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Iraq-Jordan
Pentagon says key Zarqawi operative caught in Iraq
2005-07-13
American forces have captured a key operative in the organization of Iraq's al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the top U.S. general said on Tuesday. Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the PBS program "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" that Monday's capture of Abu Abd Al-Aziz, whom he called Zarqawi's "main leader in Baghdad," was "going to hurt that operation of Zarqawi's pretty significantly." Myers said Al-Aziz was picked up "on the battlefield," but provided no other details.

A defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added, "When you look at the picture of the Zarqawi network of the different elements that are known to exist, he's the second-in-command of the Baghdad element and has the reputation of being the 'emir of Baghdad' for Zarqawi." The official said American forces were involved in the operation that snared Al-Aziz, but was unable to say whether Iraqi government forces played a role. Al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq, led by the Jordanian-born Zarqawi, has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against U.S. forces, the Iraqi government and Shi'ite Muslims in Iraq as part of a tenacious insurgency.
Posted by:Anonymoose

#6  I dunno about you guys, but I'm beginning to wonder about the reasons for using suicide bombers. Sure, it's showy, but it's also a way of destroying evidence. After all, if the guy's dead, he can't talk about it later, and maybe provide a lead back to the terrorists. Why would there be a need for suiciders? Is this primarily a security measure? If so, what does that say about the numbers and depth of the terrorist teams?
Posted by: Omosing Ching6582   2005-07-13 12:38  

#5  Interesting how these "key operatives" are caught alive rather than going down in a blaze of glory, unlike their cohort of junior flunkie bombers.
Posted by: ET   2005-07-13 10:54  

#4  #3 Yeah, yeah , yeah, another operative, we know. How many operatives does this asshole have anyway?
Posted by: bigjim-ky

Well bigjim, no matter how many he has, he has one less that is free to kill children.
Posted by: Richard   2005-07-13 09:47  

#3  Yeah, yeah , yeah, another operative, we know. How many operatives does this asshole have anyway?
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-07-13 09:40  

#2  Rex, you should be compensated...for designing something useful out of the utterly f*cking useless.
Posted by: Red Dog   2005-07-13 03:17  

#1  Sounds like the Wolves might have been in on it. Good work everyone. I say we use the guy as a Human Urinal Disinfectant Cake™ I get first dibs, heh heh.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-07-13 02:02  

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