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   Kidnapped US Journalist Release Reveals Divisions Among Al-Qaida Offshoots

   by VOA News

   The release of American freelance journalist Peter Theo Curtis reveals
   growing divisions between the different offshoots of the terrorist
   al-Qaida group fighting for power in Syria, analysts say.

   Curtis was released Sunday by Jabhat al-Nusra, one of a number of
   Islamist groups fighting for control of Syria. Al-Nusra recently broke
   off relations with the Islamic State fighters, saying their methods
   were too brutal.

   ''His release comes just days after al-Nusra's rivals, the extremist
   Islamic State group, videotaped its beheading of American journalist
   Jim Foley.

   Jonathan Adelman, associate professor at the University of Denver's
   Korbel School of International Studies, says al-Nusra does not want to
   be associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

   "Al Nusra, which is more of a Syrian group, rather than a caliphate or
   international group, clearly wanted to demonstrate that, even though
   they've killed and tortured people before, that they are not like ISIS.
   They are trying to differentiate themselves," Adelman said.

   The U.N. has accused the Islamic State group with "horrific" and
   widespread human rights violations, ranging from mass executions to
   slavery and rape. The group has seized a wide swathe of eastern Syria
   and northwestern Iraq.

   Middle East analyst Stephen Zunes of the University of San Francisco
   says al-Nusra might be trying to forestall any U.S. attacks against
   them if the U.S. decides to chase Islamic State militants with
   airstrikes from Iraq back into Syria.

   "There is some suspicion that the United States and perhaps other
   countries will take their battle against ISIS that we have already seen
   develop in Iraq across the Syrian border, and I think the al-Nusra
   folks are trying to make it clear they are a separate grouping and
   don't want to be on the receiving end of any U.S. military
   retaliation."

   Curtis was handed over to U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, then
   delivered to U.S. representatives. Curtis's family has said the
   government of Qatar helped mediate his release.

   The U.S. reporter, who was kidnapped in Syria in October 2012,  is
   expected to be reunited with his family soon.

   Qatar is believed to be backing some of the groups that have been
   fighting to topple Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, an aim Washington has
   supported, but also backs Hamas, a group the U.S. has designated a
   terrorist organization.

   Washington has supported more moderate rebel groups seeking President
   Assad's overthrow, but if the U.S. were to take its air war against the
   Islamic Group into Syria, it could inadvertently aid Assad's survival.

   On Sunday, Islamic Group fighters captured a major air base in
   northeast Syria.

   Syria has offered to help international efforts to fight the Islamic
   State extremists.
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   veals-divisions-among-al-qaida-offshoots/2427349.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/release-of-kidnapped-us-journalist-reveals-divisions-among-al-qaida-offshoots/2427349.html