Harakat Hazm : America’s new favorite jihadist group

Harakat Hazm: America’s new favorite jihadist group | Al Akhbar English
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/harakat-hazm-america%E2%80%99s-new-favorite-jihadist-group

t is certain that the TOW missiles did not reach Harakat Hazm directly from the US, but through “friendly countries,” according to statements made by Abdullah Awda (the general military commander) to Liz Sly from the Washington Post, who was visiting one of Hazm’s main bases in the Idlib countryside. Awda refused to give more details about the source of the missiles, but “the donors made clear to him that the delivery had U.S. approval.”

It is likely that the Turkish government was the donor, especially in light of statements made by an opposition source to Al-Akhbar. “Harakat Hazm is the latest bet by the Turks, Qataris, and the Muslim Brotherhood. It is competing with the Syrian Revolutionaries Front (led by Jamal Maarouf) to win American support,” he explained. It is known that the Syrian Revolutionaries Front had been the Saudi candidate for explicit Western support.

Harakat Hazm : America’s new favorite jihadist group
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/harakat-hazm-america%E2%80%99s-new-favorite-jihadist-group

Announcing Harakat Hazm’s formation

Finally, the decision came to announce the movement, but this time in secular garb. Its founding statement was redrafted to remove any jihadist content. Their original name of Harakat Zaman Mohammad was dropped in favor of its current name, although they use the acronym [HZM]. Its original slogan, “And fight against the disbelievers collectively,” was replaced, but the verse was kept in their founding statement’s introduction. The sword logo was kept. All its functions were given to the Farouq Brigades graduates and Salim Idris was brought in to represent the Supreme Military Command of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and give his blessings. The obvious conclusion is that the recent changes regarding Hazm’s image were in preparation for its promotion as a model for “rebels worth supporting.”

#Harakat_Hazm : America’s new favorite jihadist group
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http://english.al-akhbar.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/4cols/leading_images/960589-01-08.jpg

A rebel fighter rests in a safe house in the Bustan al-Basha district of #Aleppo on May 19, 2014. (Photo: AFP-AMC/Zein al-Rifai) A rebel fighter rests in a safe house in the Bustan al-Basha district of Aleppo on May 19, 2014. (Photo: AFP-AMC/Zein al-Rifai)

Harakat Hazm [the Steadfast Movement] boldly revealed itself on the Syrian arena after they published video clips showing they now had US-made TOW anti-tank missiles in their possession. The media has portrayed the group as a “secular moderate faction deserving support.” However, Al-Akhbar reveals that Harakat Hazm has a much longer and different history than what has been reported.

Suhaib Anjarini

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