The U.S. military on Thursday announced the capture of two key members of Iraq's most-feared terror group, including one suspected in the kidnap-slaying of an Egyptian envoy and attacks on senior diplomats from Pakistan and Bahrain.
Khamis Farhan Khalaf Abd al-Fahdawi, known as Abu Seba, was arrested last Saturday following operations in the Ramadi area west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said in a statement.
He was accused of involvement in the abduction and killing of Egypt's top envoy in Iraq and attacks on Pakistani and Bahraini diplomats earlier this month.
"Seba served as a senior lieutenant of al-Qaida in Iraq, and is suspected in attacks against diplomats of Bahrain, Pakistan and the recent murder of Egyptian envoy, Ihab Salah al Din Ahmad al-Sherif," the U.S. statement said. "Al-Qaida ordered the attacks against Arab diplomats in an effort to reduce support for the government of Iraq according to a military spokesman."
Another al-Qaida in Iraq lieutenant, Abdullah Ibrahim Mohammed Hassan al Shadad, or Abu Abdul Aziz, was captured Sunday, the command said. It said Abu Abdul Aziz was a top lieutenant of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and served as operations officer for the group.
The statement said Abu Abdul Aziz was cooperating with coalition forces.
In an Internet statement Thursday, al-Qaida in Iraq acknowledged that Abu Abdul Aziz had been captured but described him as the commander of one of the group's Baghdad brigades.
"They invent the posts: here is the prince of Baghdad, the deputy of al-Zarqawi, or one of the top leaders," the group said. "God knows that our brother Abu Abdul Aziz, God free him from capture, is nothing but a leader of one of the brigades in Baghdad."
The group said he was detained when American and Iraqi forces stormed a house in Baghdad and that Abu Abdul Aziz was wounded and possibly killed.
Hat Tip: The Conservative Voice
1 comment:
More good news from Iraq that will end up on page who knows in the newpaper.
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