Abu Mohammad al-Julani: Difference between revisions
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{{Villain_Infobox | {{Villain_Infobox | ||
|image = [[File:Abu_Mohammad_al-Julani.jpg|thumb|324px]] | |image = [[File:Abu_Mohammad_al-Julani.jpg|thumb|324px]] | ||
|fullname = Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a | |fullname = Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a | ||
|alias = Abu Mohammad al-Julani<br>The Conqueror Sheikh | |alias = Abu Mohammad al-Julani<br />The Conqueror Sheikh | ||
|origin = Daraa, Syria | |origin = Daraa, Syria | ||
|occupation = Emir of [[Tahrir al-Sham]]<br />Emir of [[Al-Nusra Front]] (former) | |occupation = Emir of [[Tahrir al-Sham]]<br />Emir of [[Al-Nusra Front]] (former) | ||
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|goals = Continue waging [[jihad]] in Syria (ongoing)<br />Overthrow the government of [[Bashar al-Assad]] (ongoing) | |goals = Continue waging [[jihad]] in Syria (ongoing)<br />Overthrow the government of [[Bashar al-Assad]] (ongoing) | ||
|crimes = [[War crimes]]<br />[[Terrorism]]<br />[[Sectarianism]] | |crimes = [[War crimes]]<br />[[Terrorism]]<br />[[Sectarianism]] | ||
|hobby = }} | |||
|hobby = }} | |||
[[File:Abu_Mohammad_al-Julani.jpg|thumb|324px]] | |||
'''Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a''' (Arabic: أحمد حسين الشرع), known by the ''nom de guerre'' '''Abu Mohammad al-Julani''' (Arabic: أبو محمد الجولاني), is a Syrian [[jihad]]ist militant who currently serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian [[Militant Islam|militant Islamist]] group [[Tahrir al-Sham]]; he was also the emir of its predecessor organisation [[al-Nusra Front]], the Syrian branch of [[al-Qaeda]]. The US State Department listed Al-Julani as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in May 2013, and four years later announced a $10 Million reward for information leading to his capture. | |||
The phrase "Al-Julani" in his ''nom de guerre'' is a reference to Syria's Golan Heights, partially occupied and annexed by Israel during the war in 1967. Al-Julani released an audio statement on 28 September 2014, in which he stated he would fight the "United States and its allies" and urged his fighters not to accept help from the West in their battle against [[ISIS]]. | The phrase "Al-Julani" in his ''nom de guerre'' is a reference to Syria's Golan Heights, partially occupied and annexed by Israel during the war in 1967. Al-Julani released an audio statement on 28 September 2014, in which he stated he would fight the "United States and its allies" and urged his fighters not to accept help from the West in their battle against [[ISIS]]. | ||
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Shortly after the uprising against the government of Syrian president [[Bashar al-Assad]] began in 2011, al-Julani played a lead role in planning and enacting a mission, as part of Islamic State of Iraq, to move into Syria and form a sub-branch of the organisation called Jabhat al-Nusra. This group was to act as a front for the Islamic State of Iraq, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to whom he had his allegiance and whose command he was under. Al-Julani's formation of Jabhat al-Nusra was facilitated by men, arms and money given to him by the ISI under the orders of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It is disputed whether al-Julani originally formulated the plan or if it came from another leader in Islamic State of Iraq. Julani was declared the "general emir" of al-Nusra, which was first announced in January 2012. By December 2012, the US Department of State declared Jabhat al-Nusra to be an officially designated terrorist organisation, noting that it was simply a new alias for Al-Qaeda In Iraq (aka Islamic State of Iraq). Under al-Julani’s leadership, Nusra grew into one of the most powerful rebel groups in Syria. | Shortly after the uprising against the government of Syrian president [[Bashar al-Assad]] began in 2011, al-Julani played a lead role in planning and enacting a mission, as part of Islamic State of Iraq, to move into Syria and form a sub-branch of the organisation called Jabhat al-Nusra. This group was to act as a front for the Islamic State of Iraq, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to whom he had his allegiance and whose command he was under. Al-Julani's formation of Jabhat al-Nusra was facilitated by men, arms and money given to him by the ISI under the orders of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It is disputed whether al-Julani originally formulated the plan or if it came from another leader in Islamic State of Iraq. Julani was declared the "general emir" of al-Nusra, which was first announced in January 2012. By December 2012, the US Department of State declared Jabhat al-Nusra to be an officially designated terrorist organisation, noting that it was simply a new alias for Al-Qaeda In Iraq (aka Islamic State of Iraq). Under al-Julani’s leadership, Nusra grew into one of the most powerful rebel groups in Syria. | ||
Al-Julani gained prominence in April 2013, when he refused al-Baghdadi's attempt to liquidate Al-Nusra as a sub-group and incorporate it directly into ISI, under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This move would have removed all local autonomy of Jabhat al-Nusra and placed all leaders, decisions, and actions directly under the control of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In order to avoid losing autonomy and the individual identity of Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Julani directly pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda’s leader [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]], who supported al-Julani's request to break away his group as an independent entity. | Al-Julani gained prominence in April 2013, when he refused al-Baghdadi's attempt to liquidate Al-Nusra as a sub-group and incorporate it directly into ISI, under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This move would have removed all local autonomy of Jabhat al-Nusra and placed all leaders, decisions, and actions directly under the control of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In order to avoid losing autonomy and the individual identity of Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Julani directly pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda’s leader [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]], who supported al-Julani's request to break away his group as an independent entity. | ||
In late May 2015, during the Syrian [[Civil War|civil war]], al-Julani was interviewed by Ahmed Mansour on Qatari news broadcaster Al Jazeera, hiding his face. He described the Geneva peace conference as a farce and claimed that the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition did not represent the Syrian people and had no ground presence in Syria. Al-Julani mentioned that al-Nusra have no plans for attacking Western targets, and that their priority is focused on fighting the Syrian regime, [[Hezbollah]], and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Al-Julani is credited with saying that the "Nusra Front doesn’t have any plans or directives to target the West. We received clear orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri not to use Syria as a launching pad to attack the U.S. or Europe in order to not sabotage the true mission against the regime. Maybe Al-Qaeda does that but not here in Syria. Assad forces are fighting us on one end, Hezbollah on another and ISIL on a third front. It is all about their mutual interests". | In late May 2015, during the Syrian [[Civil War|civil war]], al-Julani was interviewed by Ahmed Mansour on Qatari news broadcaster Al Jazeera, hiding his face. He described the Geneva peace conference as a farce and claimed that the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition did not represent the Syrian people and had no ground presence in Syria. Al-Julani mentioned that al-Nusra have no plans for attacking Western targets, and that their priority is focused on fighting the Syrian regime, [[Hezbollah]], and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Al-Julani is credited with saying that the "Nusra Front doesn’t have any plans or directives to target the West. We received clear orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri not to use Syria as a launching pad to attack the U.S. or Europe in order to not sabotage the true mission against the regime. Maybe Al-Qaeda does that but not here in Syria. Assad forces are fighting us on one end, Hezbollah on another and ISIL on a third front. It is all about their mutual interests". | ||