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Al-Qaeda in Iraq Growing, Gaining Radicalized Sunnis

[Reuters/Washington Times] Suleiman al-Khalidi - Newly radicalized Sunnis and disillusioned nationalists are swelling the ranks of al-Qaeda in Iraq, which thinks it can turn part of the country into an Islamic emirate, a moderate Sunni politician said Sunday. Saleh Mutlaq, whose Iraqi National Dialogue group supports the U.S.-backed political process, said al-Qaeda's growing control of strongholds at the heart of the Sunni insurgency was paving the way for an Islamic fundamentalist state in western and central Iraq, and even Baghdad. He said al-Qaeda plans to expand its territory both in Iraq and beyond its borders. "They want to capture territory to attract more jihadists to destabilize everywhere, and they think they can take over all of Iraq later when they have the territory to operate," he said.
2006-10-31 01:00:00
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