Al-Qaeda's Zarqawi terminated: Iraqi PM

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraq's top terror leader, has been killed in a US air raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's new prime minister and a top American general say.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Zarqawi was killed along with seven aides at around sunset in a house 50km north-east of Baghdad, in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baquba.

"Al-Zarqawi was terminated," al-Maliki told a news conference, drawing loud applause from reporters in the hall where he made the announcement, flanked by US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and US General George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq. Casey said Zarqawi's body had been identified and warned that Zarqawi's followers still posed a security threat to Iraq.

Al-Maliki said the air strike was the result of intelligence reports provided to Iraqi security forces by residents in the area, and US forces acted on the information. "Those who disrupt the course of life, like al-Zarqawi, will have a tragic end," he said. Khalilzad added: "the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a huge success for Iraq and the international war on terror."

Believed to be in his late 30s, Zarqawi had been a mysterious figure for Iraqis, who only know the carnage of his bombers. His killing could be seen as one of the most significant developments for the United States forces and the Iraqi government it backs since the capture of former President Saddam Hussein.

The Jordanian-born militant, who is believed to have personally beheaded at least two American hostages, became Iraq's most wanted militant. He was as notorious as Osama bin Laden, to whom he swore allegiance in 2004.

The United States put a $US25 million ($A34 million) bounty on Zarqawi, the same as bin Laden.

American ABC TV reported that "Zarqawi was apparently injured at first ... The Americans found him. They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries". ABC said seven people were hit in the helicopter attack, including two women, but it was not clear how many were killed or wounded.

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. He also claimed responsibility for other attacks in Jordan and even a rocket attack from Lebanon into northern Israel.

US forces and their allies came close to capturing Zarqawi 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 at that time 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 Zarqawi 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 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.

Casey said the hunt for Zarqawi began in the air-strike area two weeks ago. He said Zarqawi's body had been identified by fingerprints and facial recognition.

©AAP 2006

Good work.

Iraqi PM says intelligence provided by Iraqi citizens led to a bombing raid which killed Zarqawi.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5058304.stm

Yes good news.

Maybe they should video his splattered remains and send that to Al Jazeera! See if they show that!

"Zarqawi was apparently injured at first ... The Americans found him. They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries".

Yes, he lost his head in transit to the hospital.........

GREAT news

bury him in a pig skin jacket

Excellent news. But, as he was a Jordanian Al-Qaeda member how will this affect things? I know it's the foreign members, who are the one's resisting any deals for peace. So hopefully this should help the cause greatly.

Better than that feed him to the dogs so the end result of Zarqawi is dog shit. A steaming pile literaly.

dogs they eat pigs they despise bury him with full honours in a pigskin jacket and a pig head in the coffin, should save the cause another 72 virgins in paradise

"Zarqawi was apparently injured at first ... The Americans found him. They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries".

Yes, he lost his head in transit to the hospital.........

GREAT news

Read the headline!

why didnt they send him to Guantanamo Bay like the rest?

why didnt they send him to Guantanamo Bay like the rest?

The Bay of Pigs is just around the corner from Guantanamo. Maybe a burial at sea. In a pigskin jacket.

Good shooting USAF

would be a waste of crackling to be honest, maybe just pig fat would do the job.

Let's hope these are the virgins waiting for him

would be a waste of crackling to be honest, maybe just pig fat would do the job.

It only removes the most visible head of the hydra. The body will survive, and it will be more difficult to determine who is calling the shots now.

From what I've heard, Zarqawi was on the outs with a lot of his own people for various reasons, not the least of which was his bumbling appearance in that video a few weeks ago (the one where he couldn't operate the machine gun, and was wearing American running shoes with his jihadist outfit).

It will do little to resolve the problems though. They are to widespread and deeply ingrained to simply disappear as a result of this one persons death.

Still, it is one less terrorist walking around, and that's a good thing. Only 10,000 or so to go.

would be a waste of crackling to be honest, maybe just pig fat would do the job.

It only removes the most visible head of the hydra. The body will survive, and it will be more difficult to determine who is calling the shots now.

From what I've heard, Zarqawi was on the outs with a lot of his own people for various reasons, not the least of which was his bumbling appearance in that video a few weeks ago (the one where he couldn't operate the machine gun, and was wearing American running shoes with his jihadist outfit).

It will do little to resolve the problems though. They are to widespread and deeply ingrained to simply disappear as a result of this one persons death.

Still, it is one less terrorist walking around, and that's a good thing. Only 10,000 or so to go.

Don't know if you've been following the news from home but they're popping up here too.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features...0b6ed99&k=48266

cv

Don't know if you've been following the news from home but they're popping up here too.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features...0b6ed99&k=48266

cv

Can't get away from it. I read 6 or so online "newspapers" everyday, plus a little BBC, Faux and CNN news on the tele. That story has been all over most of the major international news channels.

The thing I got a kick out of, was how quick Muslim Imams came out with the old "Islam isn't a violent religion" line. If this kind of thing keeps up, they may get a backlash unlike anything they may expect. There's a whole lot of people that are willing to be tolerant, as long as everyone else keeps the peace as well. Once they resort to violence, the tolerance level seems to drop pretty quickly.

I know some Muslims in Vancouver, and would never expect this kind of action from them. How ever, when a person allows their religion to rule their life, and their religious leaders to decide what is right and wrong, all bets are off as to how they can change, and what they may do in the future.

Let's hope it doesn't start a trend with the younger generation of Canadian-born Muslims.

Don't know if you've been following the news from home but they're popping up here too.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features...0b6ed99&k=48266

cv

Can't get away from it. I read 6 or so online "newspapers" everyday, plus a little BBC, Faux and CNN news on the tele. That story has been all over most of the major international news channels.

The thing I got a kick out of, was how quick Muslim Imams came out with the old "Islam isn't a violent religion" line.

There was a meeting of muslim leaders soon after and they were telling Canadian muslims that they had to take responsibility to find people like this in their community and look for ways to keep young muslims from turning to terror. So there is at least some hope that they're getting sick of it too.

cv

Good shooting USAF

Live by the sword, die by the sword Zarqawi!

live buy the swine 5555

I killed a huge cockroach yesterday. Yeah!

Then I lifted the drain cover only to find 1000 more...

It only removes the most visible head of the hydra. The body will survive, and it will be more difficult to determine who is calling the shots now.

It will do little to resolve the problems though. They are to widespread and deeply ingrained to simply disappear as a result of this one persons death.

I tend to agree with Kerry. The movement is not supported by any one individual but an ideology. As long as there are those who fervently believe then someone else will rise up to take his place. Note, too, that hatred from both sides provides the fuel that keeps the fire burning.

Good news that the evil bastard and his second are taking a dirt nap now. Just hope this encourages more of Iraq's people to rat out these sort.

I killed a huge cockroach yesterday. Yeah!

Then I lifted the drain cover only to find 1000 more...

A flamethrower down the drain would fix that problem

No tears shed my me...........

Let's hope these are the virgins waiting for him

The link doesn't work, but I'm hoping they're hung like horses and Mr Z doesn't like pain

Same old tired comments. Carry on.

Let's hope these are the virgins waiting for him

The link doesn't work, but I'm hoping they're hung like horses and Mr Z doesn't like pain

It's a bunch of geeks in costume a a star trek convention.

cv

Same old tired comments. Carry on.

Fellows, perhaps we should be more sensitive about Mr. Zarqawi.

After all, he was probably poor and had a difficult childhood.