Al-Qaida: We're building rockets

[jmc247]

Source: Associated Press

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- A voice purported to be of the leader of an al-Qaida-linked group in Iraq claimed in an audiotape posted on the Internet Tuesday that the group had begun manufacturing its own rockets.

The voice, said to be that of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, was in an audiotape posted on an Islamic Web site routinely used by militant Islamic groups. The authenticity of the tape could not immediately be verified.

The rockets, called al-Quds-1, or Jerusalem-1, "have moved into the phase of military production with an advanced degree of range and accuracy," he said.

The claim that the group was making rockets would be virtually impossible to verify and al-Baghdadi did not elaborate further on the nature of the new weapon.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/17/insurgent.rockets.ap/

[DCKit]

1. Hah!!! I've got a SPACESHIP. n/t

[benh57]

2. I have a pony

[DRoseDARs]

11. My pony IS a spaceship! n/t

[truthisfreedom]

3. Anyone else noticed the increasing "phear" factor in the violence news lately?

It's as if rove couldn't finger out what to do until this week, and he's unleashing max phear everywhere.

[POAS]

4. And Saddam was building

unmanned aerial vehicles.

[kurth]

5. made from mail-order kits

[jmc247]

6. The Quds 1 rocket

[Sherman A1]

8. An excellent and very succinct explanation

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[pinniped]

9. Shit, that's just a few turns of a screwdriver away from being an ICBM!

That nose looks like it could hold about a dozen MIRVs.

:scary:

[pinniped]

7. Purported = BS, linked = BS

The authenticity of the tape could not immediately be verified. = BS

Well, don't wait for the authenticity to ever be verified.

[bluerum]

10. I am buidling one too - its called the FR-1 or Freep-1 or lurkingPOS-1. eom

[BushOut06]

12. Dammit, Al Qaeda is trying to beat us back to the moon!

Those assholes!

[SicSemperTyranus]

13. In the interest of accuracy...

to be honest this sounds fairly plausible, although hardly an important development.

The al-Quds rocket already exists (actually there's an al-Quds 1 and 101) - it's the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's version of Hamas's Qassam-type rocket - a garage-built and pretty unsophisticated way of delivering a small warhead somewhere, and not bloody accurately. Many of the rockets fired from Gaza into Israel over the past three years have been of the Qassam type (aka al-Quds when used by PIJ).

Specifications of the Qassam 1:
Length 79cm
Weight 5.5kg
Warhead 0.5kg
Range ~3km

The Qassam 2 has about triple the range and 10-15 times the warhead weight, but is more difficult to make and harder to employ compared to the Qassam 1 due to its size. This "al-Quds 1" is probably a copy of the Qassam 1, but could conceivably be a larger version like the -2 or -3. Worst case; range of 10km with a 10kg warhead and horrendous accuracy - the Palestinians typically fire dozens in the hopes one or two will score a hit.

This is NOT a big deal. Think "bottle rocket with a grenade taped to it" and you've got the right visual.

[Bragi]

16. Seems an unlikely Al Qaeda weapon of choice

Maybe someone has better info on this than me, but far as I can tell, al Qaeda doesn't use rockets very much, if at all.

Its attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are usually done through remotely-controlled bombs and IEDs, or through attacks by suicide bombers. Though they have used rockets in attacks on Israel, they aren't regular users of rockets.

And even if they were going to use rockets more heavily, rockets are cheap, easy to buy and easy to transport, so why would they bother getting into the rocket manufacturing business?

(If anyone has information to the contrary, I'd like to hear it, since I am trying to learn more about how AQ operates, but I am certainly no expert on it.)

- B

[SicSemperTyranus]

17. The title of the article is misleading

The Islamic State of Iraq is an umbrella group of Sunni insurgent groups that, depending on who you believe, is either supported BY al-Qaeda in Iraq or is actually the "corporate headquarters" OVER al-Qaeda in Iraq. To say that this means al-Qaeda is producing these rockets is a bit of a stretch. They might be contributing some $$$ but as you point out, rockets are not their style. They may not even be involved in this at all (why would they care, really?) But the more traditional insurgent/guerrilla groups under ISI are inclined to use rockets and mortars.

[madrchsod]

14. where did they get their building instructions and supplies???

http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/bgmr.html

http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/shortr.html

http://www.hobbylinc.com/rockets/rockets.htm

http://www.apogeerockets.com/education/

http://www.estesrockets.com/

EstesRockets.Com - Home of Model Rockets, Rocketry, R/C Airplanes, Hydrogen Rockets, Air Powered Rockets, Rocketry Tips & Tricks and Estes Product Support

yes our own government and american companies! hydrogen rockets!!!

[Igel]

18. Where did Hamas anf Jihaad islamiyy in Palestine

get theirs?

Similar or same patrons? Easily available supplies and enough people interested in both conflicts? Other explanation?

[MrSlayer]

15. Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone but I've made a time machine that actually works.

The sad thing is, when I go back and assure Al Gore's victory in 2000, none of you will even realize the favor I've done you.

[onehandle]

19. Headlines = Truth.

Who needs details.