Report: Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq captured?
posted at 5:25 pm on May 8, 2008 by Allahpundit
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I’m skeptical, for two reasons.
The leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, has been arrested, the Arabic television station al-Arabiya reported on Friday, quoting the Iraqi Defence Ministry.
Arabiya said Muhajir had been detained in a joint Iraqi-U.S. operation in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The U.S. military said it had no information on the reports at this stage.
Reason one: These reports of big scores trickle out periodically from the Iraqi government and they’re almost always wrong. The last sensational non-bust was of Saddam henchman turned insurgent leader Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri on April 23. The U.S. military insisted the next day that they didn’t have him and as far as I know that’s the last we’ve heard about it. Reason two: Al-Arabiya’s had a string of suspicious scoops lately in this vein, starting with the al-Douri story and then again just a few days ago vis-a-vis Omar al-Baghdadi, the supposed leader of the Islamic State of Iraq whom the U.S. insists is a fictional character. Arabiya begged to differ, claiming that his real name is Hamid Dawoud al-Zawi and airing a photo of him. Nothing’s come of that (yet) either. Now they’re telling us that al-Masri’s in the pen. The location sounds right — Mosul is one of the few hot spots left where it’s relatively safe for Sunni jihadis to operate — but I’m treating this as propaganda until we hear from our guys.
Exit question coincidence that isn’t a coincidence: That Gitmo detainee who blew himself up in Iraq a few weeks ago was also operating in Mosul (as reported, once again, by Al-Arabiya). Remember how I predicted that his long history of jihadism would be whitewashed and his suicide bombing spun as a reaction to his imprisonment? Easy pickings.
Update: They’re confident enough to be running this on state TV. Hmmm.
[Iraqi spokesman] Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province. There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. forces.
He did not have any further details nor did he say when the al-Qaida leader was arrested. According to unconfirmed reports, however, he was caught Thursday evening in the Tayran area in central Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad. Mosul is currently a major battleground for U.S. forces and al-Qaida.
They caught him tonight and are already claiming it’s him for sure without a DNA test?
Update (Ed): As reader CJB says, how long before the media spins this into a victory — for Moqtada al-Sadr?
Update: The military and Interior Ministry are investigating.
Update: Roggio has worthwhile background on this turd, including the fact that he’s good pals with Ayman al-Zawahiri, second in command of that other Al Qaeda organization that has absolutely, positively no connection with the one in Iraq.
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When the US says they have him, I’ll believe it.
Ed Morrissey on May 8, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Dude.
Matticus Finch on May 8, 2008 at 5:28 PM
Good point. Best to be skeptical ’til it’s more solidly confirmed. Haven’t they reported al-Masri/al-Mujahir’s capture a few times now?
someguy on May 8, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Yes!!!
baldilocks on May 8, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Crossing my fingers waiting for confirmation.
Hunt035 on May 8, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Lord I hope it’s true! The more of those “leaders” they capture or kill, the more confident the Iraqi forces and the people, become.
kcd on May 8, 2008 at 5:32 PM
If true…Heineken for all my friends!
PappaMac on May 8, 2008 at 5:33 PM
A Defense Ministry spokesman confirmed to the Associated Press.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Then Allahpundit rocks … but we knew that already.
Ed Morrissey on May 8, 2008 at 5:34 PM
The US is not likely to confirm it until they’ve “extracted” everything he knows.
TBinSTL on May 8, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Nice!
bridgetown on May 8, 2008 at 5:35 PM
I believe it when I see it on MNF-I’s website but this would be huge, huge if captured, not killed. Dust off that water board.
oakpack on May 8, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Megyn Kelly reported on this briefly about 10 mins ago.
The Race Card on May 8, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Surf’s up!
Feedie on May 8, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Maybe it is best not to admit he is in custody, then
the interrogation techniques don’t matter
aceinstall on May 8, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Let’s hope for a good outcome on this. YES!
The Race Card on May 8, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Hey, Buddy!
Matticus Finch on May 8, 2008 at 5:37 PM
crossing fingers and hoping. Shame he didn’t fight back and meet his end….(if it is true, of course)
mjtyson on May 8, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Don’t look for this on MSNBC. You could be waiting a while. Or, if reported, expect the, “Does this really help us, or was he more of a symbolic leader?” angle.
Matticus Finch on May 8, 2008 at 5:39 PM
No links to hours-old stories on Drudge; it can’t be true.
The Race Card on May 8, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Why do they keep “capturing” these mutts?
Agrippa2k on May 8, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Because they “know stuff” that can help us catch the next batch.
TBinSTL on May 8, 2008 at 5:41 PM
The Demi’s are upset because we haven’t captured Bin Laden. Does the US Water Board this guy to find out if he knows of UBL’s local? Which Presidential Candidate says “Go for it!”?
This is no longer hypothetical…
PappaMac on May 8, 2008 at 5:41 PM
No kidding. I’m sure we’ll hear that.
someguy on May 8, 2008 at 5:41 PM
PS,ive always liked you best PappaMac
aceinstall on May 8, 2008 at 5:42 PM
The last one was killed.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Sweet, let the water boarding, er, uh, I meant let the holding of hands and signing of koombaya begin so we may extract the much needed intel from his water drenched head…damn I meant from his
melodymelon filled head!Oh never mind, just water board his azz!!!
Liberty or Death on May 8, 2008 at 5:42 PM
State television is quoting Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Can I be your friend…
Liberty or Death on May 8, 2008 at 5:44 PM
A steady stream of bogus announcements probably helps with causing the remaining AQ in Mesopotamia folks to ignore the genuine rumours that would leak out when the good guys really do catch a big fish and need some time to peruse his browsing history in a persuasive and thorough, but not ticklish, manner.
pedestrian on May 8, 2008 at 5:45 PM
I’m in Europe at the moment, and they’re reporting it on CNN International (in between tourism ads for countries nobody wants to go to) like it’s all but a sure thing.
flipflop on May 8, 2008 at 5:45 PM
In other news, Fox has a “well-placed source” saying Hillary will take the fight to the convention regardless of what superdelegates do.
Can this day get any freakin better?
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Fingerprint technology is not unknown in the mideast… may not need DNA tests.
“WE” don’t need to waterboard him… if the Iraqi’s captured him…
Romeo13 on May 8, 2008 at 5:46 PM
One can only strongly hope that this is absolutely true.
Mommynator on May 8, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Sure hope so. It would be nice to see that POS swinging from the same gallows as Sadam did.
maintenanceman on May 8, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Maybe they have Bin Laden, too, and will let us all know in
September as Bush bitch slaps him in Time Square at a huge press conference. CNN and MSNBC will call for his immediate release.
Travis1 on May 8, 2008 at 5:47 PM
If he was arrested yesterday, why blab about it today?
bnelson44 on May 8, 2008 at 5:48 PM
The real question is: what impact will this have on the Indiana Jones opening?
Vote Sauron 08 on May 8, 2008 at 5:48 PM
We no longer need to waterboard them.
We just play reruns of Olberman, Rev Wright and Rosie. They squeal like a pig after this.
faraway on May 8, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Question: Which card was he in the deck? Queen of Clubs?
faraway on May 8, 2008 at 5:50 PM
I dunno, the al Douri story still holds weight with me-not only in spite of the US denial, but BECAUSE of it, and because of the subsequent silence on all parts-especially Syria with all the Syrian nuke stuff that went uber public right then.
scottm on May 8, 2008 at 5:50 PM
This is only going to create more terrorists.
Riposte on May 8, 2008 at 5:50 PM
I thought I heard Megan Kelly report that it will be confirmed once they get a DNA test.
Buy Danish on May 8, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Before he disappears for a few months, well, past November, I am sure the Democrats would like him to vote absentee, since he deserves all rights of a US citizen.
WoosterOh on May 8, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Don’t they hate pork? I’ll bet the don’t hate pork as much as…….John McCain!!!
They should capture them and serve them sausage for every meal and make them watch Porky Pig cartoons until they confess!
kcd on May 8, 2008 at 5:55 PM
State television is quoting the General, who says he was captured yesterday.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 5:56 PM
but the Democrats and paultards claim there is no Al-Qaeda in Iraq, that the real war is in Afghanistan and iraq is an ‘unneccessary war’
/moonbat
jp on May 8, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Ok, at the risk of being “bigoted” - need DNA test because you can’t tell one Al-crapola-allah-mochmoud-abu-hamza-douchbag-muhammad from the next.
kirkill on May 8, 2008 at 5:58 PM
When I saw the headline (and before the pic was put up), I thought it was Zawahiri (sp). What’s his al Qaeda function again?
baldilocks on May 8, 2008 at 5:59 PM
FoxNews:
CAIRO, Egypt — Al-Arabiya television reports it has identified the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq and the network broadcast his photograph.
The Dubai-based network, citing an Iraqi police official, said the real name of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who allegedly heads the Islamic State of Iraq, is Hamid Dawoud al-Zawi.
Originally from Haditha, al-Baghdadi served in the Iraqi army under Saddam Hussein, then joined Al Qaeda in 2003, the police official told Al-Arabiya.
bnelson44 on May 8, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Ah come on! Ok, how about they water board him then make him a bed of ham sammi’s to lay on so he’s comfortable watching the above reruns… yeah that’s the ticket!
Liberty or Death on May 8, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Background on al Masri’s rise to power and his Islamic State of Iraq
bnelson44 on May 8, 2008 at 6:03 PM
I am glad we caught him before President Obama (spit) was sworn in.
Obama would have to send troops back in from Okinawa to capture him.
faraway on May 8, 2008 at 6:03 PM
To sit around in stinking caves in the mountains, make crappy home videos and wait for the airstrike from the Air Force, I think.
I hope they did catch the ratbastard, but I’m like Allah, we’ve seen claims of catching high value targets end up not being true, so I’ll wait before I celebrate.
doubleplusundead on May 8, 2008 at 6:04 PM
CNN:
To CNN’s credit, it says that if the reports are true, “the arrest would represent a major blow to al Qaeda in Iraq, which has been on the run for the past year following an influx of thousands of U.S. troops and a shift in alliances by Sunni tribesmen in western Anbar province, and elsewhere”.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 6:06 PM
I just fired some shots in the air in celebration.
faraway on May 8, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Time to get medevial on his ass. Let the waterboarding begin. I hope we go for the gold in that competition, or at least silver. How heartless of me. hee hee
RobCon on May 8, 2008 at 6:08 PM
He’s described as Obama’s “lieutenant”.
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 6:08 PM
If it’s true, which I hope it is, I’d be sad, for two reasons:
1. That they didn’t kill him, and
2. From the headlines “Seven percent of Gitmo detainees return to battlefield”.
Entelechy on May 8, 2008 at 6:08 PM
Heh, how true! I’ll bet the leftards are inquiring at this moment to ensure this scum was read his Miranda rights!
Liberty or Death on May 8, 2008 at 6:09 PM
See, this is why I heart you.
baldilocks on May 8, 2008 at 6:09 PM
This is part of the HOPE and CHANGE that Sen Obama wants, right? Victory?
Weebork on May 8, 2008 at 6:09 PM
I missed a third reason, which would make me sad,
3. The media/ACLU, international elite spectacle of “granting” him rights, bla, bla, bla
Kill them and sort it out later. They’d do no less.
Entelechy on May 8, 2008 at 6:10 PM
This…and because you’re a good bad candy :)
Entelechy on May 8, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Crap. I meant “Osama”. Should be a fun four years of mixing up the President’s last name with that of the world’s most wanted terrorist…
amerpundit on May 8, 2008 at 6:12 PM
I wonder who the dirty rat was.
Did you do that uuulalalalala sound effect to go with it?
Buy Danish on May 8, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Buy, yes, but could not spell it.
faraway on May 8, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Or turn them over to Michelle Obama.
Wade on May 8, 2008 at 6:21 PM
I hope he’s captured. On the flip side, how is this helping Michelle Obama’s kids? Hmmm? How is it?!!?
SouthernGent on May 8, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Mixing them up? Have you ever seen them together? Maybe….
ScottG on May 8, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Unpack the waterboard. It’s time for a pop quiz!
Cicero43 on May 8, 2008 at 6:29 PM
LOL… I said the same thing a few days ago in front of of commie in-laws and they game me the “shame on you” look. I should have reminded them of all the vile things they said about Bush.
Claypigeon on May 8, 2008 at 6:29 PM
But I thought we needed to leave Iraq to fight Al Qaeda. Can someone please ask Sen. Obama about this?
WisCon on May 8, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Zarqawi said in a message to Zawahiri in 2004 that if the US was able to build up the Iraqi security and army that it would be impossible (”frightening”) for AQ to win. That the Iraqi indigenous forces would be better able to search out the foreign forces that constituted Al-Qaeda.
Nut graf:
Saddam and his myrmidons?
Needed an editor.
SteveMG on May 8, 2008 at 6:39 PM
Obama wants to talk to him.
profitsbeard on May 8, 2008 at 6:43 PM
If we have him, waterboard him , then announce that we have him. Don’t like my idea?… too frickin bad.
MNDavenotPC on May 8, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Aw, shucks. :P
doubleplusundead on May 8, 2008 at 7:16 PM
Waterboarding =jihadi surfing
irongrampa on May 8, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Dunno How but the BBC has footage of Masri
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7391423.stm
William Amos on May 8, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Gosh I hope he was Mirandized and had a chance to make his phone call. I’d hate for him to be turned loose because the Bush regieme cut corners AGAIN and failed to protect his rights and follow the law.
If we can dialog and reach some common ground I hope he’ll tell us what we want to know.
moxie_neanderthal on May 8, 2008 at 8:01 PM
It’s not him, sorry.
And no, I won’t tell you how the Jawa Report knows it’s not him.
But we know.
Vinnie on May 8, 2008 at 8:03 PM
SWAG?
bnelson44 on May 8, 2008 at 8:09 PM
Update:
No word yet if anything has changed in Iraq since Saddam was deposed.
Bush will celebrated the wedding of his daughter while in the mean time, he turned a whole country thousand miles away into a mess with daily killing of innocents for the last 5 years and more to come.
He rewarded his CIA director for failing to gather correct intelligence information.
George W. Bush or any other president who would have taken America to a calculated failure should be tried and punished.
This world is upside down.
Indy Conservative on May 8, 2008 at 8:09 PM
Pliers, baseball bats, blow torches and flesh-eating viruses would be a good start for this sack of sub-simian feces.
Claypigeon on May 8, 2008 at 8:22 PM
One U.S. source tells FOX News that the intelligence community is “extremely skeptical” that al-Masri has been arrested.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354622,00.html
bnelson44 on May 8, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Team patrol safe…?
Report…!
J_Gocht on May 8, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Yon, Roggio and Who…?
J_Gocht on May 8, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Save the waterboard the Iraqi’s caught him let them question him just make sure we have the location surrounded so they don’t let him out. They may have better techniques.
ie.Pliers, baseball bats, blow torches and flesh-eating viruses, shredders, nooses, panties on the heads, audios of Hillary onstop for two minute intervals every two minutes, pictures of Nasty Peloser with his sons.
dhunter on May 8, 2008 at 9:28 PM
I hope the GPS chip this guy just in case!
And Boooooooooyaaaaaaaa to his capture!
canopfor on May 8, 2008 at 9:34 PM
“…he is our father. We are his children. It matters not if our feet are hot in the sand or cool in the great mother of our river we will be forever the fruit of our land.”
Like dumb asses lookin’ for oil goin’ to change that thought?
Knock over my BBQ grill neighbor…I’ll kick your sorry occupational asse!
J_Gocht on May 8, 2008 at 9:48 PM
It’s worth noting that al Masri was in Baghdad, unfettered, in 2002. The capital of Iraq…a year before the U.S. invasion according to both former CIA director Tenet and Lt. Gen. William Caldwell.
He wasn’t alone either. He was with a number of other jihadis plotting attacks on U.S., Israeli and Egyptian targets.
Hussein and terrorism - http://regimeofterror.com
ikez78 on May 8, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Yes. That a difference in our approaches - the Iraqis like to announce success right away, and they have legit reasons for doing so. We like to wait and exploit them, and we have legit reasons for doing so. Just a style difference - but I prefer to get all you can out of the guy before telling anyone.
major john on May 9, 2008 at 12:08 AM
That is one good by-product of the Iraqis announcing a capture that wasn’t really made. When they do get one, the bad guys could dismiss it until too late.
major john on May 9, 2008 at 12:12 AM
It’s worth noting that al Masri was in Baghdad, unfettered, in 2002. The capital of Iraq…a year before the U.S. invasion according to both former CIA director Tenet and Lt. Gen. William Caldwell.
He wasn’t alone either. He was with a number of other jihadis plotting attacks on U.S., Israeli and Egyptian targets.
Hussein and terrorism - http://regimeofterror.com
ikez78 on May 8, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Does anyone know how Zarqawi ended up leading AQ in Iraq after the invasion? Considering Masri was there first, was a trusted follower of Zahawri, and had some kind of understanding with Saddam it would seem he would be the obvious choice to lead, doesn’t it?
18-1 on May 9, 2008 at 12:40 AM
When I see his bleeding head on a platter, I’ll believe it.
Jaibones on May 9, 2008 at 12:43 AM
Update:
US military denies Iraqi claims of al-Qaida leader’s arrest.
It was a Ron Jeremy look-alike.
Indy Conservative on May 9, 2008 at 6:35 AM