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January 4, 2005
Arabic newspaper "Al Bayan" reported on Tuesday that terrorist leader Abu Musad az-Zarkawi had been arrested in Iraq.
Topics: Middle East News and PerspectivesGood news from Iraq if in fact this story holds up! The Pentagon is denying the veracity of the report.
According to the Arabic newspaper "Al Bayan" terrorist leader Abu Musad az-Zarkawi has been arrested in Iraq. I have waited to report this until I could find more than one source for the story. There are now two sources, Pravda and Itar-Tass, both Russian media.
Abu Masad az-Zarkawi is known to be a leader of one of the most radical and bloodthirsty Islamic groups "At-Taukhid wal-Jjihad". The report quotes Kurdish sources. There has been no official conformation of the report. However, the exact sources have once informed the world about the arrest of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
According to "Al Bayan", Abu Musab az-Zarkawi has been arrested in the town of Baquba, situated north of Baghdad, reports "Interfax". However, there has been no official confirmation of the report.
In particular, the Pentagon doesn't confirm Zarkawi"s arrest "He has not been arrested. News about his arrest is nonexistent," stated Pentagon's newspaper to the Arabic newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat".
InTheBullPen has the story via Roger Simon, both using the Itar-Tass source. More updates on this as they become available.
Update: Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch is reporting on the story and is as incredulous as the rest of the blogosphere. I don't think that any of us are believing this story yet. I have not been able to find any other Arab media with the story so far - 11:51 ET.
Posted by Hyscience at January 4, 2005 8:32 AM
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- Arabic newspaper "Al Bayan" reported on Tuesday that terrorist leader Abu Musad az-Zarkawi had been arrested in Iraq. - Jan 04, 2005
