'I Met Bin Laden'

An Exiled Founder Of Ansar Al-Islam On The Occupation Of Iraq

From the magazine issue dated Oct 13, 2003

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Between december 2001 and May of last year, Mullah Krekar was the leader in Iraq of Ansar Al-Islam. He served both as spiritual guide and warlord for the militant Islamist group, which controlled a small enclave in Iraqi-controlled Kurdistan. Now Krekar (whose real name is Najumuddin Faraj Ahmed) lives in a modest apartment near the central railway station in Oslo, where he spoke last week to NEWSWEEK's Mark Hosenball. Excerpts:

HOSENBALL: Do you think the Americans should get out of Iraq now?

KREKAR: Yes.

If Ansar fighters go back into Iraq and fight the Americans, do you condemn them or is that good ?

When the Americans attacked Ansar Al-Islam's area, they destroyed everything and killed 253 people who belong to Ansar. Civilians, women and children, and some other people also. I think it is a very, very natural reaction, when the members who are still alive from Ansar Al-Islam try to do something against America. Of course, inside of Iraq, I mean.

You say the Americans wiped out Ansar Al-Islam's area. What happened to the fighters? They went over the border into Iran?