(NBC/NEFA) - Voices from the Iraqi Insurgency: An Exclusive Interview with the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI)

By Evan Kohlmann

(See also - MSNBC Deep Background: "Iraqi insurgents weigh in on American election")

In an effort to help Americans better understand the evolving dynamics behind the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, I have begun conducting a series of exclusive interviews with prominent Sunni insurgent organizations. The third group to accept my invitation was the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), a dominant Sunni faction that has come into frequent conflict with Al-Qaida over the past year. From MSNBC's Deep Background:

A spokesman for one of Iraq’s most prominent insurgent groups declares in a rare interview that he favors the Democrats in the upcoming presidential election. “We believe that the Democrats are more aware of the severity of the American situation in Iraq, and, therefore, they can give more attention to safeguarding American interests in this region,” the spokesman said. The comments are part of an exclusive interview that NBC News terrorism analyst Evan Kohlmann recently conducted with Dr. Ali al-Naimi, spokesman for the Islamic Army in Iraq. Kohlmann, who also serves as Senior Investigator for the NEFA Foundation, has now conducted several interviews with the leading insurgent groups in Iraq. The on-the-record conversations have revealed the rifts that have arisen amongst the Iraqi insurgent groups and al-Qaida. In the recent interview, al-Naimi denounces al-Qaida and its foreign fighters. “The errors of al-Qaida in regards to spilling the blood of the innocent are more numerous than can possibly be covered in a single response, statement, or interview,” al-Naimi said. The IAI, as it’s commonly referred to, is one of the largest insurgent groups in Iraq. It claims to have been founded in the years prior to the U.S. invasion, “when all signs indicated that Bush was going to lead the Americans to slaughter the peaceful people of Iraq,” al-Naimi said. Its mission is to kill and drive out U.S. forces, which it derides as occupiers. "We wish the American soldiers would leave us in peace, for we are not murderers and we do not experience joy in killing anyone. But if they insist on staying here in order to satisfy the whims of Bush, then American families should expect to receive many more bodies," al-Naimi said. “Send my blessings to the intelligent people of America and let them know of my point of view,” he concludes.

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