Islamic State of Iraq: Al-Qaeda's Internet Handle

Via WIBW.com -

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military on Wednesday announced the arrest of a senior leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, an insurgent who, the military said, is casting himself as a "conduit" between the top leaders of al Qaeda and al Qaeda in Iraq.

Khalid al-Mashadani was seized in Mosul, the U.S. military says.

Khalid al-Mashadani, an Iraqi also known as Abu Shahed, was seized on July 4 in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and is in coalition custody, the military said.

...

Bergner said al-Mashadani co-founded an organization "in cyberspace" called the Islamic State of Iraq, which he referred to as a "marketing" effort to create a Taliban-like state in Iraq. (Video Watch Bergner's briefing to reporters »)

Al-Mashadani also shed light on the Islamic State of Iraq, the so-called umbrella group of Iraqi insurgents that includes al Qaeda in Iraq.

That group has claimed responsibility for many terrorist attacks.

But Bergner said that al-Mashadani passed on the information that the creation of the group was a ruse to cast itself as home-grown, when in fact it is led by foreigners.

It went so far as to create a fictional political head of Islamic State of Iraq, Omar al-Baghdadi and an actor was used to portray him.

Bergner said Islamic State of Iraq is "a front organization" for al Qaeda in Iraq and a "pseudonym" for it as well.

"It is really being controlled, directed and guided by al Qaeda in Iraq leadership."

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If you watch the terrorism news enough, you will see ISI somewhere. On some website or claiming to be behind some attack...but it was almost always on the internet. Each time you hear "Islamic State of Iraq" in a media report, you hear "Al-Qaeda connected" right behind it.

ISI attempted to play itself off as a Iraqi group that was fighting for their nation and their belief of Islamic rule of Iraq, but as the pictures becomes more clear...it appears to be nothing more than an Al-Qaeda internet handle - or is it?

Does Baghdadi exist or are they telling us he doesn't exist?

Al-Qaeda is fully aware of how effective PSYOPS can be during war. The videos and the printed newsletters are perfect examples. If you are losing, say you are winning....if you are captured, say you are being tortured....if you can't win with guns, then win with words.

PSYOPS are at the heart of asymmetrical warfare.