Juba (sniper)
Encyclopedia
Juba (a.k.a. "Joba") is the pseudonym of an alleged sniper
involved in the Iraqi Insurgency
featured in several propaganda
videos. The second of these videos shows Juba claiming to have shot 37 American soldiers
. Whether Juba is a real individual, a role shared among multiple individuals, or a propaganda/media creation is unknown.
.
insurgent group Islamic Army in Iraq
, showed American soldiers being shot and falling to the ground. The video starts with a man saying, "I have nine bullets in this gun and I have a present for George Bush
. I am going to kill nine people. I am doing this for the viewers to watch. Allah is great. Allah is great.
" With that, he makes his way from the vehicle, and a series of separate scenes follow showing several individuals shot in action.
and released on the Internet in late October 2006. The video contained an interview with the supposed commander of the Baghdad sniper division, footage shows numerous fighters being trained in the use of sniper rifles. The video discusses the alleged fear generated in coalition forces by insurgency snipers, and shows "Juba" returning from a sniping mission, marking a tally of 37 on a wall. The sniper then sits down to make a diary entry. The video claims that there are dozens of snipers operating within the IAI and other factions, and shows more being trained. The rest of the video shows numerous clips of U.S. soldiers being sniped with nasheed music in the background, and an insurgent commander explaining that his men are inspired and trained to an extent based on the information in the book The Ultimate Sniper
by retired Major and U.S. Army
sniper John Plaster
.
News reports
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
involved in the Iraqi Insurgency
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
featured in several propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
videos. The second of these videos shows Juba claiming to have shot 37 American soldiers
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. Whether Juba is a real individual, a role shared among multiple individuals, or a propaganda/media creation is unknown.
Videos
Several video clips which allegedly show the actions of Juba have been circulated over the InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
First video
In November 2005, a video which was circulating in Iraq appeared on the Internet. The video, attributed to the SunniSunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
insurgent group Islamic Army in Iraq
Islamic Army in Iraq
The Islamic Army in Iraq is one of a number of underground Baathist and Islamist militant organizations formed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United States and coalition military forces, and the subsequent collapse of the Baathist government headed by Saddam Hussein.Although it...
, showed American soldiers being shot and falling to the ground. The video starts with a man saying, "I have nine bullets in this gun and I have a present for George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. I am going to kill nine people. I am doing this for the viewers to watch. Allah is great. Allah is great.
Takbir
The Takbīr or Tekbir is the Arabic term for the phrase ' . It is usually translated "God is [the] Greatest," or "God is Great". It is a common Islamic Arabic expression...
" With that, he makes his way from the vehicle, and a series of separate scenes follow showing several individuals shot in action.
Second video
A second "Juba" video was distributed in 2006 in western BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and released on the Internet in late October 2006. The video contained an interview with the supposed commander of the Baghdad sniper division, footage shows numerous fighters being trained in the use of sniper rifles. The video discusses the alleged fear generated in coalition forces by insurgency snipers, and shows "Juba" returning from a sniping mission, marking a tally of 37 on a wall. The sniper then sits down to make a diary entry. The video claims that there are dozens of snipers operating within the IAI and other factions, and shows more being trained. The rest of the video shows numerous clips of U.S. soldiers being sniped with nasheed music in the background, and an insurgent commander explaining that his men are inspired and trained to an extent based on the information in the book The Ultimate Sniper
The Ultimate Sniper
The Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers is a book written by Major John Plaster and published in 1993. . An expanded and updated version was published in 2006....
by retired Major and U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
sniper John Plaster
John Plaster
Major John L. Plaster is a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier regarded as one of the leading sniper experts in the world. A decorated Vietnam War veteran who served in the covert Studies and Observations Group , Plaster co-founded a renowned sniper school that trains military and law...
.
Third video
In December 2007, "Juba - The Baghdad Sniper 3" was released on the Internet. The production quality of the video was improved from Islamic Army's previous releases; the video was made available in nine languages. This video also makes reference to a website that is supposedly connected to the Juba character.Fourth video
In 2008, "Juba - The Baghdad Sniper 4" was released on the Internet and on the previously mentioned website.External links
- Juba Website (Baghdad Sniper Website) by Islamic Army in IraqIslamic Army in IraqThe Islamic Army in Iraq is one of a number of underground Baathist and Islamist militant organizations formed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United States and coalition military forces, and the subsequent collapse of the Baathist government headed by Saddam Hussein.Although it...
- Islamic Army in Iraq official English-language website
News reports
- Carroll, Rory (2005). Elusive sniper saps U.S. morale in Baghdad, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, August 5, 2005 - Juba the Sniper Legend haunting troops in Iraq, Stars and StripesStars and Stripes (newspaper)Stars and Stripes is a news source that operates from inside the United States Department of Defense but is editorially separate from it. The First Amendment protection which Stars and Stripes enjoys is safeguarded by Congress to whom an independent ombudsman, who serves the readers' interests,...
, April 22, 2007