Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 3, 2008 2:42:46 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

False Alarm: Al-Qaeda Boss Still Loose in Iraq

Posted May 9, 08 11:40 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – Iraqi officials jumped the gun yesterday when they announced the capture of the top commander of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the US military said today. It turns out the man they captured isn’t Abu Ayyub al-Masri; he just has a similar name. The hunt for the real al-Masri, who has a $5 million bounty on his head, is still going on.

“The person who was detained has nothing to do with him,” said an Iraqi government spokesman. “He is not even a senior leader in al-Qaeda, he is just an ordinary member.”

Source Reuters

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Bombings Kill 31 in Baghdad, Mosul

    Dec 1, 08 7:40 AM CST
    Bombings Kill 31 in Baghdad, Mosul Suicide bombers struck today near a Baghdad police academy and in Mosul against a joint US-Iraqi patrol, together killing 31 people, Iraqi officials said. In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded outside the heavily fortified academy. Minutes later, a suicide attacker blew himself up as police rushed to respond to the blast. Sixteen people were killed and 45 were wounded, police said. More »

  • 6 Dead in 4th Day of Baghdad Bombings

    Nov 6, 08 6:53 AM CST
    6 Dead in 4th Day of Baghdad Bombings A series of bomb blasts across Baghdad killed six people and injured more than 20 others today, the fourth consecutive day of heightened violence in the Iraqi capital. The deadliest attack came near a checkpoint in central Baghdad, while another targeting a government convoy killed six city workers. A string of daily bombings since Monday has now killed more than 30 people, reports the AP. More »

  • US: Attack Was 'Warning' to Jihadist-Friendly Syria

    Oct 28, 08 2:00 PM CDT
    US: Attack Was 'Warning' to Jihadist-Friendly Syria The US says its attack Sunday on a Syrian village was a warning to Damascus to take more action against Iraq-bound militants. “We are left with no choice but to take matters into our own hands,” an official tells the Times of London. Washington recently praised Syria for curtailing the number of jihadists crossing the border, but sees weapons and money moving with little interference. More »

  • US Says Raid in Syria Killed Iraqi Militant

    Oct 28, 08 7:27 AM CDT
    US Says Raid in Syria Killed Iraqi Militant Special forces carried out a secret raid in Syrian territory Sunday to kill an Iraqi militant, the US acknowledged yesterday. About two dozen American commandos swooped into a village on the Iraq-Syria border and fought a brief gun battle. While Syria condemned the raid as "terrorist aggression," top American officials told the New York Times that the Bush administration was determined to prosecute the war in sovereign nations even without their consent.
    More »

  • US Kills al-Qaeda in Iraq's No. 2

    Oct 15, 08 10:48 AM CDT
    US Kills al-Qaeda in Iraq's No. 2 American troops acting on a tip killed the No. 2 leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq—a Moroccan known for his ability to recruit and motivate foreign fighters—in a raid in the northern city of Mosul, the US military said today. The man, known as Abu Qaswarah, was a charismatic leader who had trained in Afghanistan and managed to rally al-Qaeda followers in Iraq despite US and Iraqi security gains. More »

In this June 15 2006 file photo, a U.S. soldier at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq stands by a photograph that purports to show Abu Ayyub al-Masri who is the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.   (AP Photo/Karim Kadim, File)
This undated file photo originally released by the U.S. Military at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, June 15, 2006, purports to show al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri.   (AP Photo/U.S. Military)
in this Oct. 1, 2006 file photo, National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie presents a video showing the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Ayyub al-Masri during a press conference in Baghdad.   (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

Iraq • terrorism • al-Qaeda in Iraq • Iraq Army • Abu Ayyub al Masri


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »