US military intercepts letter showing Qaeda weakened in Iraq

Washington, Sept 11 : The US military has claimed to have intercepted a letter in which senior Al Qaeda operatives have severely criticized their Iraqi operatives for "failing to keep up with the campaign against US-led forces".

Dated March 6, the letter, which was found on the body of slain Qaeda militant Abu Nizar, blasted Qaeda in Iraq for failing to maintain communication and for poorly-planned attacks. In the letter, Qaeda leaders also slammed operatives for sending fighters into battle "alone, without direction".

Nizar, believed to be the go-between between Qaeda's second in command Ayman al-Zawahiri and Iraqi leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was killed by US-led Coalition Forces in Baghdad on April 24.

In the letter Al-Zawahiri also criticized the Iraqi operatives for posting videos online using archive footage of violent attacks, yet presenting them as new evidence of their success.

The letter reads: "Aby Ayyub al-Masri is not strong enough to bear this great great responsibility, and is weak at decision making. He is weak.......he is totally isolated. This is affecting his grip on reality."

US General David Perkins said that al Qaeda in Iraq responded to the criticism with claims of being financially cut off, and unable to recruit capable new members.

"The communications show that Al Qaeda in Iraq is "psychologically bankrupt and that it cannot raise meaningful support within the country," the Fox News quoted Perkins as saying while reacting the content of the letter.

He added that the numbers of Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq are a third of what they were previously. When asked what those levels were, Perkins would not release numbers.

ANI