Banner of Islam is a little known group operating in Iraq responsible for the abduction of a United Arab Emirates (UAE) diplomat in May 2006. <P><br /><br />On May 16, 2006, members of the group kidnapped UAE Consul Naji Rashid al-Nuaimi in Baghdad as he was traveling to the home of another UAE diplomat.  During the attack, al-Nuaimi's driver, a Sudanese national, was shot and killed by the group.  <P><br /><br />Two days after al-Nuaimi was kidnapped (May 18th), the previously unknown Banner of Islam released a video which showed al-Nuaimi in a grey robe against a blank white wall.  In a statement accompanying the video, the group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and demanded that the UAE close its embassy in Iraq and remove its Charge d'Affaires, Ali al-Kaabi.  The group also demanded that an Iraqi television station al-Fayhaa, which was broadcast from UAE, shut down its operations.  In the past, al-Fayhaa had been accused of being a mouthpiece for the Shia population of Iraq, and a propagator of anti-Sunni rhetoric.  Banner of Islam set a 24-hour deadline for its demands to be met, but did not overtly threaten to harm al-Nuaimi. <P><br /><br />On May 19th, in compliance with the group's demands, al-Kaabi left Iraq for UAE, purportedly to brief Emirati officials on the kidnapping.  However, the UAE embassy was not closed and al-Fayhaa continued to operate as normal.  Although early reports stated that al-Nuaimi had been released, those reports turned out to be false and he continued to be held by the group. <P><br /><br />Several days later, Banner of Islam released another statement, reiterating its demands, and accusing the UAE of supporting the Iraqi government.  Although the group threatened to take action against its hostage, al-Nuaimi was released unharmed on May 29th, despite having none of its demands met. <P><br /><br />Although little is known about Banner of Islam, the group is almost certainly a Sunni outfit opposed to the current Iraqi government.  Kidnapping of foreign diplomats is a common tactic in Iraq as insurgent groups attempt to destabilize the government by removing its international support.  The group's name and anger expressed towards an allegedly pro-Shia TV station suggests that Banner of Islam has a religious ideology as well.<br />