Qaida group in Iraq nominates new top leaders

BAGHDAD, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qaida in Iraq insurgent group announced Sunday it has nominated new top leaders for its self- styled Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), the group said in a statement posted on the internet.

The Mujahdeen Shura Council (MSC), which is an al-Qaida-led umbrella organization of extremist Sunni militant groups, said it has chosen Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Hussieni al-Quraishi as the emir, or leader of the "believers" to be the head of the ISI.

The statement said that the MSC also nominated Abu Abdullah al- Hassani al-Quraishi as first minister and deputy for Abu Bakr al- Quraishi.

On Friday, the MSC nominated al-Nasser Lideen Allah Abu Suleiman as its "minister of war" for the ISI, who vowed to continue deadly attacks with "dark days in blood color."

The nominations of new al-Qaida leaders came after the killing of the two top al-Qaida leaders Abu Ayyub al-Musri and Abu Omer al- Baghdadi in a military operation by Iraqi and U.S. forces last month.

Both Iraqi and U.S. officials said the killing of the two men dealt a big blow to al-Qaida in the war-torn country. However, major attacks continued across the country, leaving hundreds dead in the past several weeks.

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