Al Qa’eda has disavowed Islamic State of Iraq and as-Sham, almost nine months after telling ISIS to accept the authority of the Islamist faction Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria, given the local support for JAN — the Iraqi-led group repeatedly refused and has been engaged in fighting with insurgents in northern and eastern Syria since early January.
Al Qa’eda reiterates that the choice of leadership is a local decision and calls for a halt to the fighting with the insurgency.
The text of the statement, courtesy of “IraqiWitness” on Twitter:
1. FIRSTLY: Qae’dat al-Jihad (AQ) declares that it has no links to the ISIS group. We were not informed about it’s creation, nor counseled.
2. Nor were we satisfied with it rather we ordered it to stop. ISIS is not a branch of AQ & we have no organizational relationship with it.
3. Nor is al-Qaeda responsible for its actions and behaviors.
4. The branches of AQ are those that have been announced by the Central Command, those are the ones we acknowledge.
5. With our assurance of loyalty and love and support for every Mujahid, and our care for all our Muslim and Mujahid brothers.
6. SECONDLY: Al-Qaeda would like to reconfirm some of the important meanings in the Jihadi work, for example:
7. *Shura and united work and making important decisions after consultation between the Mujahideen and endorsement of their leaders.
8. *That problems between the Mujahideen are solved amongst themselves and not through the media.
9. *That we are a part of nation and that we don’t take their right to choose who will rule them as long as he meets Islamic requirements.
10. *And that we don’t hasten to create states/emirates without consulting scholars, leaders, mujahideen and then enforcing it on people
11. Making sure we mobilize the nation around main issues which is the ideology of Osama bin Laden who elevated with it the Jihadi work.
12. Therefore we published the “Victory of Islam” document to clarify the issues that the people should be mobilized around.
13 * Making sure to get rid of behaviors that will harm the Jihad, therefore we published the “General Instructions” document.
14. *Distancing from any behavior that will result in oppressing a Mujahid or a Muslim OR a non-Muslim.
15. And here we declare ourselves innocent of Fitnah in Sham between Mujahiden, and we declare our innocence of blood that has been shed.
16. We call upon everyone to fear God and realize the huge responsibility that has befallen upon them.
17. And to realize catastrophe that happened to the Jihad in Syria and the future of this Muslim Nation due to the Fitnah that they are in.
18. We call upon all those who have religion to take care of the Jihad and work to extinguish this Fitnah by stopping this fight.
19. And then settling the affairs by Islamic Courts to judge between the Mujahideen.
20. THIRDLY: We confirm that the door of advice between us and all is open.
21. And any Muslim Mujahid will have the right of brotherhood, support and loyalty.