enemy Number 1, Osama bin Laden. (Who is Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi?)

There are some reports that state that Al-Zarqawi is an independent worker, and that he has absolutely no links to the terrorist organization that was responsible for the attacks carried out on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2000, namely Al-Quaeda. It is said that he belongs to a family based in Palestine in Jordan, with no terrorist links or any other contact with important people, unlike Osama bin Laden, who had established a number of contacts within the CIA. The CNN describes Al-Zarqawi as a 'lone wolf', operating and thinking alone and independently, but the fact is that this same person is known to have operated from Iraq, as well as from certain places in Western Europe, which is quite surprising because he manages to be in more than one place at one time, thereby outwitting even the most intelligent and astute of Intelligence operatives based in the United States of America. In Iraq, the people state that Al-Zarqawi is preparing to start a virtual Civil War between two different Muslim factions, the Sunnis and the Shiites.

The Weekly Standard has stated in its publication of 24 May 2004 that Al-Zarqawi was responsible for masterminding and executing Berg's killing, and also the carnage that took place in Madrid, and the attack on Shia worshippers in Iraq, as well as the suicide attack on the Port of Basra. The CIA claims not to know any physical details of this terrorist, including his height and his weight, and that he is such a secretive operator that even those who work with him in close contact with him do not actually know his true identity. (Who is Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi?)

Al-Zarqawi has indeed assumed the proportions of a proverbial bogeyman, what with international press labeling him a 'medieval barbarian', a 'demon', and a 'headhunter'. He has been accused by the U.S. government for having plotted and carried out a series of suicide bombings in Iraq. His organization, as some say, is the Tawhid and Jihad, or in other words, 'Unity and Holy War', and is also said to be an affiliate of the Al-Quaeda. This organization supposedly, since it functions without the benefit of immense resources and monetary power, has developed a more than normal amount of vision as well as tenacity and persistence. The Organization is able to understand and comprehend the inner psyche of different nations, and maybe this was why Al-Zarqawi made the decision to dispose of the two American hostages that he had captured, but keep the fate of the British hostages hanging in balance, because he was very well aware of the fact that the U.S. President Bush would not stoop to making deals with him, but that Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, would, for reasons of his own. (A Mackay, p. 4)

In a Report in 'The Independent on Sunday', November 2004, Al-Zarqawi's links with the ongoing War in Iraq seems to be quite obvious. The shooting during the attack on the rebel stronghold by U.S. Marines in Fallujah, and the subsequent killings and murders that took place, after which the Red Cross aid worker, Margaret Hassan was kidnapped and murdered in a brutal manner, all point the evidence of this master plan to Al-Zarqawi and his methods. When the U.S. marines were intensely carrying out their battle for the capture of Fallujah, a group of four American security guards were lynched. This angered the U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld so very much that he ordered, with immediate effect, the entire city to be invested, despite strong protests made by the General in charge of the operations, James T. Conway. (Sengupta, p.7)

This attack in fact left more than 600 Iraqis dead, and there was widespread protest about this, after which the assault was withdrawn. However, the long lasting impact that this attack had on the United States is that Iraq, with immediacy, launched a widespread rebellion against the U.S.A., and soon Fallujah was taken over by Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. It was from this point that this terrorist planned out his series of mortar and rocket attacks, and also the number of car bomb attacks that were carried out subsequently. When the U.S. Marines attempted to capture this elusive criminal, he has reportedly taken refuge in Babil, located to the South of Baghdad, from where he has been masterminding more and more attacks. (Sengupta, p.7)