From the Biographies of the Distinguished Martyrs: (14 - 16) The Martyrs' Garage
Julaybib al-Muhajir, Abu Basir al-Emirati, Abu al-Hawr al-Ansari, Abu Turab al-Najdi, among others
The fourteenth entry in the “distinguished martyrs” is a joint tribute to several jihadists in what Abu Ismail al-Muhajir calls the “Martyrs’ Garage.” It was a key meeting point for jihadists in Zarqawi’s network. Almost all of the figures mentioned by Muhajir were foreigners: two from Saudi Arabia, one from Palestine, one from Libya. Another is called “muhajir,” meaning immigrant but we are not told from where he came. Muhajir also tells us that one of the Saudi fighters, Julaybib, departed Saudi Arabia by way of Yemen, indicating the presence of jihadist-sympathetic networks in the country. These were likely affiliated with Al Qaida, as AQ was already known to be active in Yemen, most notably with the bombing of the USS Cole. However, as Nibras Kazimi points out, AQ was not particularly interested in the Iraqi jihad in its early stages. There is little evidence of AQ’s involvement in the early preparations. Kazimi suggests that “a pan–Middle Eastern Salafi jihadist supra-network was seeding Iraq with jihadists. This network does not seem to be dogmatically or exclusively beholden to al-Qaʿida and was open to working with any jihadist who came armed with references. It seems to have operated from several Gulf States. […] This network would have acted as an ‘angel investor’ in the world of jihad, seeding the terrain with men and resources and seeing what sprouts later.”1 The story narrated by Muhajir certainly fits in this theory. He also tells us that when Julaybib first entered Iraq, he joined a “jihadist Ansar group,” meaning a group composed of local Iraqis, which again bolsters Kazimi’s theory.
The fifteenth entry is dedicated to another member of the Martyrs’ Garage, named Abu Basir al-Emirati. As his name suggests, he came from the United Arab Emirates, making him quite unique. There were very few Emiratis reported to have entered into Iraq, as documented in the Sinjar Records. It is unclear how Abu Basir came to identify with jihadism, but he came from significant wealth. It is possible that he experienced a similar trajectory as another wealthy Arabian jihadist. I am, of course, referring to Usama bin Ladin, whose entire jihadist career fits the “rich kid revolutionary” archetype. Born into immense privilege, bin Ladin and Abu Basir made a virtue out of asceticism and absolute (indeed counter-productive) devotion. However, unlike bin Ladin, Abu Basir’s jihadist career was quite short-lived. He was killed in the Martyrs’ Garage just one month after entering Iraq.
The sixteenth entry is a joint tribute to two other members of the Martyrs’ Garage, named Abu al-Hawr al-Ansari (an Iraqi) and Abu Turab al-Najdi (a Saudi). The biographies mostly discuss their battlefield exploits, but there are a few notable details. Muhajir reports that JTJ’s emir (Zarqawi) ordered the fighters to rapidly seize five cities: Mosul, Baqubah, Samarra, Ramadi, and Fallujah. Note that these cities span all over Sunni Iraqi. Muhajir states that Fallujah was “already in the hands of the mujahidin,” but this order suggests there was non-insignificant presence of JTJ in these other cities in mid-2003. We again hear the story of JTJ’s harassment operations on the highways near Fallujah.
In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
[14.] The Martyrs' Garage
Friday, 27th Rabi' al-Thani 1424 AH–2
Praise be to God in all circumstances, for no one is praised in times of hardship except Him. Good may come from adversity, and evil may descend with what is beloved. {But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God Knows, while you know not. [2:216]} I write these words having just returned from the Martyrs' Garage, as Abu Musab al-Muhajir named it. After dawn broke and the crimes of the occupiers were revealed, I write with the torn clothes of the heroic martyrs before me, many of them stained with blood. Here is a black-and-white keffiyeh, marked with bloodstains like flowers on barren land. Here is a white shirt with a red stain, the pure blood of a martyr, and trousers, undergarments, and shoes...
I gathered these clothes to wash and return them to the remaining mujahidin so they could use them. Truthfully, my soul tempts me to leave them as a memorial of the Martyrs' Garage, so I may look at this pile of clothes whenever my heart hardens or my resolve weakens. However, I have not yet made a final decision.
I write these words, and the image of the garage's destruction–its stones, iron, walls, and roof–is before my eyes. It is a horrifying and awe-inspiring scene. Amid the rubble, Abu Nassir the hero pointed to me and said, "Here was Abu Musab the martyr, and next to him, this part of the wall fell on Abu Turab's leg, but God saved him, and Abu Turab emerged unharmed; he is the commander of the group stationed near the enemy."
The Incident
The incident began around 7 PM when a rapid American convoy advanced toward the Nu'aymiyah checkpoint, where the brothers had an inspection point. They unleashed their fury on the control point, but God protected them, and no one was injured. The brothers spread out near the enemy, prepared to repel and defeat them, just as they had done the day before.
The brothers began to spread throughout the city, taking their positions. At the forefront was the Industry Group, led by Commander Abdul-Aziz from the Land of the Two Shrines [Saudi Arabia]. This heroic group took responsibility for protecting the city's most critical eastern front, where the brothers were positioned about 150 meters from the enemy. It was clear from the frequent clashes that the Americans had thoroughly surveilled the area, leaving no safe spot. Death loomed over every individual there, morning and evening. Today, Abu Zar'ah is wounded; yesterday, Abu Muhammad was martyred. This has been the cycle since the heroes took on this burden, while the enemy continuously bombarded the area, sometimes turning it into a blazing inferno with shrapnel flying everywhere.
Some time ago, Abu Ubaydah al-Libi told me: "While the bombardment came from all directions, and the warplanes' rockets and C-130 bombs destroyed everything around us, I ran with some brothers and hid near a wall. Then, a massive rocket landed in the house next to us, its sound nearly tearing our hearts out, after deafening us." He said, "At the moment of the explosion, the wall we were hiding next to flew up like a television screen. It hovered above us as we prepared for death, but then it fell behind us, and none of us were even scratched."
On the same day, Abu Nassir told me: "While I was praying with one of the heroic brothers, a tank shell exploded nearby. A burning shrapnel piece pierced my companion's hand and exited the other side. I saw him a quarter of an hour later, bandaging his wound in the infirmary, saying, 'Quickly...' As soon as he finished bandaging, he grabbed his weapon and returned to the battlefield."
Another incident Abu Nassir recounted, showing me the location just a day before the Martyrs' Garage incident: "While we were praying Maghrib in front of this house, and so-and-so's group was in that house," he pointed to several houses surrounding a small square. "As we prayed, a massive guided missile roared into the area, nearly bursting my eardrums. I went to see the explosion site, and by God, my brothers, it is unbelievable that anyone could survive such an explosion even kilometers away, let alone meters. I saw a deep crater, ten meters in diameter and three meters deep, with water gushing out. The missile had landed in the middle of a group of trees. I saw a palm tree thrown far away, as if carefully uprooted, and further away, a eucalyptus tree torn from its roots. Yet, no one was harmed."
On the night of the Martyrs' Garage, an hour after Maghrib, Commander Shaykh Abu Musab passed by and found me preparing to leave. He asked, "Do you have anything to do?" I said, "Only to go with the brothers." So we headed toward the Nu'aymiyah control point, approaching until we were about 200 meters from the Americans. I told him, "Now they will strike us. Let's enter from the front into this street; we're within stone's throw of them." Indeed, we entered, and as we moved from one place to another, we saw a massive flame lighting up the entire city. Then we heard a thunderous sound from the direction of the Industry area, and at the same moment, we heard the sound of a warplane in the city's sky. We knew it was an airstrike, so we headed to the location, where one of the heroes met us and informed us that the Industry area had been bombed, and one of the brothers' headquarters was hit. We said, "To God we belong, and to Him we shall return." The commander directed the brothers to rescue their comrades, and a crane was sent to pull them from the rubble. Brothers from all over rushed to help their comrades remove the debris.
Abu Dharr al-Filastini, who was part of the group stationed there, said, "A missile came and fell in this factory," pointing to a factory in front of the garage, burning it. Another missile fell near the earthen barrier, followed by intense gunfire.
The Martyrs
During this time, the brothers were spread out, but with light weapons. The group's commander, Abu Turab, said, "Men, take all your weapons and prepare." More than ten brothers went to the weapons depot, which was a storage room in the garage. While they were in the depot–one carrying his launcher, another about to exit with a PK machine gun, a third with rocket launchers, and a fourth with mortar shells–a massive missile struck the same location. The roof collapsed on them, instantly martyring seven and miraculously saving four, including the group's commander, Abu Turab. Praise be to God in all circumstances.
The brothers remain stationed in the same location. We all went, for if the enemy were to seize these fronts–may God forbid–they would penetrate the entire industrial area and from there into Fallujah. But the young Muhajirin and Ansar are on guard against the Americans, and strength comes from God, the Almighty, the Wise. No soul will die until it completes its appointed term... And here are the stories of these martyrs:
The Martyr Preacher
I refer to the beloved writer, the successful preacher, the steadfast mujahid, the gentle and easygoing, the blessed Muhammad al-Kubi, who took the name Julaybib in the land of jihad.
This remarkable man left behind prestige and authority–the authority of knowledge and its status. He freed himself from the chains of reputation and fame, choosing instead to be an unknown soldier in one of the fronts, among a company of fighters. Our martyr lived in the far south of the Land of the Two Shrines, in the Rub' al-Khali region, in a city called al-Wadi'ah.
A good student of knowledge, he was also a successful and guided preacher. Under his guidance, more than seventy men committed to the path of righteousness in a short period.
Abu Turab, who is from the same region, told me, "Brother, I am one of his good deeds. Through him, I learned steadfastness and commitment. From his hands, I studied the lessons of monotheism [tawhid]. Through his words and actions, he instilled in me the love of jihad and martyrdom." He said, "He took care of us in everything. He organized trips for us–not to resorts and parks, but to Makkah and Madinah. We would spend some days there in seclusion, sitting with preachers and scholars whom he saw as loving jihad and martyrdom."
Recently married, he was blessed with a baby girl six months before his journey, whom he named Sumayyah, hoping she would follow the path of her namesake, the first Sumayyah. He wanted to travel without the Saudi tyrants knowing, so he smuggled himself to Yemen. There, he shaved his beard and altered his appearance slightly. While walking in one of Sana'a's streets, one of his students recognized him. Our brother revealed his destination and invited him to join him in the land of honor and jihad. In Yemen, he arranged his travel documents, prepared himself, and began his journey to the land of jihad, dreaming of holding a rifle, aiming it, and sometimes dreaming of carrying a missile to destroy everything around the disbelievers.
Finally, he reached the Land of the Two Rivers and stayed with a jihadist Ansar group for about two weeks before joining his brothers from the Muhajirin and those stationed on the front lines. He joined Commander Abdul-Aziz's group directly and insisted on going to the front line. Under his pressure and insistence, he got what he wanted.
On the day of his arrival, he entered the kitchen and prepared lunch for the brothers. Since he was not experienced in cooking, he realized the food was anything but edible–like a stone, a tree, or dough. He said, "Men, I see the food didn't please you. Today, I'll treat you to kebabs." He gave Abu Dharr some money and said, "Go and get the brothers kebabs, drinks, and whatever they like." But the bombardment began immediately, and Julaybib rushed to get his machine gun from the depot with those who hurried. However, God chose him, and the missile fell, joining Julaybib with his beloved companion, the great Julaybib, whom our preacher loved.
Julaybib was martyred without firing a single shot on the front line, but God decreed that he would not die until the reward of steadfastness was sealed for him. Praise be to God. I ask God to grant his family steadfastness and to make his daughter grow up in a good manner. He is the Guardian of that and the Able to do it. Amen...
Written by:
Abu Ismail al-Muhajir
In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
[15.] Abu Basir al-Emirati
We continue with the heroes of the Martyrs’ Garage, and this time, the noble hero is the humble, smiling, and deeply devout Mansur al-Falasi. He was a calm and handsome young man, with a smile that never left his face. His heart was like that of a child–pure, unaware of malice and deceit, and he often expressed astonishment when he encountered such things. For instance, while on his way to the Land of the Two Rivers, he stopped at a midway station and rented an apartment with a friend. Later, he discovered that the rent was ten times what it should have been according to the local real estate market. He exclaimed, "Glory be to God, I had heard about scams, but I never expected it to be this extreme."
He was also extremely straightforward, a trait that aligned with the goodness of his heart, the purity of his soul, the clarity of his spirit, and the sincerity of his faith, which he never compromised.
A young man named Nayif from the Arabian Peninsula joined the jihad. Nayif did not believe that the Saudi state was infidel, so whenever Mansur passed by him, he would curse Fahd, Abdullah, and the leaders of the House of Saud. Nayif would get angry and say, "Fear God, do not curse them." The martyr–as we believe him to be–responded, "O Nayif, if you do not disavow the tyrants as strongly as you believe in God, it would be better for you to go back. What brought you here?" Indeed, Nayif returned after a few days in the land of honor and gained nothing. God is the One whose Help is sought.
Despite his loyalty and purity, Mansur was a source of joy for his companions. As Abu Hamza said, he was the group's singer, delighting them with his soft voice. His words flowed gently and beautifully, like a stream of water running over pearls, soft and pure.
The martyr–may God have mercy on him–was among the pigeons of the Salman al-Farsi Mosque, located near the Fish Roundabout in Dubai.
It is enough honor for Abu Basir that he freed himself from the chains of wealth to the gardens of the caves. The sound of gunfire was sweeter, more beautiful, and more enjoyable to him than the playing of instruments. Sleeping near walls and seeking shade from the sun's heat was more pleasurable to him than the coolness of air conditioners and the hum of fans. The narrowness of the caves was more spacious to him than the vastness of palaces. In fact, when he first arrived, he couldn't even wash his clothes, but jihad, asceticism, and the desire for what is with God trained him. He divorced worldly life three times and left his home through a ruse, as it was the only way he could. Near them was a Quran memorization center where students would stay for two months without leaving until they completed certain chapters of the Quran, with residential facilities. His family knew about this, so he claimed he was going there, and then he joined a blessed caravan and arrived in Iraq, to the land of jihad.
One day, he called his mother and returned sad, saying, "I will not call again." His brothers asked him why, and he replied, "My mother tempted me by saying, 'I have bought you such-and-such car,' a luxurious type of car that he had once desired. When he showed no interest, his mother broke into tears and begged him to return, which was a trial for him. But he refused to obey his mother in disobedience to God, for jihad is a defensive jihad, and seeking parental permission has no place in it."
Finally, as a concluding note, Abu Basir, without anyone around him knowing, had registered his name in the list of honor. He had signed up for the martyrdom operations, hoping to strike a blow against the enemies of God.
It was a sign of his good end that on the day of his martyrdom, he sat with a Kurdish brother in the group and said, "We have lived too long. O Lord, grant us martyrdom." It was as if it was the hour of answered prayers, for as soon as the Maghrib prayer was called and night fell, the Martyrs’ Garage closed the page of Abu Basir and erased its traces from the abode of misery to record his name in the abode of happiness and eternity. We believe, and God is his Reckoner, that our martyr remained in the land of jihad until the day of his martyrdom, which was approximately a month (later). We believe he was truthful to God, and God confirmed his truthfulness, allowing him to achieve in a short time what others could not achieve in years.
We ask God to gather us with him in the gardens of Eden, in the presence of a capable King, Amen...
Written by:
Abu Ismail al-Muhajir
In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
[16.] Abu al-Hawr al-Ansari
A brave and courageous man, humble and service-oriented, with high aspirations and unwavering determination. He was a supporter [ansar] from the Radwaniyah area, with eleven brothers, none of whom were mujahidin, as he once mentioned to one of his brothers. He looked around and saw widespread disbelief, bitter occupation, and a violated sanctuary. He heard and saw, just as millions of others did, how the honor of his people’s daughters was violated and the dignity of men trampled upon. He saw men stripped naked, herded like sheep. He wept, but he realized that tears would not restore the violated honor or lift the humiliation from the youth and elders of his nation. He opened the Book of God and found that almost every chapter contained verses about jihad. He often paused at the verse: {And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of God and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper’?” [4:75]}.
One day, Abu al-Walid al-Kuwaiti opened the car door and found him listening to the Quran, sobbing as if the burdens of the world were on his shoulders, tears streaming down his cheeks. During the siege of Fallujah, Abu al-Hawr rushed with the mujahidin of Radwaniyah to cut off the highway, often aiming his RPG at the hearts of God’s enemies. Yes, he was a skilled RPG-7 operator.
Abu al-Hawr was fearless. Once, while he was sleeping in a room, Abu Aisha was teaching Abu al-Harith how to use a bazooka. Abu Aisha said, “See, Abu al-Harith, don’t step on the red button.” But Abu Aisha himself stepped on it, and the rocket launched over Abu al-Hawr’s leg. He didn’t flinch or get angry; he just went back to sleep.
He grew weary of this world and longed to meet his Lord. He approached his brothers and volunteered for a martyrdom operation, counting the days and moments, living for the dream that the commander would come to him and say, “It’s your turn.”
I remember him often saying to me, “Brother, I know how to drive both small and large vehicles, and there are certain operations that require Iraqis.” All this to persuade the commander to give him his turn in the martyrdom operation. One day, he came to the emir of his unit, Abu Ahmad, joyful as if he were about to be wed, saying, “I bring you good news, Abu Ahmad. Someone donated a car to be rigged, and I will be its driver.” But then he added, “I wish it were a truck.”
He was a model of service and humility, with high aspirations, always serving his brothers in their needs. As for guarding and holding the line, he was unmatched. I never saw him without his ammunition vest, which he wore like a badge of honor and courage on his chest–and indeed, it was.
His determination for jihad was remarkable. Once, one of his brothers came to visit him, but he avoided him, saying, “Send him back. I don’t want to see him. He doesn’t love jihad or the mujahidin. Why did he come? Surely, he came to take me back. Tell him I’m not here.” O Abu al-Hawr, in which school did you learn loyalty and disavowal? From whom did you learn to love and hate for the sake of God? From which faculty of Sharia did you graduate? Or was it jihad itself, as God said: {And those who strive for Us–We will surely guide them to Our ways.” [29:69]}.
When it was time for the knight to dismount, he took his RPG from the storage in the Martyrs’ Garage. The divine will awaited him, and the reward of faith, courage, and service was before his eyes in the gardens of Paradise, near a Mighty King. We reckon him, by God, to be among the righteous.
Abu Turab al-Najdi
The servant-leader, the successful preacher, gentle and humble, devout and pious, well-mannered and shy. He was the emir of the brothers in the “scrap” industry and played a key role in controlling the highway near Fallujah.
I was with Abu Turab from the first day this front was established. The emir of Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad at the time decided to take control of five cities in one hour, not one day. The cities were Mosul, Baqubah, Samarra, Ramadi, and Fallujah, which was already in the hands of the mujahidin, but the adjacent highway was used by Jewish convoys. We received orders to cut it off.
We succeeded, and I remember one incident where, after several days, we took control of a house facing the previously mentioned checkpoint. We made a small opening in the wall overlooking the Americans–we could see them, but they couldn’t see us. From that opening, I remember we eliminated them with snipers. It also allowed us to fire RPGs, which we did once or twice. However, this was a mistake for several reasons: the opening for RPG fire was too large compared to a sniper’s hole, the sound of the RPG was very loud, revealing our position, and the backblast and dust from the launch also gave us away.
Once, I fired a sniper shot from the opening but missed my target. However, the enemy soldier threw himself to the ground–I still don’t know if it was from fear or injury.
Later, Abu Turab decided to fire an RPG. As he aimed, I told him, “Be careful, extend the RPG forward so the backblast doesn’t hit the wall when it launches.” He did as I said, but this confirmed the enemy’s knowledge of our position. As he aimed, a massive explosion occurred in front of him, splitting the wall and creating a large hole. At first, I thought the explosion had hit my brother, but as the dust and smoke cleared, Abu Turab emerged with the RPG in his hand, smiling and saying, “It’s okay, God has protected us.”
The tank facing us, about 300 meters away, had fired two shells at the opening. The first one landed just a meter from Abu Turab, creating a large hole, and continued another 40 meters, piercing another wall and exploding in a sleeping room. By God’s Grace, only two brothers were moderately injured: Abu Bilal al-Jaza'iri in his right leg and Abu Zar’a in his shoulder.
Abu Turab was appointed the emir of this sensitive position, and he was an excellent leader. I still remember him with his glasses hanging from two strings, looking older than his 27 years. He was never a ruler over his brothers but a servant to them.
He ensured they had cold water, going around to give them drinks. He brought them food and took the most dangerous shifts during guard duty, especially at dawn when the criminals often tried to infiltrate or attack.
I remember one incident where the enemy heavily bombarded our position from early morning. The brothers spread out in a combat line facing the enemy, and the bombardment continued intensely from morning until nearly afternoon, with heavy shrapnel fire and the sound of American “Bakta” dominating the scene. It was as if they had connected it to a water channel–the firing didn’t stop. The weather was extremely hot with high humidity, and the brothers in their positions were severely thirsty. They endured this until around noon, unable to lift their heads due to the intense bombardment, waiting for the enemy to advance so they could destroy them.
But the thirst became unbearable, and the brothers had no energy left. Their emir, guided by God, sneaked out of the dangerous position and returned with cold water. He went around to the brothers, and whenever he reached a group, they would give priority to those next to them. Since he could only carry a limited amount due to the difficulty of crawling and moving, he kept going back and forth, with each group giving water to the others. Despite his own thirst, the emir refused to drink until his brothers had their fill.
When Abu Turab was injured in the Martyrs’ Garage along with his brothers, he was taken to Fallujah Hospital. There, Abu Yasir Al-Ansari took care of him to prevent too many Arab brothers from visiting the hospital, which was already a sensitive situation. Abu Turab went in and out of a coma several times, and each time he woke up, he would ask those around him, “Have the brothers eaten? Who sent them food? What did you send them?” Then he would slip back into a coma and wake up later, saying, “The brothers don’t have cold water. Please, send them ice. The heat is severe–don’t forget them, for God’s sake.” This was how he lived and died.
When God willed to take him to the company of those He had chosen before him, he woke up on that day in the best condition, leading everyone to think he had recovered from his injury. Then he raised his finger and said, “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His Messenger.”
We reckon that Abu Turab fulfilled the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying: “Whoever’s last words in this world are ‘There is no god but God’ will enter Paradise.” May God have vast mercy on Abu Turab. By God, if not for the fear of prolonging this, I would have elaborated on the life of this preacher, how he gathered his brothers on the frontlines, taught them the jurisprudence of jihad, and his many stories of humility. But we reckon that all of this has been recorded for him by the One who does not let anything be lost. As for the wretched writer [Abu Ismail], I ask God for forgiveness and mercy, for He is the most Forgiving, the most Merciful.
Written by:
Abu Ismail al-Muhajir
Kazimi, ‘“What Was That All About?” Flawed Methodologies in Explaining the Origins of ISIS (2003–2013),’ Bustan: The Middle East Book Review 8, no. 2 (2017). Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/bustan.8.2.0151
Corresponding to 27 June, 2003.