Baghdad (AsiaNews/Agencies) In a recent article, Britain's Telegraph wrote that the jihadist movement in Iraq can count on 2,000 mujahideen (fighters) from neighbouring countries. Most come through Syria where Iraqi Baathist leaders have set up a network that funds volunteers for Iraq with the aid of Syrian mosques.
Church officials in Baghdad have confirmed that radical Islamic groups are operating an underground railroad to channel jihad-bent fighters into Iraq. They told AsiaNews that "every day Islamic militants and terrorists from Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran are being arrested in Iraq".
The terror network is thought to be headed by Omar Sibawi Ibrahim, a son of Saddam's half brother and former head of secret intelligence and interior minister in his uncle's regime.
General Ali Sa'ad, who commanded a division of Saddam's special guard, agrees. "Many members of Saddam's government like Omar Sibawi work and support the resistance by giving them money," he said. "They channel their money into Syrian mosques."
Sources in Damascus also report that mosques pay mujahideen families US$ 3,000 a month for services rendered to the Iraqi insurgency.
