Akihito Saito

From SITE Institute:

Ansar al-Sunnah Releases Video of Purported Japanese Hostage Capture

The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah operating in Iraq, posted a follow-up video clip of the operation where the group claimed a Japanese national, Akihiko Saito was taken hostage. The SITE Institute reported on May 9, 2005 the initial details of this claimed operation.

Akihiko Saito, whose passport Ansar al-Sunnah provided along with the statement, was allegedly captured following an ambush of “several cars carrying contractors and Western intelligence.” The skirmish in Heit involved several of the group’s mujahideen and “twelve Iraqis in addition to five foreigners who were armed with machine guns and hand grenades.” According to the message, as the mujahideen called in more forces, “American helicopters arrived, the mujahideen captured and killed them all, with the exception of the Japanese national as it shows in his document.” The message states that: “will publish documents and pictures of those were killed” and further, Saito is described as being “injured badly.”

The six and a half minute video clip however does not show Mr. Saito but rather shows the badly burned bodies of four men of apparently Middle Eastern decent and the wreckage from the ambush. The video begins with a presentation of various identification documents of the four men, who appear to have been working with the coalition forces in Iraq. The setting then changes to an outdoor location, where several burning vehicles are shown. The insurgents then drag the four badly burned men from the vehicles and proceed to shoot them repeatedly with automatic weapons.

Who is the Army of Ansar al-Sunnah? This is interesting.

Ansar Al-Sunnah group Praises John Kerry

October 23rd, 2004

The Army of Ansar al-Sunnah has sent out a message congratulating Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s Tawhid and Jihad movement’s addition to the US State Department’s list of terrorist organizations, Ansar Al-Sunnah praise John Kerry for criticizing the President, imply that terrorism has struck fear into John Kerry’s heart, and that his election would signal that terrorism is working.

Special congratulations from the Ansar al-Sunnah Army to the Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement, on the occasion of its addition to the list of terrorists…..

Our congratulations should not be a surprise to anyone who understands the true nature of our Islamic religion, which is based n verses from the noble Quran and the words of the noble prophet. We are optimistic that this recent declaration by the evil Bush government (adding Zarqawi’s Tawhid and Jihad group to the list of terrorist organizations) will only bring us joy and happiness….

Praise be to Allah, it increased the joy in our hearts that John Kerry, the presidential candidate criticized the Bush governmentfor taking so long in making this declaration. The one who may be president of America [John Kerry] is already struck with terror by our brothers from the Tawheed wal-Jihad Movement [Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s group]. The repeated atacks that have targetted the evil Bush are now echoing on Kerry, even though he is not yet a president. This is what Allah means when he commands us to ’terrorize your enemy and the enemy of Allah.”