As Iraqis brace for what they fear may be a violent day Sunday, election day, a CD is making the rounds in Sunni neighbourhoods that warns what might be expected.
The CD is from Omar al-Baghdadi, head of al-Qaeda in Islamic Iraq, and was released some time in the past couple days.
On it, Mr. al-Baghdadi warns Sunnis not to sell their religion for the price of a ballot.
"Democracy says it is 'the will of the people that controls the government'," said Mr. Baghdadi. "That's a lie, like the lie of the Pharoah who told the Jews they could control the goverment, and he went ahead and killed many of their sons."
Refering to the election as a "play" or theatrical production, the al-Qaeda leader, who has claimed responsibility for several massive bombings in the capital since August, said this election "is not according to Islam," and Muslims must not participate.
He suggests that the Americans are responsible for bringing the Shiites (whom he calls "the Persians") to Iraq; that they do not belong here. And he says that Sunnis who participate in the play are weakening their religion.
Mr. Baghdadi criticizes those Sunni political leaders who have supported Ayad Allawi, the Shia head of a joint Shia-Sunni list. "They say they want to safeguard the Sunnis. But these people are like snakes. If you put your hand in their pocket, you better pull it out quickly."
Thousands of Iraqi troops are deployed throughout the capital and a driving ban goes into effect at 9 pm Saturday. The ban is to make it difficult for any suicide car bombers who would be exposed and fired on quickly, as well as to make it easier for Iraqi forces to move about the city quickly.
Will it be enough?
Al-Qaeda leader Mr. al-Baghdadi said that "after discussions with Sunni religious and political leaders," he has "decided to stop this election ... anyway we can."
"Our enemies know of our abilities" to reach any target, he said. "Just ask the ministries [in Baghdad] we destroyed; ask the hands we cut in Anbar ... and the heads of the security police that we cut off with our own hands."
"What we have prepared for the election is greater than all this."
"I am not a liar," he concluded. "You can depend on me."
