The Hindu : Front Page : Top Al Qaeda leader in Iraq killed

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Friday, Jun 09, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Top Al Qaeda leader in Iraq killed

Atul Aneja

Al Zarqawi and his spiritual adviser die as F-16s pound their "safe-house"

KILLING AND RELIEF: A video image shows the body of leader of `Al-Qaeda in Iraq,' Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in an air strike near Baquba in central Iraq on Thursday. _ PHOTOS: AP/U.S. MILITARY

DUBAI: The Jordanian-born wanted militant Abu Musab Al Zarqawi has been killed in an air strike near Baquba in central Iraq.

Al Zarqawi, who was known as the Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, died 10 minutes after a safe house where he was confabulating with his group was attacked. Along with Al Zarqawi, his spiritual adviser, Sheikh Abdul Rahman, was also killed.

The head of US-led forces in Iraq, George Casey, said that the "isolated safe-house," located 48 km from Baghdad was targeted at 6.15 p.m. local time on Wednesday. F-16 fighter jets were used in the strike and two 500-pound bombs were dropped at the site.

Gen. Casey explained that the Jordanian militant's body was identified through facial recognition, fingerprints, and known scars. The US military showed a picture of Al Zarqawi's face after the attack, where his eyes were closed and spots of blood visible behind him. Gen. Casey said that Al Zarqawi's killing was the result of a manhunt that began two weeks ago. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari pointed out that that a serious effort to nab Al Zarqawi had begun in April after he appeared on videotape. The location that appeared on the video had been identified, he said.

In a statement posted on the Internet by an umbrella organisation representing "Jihadi groups" confirmed that Al Zarqawi was dead. :We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the Mujahed Sheikh Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. The death of our leaders is life for us. It will only increase our persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme."

The Al Qaeda in Iraq has been blamed for a spate of attacks on Shias, kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners. Al Zarqawi had also been accused of masterminding suicide bombings last November that targeted three upscale hotels in the Jordanian capital, Amman, resulting in 60 deaths.

Among his victims were two American civilians — Nicholas Berg and Eugene Armstrong — as well as Ken Bigley, a British citizen. All were beheaded and their grisly killings had been videotaped and made available on the internet.

Analysts say that Al Zarqawi was a "significant leader" of the Salafi Jihadi school of Islamist volunteers. But it might be too early to conclude that his death would have a significant impact on the surging violence in Iraq. Juan Cole, a historian at the university of Michigan points out that Al Zarqawi was "less important than local Iraqi leaders and groups."

`A great success'

He added that he did not "expect the guerilla war [in Iraq] to subside any time soon." The US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad described Al Zarqawi's killing a "great success." He, however, acknowledged that Al Zarqawi's death would not end violence in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki described Al Zarqawi's killing as "a message to those who choose the path of violence to change their direction before it is too late."

Addressing a press conference in Baghdad, he said: "What happened today is a result of co-operation for which we have been asking from our masses and the citizens of our country."

Likely successor

There is speculation that the Egyptian born Abu Al Masri could succeed Al Zarqawi as the head of the Al Qaeda in Iraq.

The Ansar al Sunna, led by Wariya Arbili is also seen as another Al Qaeda affiliated organisation that could now increase its profile beyond its present strongholds in northern Iraq.

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