IN PICTURES: Four Year Anniversary of the Founding of the Islamic State of Iraq

"Four years since the coming of the Islamic State (State of Islam)"

The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) is marking its four-year anniversary. An umbrella for several jihadi-insurgent groups operating in the country, the largest being Al-Qa'ida in the Land of the Two Rivers/Iraq (AQI), the ISI's formation was announced in a video released in October 2006. Its formation came just over four months following the killing of AQI's founder, the Jordanian Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, in a June U.S. airstrike.

"Plucked heads....flying body parts: The Islamic State of Iraq...4 Years"

The ISI's original amir (leader), Abu 'Umar al-Husayni al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi al-Baghdadi, and "minister of war," Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, who was also head of AQI, were killed in a U.S. airstrike near Tikrit on April 18/19. The current senior leadership of the ISI is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (amir), Abu 'Abdullah al-Baghdadi (deputy amir), and Nasir li'Din Allah Abu Sulayman (minister of war).

Artwork produced by cyber jihadi-takfiris has been trickling out in "honor" of the anniversary, some of which is included in this post.

"The Islamic State of Iraq will remain with God's permission"