The following are excerpts from a report on interviews with mujahideen in Iraq who were active in Falluja. The report aired on Al-Arabiya TV on November 24, 2005.
To view the clip visit: http://memritv.org/clip/en/946.htm.
Falluja fighter: "Go back. Come on, come on. Watch it."
Fighter 1: "Do you see him?"
Fighter 2: "Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar."
Journalist: "We are now in the Al-Julan neighborhood. The bombing resumed on the day of the ceasefire. The roadblocks of the gunmen are spread throughout the city. These gunmen are deployed along the street, and there are other fighters on the front lines.
"Hello."
Fighter 3: "Hello. Allah’s mercy upon you."
Journalist: "There are clashes now."
Fighter 4: "Yes, there are clashes with the American forces. A short while ago, a reconnaissance patrol of five men infiltrated [the lines] to provoke the fighters. Now [the Americans] are responding with mortar and heavy artillery."
Journalist: "After the battle ended, the Al-Julan neighborhood remained under the control of the gunmen. I found somebody to take me to meet some of the Falluja fighters"
[...]
Fighter 5: "I did my military service in the Republican Guard, in the Tawakalna ala Allah division. Now we are not defending Saddam Hussein, but we are defending our city, Falluja."
Fighter 6: "I served in the Baghdad division of the Republican Guard."
Fighter 7: "I joined the Al-Fau unit of the Republican Guard in 1991."
Journalist: "Although many of the fighters were part of the establishment of the old regime, their main incentive for fighting is religion. Falluja is one of the strongholds of the extremist Sunni Islam in Iraq."
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Journalist: "In the Al-Julan neighborhood, I met only one Arab fighter, from Algeria. Most other fighters were Iraqis, from Falluja."
Sheikh Zafer Al-'Ubeidi: "Just as the enemy recruited 35 of the world's countries to occupy Iraq, we have the right and the honor [to recruit] Arab fighters. We are connected by the destiny of our Arab identity and Islam. But the [Arab volunteers] do not have a leading role. They had the honor of participating, but most of the fighting was carried out by Iraqis, and of Falluja in particular."
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Journalist: "Owing to the religious-tribal ties in the Sunni Arab regions, the armed groups have increased their attacks on the American forces throughout the siege on Falluja."
Al-Khaldiya Tribe member 1: "We are fighting the Jihad for the sake of Allah in Al-Khaldiya, Falluja, and Ramadi. The entire world, George Bush and others, say we support Saddam Hussein. We are not fighting for Saddam Hussein."
Al-Khaldiya Tribe member 2: "First of all, we are religious Muslims, and second, we belong to Arab tribes. We have our pride, and we protect our women. We won't allow anyone in. Even in Saddam's day, we did not allow Iraqi police into our homes."
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Fighter 9: "Allah Akbar."
Man: "Be strong."
Crying Woman: "Where will we go, with our families?"
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Iraqi man: "Tell me what terrorism looks like. Is it green? Is it red? What does Bush want from us, what have we done to him?
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"Is this democracy? We almost miss Saddam. We used to say: When Saddam is gone, we'll celebrate by slaughtering lambs, but now if he returns we will slaughter prime cows.
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"They call her a terrorist? This is a terrorist? Look at her belly, poor thing, she hasn’t eaten. Bush will send her canned food and will throw it from [a plane], according to the democratic way. This is democracy, man. This is the democracy Bush has promised us. Be patient."
Journalist: "Sheikh Ghazi Al-Yawer sent his brother to Falluja in an effort to end the crisis. After negotiations that lasted for days, there was a decisive meeting."
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Sheikh Zafer Al-'Ubeidi: "We will not give up our right. Any soldier who enters on behalf of the American forces will be attacked. Besides, this is the demand of the mujahideen, who are more entitled than anybody to conduct the negotiations. America does not respect anything but force."
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Abdallah Al-Janabi: "We, the imams and the mosque preachers, have begun to consider belts of explosives. We've begun considering any means of destroying the Americans."
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Journalist: "These two managed to cross the Euphrates, but their comrades decided not to risk it, once the American choppers reached the area. At night, the other members of this group managed to cross the river, and I could meet with them in a safe place provided by one of the locals."
Arab Volunteer 1: "We were in the Al-Shahadaa neighborhood - 50 to 70 mujahideen. The tanks entered Al-Shahadaa neighborhood, and they entered Al-Mursalin wal Anbiyaa mosque. Allah be praised, we met in the morning, prayed, and attacked them. We were inside the homes, and in the trenches outside the houses, in the gardens."
Arab Volunteer 2: "Martyrdom operations, my dear brother... Most of the [Arab] brothers who come here - we put them on the list for martyrdom operations, and we are waiting our turn, Allah willing."
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Saudi Volunteer: "I came from Saudi Arabia with another five people. The moment we set foot in Falluja, three of them signed up for martyrdom operations.
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"We have come to support our Muslim brothers in Iraq. We are not foreigners. A foreigner is someone who does not belong to our religion and people - those occupiers."
