AP: Insurgent Leader Nabbed in Iraq Raid (Abu Omar al-Baghdadi)

[Eugene]

Associated Press
Insurgent Leader Nabbed in Iraq Raid
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA 03.09.07, 5:55 PM ET

The shadowy leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida-inspired group
that challenged the authority of Iraq's government, was captured Friday in a
raid on the western outskirts of Baghdad, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was arrested along with several other insurgents in a
raid in the town of Abu Ghraib, said Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, spokesman
for the Baghdad security operation. U.S. officials had no confirmation of the
capture and said they were looking into the report.

Al-Moussawi said al-Baghdadi admitted his identity, as did another "of the
terrorists" who confirmed "that the one in our hands is al-Baghdadi."

-snip-

Unlike al-Zarqawi, virtually nothing is known of al-Baghdadi, including his real
name. It is widely assumed that the name al-Baghdadi was taken as part of a
campaign to make al-Qaida appear more of a homegrown Iraqi movement
rather than an organization dominated by foreigners.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/09/ap3503616.html

[MrModerate]

1. Another "Al-Quaeda Number 2" nabbed in Iraq?

They don't seem to be running out of second-rank terrorists. It's almost as if our presence in Iraq is actually manufacturing new ones!

[acmavm]

2. Funny, I was just marveling to myself how they quit referring to these guys

by the number '2' and have moved on to 'leader'.

[bilgewaterbill]

3. Shades of the hydra. nt

[WePurrsevere]

4. Locking - New information here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2762074&mesg_id=2762074