« Scientology And Terri Schiavo - Is There A Connection? | Main | Ansar al-Sunnah Video Attack on Contractors »

May 15, 2005

Zarqawi wounded, 'bleeding heavily'

I've quit counting the number of times so far that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been reported to be either dead or wounded, so I'm posting this report with the same degree of skepticism. However, the claim was supported over the weekend by a senior commander in the Iraqi insurgency who had been to Ramadi to investigate the report, at least so the report goes in the Sunday Times via the Australian. The doctor refused to specify the nature of the wounds wanted to remain anonymous, and was detained by the U.S. on Friday for questioning.

-The Australian   Hala Jaber, Ali Rifat, May 16, 2005,

[...]
IRAQ'S most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been seriously wounded, according to a doctor who claims to have treated him last week.

The doctor told an Iraqi reporter in the western city of Ramadi that Zarqawi was bleeding heavily when he was brought into hospital on Wednesday. After treating his wounds, the doctor tried to persuade him to remain, but the Jordanian-born terrorist's minders drove him away.

The claim was supported at the weekend by a senior commander in the Iraqi insurgency who had been to Ramadi to investigate the report. The doctor, who refused to specify the nature of the wounds and asked not to be identified, was detained by the Americans on Friday for questioning, residents said.

Zarqawi, described as Osama bin Laden's emir in Iraq, is the US's top target. He has been blamed for suicide bombings and for the execution of Western hostages, including British engineer Ken Bigley. There is a $US25million ($32.8million) bounty on his head.

According to the doctor, Zarqawi was escorted into Ramadi hospital by smartly dressed men. "He was bleeding heavily and his escorts were well dressed with a look about them that was different from the casualties and family members we had been receiving from the al-Qaim offensive," he was quoted as saying.   - End item

Let's hope that this report holds water. The doctor had recognised Zarqawi from television and followed Zarqawi and his escorts to their vehicle to try to convince them that the patient should remain at the hospital.  The doctor said that at that point he saw machineguns and that they told him that they would kill him if he told anyone what he had seen. They subsequently offered the doctor a wad of US dollars to secure his silence he refused to take the cash.

For now, all we can do is wait to see if the report turns out to be true.

Posted by Hyscience at May 15, 2005 9:37 PM

• Zarqawi wounded, 'bleeding heavily' - May 15, 2005