BAGHDAD - The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was arrested in the northern city of Mosul, the Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday. Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province. There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. forces.
News of the arrest was also reported by Iraqi state television.
"The commander of Ninevah military operations informed me that Iraqi troops captured Abu Hamza al-Muhajir the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq," al-Askari told The Associated Press by telephone.
He did not have any further details nor did he say when the al-Qaida leader was arrested. According to unconfirmed reports, however, he was caught Thursday evening in the Tayran area in central Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad. Mosul is currently a major battleground for U.S. forces and al-Qaida.
Al-Masri took over al-Qaida in Iraq after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed June 7, 2006 in a U.S. airstrike northeast of Baghdad.
U.S. officials said al-Masri joined an extremist group led by al-Qaida's No.2 official. He later joined al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan in 1999 and trained as a car bombing expert before traveling to Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
format_quote Originally Posted by Izyan
Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
BAGHDAD - The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was arrested in the northern city of Mosul, the Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday. Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province. There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. forces.
Al-Masri took over al-Qaida in Iraq after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed June 7, 2006 in a U.S. airstrike northeast of Baghdad.
U.S. officials said al-Masri joined an extremist group led by al-Qaida's No.2 official. He later joined al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan in 1999 and trained as a car bombing expert before traveling to Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Well, for reasons I won't get into here, I do not trust any of the intel the United States publishes concerning this group or the members in it. They should just consider themselves very lucky that it was the Iraqis (not the Americans) who captured Abu Hamza al Muhajir. If the report is true, having and holding are not quite the same thing ~ and I seriously doubt the ISI would allow this to go unpunished.
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
Cant think of a reason why they would pull a "Al Sharaf" and tell lies about capturing someone.
Excellent news Yay!!!!! for the Iraqi's!
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
This must be the 100th time good ol' Hamza got captured.
Iraq al-Qaeda chief not captured
Masri is believed to have formed al-Qaeda's first cell in Baghdad
The United States military in Iraq says a man detained in the northern city of Mosul is not in fact the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
An earlier statement from the Iraqi defence ministry said that al-Masri had been captured.
But an American military spokeswoman, Peggy Kageleiry, said Abu Ayyub al-Masri had not been arrested.
She said confusion had arisen because a man with a similar name to the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader had been detained.
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.
Members of al-Qaeda are believed to have regrouped in the northern city since the beginning of the US troops "surge" last year. Al-Masri is believed to have helped Abu Musab al-Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in Baghdad. Zarqawi was killed in June 2006. 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.
Bah, I stand corrected. The Iraqi's cant even identify their number one enemy!
Shhesh!
Well the ones I worked with were not so numpty.
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
format_quote Originally Posted by The_Prince
lol yes he will be captured again, lol it is funny as to how many times he has been captured already.
I don't find the news amusing. I remember the last time I shot my mouth off about how the U.S. kept catching and killing everyone but Abu Musab al Zarqawi. I should not have taunted them ~ obviously Allah was not pleased with my arrogance. I won't make that mistake again!
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
format_quote Originally Posted by Ninth_Scribe
I don't find the news amusing. I remember the last time I shot my mouth off about how the U.S. kept catching and killing everyone but Abu Musab al Zarqawi. I should not have taunted them ~ obviously Allah was not pleased with my arrogance. I won't make that mistake again!
The Ninth Scribe
dont beat yourself up abut it matey. ZaK was killed because Allah willed it, and he perhaps chose the Americans as his tool.
Last edited by barney; 05-11-2008 at 10:10 PM.
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
Makes you wonder though. If Allah wasnt wanting him alive, its possible that he was in some way not doing Allahs work. Allah could have cosen the Iraqi Army as the method of his death or just killed him on the spot himself. Perhaps using the Americans was a message of some sort?
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
format_quote Originally Posted by barney
Makes you wonder though. If Allah wasnt wanting him alive, its possible that he was in some way not doing Allahs work. Allah could have cosen the Iraqi Army as the method of his death or just killed him on the spot himself. Perhaps using the Americans was a message of some sort?
With religion any outcome can be explained to justify your point of view. Here's some examples:
AMZ was killed by the Americans as his punishment for not obey Allah's Laws
AMZ was a great leader and Allah allowed the Americans to rid them of one of the only men able to destroy the occupation as a punishment to the Iraqis
AMZ was killed by the Americans as proof that he was not a true soldier of Allah and that Americans are truly a tool of Allah to rid them of Saddam
Personally my favorite: Allah was tired of AMZ and his men raping and killing people that refused to join him and took him out post haste.
Re: Iraqi army says Iraqi al-Qaida leader arrested
format_quote Originally Posted by Izyan
Allah cares not what pleases you.
Erm...she never said He did....
format_quote Originally Posted by barney
Makes you wonder though. If Allah wasnt wanting him alive, its possible that he was in some way not doing Allahs work. Allah could have cosen the Iraqi Army as the method of his death or just killed him on the spot himself. Perhaps using the Americans was a message of some sort?
Well, all I know is that God/Allah is just and in the end everyone gets their dues (whether that be in this life or the hereafter). So that's enough for me .
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
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