Beheading videos were the favored means of propaganda of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, and this new one was clearly made to quash hopes his death would hamper the insurgency.
AP:
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Insurgents signaled the fight is still on after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death, posting an Internet video Saturday showing the beheading of three alleged Shiite death squad members in revenge for killing Sunnis.
The video ? as grisly as any the al-Qaida in Iraq leader issued ? was clearly designed to quash hopes that the Sunni-dominated insurgency might change tactics by ending attacks on Shiite civilians and institutions, especially the police.
Fellow Sunni insurgent groups sent condolences for al-Zarqawi in Internet messages Saturday and warned Sunnis not to cooperate with the Iraqi government, an apparent call for unity three days after U.S. forces killed the terror leader in a targeted airstrike.
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