Post by lennie on May 1, 2007 17:39:04 GMT -5
Iraqi forces yet to confirm Al Qaeda leader's death
from ABC Online
Iraqi forces are investigating reports the alleged leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been killed in a clash between feuding armed factions.
The US military could not confirm the claim and Iraqi officials admitted they had not yet laid hands on the allegedly slain militant's corpse.
Al Qaeda in Iraq has denied the claims in an Internet message.
"The Islamic State of Iraq reassures the ummah (Islamic nation) on the safety of Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, God keep him, and he is still fighting God's enemies," the group said, using its name for its leader.
Interior ministry operations director Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf said they were looking into the reports.
"There is intelligence information. Some information, you know, needs confirmation, but this information is very strong," he said.
"Our forces had nothing to do with it ... It was an ambush by his rivals which culminated in clashes. Interior ministry sources saw the killing of this criminal."
Iraqi Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh confirmed the report was being examined but added a note of caution.
"This intelligence still has to be checked by giving the body to people who can identify him," he said.
"When we get the body, its DNA must be verified, but the body is still not in the hands of Iraqi forces. There are now attempts by the Iraqi forces to get the body."
Ambush
A pro-American alliance of Sunni tribes claimed responsibility for the alleged slaying during an ambush.
Sheikh Hamid al-Hayis is head of the Anbar Salvation Council, which is the armed wing of a Sunni tribal movement called the Anbar Awakening, made up of groups that once opposed the US occupation of Iraq but have now switched sides to fight Al Qaeda.
"The clashes started between the Dulaim tribe, which is part of the Salvation Council, and Al Qaeda at 9am (local time) and continued until 11am," he said.
"They killed him along with two Saudi leaders and three Iraqis."
US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver could not confirm the report and noted that several previous reports of Masri's death had proved unfounded.
"I hope it is true," he said.
US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker warned that even if the report proves accurate it would not mean the insurgency has been defeated.
"It is a now a very decentralised terrorist effort, so while removing its current head would be a good and positive thing, I think we have to expect that we will need to continue dealing with further Al Qaeda attacks," he said.
US officials say Masri is an Egyptian car bomb specialist who heads Al Qaeda's Iraq subsidiary.
The US State Department has put a $US1 million bounty on his head.
from ABC Online
Iraqi forces are investigating reports the alleged leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been killed in a clash between feuding armed factions.
The US military could not confirm the claim and Iraqi officials admitted they had not yet laid hands on the allegedly slain militant's corpse.
Al Qaeda in Iraq has denied the claims in an Internet message.
"The Islamic State of Iraq reassures the ummah (Islamic nation) on the safety of Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, God keep him, and he is still fighting God's enemies," the group said, using its name for its leader.
Interior ministry operations director Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf said they were looking into the reports.
"There is intelligence information. Some information, you know, needs confirmation, but this information is very strong," he said.
"Our forces had nothing to do with it ... It was an ambush by his rivals which culminated in clashes. Interior ministry sources saw the killing of this criminal."
Iraqi Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh confirmed the report was being examined but added a note of caution.
"This intelligence still has to be checked by giving the body to people who can identify him," he said.
"When we get the body, its DNA must be verified, but the body is still not in the hands of Iraqi forces. There are now attempts by the Iraqi forces to get the body."
Ambush
A pro-American alliance of Sunni tribes claimed responsibility for the alleged slaying during an ambush.
Sheikh Hamid al-Hayis is head of the Anbar Salvation Council, which is the armed wing of a Sunni tribal movement called the Anbar Awakening, made up of groups that once opposed the US occupation of Iraq but have now switched sides to fight Al Qaeda.
"The clashes started between the Dulaim tribe, which is part of the Salvation Council, and Al Qaeda at 9am (local time) and continued until 11am," he said.
"They killed him along with two Saudi leaders and three Iraqis."
US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver could not confirm the report and noted that several previous reports of Masri's death had proved unfounded.
"I hope it is true," he said.
US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker warned that even if the report proves accurate it would not mean the insurgency has been defeated.
"It is a now a very decentralised terrorist effort, so while removing its current head would be a good and positive thing, I think we have to expect that we will need to continue dealing with further Al Qaeda attacks," he said.
US officials say Masri is an Egyptian car bomb specialist who heads Al Qaeda's Iraq subsidiary.
The US State Department has put a $US1 million bounty on his head.