Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq

[TacticalPeek]

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly arrested in Iraq


DUBAI, January 4 (Itar-Tass) - Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, whom the US occupation authorities declared to be the "target number one" in Iraq, has been arrested in the city of Baakuba, the Emirate newspaper al-Bayane reported on Tuesday referring to Kurdish sources. Al-Zarqawi, leader of the terrorist group Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad, was recently appointed the director of the Al-Qaeda organisation in Iraq.

The newspaper's correspondent in Baghdad points out that a report on the seizure of the terrorist, on whom the US put a bounty of 10 million dollars, was also reported by Iraqi Kurdistan radio, which at one time had been the first to announce the arrest of Saddam Hussein.

There have been no official reports about the arrest of the terrorist. Al-Zarqawi, 38, a Jordanian, whose real name is Ahmad al-Khalayleh, aims to turn Iraq into a "new Afghanistan". According to Arab press data, Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad group has divided Iraq into several emirates. The group's independent subdivisions at a strength of 50 to 500 militants operate in the cities of Al-Falluja, Al-Qaim, Diala, and Samarra.


http://www.tass.ru/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1619544&PageNum=0

-----------------------------------------------------------


Initial reports, yada yada yada.

[Maple]

1. This is what...third or fourth time

he's been arrested?

[Francine Frensky]

30. Seriously, isn't this the same guy we arrest every few months??

Can anyone confirm we've arrested him before?

[NYC]

69. We arrested him a few days ago.

Confirm? We can't even confirm how many legs he has. I guess he's a real chameleon.

[Jesus H. Christ]

2. Poor guy.

He's got such a monkey on his back too. It must have been hard on him when he heard "The Lyon's Den" got cancelled.

Never should have left The West Wing.

[wtmusic]

3. Thank God, now the insurgents will lay down their arms

and cavort gaily with the our soldiers in a field of flowers

[ogradda]

11. *pphhttt*

sorry...the mental imagery got to me...

[Jacobin]

49. Yes. Mission Accomplished (tm)

All Hail the Monkey-In-Chief.

[merwin]

4. Makes me remember that story about the US Govt planting news stories n/t

[shraby]

5. Wonder if they got the one-legged

or two-legged one.

[BrendaStarr]

68. LOL Good point! /nt

*

[bluestateguy]

6. Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't

The war was supposed to wind down after Baghdad fell.

It didn't.

We were told the Mission was Accomplished on May 1, 2003.

It was not.

The war was surely over once Saddam's sons were killed.

It continued.

When Saddam himself was captured the war was surely coming to an end.

It only got worse.

We levelled Fallujah in April of last year. Surely the insurgency would die out now.

It did not.

We handed over "sovereignty" at the end of June. Now the fighting would surely wind down.

It escalated.

We levelled Fallujah AGAIN in November. That would surely break the back of the insurgents.

The insgurgents scattered to fight another day and place.

Now elections are scheduled for the end of the month and we have a report from the paper that used to be the mouthpiece for the Soviet Politburo saying that Al-Zarqawi has been captured.

Forgive me if I'm not getting a boner right now. :eyes:

[clem_c_rock]

7. Exactly, And furthermore, I don't believe he ever existed in Iraq

Funny how he's not on this list:

http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/fugitives.htm

And more:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FJ15Ak02.html
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/112004Chin/112004chin.html

[Robb]

31. Well put. n/t

:thumbsup:

[TolstoyAndy]

46. Breaking the back of the insurgency

one Goldstein at a time.

What a crock of :puke: - there's no way we should do anything but pull right out.

[Be Brave]

8. If true, the MSM bushbots would be tripping over themselves reporting

this. They are not reporting it. Thus, it must not be true.

[OldVlad]

45. I hope you are right, but I doubt it

But its probably they are just waiting for confirmation from more reliable sources like they did when they got Saddam. I wouldn't be surprised if they did finally get this guy, he had a lot of bravado perpetrating the decapitations himself and all, this was the time the insurgents had to make their big push to terrorize the populace into not voting this month. As it stands now, this will embolden the Iraqi population, disorganize the insurgents, and most likely lead to the election going forward this month.

The newly elected government will declare marshall law, strip them of all due process, and smash the insurgents (along with their own people) and this will be a memory like the Taliban within the next few months. After that every loud mouth, war mongering Repuke will be crowing like the day Baghdad fell. If you thought November was a miserable, spitefilled time, just wait til their is relative quiet from Iraq after an election gets finalized. The GOoPers will be thumping their chests about a "Just War" and being right all along like never before, rationalizing that we were the losers in all this, because we can't seem to get our message out.

[Be Brave]

62. This will happen

in their dreams.

[burn the bush]

9. it's true and will break on the 6th in our media to help get attention off

of the fact that we have an illegal govt in office. My opinion only.

[aikido15]

12. Yup...

It should be interesting to see how this one plays out. Wonder how Bush will use it to his illegal advantage?

[NJCher]

10. wouldn't this be a great headline?

COMPOSITE MAN ARRESTED!


Cher

[darkism]

13. Right on time for January 6th, doncha know. n/t

[purduejake]

14. 50 to 500 militants? HAH!

One Iraq official said there might be 200,000 insurgents in Iraq, outnumbering American forces.

This is probably made up by psy-ops.

[merwin]

15. I think they mean 50 to 500 per 'unit'

[purduejake]

16. Thank you. I misunderstood.

here is the link to the 200,000 insurgent claim for those who are interested: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1119686>

[pinniped]

17. Ya right...even if he really existed, there is no way he would...

be taken alive.

[Zhade]

24. Yes - Abu Musab al-Goldstein is a wily one.

NT!

[PittPoliSci]

18. not impressed.

This country's media made Al-Zarqawi out to be as "evil" as Osama in a ploy to distract the country from who we should really be after. They did the same thing with Saddam a year ago.

Al-Zarqawi is about the forth "number two in command of al-Qaeda" that we've captured so far. Wonder what nameless terrorist the media is going to sensationalize into the next "number two" man.

Don't get me wrong however, Al-Zarqawi is still a very dangerous man, and I hope he has been captured, but he's not the boogey man he was made out to be.

[oneighty]

35. Which card is he in

the deck of fifty two? Oh the cards have run out just as have the Micky Mouse color alerts. They have wowed the masses-served their purpose.

180

[tblue37]

38. I have to say this:

Even if we did capture him, and even if we captured Osama himself--it would not make one damned bit of difference. These men are just individual men. Figureheads. Recruitment posters.

Al-Quaida is a loosely organized and growing group. One man does not control it. Not at all. We can lop off individuals all we want, but it won't make the slightest bit of difference. It's just cosmetic.

[PittPoliSci]

64. you are 100% correct.

[Historic NY]

19. Show me his head then I might believe it for a second........n/t

[annabanana]

20. oh ick.... please DON'T

(unfortunate choice of words, I think)

[leftchick]

21. so is Faux news running with this???

I know how they love these initial report items.

[Freddie Stubbs]

32. Not yet, but Drudge is

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashai.htm

[illflem]

22. The media source that first reported this

yesterday pulled the story for whatever that's worth

[NYC]

70. I hadn't known that.

Thanks.

This was also reported over 2 days ago. I don't remember where that is, and it is not worth looking up. He'll be captured again and again as required for publicity.

[dutchdoctor]

23. GREAT NEWS! One down, 199,999 insurgents to go.... n/t

[0007]

25. Hmmm the timing is about right...now who's around to give

us that color coded warning?

I hear that Bob Novak is secretly dating Ann "the man" Coulter

[ET Awful]

26. Wow, one more capture, and he'll surpass Chemical Ali for most times

captured or killed.

[Massachusetts]

27. IS

the $$$$10 Mill paid in dollars or euros? or is it paid in gift certificates to Wall Fart? or is it just an I.O.U from the U.S. Bu$hco Treasury?:shrug:

[Massachusetts]

28. And

Is the $$$10 Mill before or after taxes? And what determines the income bracket? and can the winner file late?:bounce:

[leftchick]

29. Zarqawi group claims assassination of Baghdad governor:

Wait, I thought he was caputured for the third time today??

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050104/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestgovernor&cid=1514&ncid=1480

[No Exit]

33. LMAO--they've arrested the man who died 2 yrs ago

after having previously lost his leg, which grew back just in time for him to pose behind Nick Berg right before the beheading which made news just in time to deflect attention from the Abu Ghraib scandal. Yes, a dead man posed behind Nick Berg. Who says the Divine Mr. Bush can't raise the dead?

[underpants]

36. Don't laugh we captured "Chemical Ali" after we killed him

Pentagon: 'Chemical Ali' Killed in Attack
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/4/7/204930.shtml

British military: Body of 'Chemical Ali' found
Monday, April 7, 2003 Posted: 7:38 PM EDT (2338 GMT)
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/07/sprj.irq.chemical.ali/

'Chemical Ali' Captured in Iraq
Thursday, August 21, 2003
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95314,00.html

[No Exit]

44. Egad, I don't know whether to laugh or cry

Don't know whether to laugh at how fake the whole "war on terror" thing is, or to cry because so many Americans are STUPID enough to take on faith ANYTHING this rotten, evil administration tells them!

Captured a dead man... must've been some stand-off!

[Fifth of Five]

48. Doesn't Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

remind you of the "Dread Pirate Roberts" from "The Princess Bride?" Seems there's always a new one to take the old one's place.

[underpants]

54. LOL very good point

Why I think you would make a great Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

Really?

[Malikshah]

34. Countdown to the next "big thing"

If Zarqawi's gone--they'll have to find the next big one to focus on

First Khomeini/Arafat
Then Saddam
Then OBL
Then al-Sistani/Muqtadr al-Sadr
Then Zarqawi...

Each was the end all and be all of evil--once they're gone then all will be well, right??? Right?!?!??? ;)

[Chico Man]

37. And the difference will be?

Nothing

[LynnTheDem]

39. Would be bad for bush & Cartel

Right now they're lying to the idiots in America (the rightwingnuts) by claiming all/most all of the violance in Iraq is because of al Zarqawi.

Fact is, it isn't.

Catch Zarqawi, and the violance will remain the same or increase. And then who will bush blame?

Remember the bullshit we heard on & on & on how all violance would end once Hussein was caught? :eyes:

Even the idiotic rightwingnuts are bound to wake up if bush tries too many more "#1 evildoer" lies.

[complain jane]

56. Right. Saddam gone, violence got worse, Zarqawi sprang up.

Zarqawi gone, what's next?

[Ouabache]

40. umhhumh

One size fits all. Yes, indeed.

[imabadman]

41. Wouldn't this be fabulous?

However, there appears to be only one source for this story. Isn’t the number one lesson in journalism school to have at least two sources?

Still, this would be great news. I only hope that it is the Iraqis that capture him and not our guys. Perhaps then some information can be extracted that will help to save innocent lives.

[TheKingfish]

58. Nah our guys torture just as good as theirs do

maybe better...

[MADem]

42. If the Kurds are saying this

...it is probably true. After all, they were the ones who found Saddam and got the cash for the spider hole business.

However, now we have a new problem. This guy was supposedly the evil genius, the Dr. No of the insurgency. The head to be cut off and killed, so the rest of the structure dies off and the people of Iraq can dance and sing and live in peace.

What do we do when his capture doesn't make the bad guys go home?

[Charles19]

43. The real one or the CIA agent playing him on TV?

[reprobate]

47. Simple answer: Stop releasing him on bail.

[SKKY]

50. Don't know if his is true or not, but if it is...

...I'm certainly happy about 1 less psychotic killer on the loose in the world.

[Catchawave]

51. UPI and Washington Times picked it up....

Unconfirmed report of Zarqawi capture - (United Press International)
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050104-095924-4037r.htm

[Chimpanzee]

52. Why can't the US confirm this?

Maybe they are waiting to capture some more terrorists returning to the lair?

[underpants]

55. It must have insta-polled well

up in the C Leagues.

[daleo]

53. If this is true, a new Emanuel Goldstein is on the way.

Orwell reference, just in case anyone takes this the wrong way.

[Ian David]

57. Was Al-Zarqawi Arrested?

http://news.google.com/news?num=100&hl=en&lr=&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&q=Zarqawi+arrested+OR+captured&btnG=Search+News

Al-Zarqawi Arrested in Iraq: Report
AINA, CA - 1 hour ago
Kurdish sources and media are reporting that Iraqi security forces have captured the wanted Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab Al-Zarkawi. ...
http://www.aina.org/news/20050104105731.htm

Local Kurdish media: Al-Zarqawi was arrested
KurdishMedia, UK - 1 hour ago
... com) 04 January 2005: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whom the US occupation authorities declared to be the "target number one" in Iraq, has been arrested in the city of ...
http://www.kurdmedia.com/news.asp?id=6025

Unconfirmed report of Zarqawi capture
Washington Times, DC - 2 hours ago
4 (UPI) -- A semi-official daily reported Tuesday Iraqi police captured an "important terrorist," believed to be Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a raid east of Baghdad ...
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050104-095924-4037r.htm

If you're interested enough, set-up a Google News Alert, for nearly instant notification of new stories:
http://www.google.com/alerts?q=Zarqawi+arrested+OR+captured&hl=en

[daleo]

59. Check out the telescreen!

"A shrill trumpet-call had pierced the air. It was the bulletin! Victory! It always meant victory when a trumpet-call preceded the news. A sort of electric drill ran through the cafe. Even the waiters had started and pricked up their ears.

The trumpet-call had let loose an enormous volume of noise. Already an excited voice was gabbling from the telescreen, but even as it started it was almost drowned by a roar of cheering from outside. The news had run round the streets like magic. He could hear just enough of what was issuing from the telescreen to realize that it had all happened, as he had foreseen; a vast seaborne armada had secretly assembled a sudden blow in the enemy's rear, the white arrow tearing across the tail of the black. Fragments of triumphant phrases pushed themselves through the din: 'Vast strategic manoeuvre -- perfect co-ordination -- utter rout -- half a million prisoners -- complete demoralization -- control of the whole of Africa -- bring the war within measurable distance of its end victory -- greatest victory in human history -- victory, victory, victory!'"

On edit: Forgot the link
http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/1984/1984_c24.htm

[Zynx]

60. *cough* Arab media *cough*

[okieinpain]

61. wonder who will be the next boogey man.

[mmonk]

63. Won't this mess up

the media coverage of future insurgent attacks? Who will get the blame for them?

[Matilda]

65. I'll believe it when I see it on Al-Jazeera.

For some strange reason, I trust them more than I trust the western
media.

[pinniped]

66. BTT since Iraq is now safe for habitation and someone is 25m USD...

richer.

:crazy:

[imenja]

67. kick