When checked on 22 May 2004, the jihadist website Al-Qal'ah (fortress), url: http://www.qal3ah.net was observed to post a statement dated 22 May attributed to the "military wing of Al-Tawhid wa al-Jihad group" claiming responsibility for the car-bomb attack on the house of Iraqi Interior Ministry Undersecretary Abd-al-Jabbar Yusuf, which took place on Saturday 22 May. The following is the text of the statement:

Jama'at al-Tawhid Wa Al-Jihad (group of monotheism and jihad) claims responsibility for the attack on Abd-al-Jabbar Yusuf, the apostate traitor and undersecretary of the Interior Ministry. Statement Number 8.

In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful.

Praise be to God, the supporter of believers and the conqueror of Crusaders and hypocrites; peace and prayers be upon the prophet of great deeds, the cheerful one and mighty fighter, and leader of heroes, and upon his household and his followers -- the people of exceeding determination.

Another hero from the "Death Squad" has taken action. He followed the example of his predecessors in carrying out the greatest battles of heroism and making sacrifices with strong determination, unrelenting will, and ability to strike at the enemy with success and might.

Your brothers from Jama'at al-Tawhid Wa Al-Jihad have attacked Abd-al-Jabbar Yusuf, the traitor and apostate general and the Interior Ministry undersecretary, who belongs to the Islamic Da'wah Party, while he was in front of his house getting ready to leave for work. Brother martyr Ahmad al-Shami, Abu Abd-al-Rahman, attacked him with a booby-trapped car and sent him to Hell -- the worst abode.

Muslims, the success of the mujahdin in carrying out this increasing number of operations at this time in particular, with this level of accuracy and efficiency, through these various methods and ways, and against such a variety of targets indicates that these operations are not mere transient operations. This operation was one in a series of operations that began -- and will not stop -- against the Crusader enemy and its allies from the time its troops invaded the country of Mesopotamia.

It is no secret that such operations have a destructive effect on the psychology and morale of the enemy soldiers inside and on their relatives and peoples outside. Moreover, the mujahidin's control over the timing of their operations is another significant issue that shows that the mujahidin hold the reins of the initiative in their operations. Praise be to God.

These are only some important signs of these blessed operations, which instill hope in us. The thing that instills further hope in us is that these operations are only some of the mujahidin's continuous operations, which the enemy admitted. The number of operations the enemy has admitted constitutes a small part of the actual number of operations, which are ignored by the unjust world media that are controlled by the enemy. However, God will reward us for these operations, whose effect on people will not be lost, God willing. Congratulations to you O heroic mujahidin and men, the men who write their nation's history with their blood.

The mujahidin build with their skulls the glories of their religion. They are sick of and hate the life of humiliation. They are not interested in what other money-seekers, power merchants, and fame seekers rush to obtain. The mujahidin seek what God offers (in the hereafter); namely, what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what never occurred to man's mind. Apart from the economic, military, and security significance, the operation conveyed a strong political message to Washington's allies in its war and aggression against the Islamic nation. The message is that they will not be out of reach of the revenge of God and the mujahidin forever. It also says that if the coalition countries go too far, they must be prepared to pay a hefty price from their blood and interests. Those who have not understood the message; namely, to relinquish their loyalty to the occupiers and disassociate themselves from them, should understand the next message. It is still possible for whoever wants to reconsider his position to do so before it is too late.

In conclusion, we call on Muslims all over the world to unite, close ranks, and shun differences and divisions. We also ask them to assume their responsibilities in full before this Crusader-Zionist onslaught, which primarily seeks to uproot the Muslims, obliterate their creed, occupy their countries, and rob their wealth and resources. The Muslims should know that they are capable of doing something against this enemy. The "victim" complex, which had been with us for more than a century, has gone forever. The years of loss and defeat, which our enemy wanted us to live, have turned, with the permission of God, into days of victory, pride, and strength.

(But) among (their) Allah-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace: They said: "Assault them at the (proper) Gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours; But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith." (Koranic verse)

We advise our brothers to pray to God.

We will not tire of asking our Muslim brothers everywhere to pray to God earnestly to destroy America and those who are allied with it, destroy its power, make it a lesson to others, and stop its attacks on Muslims everywhere. We also ask them to pray to God to grant victory to the mujahidin, make their strikes successful, make them stand fast, support them with soldiers, and grant them victory over their enemy.

God is Great. Honor belongs to God, His Messenger, and the mujahidin.

(Signed) The Military Wing of Jama'at al-Tawhid wa-al-Jihad

(Dated) Saturday, 22 May 2004

Translated from the original by WNC.