Iraqi National Islamic Resistance

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The Iraqi National Islamic Resistance, 1920 Revolution Brigades is an Iraqi guerrilla organization believed responsible for attacks on coalition forces and other targets in Iraq. Its military wing is called the "Islamic Response." The name refers to the 1920 revolution against British colonial rule in Iraq, drawing an implicit parallel between the nationalist resistance against that occupation with the guerrillas fighting coalition forces today. This group first emerged in an August 12 statement in which it claimed that U.S. forces were sustaining higher casualties than were being reported. Since then, it resurfaced periodically, including in graffiti in such insurgent strongholds as Fallujah.

On June 27, 2004, a videotape aired on the Arab television station Al Jazeera showing Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, a U.S Marine of Lebanese descent, being held captive by members of the Islamic Response wing of the Iraqi National Islamic Resistance, 1920 Revolution Brigades. Cpl. Hassoun disappeared from his base near Fallujah on June 20 and was reportedly held captive by the insurgents for 19 days. He reappeared on July 8 at the U.S Embassy in Beirut. Overall, however, this group appears to concentrate on guerilla activity, rather than terrorist violence, and is sensitive to the opinions of the established Sunni Muslim clergy in Iraq (in contrast to groups such as Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad).