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Al-Qaeda Takes Credit for Iraqi Jailbreak

By William Tucker

Media reports on yesterday’s jailbreak at Abu Ghraib were scant on details, but we now know that the al-Qaeda branch Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has issued a statement today taking credit for the attack. Initial reports from the Iraqi government stated that no prisoners had escaped, however they amended that statement by saying some had indeed left custody. Others, including the ISI, have put the number of escapees at 500. Keep in mind that this situation is still fluid and verifiable numbers may never become publically available. There are some circumstances that are worth monitoring. Abu Ghraib housed many high ranking militants belonging to both affiliated al-Qaeda movements and other notorious militant groups. These names may eventually make it to the online militant forums and offer a glimpse of where these individuals wind up.

The war in Syria has drawn a wide variety of militants from across the Islamic world. Though the claim seems dubious, the Pakistani Taliban have stated that they send a number of fighters to Syria to take on the Assad regime. Indeed, the militant landscape of pro-regime and anti-Assad militant groups is rather complex. For a great rundown on the militant situation, please visit the following links from Flashpoint Intel and Jihadology for more information.

https://flashpoint-intel.com/upload/syria_martyrs/2013-06-02_Convoy_of_Martyrs_Report.pdf
http://jihadology.net/hizballah-cavalcade/

William Tucker serves as a senior security representative to a major government contractor where he acts as the Counterintelligence Officer, advises on counterterrorism issues, and prepares personnel for overseas travel. His additional duties include advising his superiors in matters concerning emergency management and business continuity planning.

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