Veni, vidi, vici – er kam, sah und siegte in Jihadist-speak

In a German-language video released by the Jund Allah, showing a bunch of German Mujahidin troopers in action, the death of Abu Sufyan is widely portrayed. According to the video, Abu Saffiya “came, saw and was victorious” – maybe the German jihadists after all are only fans of Asterix & Obelix where Caesars veni, vidi, vici was often stated? Abu Saffiya is, according to the video, Djavad Sediqi, who in the opening of the video is shown carrying an anti-tank weapon and repeatedly stating his personal hope to finally die on the path of God as shahid. A short lecture on the shahade is heard while Abu Saffiya is sitting on a Dushka, in an attempt to train. Marching in a caravan, the Mujahidin are shown in a classical way while coalition aircraft are heard flying over their positions bombing something in the more mountainous area.

Abu Saffiya’s lecture on his hope to attain the shahada is bound to the usual historical-textual understanding of al-Qaeda & co. According to the video, “Abu Saffiya died on the death of honor on the 17.10.2009 on the battlefield, he died as a shahid”, as Abu Adam reads it out. “He left in early 2009 his homeland Germany and migrated with his family to carry the banner of truth. After his training he fought in Khorasan and fought on three different fronts. With a strong wish to meet his lord, he asked always to be in the first rows of combat.”

Some training elements in Afpak with the Mujahidin sitting in a half-circle

A screenshot from his testimony – parts are naturally based on specific chosen elements of Quran and Sunna.

Quite interesting, and of course not in any way visible – note that even the eyes are concealed in the video – the wife of Abu Safiyya (or Saffiya) speaks out. Her voice, also in a nice German, is dubbed by a female voice.

“I thank God for everything, after the hijra and such, to accept my husband as a shahid and that this honor will be bestowed upon all our brothers in the umma. One big difference between Mujahidin us and these cowards is that I as a widow of a shahid am full of pride. (…) I am saying full of pride that my husband chose to move into jihad for the umma and the Muslims with me and our daughter” – she then recites a specific part of the Quran to make her claim. She also reinforces her aim to remain in jihad and calls out to all of her sisters to join the Mujahidin in defense of honor, pride and freedom of the women, that can only be granted among the Mujahidin.