Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been seen handing out money to evacuee families in the small town of al-Karabla, near al-Qaim on the Syrian border, according to a message posted to various Islamist websites, signed by 'Muhib al-Faruq'. The message is headed "Allah is great: an urgent message from a brother from the town of al-Karabla who swears by what he says". In the message, al-Faruq says he has spoken with the "brother" from al-Karabla, who claims al-Qaeda has given some 700 dollars per household to 85 families whose houses have been destroyed in the al-Qaim area.
The "brother" also told him that "fellow mujahadeen Abu Musab" is prepared to compensate people for a mere "spilled glass of water", al-Faruq says in his message.
According to the witnesss, whose authenticity is not possible to establish, al-Qaeda has compensated civilians left homeless as a result of the recent US military operations along the Syrian border. "We have brought you this news, because the brother who we spoke to comes from the area and swears by what he says," the message ends.
On 18 June, US troops launched a massive offensive against al-Zarqawi's group, targeting the al-Karabla and al-Qaim areas with their fighter planes. On Monday, the Arab TV network al-Jazeera interviewed villagers, who accused American soldiers of having destroyed their homes and killed many civilians.
American troops located al-Zarqawi's hiding-place in the area, General John Abizaid, local US forces commander said on Monday. Al-Qaeda's leader in Saudi Arabia, Abdullah al-Rushud, was killed in the US attacks on the area, the terror network said in a statement signed by al-Zarqawi, dated 23 June.
The US military alleges that rebel hideouts and the insurgency's main bases are located in this area. For some time, al-Qaim has been believed to be the principal route through which Islamic militants are entering Iraq from across the Syrian border.
Since al-Zarqawi was believed to have been wounded during a US offensive in Ramadi in April, reports have abounded over his current state of health and whereabouts. A report in early June said he had died and been buried in Fallujah cemetary, according to the Saudi Al-Medina newspaper, quoting Iraqi Sunni sheikh, Ammar Abdel Rahim Nasir. US intelligence sources believe al-Zarqawi may still be alive, but in Iran. |
