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Iraq-Jordan

2 Zarqawi aides captured

2005-05-25

Iraqi and US troops have arrested two top aides of Al-Qaeda's Iraq frontman, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and are hot on the heels of militants loyal to him in north-western Iraq, commanders said today, a day after the country's most wanted man was reported wounded. Described as "one of the most wanted people" in northern Iraq, Mullah Kamel al-Assawadi was detained after he tried to bribe his way past an Iraqi checkpoint, the US military said. One of Zarqawi's regional secretaries was also detained in the restive provincial capital of Baquba, north of Baghdad, a statement said. "Assawadi was questioned by an Iraqi soldier at a checkpoint close to Balad," an insurgent stronghold near Baquba, the military said without giving a date for his arrest.

Described as one of Zarqawi's top lieutenants, Assawadi had on him various identity papers as well as dollars with which he tried to buy the soldier's silence. "He tried to hide his identity but several detainees recognised him and he is currently held at a multi-national forces detention centre where he is being questioned," the statement added. Assawadi allegedly financed and provided military training to an insurgent cell and helped prepare car bombs. "He was linked to numerous Wahhabis (Saudi-inspired Sunni militants) operating north of Baghdad," said the statement, adding that Assawadi was based in the Sunni insurgent bastion of Samarra, a city north of Baghdad which was retaken from rebels in a massive US-backed assault last autumn.

The Iraqi Defence Ministry meanwhile announced that the Army and allied forces had "arrested Zarqawi's secretary for Diyala province, Agha Omar, on Tuesday in Baquba," without providing further details.

Additional: Officials say Iraqi forces made the arrest of al-Aswadi as he tried to bribe his way through a checkpoint in the town of Balad. His vehicle was found to contain a global positioning system, multiple identification papers, a scope used to launch mortars, and U.S. currency.

Let's hope he didn't clear the GPS memory, any waypoints he plotted could be interesting.

Posted by:Dan Darling

#8 Give the guard $500,000 out of Z mans $25 million, reset his at $24.5 million IF he can be brought in alive in the next 3 weeks, and say Z mans will be dropping then as we will pay less for "expired" meat.
Force Z man to prove he is alive instead of scratching our butts wondering if he is dead.
Same goes for Obama...er, I mean Osama.

Posted by: Capsu78 2005-05-25 12:05

#7 Mullah Kamel Ass! That's great...

Posted by: M. Murcek 2005-05-25 11:58

#6 At some level, actions against the insurgents, deaths and captures of insurgents, etc, are only inputs. The real outputs, are reduced attacks on Americans, reduced attacks on Iraqis, and successful reconstruction of Iraq (including electricity, oil, etc)

Nonetheless, given the long term nature of this conflict, and its complexity, I think it is justified to look at the "inputs" and count them on the positive side, even in times (like the last month) when the output side has looked poor.

It should be noted, again, that the 2 months after the election represented a dramatic drop in insurgent attacks, after several months of very high attacks. Its not clear if the recent surge means those two months were a fluke, or if the recent surge is a fluke, or somewhere in between. Given that uncertainty, there is all the more justification for looking at inputs.

Posted by: Liberalhawk 2005-05-25 11:44

#5 gromky. I agree, except double it. Than make sure evey Iraq soldier and policeman know.

Posted by: plainslow 2005-05-25 10:55

#4 The car bombings are a desperate effort to throw Iraq into chaos and destroy or discredit the new govt. I am sure that the terrorists are using up resources and resorting to second and lower strings. The Syrian connection needs to be cut off now. They need some kind of clando wack that will send a message home.

The one question I have is about the Saudi border. Is it sealed off? Are the Saudi fodder staging at Syria? And how much is coming through Iran now?

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-05-25 10:33

#3 been lots going on lately. Almost like the wrap up of a big sting. I bet the car bombing will drop dramatically in Iraq. Poor news media, what will they cover?

Posted by: 2b 2005-05-25 10:04

#2 gromkys point is good.

That Iraqi soldiers turned down bribes is a good sign.

Posted by: Liberalhawk 2005-05-25 09:54

#1 Excellent. Take the money and give it to the soldier as a reward for not taking a bribe.

Other prisoners recognized him...isn't that the legend of how Santa Anna was picked out of the crowd after the Battle of San Jacinto?

Posted by: gromky 2005-05-25 09:52

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