See footage al-Qaida is using to train recruits - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

See footage al-Qaida is using to train recruits

In an especially chilling series of four videos, U.S. armored vehicles in Iraq are seen being hit by command-detonated mines. The videos were posted on the Web by Furqan Productions, which describes itself as the media arm of al-Qaida in Iraq. Rather than crude home videos, these feature high production values and graphics.

Unlike many al-Qaida videos, which typically seem aimed at raising morale of its own fighters and scoring propaganda points, these videos can be seen as training aids. They pay particular attention to U.S. efforts to thwart such attacks. The videos identify various armored vehicles and describe their capabilities, crew positions and vulnerabilities.

The videos, as originally posted, are in Arabic. Military Times has provided the translation. The first of the videos is an edited compilation of the set of four. We have also presented all four in their entirety.

Multimedia

Video 1: Summary

Video 2: Hunters of Minesweepers

Video 3: “Planting an explosive device”

Video 4: Dirty bombs

Video 5: Minesweeper Hunters

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Al-Qaida video to train recruits