Posted on 01/20/2005 4:13:11 PM PST by iso
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A speaker believed to be al-Qaida's leader in Iraq (news - web sites) said in an audiotape found on the Internet Thursday that one of his top lieutenants was killed in last year's U.S.-led assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.
The speaker, claiming to be Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said top aide Omar Hadid was killed during fighting in November when U.S. and Iraqi forces recaptured the city.
It was the first public report by the insurgents that Hadid, a leading guerrilla commander in the city, was dead. It was widely believed that Hadid, who was in his 30s, fled the city as it was being attacked.
"Days after the battle began, one of the commanders suggested to brother Omar Hadid and brother Abu Harith Mohammed Jasem al-Issawi to shave their beards and leave Fallujah through a safe exit so that they can start working from outside," the speaker said.
"The two heroes refused, saying: 'By God we will not leave as long as there is one immigrant fighting in the city.' They were martyred. May God's mercy be upon them."
The authenticity of the tape could not immediately be verified.
Al-Zarqawi hinted that the battle of Fallujah was the beginning of a long war.
"Ferocious wars are not determined by the outcome of days or weeks," the speaker on the tape said. "They take their time until it's time to announce the victory of one of the parties."
Al-Zarqawi is the leader of an al-Qaida affiliate that was responsible for kidnapping and beheading several foreigners, including Americans, before the fall of their Fallujah base. The United States has offered a $25 million reward for al-Zarqawi's capture or death — the same amount as for Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).
I thought Al-Zarqawi was captured. Did he say anything about Arafat still being dead?
We speculated Omar Hadid was killed back in November...looks like we were correct.
fyi..
He may be a cross dresser for the fun of it too, and there is an especially high number of homosexuals amongst these al Qaeda types.
My pleasure .
Zarqawi's word means nothing to me. I'll wait for the DNA.
Thanks for the ping.
The bad guys are losing.
I'm tired of reading of the deaths of his "aides". I want to read of him being killed, or at least castrated in a cluster bomb attack.
I hope you are, but I think this is the same tape where Zarqawi also claimed that 800 Israelis were involved in the Fallujah assault.
Source?
Come to think of it. Seems the beheaders paradise was indeed Fallujah. They are running out of places to practice their faith.
Zarqawi's hours are numbered. I have a tingly feeling that the troops are really close to decapitating this cockroach.
Looks like we're now curing the aides problem in the Middle East.
It does seem that there has been a lapse in beheadings.
When did the last such tape/body surface? It has been a while.
pong
thanks for the ping
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