Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq arrested -- Arabiya TV

Reuters ^ | May 08, 2008 | Reuters

[Berlin_Freeper]

DUBAI, March 9 (Reuters) - The leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, has been arrested in Iraq, the Arabic television station al-Arabiya reported on Friday, quoting the Iraqi Defence Ministry.

Arabiya said Muhajir, successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had been detained in a joint Iraqi-U.S. operation in Mosul in northern Iraq.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Roggio is reporting whoever he is,...may be in US Custody:

Abu Ayyub al Masri, al Qaeda in Iraq’s leader, reported captured in Mosul

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Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al Askari said al Masri’s capture was “confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province,” The Associated Press reported. The person believed to be al Masri has been transferred to US custody for identification, according to Askari. Al Masri’s capture was also announced on Iraqiya Television, the state-run TV network, AP reported.

The Iraqi government has a history of announcing the capture of senior al Qaeda leaders, only to have to retract the statements. The Iraqi government had made several claims of wounding, killing and capturing both al Masri and Abu Omar al Baghdadi, the fictitious leader of al Qaeda’s Islamic State of Iraq, several times during 2007. The report turned out to be false reports or cases of mistaken identity.

[Red_Devil 232]

The photo or video snippet they showed was of a pretty scruffy looking arab, mangy beard and typical napkin on his head.