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Al-Qaeda Iraq leader 'arrested' | Al-Qaeda Iraq leader 'arrested' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been arrested, according to media reports quoting the country's defence ministry. | The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been arrested, according to media reports quoting the country's defence ministry. |
Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was detained in the northern city of Mosul, reports said. | |
The US military in Iraq said it was currently looking into the reports. | The US military in Iraq said it was currently looking into the reports. |
The Egyptian-born militant took over the leadership of the group from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shortly after he was killed in a US air strike in June 2006. | The Egyptian-born militant took over the leadership of the group from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shortly after he was killed in a US air strike in June 2006. |
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has been blamed for or has claimed responsibility for some of the bloodiest insurgent attacks in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. | |
Joint operation | |
A spokesman for the Iraqi defence ministry, Mohammad al-Askari, told the Associated Press that he had been informed of Masri's capture by the Iraqi military in Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital. | |
"The commander of Nineveh military operations informed me that Iraqi troops captured Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq," he said. | |
Interior ministry spokesman Maj-Gen Abdul-Karim Khalaf told al-Iraqiya TV that security forces had "arrested one of al-Qaeda's leaders at midnight and during the primary investigations he admitted that he was Abu Hamza al-Muhajir". | |
Gen Khalaf said a source close the al-Qaeda leader had informed police that he would be at a house in Mosul's Wadi Hajjar district at midnight on Wednesday. | |
Members of al-Qaeda are believed to have regrouped in the northern city since the beginning of the US troops "surge" last year. | |
A US military spokesman in Baghdad said he could not confirm that Masri had been arrested, but did not believe the reports to be true. | |
'Minister of war' | |
Masri is believed to have helped Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in Baghdad. | |
After becoming leader, he vowed to "continue what Sheikh Abu Musab began" and avenge his death with attacks that would "turn your children's hair white". | After becoming leader, he vowed to "continue what Sheikh Abu Musab began" and avenge his death with attacks that would "turn your children's hair white". |
In April 2007, he was named "minister of war" in the 10-man cabinet of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Sunni militant groups. | In April 2007, he was named "minister of war" in the 10-man cabinet of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Sunni militant groups. |
Shortly afterwards, the Iraqi government claimed Masri had been killed in an "internal battle" between militants, but this was quickly denied by the group. | Shortly afterwards, the Iraqi government claimed Masri had been killed in an "internal battle" between militants, but this was quickly denied by the group. |
In an hour-long audio tape broadcast last month, he purportedly called for renewed attacks on US troops and noted the recent announcement that 4,000 had died in Iraq. | In an hour-long audio tape broadcast last month, he purportedly called for renewed attacks on US troops and noted the recent announcement that 4,000 had died in Iraq. |
"We must celebrate this event in our special way, and make the defeated Bush join us in this celebration," he said. | "We must celebrate this event in our special way, and make the defeated Bush join us in this celebration," he said. |