| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Zarqawi’s the pivot man for the attacks in Iraq |
| 2004-01-31 |
| Brilliant, Holmes! U.S. officials say they have mounting evidence to suggest al-Qaida operative Abu Musab Zarqawi has had a hand in multiple attacks in Iraq, including those on a mosque in Najaf, the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad and Italy’s paramilitary police station in Nasiriyah. Another al-Qaida member, Hassan Ghul, was arrested this month while entering northern Iraq and is believed to have met with Zarqawi to plan attacks against U.S. and coalition forces. And Zarqawi meets with Saif al-Adel, who runs al-Qaeda’s military committee. That puts Ghul on par at least with the likes of someone like Imam Samudra or Khattab, a definite keeper. Now in U.S. custody, Ghul is believed to be cooperating with interrogators. He known as a facilitator who can move people and money around and is the highest ranking member of al-Qaida to be arrested in Iraq. Coalition forces are dealing with both Iraqi opposition and foreign insurgents, like Zarqawi. He has been described as a key link between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein, but has managed to avoid capture. The official wouldn’t comment on Zarqawi’s suspected location. That’s cuz we’re sending a delegation there in the coming weeks ... In August, a truck bomb struck hit U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, killing 23 people, and a car bomb exploded outside mosque in Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf, killing more than 85. In November, a suicide truck bomber attacked Italy’s paramilitary police headquarters in southern city of Nasiriyah, killing more than 30. The United States has ``strong suspicions’’ that Zarqawi was involved in all three, the official said. Interesting that he’d go after An Najaf, given how close Zarqawi’s said to be with the ayatollahs these days and how Shi’ites regard their holy cities. It all probably makes sense to somebody somewhere ... |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #7 Quite a puzzle. Maybe Sistani is a problem for the elders of allah. DD I need answers, pronto! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-1-31 9:34:26 PM |
| #6 Wuzzalib - Love the handle! Got get me one of those! |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-1-31 6:19:19 AM |
| #5 Interesting that he’d go after An Najaf, given how close Zarqawi’s said to be with the ayatollahs these days and how Shi’ites regard their holy cities. It all probably makes sense to somebody somewhere ... Indeed. One thought: as much as the black hats in Iran love their holy sites, I'll bet they love being Shi-ite Big Sh-ts even more, and so are nervous about the possible re-assertion of traditional Iraqi Shi-ite leadership of Shi-ism. Given that, small surprise to me if the black hats have made an alliance of convenience with the enemies of Iraq's Shi-ites, for now preferring to keep them and their leaders (e.g., Sistani) on the defensive and weak, and not minding too much if a few old bricks get blown up in the process.... Just a cynical thought! |
| Posted by: WUZZALIB 2004-1-31 2:46:19 AM |
| #4 The conventional wisdom is that he goes back and forth between the Bekaa Valley and Iran depending on where VEVAK wants him at the time, but I haven't heard anything specific. |
| Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-1-31 2:18:25 AM |
| #3 Any reports on the whereabouts of Imad Mugniyah? |
| Posted by: Pete Stanley 2004-1-31 2:07:45 AM |
| #2 It's those embedded returns, like IRNA has. I fixed it. |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-1-31 1:52:54 AM |
| #1 Whoah, what the heck happened to my formatting on this one? |
| Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-1-31 1:28:41 AM |