Amir Abu Walid - Chechen Mujahideen Commander

[Khattab]

Interview with Amir Abu Al-Walid's family

Source (http://qrmapps.com/thugburg/pthug.asp?S=Abu%20Walid)

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NAME: Abu Walid al-Ghamdi
ALIAS: Abdu-l-Aziz Abu Al-Walid al-Ghamdi
ORGANIZATION: Islamic Republic of Ichkeria
POSITION: Rebel Commander
COMMENTS: London Al-Majallah in Arabic 16-22 Jun 2002 pp16-19

by Ibrahim al-Mutawi in Baljrashi, southern Saudi Arabia:

"Now Arab Chechen Military Commander; "Al-Majallah" Meets "Abu Walid's" Family in Southern Saudi Arabia

"Abu Walid" did not realize at one time that his fondness of playing drama roles at the school theatre would lead him to a real dramatic role in life as leader of the group of Arab fighters in Chechnya following the death of Samir Bin-Salih Bin-Abdallah al-Suwaylim, former leader of the group, better known as "Khattab". "Abu Walid's" real name is Abdu-l-Aziz.

He is 34 years old and the second son of 11 to Sa'id Bin-Ali al-Ghamidi, a well-known real estate and wood dealer in "Al-Hal" village in the governorate of Baljrashi in southern Saudi Arabia.

In his first interview, exclusive to "Al-Majallah", his father said Abdu-l-Aziz was a trustworthy man, on whom one can rely to run many errands. He denied his son was influenced by any Islamic personality as his model. He said, "we did not notice he admired a certain person but he had many good qualities." He said, "Abd-al-Aziz did not like to speak so much about his life in Afghanistan. He used to give short answers, such as "thank God" and "it's all God's will" whenever he was asked about certain things there."

Regarding Abdu-l-Aziz' relations with his brothers and the most one attached to him, his father said, "his relationship with everybody is distinguished and everyone likes and respects him greatly. I think his brother Umar, my youngest son, is the most attached to him, specially that he did not see Abdu-l-Aziz when he was born. Abdu-l-Aziz left to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first week of Umar's birth."

From amid the halls of the family's luxurious palace in his calm village, "Abd-al-Aziz" was 17 years old only when he left the comfort of living with his wealthy family to take the first flight to Pakistan and join the camp of Arab mujahidin in Peshawar in 1987. Like his fellow Saudi men then, he was obsessed with the dream of jihad, which flared in Jamal-al-Din al-Afghani's land. The road would usually go through Kabul's desolateness, Kandahar's ruggedness, and the harshness of Tora Bora mountains. "Abu Walid", who used to love going on hunting trips when he was young, did not abandon his rifle after he took part in the fighting in Afghanistan. He vowed he would trace the footprints of the Russian bear on the Islamic world's map. He decided to try his talent at hunting and ended his adventures by looking for hot water springs. He followed Arab fighters twice, once in Bosnia-Herzegovina before he laid his trap again in the woods of Chechnya and the freezing mountains of central Asia to fulfill his exquisite dream.

Since the military Shura Council in Chechnya nominated him officially as the field commander of Arab mujahidin to succeed "Khattab"--the commander who was assassinated by poison last month--"Abdu-l-Aziz" remained an unattainable goal by the international media, which failed many times to unveil the characteristics of this intelligent and discreet commander. "No media was able to reveal Abu Walid's character or any real information about his life." These were the brief words, with which Abu Walid's brother, "Khalid", began his exciting statement to "Al-
Majallah"--the first publication to get a documented press interview with members of Abu Walid's Saudi family.

Khalid Bin-Sa'id al-Ghamdi, 27 years old, came fourth in Abu Walid's brothers. He stated that most of the information disseminated by the media and the Internet about his older brother was guess and much of it was baseless. Abu Walid's family members agreed to the interview with "Al-Majallah" on condition they had the right to abstain from answering any sensitive question that might harm their brother or his cause. They actually were silent to most questions. Following is the interview with the brother of the Arab mujahidin commander in Chechnya:

[Al-Majallah] Is there any kind of contacts between you and your brother "Abu Walid"?

[Khalid] No. We certainly do not think of calling him. However, we know his news and moves from "Al-Jazirah" channel and "the Caucasian" Internet web-site. Most of what is published in the press about his personal life is wrong and its sources are unreliable.

[Al-Majallah] You grew up with "Abu Walid". Do you think his characteristics are consistent with his role as military commander of the Arab mujahidin in Chechnya?

[Khalid] Anyone who knows my brother, "Abu Walid", well would never imagine he is a military commander. He has a very good sense of humor; he is social and gets along with various youths whether or not they are religious.

[Al-Majallah] Was he a religious fanatic when he grew up with you?

[Khalid] He was very moderate.

[Al-Majallah] What then are Abu Walid's most distinguished
characteristics?

[Khalid] He had a talent for acting. He actively took part in the school theater when he was at "Al-Makarimah" elementary school and "Hittin" intermediate school. The roles he performed had an Islamic content. He was also fond of hunting although he was young then.

[Al-Majallah] How was his relationship with the family?

[Khalid] Due to our family's nature, he was very attached to his brothers. "Abdu-l-Aziz" was our father's right arm in handling the business of wood and paint that the family owned. Our father noticed his executive capabilities, which helped improve many dealings.

[Al-Majallah] How did he first have a trend toward jihad?

[Khalid] Although he had excellent grades at school, he left us in the middle of his secondary education to head to Afghanistan and join Arab mujahidin there. He came back to Saudi Arabia after the liberation from the Russian invasion.

[Al-Majallah] Was he different when he returned from jihad?

[Khalid] He did not change at all except that he grew a longer beard. He maintained the same sense of humor he used to have.

[Al-Majallah] Did he think about getting married when he came from jihad?

[Khalid] After his return from Afghanistan, he was only interested in making it up to us for the time he spent abroad and he was keen on meeting with our relatives.

[Al-Majallah] What did he do after his return to Saudi Arabia?

[Khalid] During his presence in Saudi Arabia, he helped our father in his trade business for a short period of time before he left to Bosnia-Herzegovina. He called us from there and told us he married a Muslim woman. When the situation became calm in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he left to Chechnya and has not returned to Saudi Arabia since then. We have not seen him for nine years. We were able to see how he looked like on television when he was designated to lead Arab Chechens.

[Al-Majallah] Is there a certain story you remember that happened to you with Abu Walid?

[Khalid] Whenever I think of him, I remember something that happened when we were young. When we were playing, I accidentally hit him with a stone in his mouth and broke his teeth. I was afraid when I saw blood coming out of his mouth and I ran away. However, he followed me laughing while he was hiding his mouth with his hand to hide away the blood from me. He held my hand and said, "do not be afraid. I would not tell my father that you did so that he would not punish you." I have not seen anyone forgiving like him.

Khalid then pointed to a drawer in the desk and said, "Abu Walid used to give what was in this drawer for charity. I do not forget how he assisted anyone who asked for help."

[Al-Majallah] What number is Abu Walid among his brothers?

[Khalid] Abdu-l-Aziz is the second brother after Abdallah. We are 11 brothers as follows: Abdu-Allah, Abdu-l-Aziz, Ali, Khalid, Fahd, Abdu-l-Rahman, Muhammad, Bandar, Turki, Imad, and Umar, the youngest.

[Khattab]

Chechnya: Amir Abu al-Walid and the Islamic component of the Chechen war

Central Asia-Caucaus Analyst (http://www.religioscope.info/article_88.shtml) - 26 Feb 2003

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Following the death of Amir Ibn al-Khattab last spring, there was speculation as to whether the foreign Islamist mujahidin would continue to play a large role in the Chechen struggle for independence from Russia. Khattab appears to have been replaced by a 35 year old Saudi, Abu al-Walid. Unlike the often flamboyant Khattab, al-Walid' has a more reclusive style. Ample speculation surrounds him, incuding whether he exists at all. Al-Walid is an experienced and worthy successor to Khattab in the field. What remains to be seen is whether al-Walid can preserve the supply networks of volunteers and money under enormous international pressure is being applied to terminate these conduits.

BACKGROUND: A native of southern Saudi Arabia, al-Walid's real name is 'Abd al-Aziz al-Ghamidi. In 1987, al-Walid left for Peshawar, the transit point for Arab volunteers heading into Afghanistan. There, he would have received training and support from the Mukhtab al-Khidmat, an organization run by Dr. 'Abdullah 'Azzam and funded by Osama bin Laden. As the Afghan war wound down, al-Walid made a short trip home before volunteering for new jihad operations in Bosnia in 1993.

In June of 2002, the London-based Saudi newspaper al-Majallah published an interview with al-Walid's family in Saudi Arabia. His family revealed that he was pious but religiously moderate, one of eleven sons, and once had a taste for acting, but had little to say about his days in Afghanistan.

In Bosnia, al-Walid may have served alongside some 300 veterans of the Afghanistan war. While they proved effective fighters, they were joined by hundreds of other foreign Muslims whose military skills were questionable, and whose religious Puritanism antagonized tolerant Bosnian Muslims. Many of the 'Afghans' were organized as part of the regular Bosnian Army's 7th Battalion under the command of Abu 'Abd al-Aziz 'Barbaros', an Indian Muslim with experience in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

When the Dayton Accords made the mujahidin presence in Bosnia politically uncomfortable, several hundred of the 'Afghans' began transferring to Chechnya in late 1995.

Al-Walid may have served with Khattab in Chechnya as early as March 1995, planning and participating in some of the war's most successful actions against Russian convoys. In the role of Khattab's naib (deputy), he joined the 1999 attack on Dagestan that contributed to sparking the current war. In April 2000 he led a successful attack on the Russian 51st Paratroop regiment. In May 2002 came reports that al-Walid was holding the captured crew of an Mi-24 helicopter hostage, threatening to kill them if the Russians did not release 20 jailed Chechens.

There were Russian allegations that al-Walid is variously an agent of Saudi intelligence, the Muslim Brotherhood, or Bin-Laden's al-Qaeda. The FSB claims that al-Walid organized the 1999 Russian apartment-block bombings, planned bacteriological attacks on Russia, and was behind the May 2002 Kaspiysk bombing in Daghestan.

IMPLICATIONS: In September 2002, questions were raised as to al-Walid's actual existence. The Director of the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya claimed that Akhmed Zakayev and other representatives of the Maskhadov government had told him there was no such person as Abu al-Walid. Russian journalist Anna Politkoyskaya (one of the few outsiders to report from behind Chechen lines) was quoted as saying none of the fighters she knew had ever seen al-Walid. Further complicating the picture were numerous reports that al-Walid had drowned in June 2002 while crossing the Khul-Kulao River by horse.

The first known pictures of al-Walid appeared on Movladi Udagov's Kavkaz (Caucasus) website. The site showed a youthful looking al-Walid posing with Basayev, Maskhadov and other leaders of the Chechen rebellion. Al-Walid affects the long hair and beard popular with the late al-Khattab and other Arab mujahidin in Chechnya.

Russia blames Abu al-Walid and Shamil Basayev for the devastating December 27 truck-bombing of the Chechen administration building in Grozny, allegedly carried out with funding from the Muslim Brotherhood. Russian officials claimed that the 'Arab methods' used in the suicide-bombing pointed to 'Arab militants trained in Afghanistan'. The Muslim Brotherhood has vigorously denied any responsibility for the Grozny bombing or other violent acts, though they are likely involved in fund-raising for the Chechen mujhadin as well as their acknowledged funding of humanitarian organizations active in Chechnya.

Al-Walid appears to be serving as deputy to Basayev, the Amir of the Majlis al-Shura. Basayev has resigned his command, however, since admitting responsibility for the disastrous events in Moscow. Officially, Basayev is now nothing more than the commander of the Riyadus- Salakhin Suicide Battallion, a newly formed unit of radical Islamists. Al-Walid continues as Commander of Eastern Front operations. The mujahidin under al-Walid are multi-ethnic in origin.

Besides Arabs from the Gulf region and North Africa, there have at times been volunteers from Turkey, other parts of the Russian North Caucasus, Central Asia, Western Europe and even Japan. The composition of the group is fluid but is hard pressed at present to insert new members. A group of about 80 Arabs may have entered Chechnya last Fall. There are also claims that many Saudi-sponsored Arabs active in Chechnya have recently relocated to the Middle East due to the failure of the Salafists to gain popular support in the Caucasus.

Khattab understood the importance of public relations, realizing that in order to keep funds coming, the Chechen jihad had to be visible. A videotape team always accompanied Khattab's operations, and the Amir frequently made himself available for interviews (by satellite phone or other means) to the Muslim media. Al-Walid's more secretive style may jeopardize the mujahidin's financial links.

CONCLUSIONS: Russian allegations of al-Qaeda control of al-Walid and the Arab fighters (and lately, the entire Chechen rebellion) make for useful propaganda, intended to draw American support. These charges rest on the belief that Bin Laden controls the thoughts and actions of every militant in the Islamic world. Since his death, Khattab's military career has been compared favorably to Bin Laden's by some of the most radical shaykhs in Saudi Arabia. While Khattab was a constant presence on the battlefield and never pretended to be a scholar of Islam, Bin Laden has pretensions of religious leadership and has brought destruction upon Muslim lands. Khattab strongly denied any al-Qaeda connections to his command.

The importance of the Arab fighters in the Chechen war may actually be diminishing at the same time as Russian authorities are trying to emphasize it. While their numbers are too small to affect the fight one way or another, they remain important in command roles and as conduits to those in the Islamic world willing to support the struggle. Unlike the Russians, the Chechens have a very limited pool of manpower to draw upon, making it nearly impossible to refuse the help of any trained volunteer. Veterans of Afghanistan were initially important in training Chechen rebels, but such training is no longer needed, as Chechens have mastered their own tactics and weaponry. Shrinking financial support from the Gulf States may further reduce the influence of the Arab mujahidin in Chechnya.

[Khattab]

Abu-al-Walid says Chechnya war to spread to rest of Russia

KavKazCenter (http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=1998)

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[Announcer] Abu-al-Walid al-Ghamidi, the commander of Arab fighters in Chechnya, has stated that the [Majlis ul-Shura [council] of the Chechen resistance has decided to export military operations outside Chechnya, particularly to Russian territories, and to attack Russian military targets in Islamic republics in the Russian Federation.

In a video that appears to have been recorded before the month of Ramadan, a copy of which was received by Al-Jazeera, Abu-al-Walid has denied any schism within the Chechen Shura, which is headed by [Chechen rebel President] Aslan Maskhadov and comprises all the leaders of Chechen fighters.

[Al-Ghamidi] We are recording this video while we are on the threshold of the month of good and the month of blessings, the blessed month of Ramadan, the month of jihad and victory, God willing.

We ask God Almighty to grant the Islamic nation victory and nobleness in this month. We also ask God Almighty to end this humiliation the Islamic nation is experiencing. Actually, the situation in Chechnya, particularly with respect to the Mujahideen, is changing for the better, God willing.

This took place after they united their stands and closed ranks. This was possible in the first place thanks to God Almighty and thanks to the efforts of many scholars who had held continued talks with us. We used to consult them on these matters. The leaders, may God reward them, responded to the calls and advice of our scholars and sheikhs.

Stands were united and ranks were closed, thanks to God. Not a single leader in Chechnya remained outside the Shura. There could be some talk and many rumours that the council had fallen apart, that several leaders had left the Shura. Such talk is groundless, thanks be to God.

On the contrary, there is a united stand, the ranks are closed, and matters are proceeding as they should. As you have heard these days, the Mujahideen have decided to expand the scope of their operations and carry them outside Chechnya.

If operations continue in Chechnya, then those who will be harmed will be the Chechen people. So, the Shura has decided to export operations from Chechnya to inside Russia and Islamic states that are controlled by Russia, and to attack Russian military targets inside Russia. However, we are certain that all the Russian people are warriors because they were the ones who elected this leadership when this leadership pledged to crush the Chechen people. So, they are considered as warriors. God willing, they will pay for their fight with their blood and their sons.

[Announcer] Abu-al-Walid al-Ghamidi also spoke about the Chechen fighters' explanation of the bomb attacks carried out by Chechen women against Russian targets. He pointed out that the reason was that they were being raped, and therefore they had decided to carry out such operations in order not to become a victim and retaliate for the death of their husbands and children killed by the Russian troops.

[Al-Ghamidi] As you have seen and noticed, most of the suicide attacks were carried out by women. Many people would wonder and say that we do not want women to carry out such suicide attacks. However, we tell all sides that only those who are inside Chechnya know the real situation.

These women, particularly the wives of the Mujahideen who were martyred, are being threatened in their homes, their honour and everything are being threatened. They do not accept being humiliated and living under occupation. They say that they want to serve the cause of Almighty God and avenge the death of their husbands and persecuted people.

[Khattab]

Abu Walid: "A lot of work ahead this year"

KavKazCenter

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Five days before the death of Commander Abu-Walid last Monday April 12 a Kavkaz Center reporter in Chechnya had a chance to talk to him. The brief conversation was conducted over the radio. The reporter wanted to prepare a detailed interview and was planning to have a radio session with the Chechen Commander once again. But another conversation never took place. Sunday night Spokesman of Military Council of State Defense Council Majlis al-Shura of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria contacted us over the phone and reported that last Friday April 16 Commander of Eastern Front of CRI Armed Forces Amir Abu-Walid died in a battle (became a Shaheed/martyr). The Spokesman of State Defense Council did not give any details about the Commander's death. He only said that the relatives were notified about the death of Commander Abu-Walid last Saturday night.

Kavkaz Center is publishing the text of that brief conversation that took place between Commander Abu-Walid and our reporter a week ago. The text is published with no abridgements but with some stylistic corrections.

- Salam Aleikum (Peace be upon you). How are the things going over there? We hear they've been bombing your side pretty hard.

Wa Aleikum Salam (And peace be upon you). Praise God, everything’s all right. The Kafirs (infidels) are bombing us and we are bombing them. The situation is normal for the wartime. Alhamdulillah (Thank God)…

- I wanted to get an interview from you for Kavkaz Center.

Come on over, you’ll get the interview and everything…

- I'll try. But let's talk over the radio a little bit.

Yeah, let’s do that. No problem. But we don’t have much time though…

- Russians are saying they've been conducting a major combat operation on your side. What's going on over there?

Nothing new. They’re bombing with their warplanes and shelling with their howitzers and self-propelled artillery. Our Mujahideen (fighters) are operating everywhere. Right now it’s already getting warm, thank God. Over there, where we downed Kafirs (infidels, invaders) and munafiks (national traitors) real good in Tazen-Kala, Ersenoi, Agishbatoi and other places. We have three Shaheeds (martyrs who died in a battle), Insha Allah (God Willing). The fighters defeated a convoy in Shali too. The Avtury operation has been postponed. A battle took place in the direction of Nozhai-Yurt. Today it was reported that national traitors were ambushed near Ishkhoi-Yurt. The same things are happening in Gudermes. Right now we have a lot of work to do. The Kafirs keep shooting and shelling with their self-propelled artillery.

- What is the situation like among the Mujahideen?

Thank God, everything is all right. Everybody wants to fight the war. A lot of job is lying ahead this year, God Willing. We will kick the Kafirs out, if such is the will of Allah. Many fighters are ready for it. They are coming to us and asking us for assignments. A lot of young people. Blasts and ambushes happen every day. Mujahideen (fighters) are very active all over.

You guys are giving very little information. A lot of work has been done, and not too many people are going to know about it. Kafirs are not going to tell unless you do. God Willing, this year we have already shot down four helicopters. Many operations were carried out in the city as well. It is only on our Front. Others are working just as hard.

- It's hard to get in touch with us. Hardly anybody works over the phone, and we are hard to reach over the radio.

We have people out there, whom we report our information to. Your boss is supposed to know who to contact. We will be supplying the information, God Willing.

- How about the commanders? Do you guys ever get together at all?

Thank God, we do stay in touch. With our Commander-In-Chief, and with the others too. We all met not too long ago, and we did a good job.

- What were you discussing at the meeting?

Let’s talk about it next time. I’ve got to go now, got some work to do. Stay on this channel. We had a real good discussion, Insha Allah (God Willing)…!

- All right, Salam Aleikum

Wa Aleikum Salam, warahmatullah…

[Khattab]

Commander Of Arab Fighters In Chechnya Killed

IslamOnline (http://islam-online.net/English/News/2004-04/18/article10.shtml)

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RIYADH, April 18 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, the commander of Arab fighters in Chechnya, has been killed, a family member confirmed Sunday, April 18.

A brother of Ghamdi, aka Abul Walid, said the family had received news of his martyrdom Sunday morning, but did not say how the 34-year-old commander had died, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Saudi website Islam Today said Ghamdi had "been hit in the back" while preparing for prayers on Friday, April 16, adding the incidents took place in one of the camps of the mujahedeen fighting the Russian occupation forces in Chechnya.

The brother, who asked not to be named, told AFP the family were receiving condolences at their home.

He said Abul Walid, who was married to a Chechen, had been in Chechnya for the past six years and had also fought then-Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s.

Chechnya's pro-Russian President Akhmad Kadyrov said he had no knowledge of the death.

"There are major special operations under way in Chechnya, in the regions of Vedeno, Nojay-Yurt and Chelkovskoy, but no information so far concerning the death of Abul Walid," Kadyrov was quoted as saying by Ria-Novosti news agency.

The agency quoted a Russian military source as saying that Ghamdi may have been killed in a missile attack in recent days.

"There is no information about his death, but the situation will become clearer in the coming days," the source said.

Abul Walid, succeeded Arab commander Khattab, also Saudi-born, after he was killed two years ago.

Khattab, whose real name was Thamer bin Saleh al-Suwailem, and who fought with Arab fighters against Moscow's troops in Chechnya, was killed in March 2002.

Russia's intelligence agency FSB, the former KGB, said the following month that it had killed Khattab during an undercover operation that lasted more than a year and played on internal divisions among Chechen fighters.

According to Chechen fighters, Khattab died five minutes after receiving a poisoned letter, which had been delivered by a messenger known to him.

Russia claimed Khattab had links to Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.

A Chechen group later said its members killed the man blamed for the slaying of Khattab.

The small mountainous republic of Chechnya has been ravaged by conflict since 1994, with just three years of relative peace after the first war between Russian forces and Chechen fighters ended in August 1996 and the second broke out in October 1999.

At least 100,000 civilians and 10,000 Russian troops are estimated to have been killed in both wars, but human rights groups have said the real numbers could be much higher.

Last October, human rights groups accused the West of ignoring blatant and state-sanctioned abuses in Russia for the sake of improving relations with President Vladimir Putin.

The U.N. Human Rights Committee slammed in a panel on November 7 the ill-treatment of detainees under interrogation, executions and torture in the republic of Chechnya.

[Khattab]

Commander Abul Walid has been martyred

KavKazCenter (http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=2678)

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Ameer Abul Walid (Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi), the commander of Arab fighters in Chechnya, has been killed, a family member confirmed Sunday, April 18.

A brother of Ghamdi, aka Abul Walid, said the family had received news of his martyrdom Sunday morning, but did not say how the 34-year-old commander had died, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). The Saudi website Islam Today said Ghamdi had "been hit in the back" while preparing for prayers on Friday, April 16, adding the incidents took place in one of the camps of the mujahedeen fighting the Russian occupation forces in Chechnya.

The brother, who asked not to be named, told AFP the family were receiving condolences at their home.

He said Abul Walid, who was married to a Chechen, had been in Chechnya for the past six years and had also fought then-Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s.

Abul Walid, succeeded Arab commander Khattab, also Saudi-born, after he was killed two years ago. Khattab, whose real name was Thamer bin Saleh al-Suwailem, and who fought with Arab fighters against Moscow's troops in Chechnya, was killed in March 2002.

According to Chechen fighters, Khattab died five minutes after receiving a poisoned letter, which had been delivered by a messenger known to him.

A Chechen group later said its members killed the man blamed for the slaying of Khattab.

Republic of Chechnya has been ravaged by conflict since 1994, with just three years of relative peace after the first war between Russian forces and Chechen fighters ended in August 1996 and the second broke out in October 1999.

At least 250,000 civilians and 100,000 Russian troops are estimated to have been killed in both wars, but human rights groups have said the real numbers could be much higher.

Last October, human rights groups accused the West of ignoring blatant and state-sanctioned abuses in Russia for the sake of improving relations with President Vladimir Putin.

The U.N. Human Rights Committee slammed in a panel on November 7 the ill-treatment of detainees under interrogation, executions and torture in the republic of Chechnya.

[Khattab]

The Killing of Abu Al-Walid and the Russian Policy in Chechnya

KafKas (http://www.kafkas.org.tr/abmak/showarticle.php?articleID=58)

Murad Batal Al-Shishani
Wednesday / May 05, 2004

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The Arabic leader in Chechnya "Abu Al-Walid Al-Ghamdi" was killed (or at least announced to be killed) on Apr. 17, 2004 in "mysterious circumstances" as part of the Russian policy of assassinating the leaders of the Chechen resistance cells in an attempt to dismantle and undermine the structure of these groups. This state of affairs calls for a close study of the future of the Arab fighters in Chechnya and the extent to which the Russian policy of assassinating the leaders of the Chechen leaders will succeed in putting an end to the ongoing conflict and bringing peace to the region.

BACKGROUND: Abd Al-Aziz Bin Ali Bin Said Al Said Al-Ghamdi, known as Abu Al-Walid, took over leadership of Arab fighters in Chechnya after the death of Amir Khattab (Samer Bin Saleh Bin Abdullah Al-Swelim) in 2002. Accused by the Russian government of being the mastermind of numerous terrorist attacks in Chechnya and Moscow, Al-Walid is the poster child for Russian allegations that legions of al-Qaeda are fighting in Chechnya.

In a full exposé on Al-Walid’s life, the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan interviewed members of the al-Walid family (23 June 2002) describing his upbringings and how he went to Afghanistan in 1986 at age sixteen, but only after first receiving “the permission of his parents”, which is important because parental consent is essential in some parts of the Muslim world in determining whether a person can wage jihad. Al-Walid comes from the town of al-Hall, located in the southern province of Baljarshi province, near Jeddah. According to al-Watan, Al-Walid grew up in a pious family and the son of a well known Imam. His brothers told al-Watan that Al-Walid enjoyed spending his time reading religious books and was conscientious about his lessons studying the Qur’an.

While in Afghanistan Al-Walid spent two years training in the Maktb Al Khadamat (Office of Services), a center created by the Jordanian-Palestinian leader of Arab fighters in Afghanistan in the 1980s, organizing the inflow of Arab volunteers to Afghanistan by registering and distributing them to training camps. These two years appear to have played an important role in the development of Al-Walid’s Jihadist views. Al-Walid took leave from the fighting to return to Saudi Arabia for three months between 1987 and 1988. He fought for another two years in Afghanistan before finally coming back to Saudi Arabia for treatment of an injured left hand at King Fahd hospital in the Saudi city of Khobar. After spending three months recovering from his surgery, Al-Walid left once more for Afghanistan.

In the early 1990s Al-Walid traveled to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Tajikistan, fighting in the Balkans and Central Asia. His jihadi career led him to Tajikistan, where he participated in the Tajik civil war (1994-1995). He later traveled to Bosnia to fight against the Bosnian Serbs. Al-Walid left the Balkans in 1995, taking up the cause of the Chechens by joining the group of Arab fighters serving under the Saudi fighter Khattab. He adapted to Chechen society by marrying a Chechen woman, a marriage that produced two children.

IMPLICATIONS: The Russian policy of assassination began in 1996 when the President of the ChechenRepublic and leader of the nationalist movement Jokhar Dudayev was killed. But the assassination backfired and instead of ending the Chechen resistance, as the Russians expected, it fueled an upsurge in the resistance, forcing the Russian Government to negotiations. The Chechens succeeded in achieving de facto independence and sign a Russian-Chechen treaty in 1997 between President Yeltsin and the Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov who came to power upon this de facto independence.

With second Chechen war in its second year, the assassination policy became official Russian policy, and was launched as a means to counter the leadership of the independence movement in Chechnya or those who came from Arab countries to support the movement bringing with them their religious ideologies. Upon assigning the operations in Chechnya to the Federal Security Service on behalf of the Russian Government in early 2001, then Kremlin spokesperson on Chechen affairs Sergei Yasterzhembsky declared that "reestablishing security in the Caucasus Republic will only take place after eliminating the leaders of the Chechen fighters", and that "special security forces and the forces of the Ministry of Interior and the Russian Army must strive to eliminate the Chechen leaders".

The elimination saga started with the killing of Arbi Barayev, Salman Raduyev (who died in captivity in mysterious circumstances, Khattab (with a poisoned letter), and more recently the assassination of former Chechen interim President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev in the Qatari capital, Doha, and of guerrilla leader Ruslan Gelayev. The assassination of Yandarbiyev, for which Russian Intelligence agents were accused, was brought to Qatari courts. Still, these assassinations failed to end the resistance in Chechnya, which is continuing in different places and at different times.

In this context, the killing of Abu Al-Walid might be a blow to the Salafi-Jihadist way and the Arab fighters. Although it has been rumored that a known salafist fighter named Abu Hafss al-Ordni has taken over leadership after al-Walid, it is expected that Abu Omar Al-Saif, the ideologue of Arab fighters in Chechnya and the head of the Shari'a courts established in Chechnya in 1997, will assume leadership. The problem is that Abu-Omar's role has always been ideological, and his expertise in the field is not as strong as that of Khattab or Abu Al-Walid. This dilemma will only add to the problems the Salafi-Jihadists are already facing in Chechnya, with funds to the group cut as part of the international campaign to block funds for "terrorism". External funding was one of the most important mainstays that the Salafi-Jihadists used to recruit fighters. Yet the killing of Abu Al-Walid and the policy of assassinations are not expected to have any great implications on the Chechen resistance as a whole, especially the nationalist movement fighting the Russian troops in separation from the Salafi-Jihadists.

CONCLUSIONS: Be it that the killing of the Arab leader Abu Al-Walid might affect the Salafi-Jihadist way in Chechnya, the Russian policy of assassinations will not make a difference on the fundamentalist movement in Chechnya because the latter is being fed by violence against civilians, the Zachistka (“mopping-up operations”), refusing to deal with the legal Chechen leadership and trying to strengthen the rule of the brutal Russian proxy Ahmad Kadyrov. This continues to make radicalism and resistance, in any form, the alternative for many young Chechens who have lived in war and destruction from 1994.

It is also noteworthy that the policy of assassinations has failed to put an end to the Chechen resistance in general, because even if the Salafi-Jihadist strain of resistance would be killed along with its leader, the Chechen resistance will persist since it is not part of the Salafi-Jihadist way. If anything, the resistance is likely to become more localized and uncontrollable following the assassination campaign of its leaders.

[Khattab]

Interview with Abu Walid's Mother after his Martyrdom

An interview with Umm Abul-Waleed that took place in al-Ansaar Room on Paltalk on the day of the martyrdom of her son. 28/2/1425 - 18/4/2004

Click here to listen to original Arabic recording (http://geocities.com/mohebashaykhayn2000/omabyalwaleed.mp3)

http://img47.exs.cx/img47/6094/image12hi.jpg

Interveiwer: "Go ahead...one moment"

Umm Abul-Waleed 'Abdul'azeez Sa'eed al-Ghaamidi: "Yes, yes, I'm with you"

Interviewer: "Supplicate for them"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "Do they hear me? Yes, may Allah grant them success, and cleanse their hearts Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah. I am happy, and content with what has happened. O Allah for you is praise for has happened and what has occured. Praise be to Allah, I want to congratulate my sister, by Allah. We thank him that we had someone like him who served this religion [words unclear...] like Ahmad Yaaseen and the other who came after him, we praise Allah and thank him. I mean, praise be to Allah, this is a virtue from Allah, the Lord of the worlds. [Unclear] He was asking for it.and worked for it for sixteen, actually eighteen years And praise be to Allah, this is a bounty from Allah for us. By Allah, this is a bounty from Allah, from this. We praise Allah, and I am happy with this. For Allah what He takes, and for Allah what He gives."

Interviewer: "Umm al-Waleed, there are brothers here, supplicate for them, supplicate for them with martyrdom"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "May Allah grant them what they want. May Allah grant them what they want. [Unclear] May Allah grant them, and grant us, in accordance with our intentions, and what we love. Allah-willing, whoever asks for it (martyrdom) from Allah, with a good heart, will attain it Allah-willing. May Allah keep them firm, and fill their hearts with imaan."

Interviewer: "They send blessings to you regarding the martyrdom of your son"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "May Allah bless them, and bless by them, and grant them life and make them happy, and give them what they want, and what Allah loves for them and is content with. I ask Allah. [Unclear]"

Interviewer: "Umm al-Waleed, Abu Dujanah asks you to supplicate for him martyrdom. Specify him in supplication"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "Okay, may Allah grant him martyrdom. May Allah grant him what he wants. May Allah grant him, and fulfill his wish...May Allah grant him what he loves. I used to say to Abul-Waleed, 'May Allah grant you, and give you what you wish and what you love' And praise be to Allah, he loved this, and Allah gave it to him. And praise be to Allah. Allah doesn't let your supplication down. Whoever wants Allah, Allah will not let him down. May Allah grant them, and firmen them, and fill their hearts with imaan. Whoever attaches his hope to Allah, Allah will not let him down. [Unclear]. Yeah..."

Interviewer: "May Allah reward you, you spent a lot of time with us. We took much of your time."

Umm Abul-Waleed: "May Allah preserve you and them, Allah-willing. May Allah preserve you all, and reward you with good on our behalf. May Allah preserve you with His preservation, and keep you firm."

Interviewer: "[Unclear] Do you wish to say anything to them in specific Umm al-Waleed?"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "I say to them: Fear Allah, and make sincere your hearts for Allah, and Allah will grant you what you want. From the mercy of Allah, He will grant them what they want and what they love. I advise them to fear Allah, and to keep firm (and strong), may Allah grant them firmness. I don't have anything else to say"

Interviewer: "They say: How did your son love martyrdom and..."

Umm Abul-Waleed: "[Laugh] Praise be to Allah the lord of the worlds. From a young age, maa shaa Allah, he had religion, and fear of Allah. And praise be to Allah, he attained it. We thank Allah. He loved to obey Allah from a young age. Loved the religion. He would have good friends, friends of imaan, friends who...were good. Believers...those who love Allah and His Messenger, love the religion, love Jihaad (unclear). He didn't hang around with those who will...divert him. The sons, if they hang around with those (good ones), they will reach good, bi ithn illah."

Interviewer: "They say, if you want anything, they're at your service, awaiting and prepeared"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "May Allah preserve them and grant them success. What do I need? What do I need? Except that Allah preserves them."

Interviewer: "Like, anything you might need, they'll be like Abul-Waleed to you, bi ithn illah"

Umm Abul-Waleed: "May Allah preserve them and grant them success, and what they want and are content with and what their Lord is content with, the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah rectify them and guide them. We wont forget this, we will pray for them inn shaa Allah"

Interviewer: "May Allah reward you Umm Abul-Waleed"

"May Allah send peace and blessings on His Messenger. May Allah grant them firm. Whoever is made firm by Allah, Allah will grant him whatever he wishes inn shaa Allah. May Allah preserve you, I took lots of your time.

Umm Abul-Waleed: "No, not at all, you didn't..."

[Khattab]

Photos / Graphics / Movies of Amir Abu Walid

Photos:

Photo 1 (http://img41.exs.cx/img41/9265/13023.jpg) Photo 2 (http://img16.exs.cx/img16/4088/pic110lm.jpg) Photo 3 (http://img16.exs.cx/img16/340/pic136sl.jpg) Photo 4 (http://img110.exs.cx/img110/9093/abualwaleed20gh.jpg) Photo 5 (http://img110.exs.cx/img110/4550/63325489px.jpg) Photo 6 (http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1033/1107918160mn.jpg) Photo 7 (http://img86.exs.cx/img86/7632/1219774161cz.jpg)
Photo 8 (http://img86.exs.cx/img86/5367/aw36mt.jpg) Photo 9 (http://img86.exs.cx/img86/166/aw45uh.jpg) Photo 10 (http://img86.exs.cx/img86/2872/aw53qr.jpg) Photo 11 (http://img100.exs.cx/img100/4438/pic20ud.jpg) Photo 12 (http://img100.exs.cx/img100/9228/pic83ut.jpg) Photo 13 (http://img100.exs.cx/img100/9352/pic151ce.jpg)

Graphics:

Graphic 1 (http://img83.exs.cx/img83/8806/01626yx.jpg) Graphic 2 (http://img83.exs.cx/img83/4859/abo5ng.jpg) Graphic 3 (http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1561/abualwaleed4qu.jpg)

Signatures:

Signature 1 (http://img83.exs.cx/img83/2707/d24zh.gif) Signature 2 (http://img16.exs.cx/img16/746/abualwaleedbanner225hj.gif)

Misc:

Interview with Abu Walid's mother after his Martyrdom (http://geocities.com/mohebashaykhayn2000/omabyalwaleed.mp3) (Arabic MP3)

Wa'alaikum Asalaam

[Repenter]

Masha Allah.. May Allah protect them from Kuffar and May Allah guide us all like Allah's Believers..Aamin.. Jazakah Allah khairn akhi for sharing this..

[wolf]

Alsalam alikum,
Thank you dear brother for giving us this information about one of the great muslim fighters.I hope it will be an inspiration to all muslims,to take us away from humiliation and weakness,because this is what we miss these days,Jihad.Wassalam.:x068: