Straight Out of Cold Storage?

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq

04.01.2005, 07.18

DUBAI, January 4 (Itar-Tass) - 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 10 million dollars, was also reported by Iraqi Kurdistan radio, which at one time had been the first to announce the arrest of Saddam Hussein.

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.

NOTE:29 July 2004, Thursday:

Al-Zarqawi Captured - Report

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the "wild card" in US pack of wanted men, has reportedly been arrested in Western Iraq.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of the group suspected of beheading two Bulgarian hostages, has reportedly been arrested in Western Iraq.

Al-Zarqawi has been arrested by Iraqi police and US military close to the border with Syria, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing information posted on the Internet.

Zarqawi was dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. Reports claim that he didn't oppose the arrest.

A blood sample has been sent to Baghdad for DNA tests.

A group linked to Zarqawi is suspected of carrying out a wave of attacks in late June that killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds more in attacks in five Iraqi cities.

Zarqawi is also said to have been involved in the beheading of an American contractor, Nick Berg, shown on a video released on 11 May.

In 2003, he was named as the brains behind a series of lethal bombings - from Casablanca in Morocco to Istanbul in Turkey.

The US is now offering a USD 25 M reward for the capture of Zarqawi, the "wild card" in its pack of wanted men.

The remains of one of the Bulgarian hostages, Georgi Lazov, killed by the Zarqawi's terrorists have been transported back home early on Thursday.

The 30-year old Bulgarian truck driver Lazov and his colleague Ivaylo Kepov, 32, were abducted June 29 near the northern city of Mosul. A group affiliated with al-Zarqawi said it kidnapped the Bulgarians and demanded Iraqi detainees be released in exchange for their lives. The group later sent a tape to Al-Jazeera television that showed Lazov being killed. His death was officially confirmed July 22.

Kepov's fate is still not clear though Bulgarian media cited an Iraqi official who said that the Bulgarian is dead and his body has been found. Bulgaria's authorities have not been able to confirm Kepov's death.

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=37548

ALSO, NOTE:7/30/2004 6:00:00 PM GMT

Report: Zarqawi captured on Syrian-Iraq border
7/30/2004 6:00:00 PM GMT

Reports in Kuwait on Friday said a man assumed to be Abu Musab Zarqawi has been captured.

Source: Al Bawaba

Reports in Kuwait on Friday said a man assumed to be Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab Zarqawi has been captured near the Syrian border.

The report claimed that the man was captured during a joint operation by U.S. occupation forces and Iraqi police, Al Siyasah newspaper, quoting Iraqi sources, said Friday.

It also said that the suspect was caught in a white shirt and jeans, and he gave no resistance when he realized his hideout was besieged, according to Iraqi police.

The U.S. and Iraqi investigators are trying to identify the captive and has sent his DNA sample for testing, the unconfirmed report indicated.

Zarqawi is the most wanted suspect in Iraq and has a U.S. bounty of $25 million on his head.

http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=2955

AND:July 30, 2004
11:05 p.m. Eastern

OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
Report: Al-Zarqawi
captured near Syria
U.S. put $25 million bounty
on top al-Qaida leader in Iraq

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi – al-Qaida's No. 1 leader in Iraq – has been captured near the Syrian border, according to an unconfirmed report today.

The man presumed to be al-Zarqawi was captured during a joint operation by U.S. forces and Iraqi police, reported the Al Siyasah newspaper, quoting Iraqi sources.

The Pentagon, however, told WorldNetDaily late this afternoon it had no confirmation.

"We heard a rumor yesterday and another iteration of it today," said Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Venable. "But I have nothing upon which to validate its accuracy."

Asked if he believed he would have had some confirmation by now if the report were true, Venable said, "Yes."

According to the popular Arab television news network al-Jazeera, the newspaper cited Iraqi police reporting the suspect was caught in a white shirt and jeans, and offered no resistance. Al-Zarqawi

In an effort to prove that the accused is indeed al-Zarqawi, investigators for the U.S. and Iraqi are sending a DNA sample for testing, according to the unconfirmed report.

The Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi is the most wanted terror figure in Iraq and the U.S. government has placed a $25 million bounty on him.

According to the intelligence news service Geostrategy-Direct, Pakistani officials say al-Qaida is becoming more decentralized and its top leader, Osama bin Laden, may not be running the organization.

Instead, growing evidence indicates that al-Qaida No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahiri may be in charge of the terrorist network, with al-Zarqawi emerging as the No. 2 leader of the group.

Al-Zarqawi's faction has claimed responsibility for many terror attacks as well as the beheadings of foreigners, including American businessman Nicholas Berg, South Korean translator Kim Sun-il and Bulgarian truck driver Georgi Lazov.

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com