Home>News Center>World
         
 

US military denies arrest of al-Zarqawi
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-05 15:53

U.S. military and intelligence sources are denying print and broadcast reports that terrorist Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi has been arrested in Iraq, MSNBC reported Tuesday.

Zarqawi is shown in this undated file photo. [Reuters]
Zarqawi is shown in this undated file photo. [Reuters/file]
MSNBC said senior U.S. military and intelligence sources told it the reports are not true. A newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, al-Bayane, reported in its Tuesday edition that the Jordanian-born terrorist had been arrested in Baqouba, Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan radio also reported the arrest of al-Zarqawi.

The U.S. military in December said al-Zarqawi likely is in the Baghdad area.

Al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq

Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, whom the US occupation authorities declared to be the "target number one" in Iraq, has been arrested in the city of Baakuba, the Emirate newspaper al-Bayane reported on Tuesday referring to Kurdish sources.

Al-Zarqawi, leader of the terrorist group Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad, was recently appointed the director of the Al-Qaeda organisation in Iraq.

The newspaper's correspondent in Baghdad points out that a report on the seizure of the terrorist, on whom the US put a bounty of US$10 million, was also reported by Iraqi Kurdistan radio, which at one time had been the first to announce the arrest of Saddam Hussein.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was captured in Iraq, said Tuesday's Al Bayan, a daily newspaper of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi  was captured in Iraq, said Tuesday's Al Bayan, a daily newspaper of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[file]
There have been no official reports about the arrest of the terrorist. Al-Zarqawi, 38, a Jordanian, whose real name is Ahmad al-Khalayleh, aims to turn Iraq into a "new Afghanistan".

According to Arab press data, Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad group has divided Iraq into several emirates. The group's independent subdivisions at a strength of 50 to 500 militants operate in the cities of Al-Falluja, Al-Qaim, Diala, and Samarra.

The personnel of the group is on the whole 1,500-strong and includes Iraqis and citizens of Arab and Islamic countries. There are demolition experts and missilemen among them.

The group has depots of weapons and explosives in various parts of the country. It intends to frustrate the upcoming parliamentary elections that are scheduled for the end of this month. Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad threatens to do away with Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and members of the interim government.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

PLA troops active in tsunami relief

 

   
 

US military denies arrest of al-Zarqawi

 

   
 

US$3 million private aid ready for victims

 

   
 

Chinese avoid weddings in Year of Rooster

 

   
 

Chinese main guests at N.Korea casino

 

   
 

Shares greet 2005 by ending at 5-year nadir

 

   
  World leaders in Jakarta for tsunami crisis talks
   
  Tsunami aid operation stumbles
   
  Vietnam's suspected bird flu case died
   
  Annan shakes up top UN staff
   
  Abbas assails 'Zionist enemy' after tank kills 7
   
  U.S. military prefers Indonesian aid to Iraq war
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq
   
Purported al-Zarqawi tape raps scholars
   
Zarqawi rallies Muslims as US strikes falluja
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement