Abu Hafs Al-Tikriti threatens France on behalf of Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades (النسخه
العربية من قصة عن صلات محتملة بين حسين القاعده هنا

Within days of the French election results being announced a self-described al Qaeda cell in Europe, Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades, warned France of a “bloody jihad attack” in response to their electoral decision. The threat, posted on Islamist websites and translated by MEMRI, was signed by "Abu Hafs Al-Tikriti, The Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades, European Division."

The Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades, who al Qaeda #2 Ayman al-Zawahiri has claimed responsibility for, has a history of threats and claimed attacks in multiple European countries, including claiming responsibility for terrorist attacks in London in 2005 and Madrid in 2004. The group is named in honor of Mohammed Atef, the former al Qaeda military commander who has been named in intelligence reports cited in George Tenet’s book "At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA" as an al Qaeda leader who sought out closer links with Saddam Hussein’s regime, including weapons training.

Those familiar with leaders of the former Iraqi regime of Iraq likely recognize Abu Hafs Al-Tikriti’s surname. Al-Tikriti is said to mean "from Tikrit" and is well known as being Saddam Hussein's hometown. Al-Tikriti is also the name attached to many prominent leaders of Saddam Hussein’s former regime, picked for their loyalty. Al-Tikriti’s were prominent in many of Hussein’s most trusted positions and many of the original members of "Iraq's 55 Most Wanted". Al Tikriti’s filled positions including Hussein's personal secretary, leaders of his trusted Fedayeen Saddam, Mukhabarat (IIS) leadership, Republican Guard leadership as well as WMD specialists and military leaders.

It’s possible the Al-Tikriti linked to the recent threat was not a member of the Hussein regime. It is possible that if he were a member of the former Iraqi regime that he did not become linked to the European al Qaeda affiliate until post-invasion. It’s also possible that Al-Tikriti made up the name to disguise the author’s true identity (as the Middle East Media Research Institute’s Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli told this site often happens) but the long list of Hussein loyalists who have been caught in cooperation with al Qaeda and the common enemies of both Hussein loyalists and al Qaeda indicates a possibility that Hussein loyalist/al Qaeda cooperation isn’t limited to Iraq, where Iraqi officials have blamed years of postwar violence on Baathist/al Qaeda cooperation.

Update: Professor of Middle East History at Haifa University and author/expert on Iraq/Saddam Hussein, Amitzia Baram, stated that "the guy is not necessarily a member of Saddam's tribe (Albu Nasser) but, more certainly, he is from the town of Tikrit - Saddam's birthplace where other tribes, too, flourish. But he is an ex-Ba'thi very likely" when contacted by this site for comment on the possible background of Abu Hafs Al-Tikriti.

Update II: In a possibly related story two senior leaders of al Qaeda were reported captured in Tikrit, Iraq on June 23.

Saddam Hussein , Iraq, al Qaeda, Abu Hafs Al-Masri, Terrorism