Iraq al-Qaeda wing begins online magazine

Al-Qaeda's wing in Iraq has unveiled an online publication to rally Muslims to wage holy war against "infidel crusaders" in Iraq…

Al-Qaeda's wing in Iraq has unveiled an online publication to rally Muslims to wage holy war against "infidel crusaders" in Iraq and other Islamic countries.

The first edition of the magazine of al-Qaeda Organisation of Holy War in Iraq, posted on Islamist websites, also called on Iraqi security forces to "repent" and stop serving the "cross".

"Followers of Sunni Islam, rise up with your brothers the mujahideen to conquer Iraq and after that other Muslim countries occupied by infidels," said an introductory statement signed by group leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

"Ignoring jihad (holy war) is one of the great sins."

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Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has declared  Zarqawi his deputy in Iraq and the Jordanian militant is Washington's top enemy in the country.

The publication outlined the Sunni Muslim groups' aims, saying they sought to revive monotheism, wage war to regain land from "infidels and apostates" and implement Islamic law in Iraq.

"We will kill those weak enough to ally themselves with the infidels in their war against Muslims in Iraq, including the police and army and agents," it said.

Other militant groups have issued web magazines to win over new recruits. The al-Qaeda wing in Saudi Arabia, birthplace of bin Laden, had published two widely distributed magazines regularly up until late last year.