Abu Dijana, the Voice of Al Qaeda gets snagged

This from the Khaleej Times:

BAGHDAD — US-led forces have captured an Al Qaeda progaganda specialist during a raid in western Kerbala, the US military said yesterday. Yasir Khudr Muhammad Jasim Al Karbali, also known as Abu Dijana, was nabbed on September 25 and was the “propaganda cell leader for Karabilah, Al Qaim and Husaybah,” the military said in a statement.

“Abu Dijanas cell consisted of photographers who used video and still photograph images to document insurgent attacks against Iraqi citizens and Iraqi and coalition security forces,” it said.

US Nabs Al Qaeda Web Whiz

An NBC news analysis by its Baghdad bureau translator Ashraf al-Taie, who monitors insurgent Web sites, said the U.S. military believed Dijana had been responsible for much of what appeared on a members-only Web site run by the insurgent group -- the multi-national band of jihadists under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Al-Taie wrote that the site posted martyrdom videos of suicide bombers -- which included videos of the operations in which they had killed themselves, edited and mixed together with their last recorded words -- as soon as three hours after the attacks.

The statement from the U.S.-led Multi-National Force, Iraq said Dijana led a team of photographers "who used video and still photograph images to document insurgent attacks..."

Dijana would get advance notification from local cell leaders "of impending attacks in the area," it said, and would send the video and stills "to other senior al-Qaida in Iraq propaganda officials for their use."

As a result of his capture, wrote al-Taie, the Web site "was strangely quiet during the referendum on the new Iraqi constitution" Saturday. "There were no threats against voters, no boasts of disrupting the vote."

MSNBC.com has more detail on the scumbag here.

Here is how the al-Qaida Web site works: On any given day in Baghdad, Baquba, or any of a dozen cities, a suicide car bomb explodes. The target is an American convoy, local Iraqi police or perhaps civilians exiting a mosque. Within minutes, a report is sent out by news services like The Associated Press and MSNBC.com. But, the news also circulates on a fascinating and, some would say, disturbing Web site operated by al-Qaida. The "al-Qaida in Iraq" Web site immediately takes "credit" for the bombing. In one typical case, just three hours after an attack, the site showed video of a man identified as the suicide bomber Abu Musab al-Iraqi, who says, "I have dreamed about this moment. I am sure if my family is watching this they will be more proud of me." Musab's words are followed by a video of a car he is said to be driving, blowing up in the midst of an American convoy. The incident is replayed again and again with more of Musab's speech superimposed over the ball of flames and smoke rising above the U.S. convoy. "Thank God this day I went to kill many crusaders." His declaration ends, "Today I will be in heaven."

And just in case you were wondering why Yasir Khudr Muhammad Jasim Al Karbali chose to be known as Abu Dijana, there's this from Islaam.com:

Another example of great men is Abu Dijana who made himself a shield for the Messenger sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam on the Day of Uhud to protect him against the enemy's arrows.

Not any more Abu...