Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a US air raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said today.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Zarqawi was killed yesterday evening along with seven aides.
The Jordanian-born militant, who is believed to have personally beheaded at least two American hostages, became Iraq's most wanted militant, as notorious as Osama bin Laden, to whom he swore allegiance in 2004.
The United States put a $33 million bounty on Zarqawi, the same as bin Laden.
In the past year, Zarqawi moved his campaign beyond Iraq's borders, claiming to have carried out a November 9, 2005, triple suicide bombing against hotels in Amman that killed 60 people, as well as other attacks in Jordan and even a rocket attack from Lebanon into northern Israel.
US forces and their allies came close to capturing him several times since his campaign began in mid-2003.
His closest brush may have come in late 2004.
Deputy Interior Ministry Major General Hussein Kamal said Iraqi security forces caught Zarqawi near the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah but then released him because they didn't realise who he was.
In May 2005, web statements by his group said Zarqawi had been wounded in fighting with Americans and was being treated in a hospital abroad - raising speculation over a successor among his lieutenants.
But days later, a statement said Zarqawi was fine and had returned to Iraq.
There was never any independent confirmation of the reports of his wounding.
US forces believe they just missed capturing him in a February 20, 2005, raid in which troops closed in on his vehicle west of Baghdad near the Euphrates River.
His driver and another associate were captured and al-Zarqawi's computer was seized along with pistols and ammunition.
US troops twice launched massive invasions of Fallujah, the stronghold used by al-Qaeda in Iraq fighters and other insurgents west of Baghdad.
An April 2004 offensive left the city still in insurgent hands, but the October 2004 assault wrested it from them.
However, Zarqawi - if he was in the city - escaped.
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Good work. Lets see what this does to the insurgency.
_________________ SABOTAGE!
Last edited by Hinny on Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:38 am Posts: 5575 Location: Sydney, NSW
I won't celebrate the death of anyone, even if there isn't a lower form of a human being than thuis guy.
Here's what would make me happy though: if this means things are actually going to get better between the Sunnis and Shias in Iraq from here on in.
Time will tell, but I'm not holding my breath.
_________________
Jammer91 wrote:
If Soundgarden is perfectly fine with playing together with Tad Doyle on vocals, why the fuck is he wasting his life promoting the single worst album of all time? Holy shit, he has to be the stupidest motherfucker on earth.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Don't we get pictures of the corpse like we did with Sadaam's sons?
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:55 am Posts: 4213 Location: Austin TX Gender: Male
In the end I'm not sure how much this materially improves the situation in Iraq - there are probably thousands there ready to assume his mantle. But damn if it didn't make me cheer right out loud when I heard the news on the radio.
_________________ Pour the sun upon the ground stand to throw a shadow watch it grow into a night and fill the spinnin' sky
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 5:48 pm Posts: 2783 Location: Boston, MA
I'm glad this prick is dead. But sadly I believe that someone else will just step in and take his place. Great job by our troops and whoever else was involved in taking this asshole out.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Cpt. Murphy wrote:
B wrote:
Don't we get pictures of the corpse like we did with Sadaam's sons?
CNN.com has one on their front page right now.
Pretty lame.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
LittleWing wrote:
If someone else wants to step in, we'll take them out too.
... unless it's Osama bin Laden.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
I'm glad this prick is dead. But sadly I believe that someone else will just step in and take his place. Great job by our troops and whoever else was involved in taking this asshole out.
Agreed.
I wonder if he is raping the 72 little boys in heaven that he has been promised by Allah?
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
LittleWing wrote:
B wrote:
LittleWing wrote:
If someone else wants to step in, we'll take them out too.
... unless it's Osama bin Laden.
I STILL can't figure out how he wasn't caught just before the 2004 election.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
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