Jeish Muhammad

Not to be confused withJaish-e-Mohammed.

Jaish Muhammad
جيش محمد الفاتح
Leaders	Moayad Ahmed Yasseen (2003–2004)
Dates of operation	2003–2011 2014–2017
Ideology	SunniIslamism Iraqi nationalism Saddamism Anti-Zionism
Allies	Iran(claimed by U.S.) Syria Iraqi Ba'ath Party Mahdi Army
Opponents	Coalition Iraq United States Israel
Battles and wars	Iraqi insurgency Second Battle of Fallujah
Designated as a terrorist groupby	Iraq

Jeish Muhammad(Arabic:جيش محمد الفاتحJaish Muḥammad al-Fātiḥ, translation:Army of Muhammad the Conqueror;JM) is anIraqimilitantgroup that is both politically and religiously motivated. The politically motivated faction within JM is primarily made up of formerBa'athistmembers mainly from the Sunni region. Many who enjoyed special status during the leadership ofSaddam Husseinwere fromTikrit,which is in turn within an area of Iraq where the Arab population is mostly Sunni. People who generally hold the ex-vice-president,Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri,in exceptionally high esteem were members of the security, intelligence and police forces from the previous government.

Jaysh Muhammad was initially believed to consist of fighters who had infiltratedIraqfromSaudi Arabiaand other Arab countries. Later it was reported by theIraq Survey Group,that membership appears to be primarily of Iraqi citizens, former regime officers. This was supported by their ability to use a pre-war information network and supply infrastructure. The JM was responsible for sophisticated attacks onCoalition forcesduring early 2004, assisted by former intelligence and security officers.

Attacks

On August 19, 2003, a masked man claiming to speak for the Islamic Jihad Brigades of Muhammad's Army, Abdallah Bin-Iyad Brigade, took responsibility for the a bombing at theUN compound in Baghdadthrough an audiotape provided to Lebanon'sLBC satellite television.A group calling itself the Armed Vanguards of the Second Muhammad Army claimed responsibility for the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, The claim took the form of a typewritten, Arabic statement shown on theAl-Arabiya stationon August 21, 2003.

On January 31, 2004, men with their faces covered circulated a declaration inFallujahoutlining their plan for taking control of Iraqi cities after the US occupation forces withdraw. The declaration was signed by 12 organizations and groups including: The Iraqi Islamic Patriotic Resistance (al-Muqawamah al-Wataniyah al-Islamiyah al-'Iraqiyah), the Salafi Movement for Propagation and Jihad (al-Harakah as-Salafiyah li-d-Da'wah wa-l-Jihad), the al-Qari'ah Organization (Tanzim al-Qari'ah), the Army of Partisans of the Sunnah (Jeish Ansar as-Sunnah), and the Army of Muhammad.

An anonymous interview with a member of Jaysh Muhammad fromBa'qubahgave to theInstitute for War and Peace Reportingwas published on May 14, 2004. The insurgent stated that the majority of Jaysh Muhammad combatants are farmer workers who joined theSalafistSunnimovement to drive the coalition from Iraq. He said there were only a few foreign fighters in the group and that they had "lived with us [before the war] and did not come from abroad after the war." He denied that the group, which he described as not Wahhabi, is linked toAl-Qaeda.He also claimed that the group received no funding from abroad, but that it is funded "from honorable and good people in this country." He said that Jaysh Muhammad opposed theIraqi Governing Councilbecause it was not elected, and since so many of the Council members were exiles. "They do not understand Iraqis' suffering and Arab traditions. [They] were distorted by the Western life they lived," he said. He also claimed that his group is affiliated with an Islamic political party, but declined to identify which party, only to say that it is not theIraqi Islamic Party.While he denied the group targeted Iraq police officers, he condoned the kidnapping of foreigners, saying that "kidnapping is an obligation." He also said: "There is no realUnited Nations.It is an organization completely controlled by theUnited Statesand its resolutions always serve U.S. interests. "

In November 2004 duringOperation Phantom Fury,the U.S. staged a large scale assault on Fallujah and captured Moayad Ahmed Yasseen, the leader of Jaysh Muhammad. Yasseen while under detention of the Coalition soldiers confessed to seeking aid from the Iranian government and having contacts with Iranian intelligence officers. Yasseen was a former colonel in Saddam Hussein's army. Yaseen went on to state Iranian officials provided money, weapons "and as far as I know even car bombs" for the group. He said among the officials they met in Iran was its supreme leaderAli Khamenei.He further stated he received permission fromSaddam Hussein,before his capture, to seek money and weapons from the Syrian government, he did not state if that request was granted.Stratforhowever reported that no evidence has been produced to date that Hussein oversaw strategic decision-making for, or provided money to, any guerrilla force.Furthermore, Jeish Muhammad in a statement to Basra Network denied that Yassen was ever a commanding general in the group, as was claimed in the media.

Composition

It is rumored that Jaysh Muhammad is the military wing of theArab Socialist Ba'th Party(ASBP).The group is said to have been founded in 2003 by a group of insurgents inDiyaladuring a meeting between representatives from the towns ofRamadi,Fallujah,Samarraand Baquba.

Known brigades of Jaysh Muhammad:

1. Al-husayn Brigade
2. Al-Abbas Brigade
3. Islamic Jihad Brigade
4. Abdallah Bin-Jahsh Bin-Rikab al-Asadi Brigade
5. Walid Bin al-Mughirah Brigade
6. Umar al-Faruq Brigade
7. Al-Mahdi al-Muntazir

See also

• al-Abud Network
• Iraq War
• Second Battle of Fallujah
• Fedayeen Saddam

External links

• Global Security - Jaysh Muhammad