U.S.: Iraq's Al Qaeda Boss Still On Loose

Military Denies Claims By Iraqi Officials That Abu Ayyub al-Masri Captured In Mosul

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. military said Friday that the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq had been not been captured, despite a claim by the Iraqi government.

U.S. military spokeswoman Maj. Peggy Kageleiry said "neither coalition forces nor Iraqi security forces detained or killed Abu Ayyub al-Masri. This guy had a similar name."

She said that no additional details were being provided.

On Thursday night, Iraqi army and police officials said al-Masri had been captured in the northern city of Mosul.

Military spokesman 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. U.S. forces did not initially comment on the reported arrest.

The U.S. military in Baghdad said Thursday it is aware of the reported arrest, but had no "operational reports" and was looking into it, reported CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said that Mosul police "arrested one of al Qaeda's leaders at midnight and during the primary investigations he admitted that he is Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir."

News of the alleged arrest was also reported by Iraqi state television and Arab satellite TV stations.

The state channel, Iraqiya, said that Minister of Interior Jawad al-Bolani would reward Mosul police for the capture.

The arrest would have represent a major blow to al Qaeda in Iraq, which has been on the run for the past year following a shift in alliances by Sunni tribesmen in western Anbar province, and elsewhere, and an influx of thousands of U.S. troops.

The U.S. military considers the organization its number one enemy in Iraq.

Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, is currently a major battleground for U.S. forces and al Qaeda.

Al-Masri, an Egyptian militant, took over al Qaeda in Iraq after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed June 7, 2006 in a U.S. airstrike northeast of Baghdad.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organization that includes al Qaeda in Iraq, last year announced an "Islamic Cabinet" for Iraq and named al-Masri as "minister of war."

U.S. officials said al-Masri joined an extremist group led by al Qaeda's No.2 official in 1982. He joined al Qaeda 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.

According to associates in Afghanistan, al-Masri has been involved in Islamic extremist movements since 1982, when he joined Islamic Jihad, a terror group led by Ayman al-Zawahri, who became bin Laden's chief deputy.

Al-Masri fought with Muslim rebels against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s and later ran al Qaeda training camps there.

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
Someone once said ''when you catch one cockroach, 10 come out from hiding''

So, the 10 cockroashes that came out must go back in into hiding because the king Cockroach is alive to Lead.

[beehive21-2009]

Is this a publicity stunt ? By the Bush guys or CBS or both.

[ranger1948]

Has anyonre seen obamawhamma ? I have been looking under every rock for that snake.

[j-whitman]

Al Queda is still on the lose, & Our White House is still creating their own intel on Iraq & Iran - Same thing they did in Iran-Contra (and using the same people) & the same thing they did during the run up for the Iraq War of Roses. --- And not telling the CIA creating more walls.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/136084

[bobnjersey]

[The one truth is that you cannot trust the Bush admin. I can''''t wait until you Republicanazis realize this. Not that you will ever admit it.]
[Posted by mcdazz at 04:34 AM : May 10, 2008]

they do not know of what they do ... they will neither realize nor admit ... they see it all as ''good'' and ''right'' and Absolute ... god has spoken to their authoritarian leader ... and it''s there duty to follow. they see their cause as just ... will defend there actions w/ only that which justifies ... discounting or ignoring any and all that doesn''t.

[veteran72]

Where''s all the Neocon Nazi Cheerleaders and Apologists that jumped on the initial story of this guy''s capture as a great Shrub success???
Oh, that''s right,....I forgot,.....when shown time and time again that their heroes are nothing but Lying Scumbags, they run and dive under the nearest rock, not to be heard from until the next story of Fake Bushco Successes is written.
It must be difficult spending your life as a Neocon Nazi Troll.........

[veteran72]

If you really want to arrest the "Number 1 Terrorist" in the world, stop by Crawford, Texas this afternoon and he will be the Alfred E. Newman lookalike in a tuxedo.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by excoachken at 07:04 AM : May 10, 2008
+ report abuse
LOL,....Alfred E. Newman is highly insulted to be referenced in such a way...

[excoachken]

If you really want to arrest the "Number 1 Terrorist" in the world, stop by Crawford, Texas this afternoon and he will be the Alfred E. Newman lookalike in a tuxedo.

Rafterman1 wrote:

"My money''''s still on what 99.9999999999999999% of the world believes, that it was pi$$ed off Muslims."

Indeed it was a few pi$$ed off Muslims - and yet, people still want to blame all Muslims for the actions of a few.

Strangely, ******** Cheney for the longest time still blamed Iraq for 9/11 - despite the evidence indicating otherwise.

And likewise, Republicanazis still believe the ******** Cheney and Bush Admin lies.

Last week we were being told that Iran was providing weapons to Iraqi insurgents - this week, they are strangely silent on their claims and have acknowledged that mistakes were made in their accusations.

The one truth is that you cannot trust the Bush admin.

I can''t wait until you Republicanazis realize this.

Not that you will ever admit it.

[ranger1948]

b