Thursday, May 08, 2008

Al-Qaida Leader Captured?

Let’s hope this is true.

Iraqi police commandos captured the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq in a raid in the northern city of Mosul, Iraqi officials said Thursday, in what could mark a significant blow to the Sunni insurgency in its last urban stronghold.
Iraqi Defense Ministry Spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of Abu Ayyub al-Masri — also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir — was reported by the Iraqi commander in Mosul, where insurgents have sought to establish a foothold after being widely uprooted from Baghdad and surrounding areas last year.

The U.S. military in Baghdad said it was “checking with Iraqi authorities to confirm the accuracy of this information.”

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said the arrest occurred “at midnight and during the primary investigations he admitted that he is Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir.”

UPDATE: Nope. 

(6) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2231 hrs
Foreign Affairs

  1. No, US military says this is not the guy.

    And no, I’m not happy, but since Al Qaeda in Iraq is such as small part of the insurgency that when it does happen, balloons and confetti should not fall out of the ceiling.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 09, 2008 at 0703 hrs


  2. I think this makes the third time he’s been captured, and he’s been killed twice or more as well.

    The Iraqi’s need to learn to spend some time with confirmations.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 09, 2008 at 0831 hrs


  3. If they were to catch Osama Bin Laden himself, it will not be the end. In any army the second in charge will become the leader and heaven forbid that guy may be even more ruthless. The insurgency has very little to do with Al Quaida and more to do with local militants trying to get their country back (from US). We need to start working through diplomacy and stop playing the bully (in their eyes).

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 09, 2008 at 0949 hrs


  4. If the insurgency was trying to get their country back from US, wouldn’t they just lay down their arms and wait for us to leave? It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize that when things calm down, we are going to pull out.

    So - there must be some other reason why they are fighting…  now I wonder what that could be?

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 09, 2008 at 1439 hrs


  5. But I keep hearing on CNN that Al Qaeda isn’t in Iraq…

    Posted by Keith on May 09, 2008 at 1508 hrs


  6. “Capturing/Killing Al Queda’s Top Commander in Iraq” = “Lowest prices of the season” at Kohl’s.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 11, 2008 at 2053 hrs


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