Iraqi police forces have detained Umar Baziyani, an associate of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, U.S. Central Command announced Friday. Baziyani is known to have ties to several extremist terrorist groups in Iraq and is believed to be responsible for the death and injury of scores of innocent Iraqi citizens, according to Centcom. Authorities say Baziyani is also wanted in connection with anti-coalition activities. Baziyani was detained on May 30 in Baghdad, according to Centcom. He's providing information to coalition forces. | "Sgt, a fresh pair of panties for Umar!" |
"His capture removes one of al-Zarqawi’s most valuable officers from his network," according to the Centcom statement. U.S. military and intelligence officials believe al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian wanted for allegedly organizing attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq on behalf of Al Qaeda, personally carried out the murder of American Nicholas Berg, whose decapitation was captured on a videotape that was released by his killers. Berg's body was found May 8 near a highway overpass in Baghdad. He was last seen on April 10 when he left his Baghdad hotel. Last month, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the No. 2 U.S. military leader in Iraq, said of al-Zarqawi's whereabouts: "We believe he's moving around the country." |