Senior US military sources in Iraq have told the BBC they do not believe reports that the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been injured in fighting. Arab TV stations said early on Friday that Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, had been hurt during clashes north of Baghdad. The reports said that the incident had occurred in Balad.
Masri took over as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a 2006 US air raid. Little is known about Masri - the US military has said it believes him to be an Egyptian militant based in Baghdad.
| Since "al-Masri" means "the Egyptian," that's prob'ly a pretty good bet. |
He is understood to have trained in Afghanistan and helped Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in the Iraqi capital. A statement posted on a website used by Islamic militants in June 2006 announced that he would take over as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq after Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike. The statement said he had a history of fighting a holy war and that he had been unanimously elected as the group's new chief.
"All in favor say 'Aye!'"
"Aye!"
"Opposed say 'Nay!'"
"Nay!"
[BANG!]
"The motion is carried unanimously!" |
There is currently a $5m US bounty on Masri's head.
"But for his head only, let's be clear about that point." |