Al Zarqawi Is Wounded

[tinybear]

Web Posting: Iraq al-Qaida Leader Injured


CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been injured, and a statement attributed to his militant group asked Muslims to pray for his recovery, an Internet posting said Tuesday.

The statement's authenticity could not be verified, but it was posted on a Web site known for carrying prior statements by al-Qaida in Iraq and other militant groups.

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...p_news_zarqawi

Too bad our boys didn't finish the job. But since he's wounded, how do you think we can exploit this opportunity to crush Al Qaeda & the Iraqi insurgents?

[Pooeypants]

I think this guy is more myth than anything else. Whenever there's a large bit of action going on, we're told that he's involved but he always eludes capture...

[tinybear]

"Al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, has claimed responsibility for attacks on Iraqi civilians and security forces, kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners, and has a $25 million bounty on his head - the same as for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden."

Yeah, we're told; by the man himself. Should we let him have a trial if we catch up with him, do ya think?

[Pooeypants]

Quote by: tinybear "Al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, has claimed responsibility for attacks on Iraqi civilians and security forces, kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners, and has a $25 million bounty on his head - the same as for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden." Yeah, we're told; by the man himself. Should we let him have a trial if we catch up with him, do ya think?

He is a phantom menace, excellent plot device. Just look at the fall of Falluja, we were told that he was heading up the resistance there and when the Army stormed the place he has miraculously vanished...again.

Everyone deserves a fair trial regardless of what crimes they may or may not have done. It is part of the moral foundations of our society, no one is above the law and converse no one is beneath it.

[lessthan]

i sincerely doubt that he has been wounded they cant even find osama how do they find Al-Zarqawi

[tinybear]

And meanwhile in Baghdad....

Car Bomb Kills Six in Baghdad

By OMAR SINAN
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A car bomb exploded Tuesday near a Baghdad junior high school for girls, killing six people, officials said, a day after 49 Iraqis died in a string of explosions, suicide attacks and drive-by shootings.

``May God seek revenge for those who were killed or injured,'' an elderly woman screamed outside a hospital were casualties were being brought. ``We hope that such killers be killed or perished as they kill our youth. Those killers are against homeland, against Islam.''

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...q2&floc=NW_1-T

God is merciful, but He can't be that merciful. Bring out our death squads. These guys have to be hunted down and eliminated!

[jose]

well they hunted down and eliminated eight more yesterday
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7897149/
whose bombs? http://globalresearch.ca/articles/KHA505A.html

[Rainbow]

Quote by: Pooeypants He is a phantom menace, excellent plot device. Just look at the fall of Falluja, we were told that he was heading up the resistance there and when the Army stormed the place he has miraculously vanished...again. Everyone deserves a fair trial regardless of what crimes they may or may not have done. It is part of the moral foundations of our society, no one is above the law and converse no one is beneath it.

#1
I do not think that Zarqawi is that "smart".
Money plays its part as well.

Additionally, U.S. intelligence and military personnel did not expect Zarqawi would stay in Fallujah, and fight. No "miracles".

#2
A "fair trial" for a sadistic murderer ?
Why not.
However, outcomes of that process will stay within Mankind's parameters for "justice" (or whatever we may take it for).

Means or sources are meaningless, in case Zarqawi will be gone, since he no longer is an "objective for targetting".

[Prometheus]

I think they should skin him and sell his leather on ebay - along with hussein. I would make a jacket.

[Mia]

It does seem amazing that he is suppposedly behind almost everything that goes on, but every single report says 'reportedly' or 'purportedly' or something of that nature. And also amazing he could be so active yet allude capture.

He may exist, but I doubt he's involved in all that's attributed to him.

[tinybear]

Update:

Web Site Announces Al-Zarqawi Replacement

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHARA

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A Web site statement posted Thursday and signed in the name of al-Qaida in Iraq said the militant group has appointed an interim leader for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who's purportedly been wounded. But a subsequent posting shortly afterward disputed the claim.

The authenticity of the postings could not be verified.

The latest statements follow recent rumors and claims that al-Zarqawi has been wounded, possibly by a bullet penetrating his lung, may have been taken out of Iraq for medical care, or had possibly died.

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...48.htm&sc=1107

[rmnunez]

This is one of the underestimated successes of the ongoing Coalition initiative. When the terrorists suffer casualties this is dismissed by the critical left noting how with rising provocation, recruiting among terrorists is way up and thousands stand ready to fill the shoes of every martyr. I noted how a substantial number of the top level Al Qaedars had been killed or captured, that this signalled some advances in the initiative against international terrorism. Zarqawi is up there at the top levels, he will have to be replaced. With thousands at the ready to fill those shoes, choices will have to be made. Those choices will favour one or another contender and this should provoke some unrest. Unrest among terrorists will have beneficial effects for the Coalitioneers.

[rmnunez]

When reports that Zarqawi was wounded first circulated—London's Sunday Times said he was "bleeding heavily" when a doctor in Ar Ramadi treated him in mid-May—some of the same officials dismissed them to NEWSWEEK as propaganda. But two of these counterterrorism officials now say the US intel community is becoming less skeptical. The weight of intelligence is "trending toward: something is amiss with the dude," says an intelligence-community official with access to relevant reports. Jihadi Web sites are loaded with prayers for a wounded Zarqawi, and US government analysts believe that Zarqawi's followers would consider it "un-Islamic" to post such paeans if the reports were fake. Rita Katz, a terrorism expert who monitors extremist Web sites, says she believes Zarqawi was injured because it was confirmed in a statement posted on a password-protected jihadi bulletin board by Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, a name attached to earlier Zarqawi messages believed to be authentic. Katz says that Abu Maysara's May 26 message confirmed Zarqawi had suffered unspecified "injuries," but denied he was dead or that a succession struggle had erupted among his followers. Katz says she thinks this message is authentic because it was posted on a section of the site where only the moderator has access. Abu Maysara later posted a statement claiming Zarqawi was in "good health."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8017661/site/newsweek/

[moustache]

I agree with rmnuez this is a great step forward for the coalition.

[rmnunez]

We'll see, it could be his injury is exagerated, the tale grows in the telling as these people relay messages orally to avoid monitoring. The paeans do suggest something happened, I wonder whether the Coalition unwittingly bumped into them or they came across someone else.

I think the denial there are competing rivals for his vacancy (if any) suggests there are some and that even if there is no vacancy the competition will cause problems later. Some of Zarqawi's lieutenants are newly reconsidering the trust they placed in some competing co-conspirators and of how they rate in the eyes of others by comparison. This will cause some tension.

[rmnunez]

"I am sure you have heard through the media that I was wounded and treated in a Ramadi hospital. I would like to assure you and the Muslim nation that these were pure allegations. It was a light wound, thank God. We are back fighting them in the land of the two rivers." The speaker addressed the message as "a letter from a soldier on the firing line to his commander." The speaker purporting to be al-Zarqawi addressed bin Laden as his "emir," or commander, asked bin Laden for guidance on conducting the insurgency. He said he sent bin Laden a war plan and asked for comments or approval. Al-Zarqawi also claimed that his insurgent followers had won this month's bloody battle against US troops at the town of Qaim near the Syrian border. "It was one of the greatest battles of Islam," the speaker said. "We would like to assure you that we are continuing on the path of jihad, we are committed to our pledge. We will either win or die trying." The US military said it killed 125 militants during its weeklong offensive against al-Zarqawi's fighters. Nine US Marines were killed and 40 injured during the operation, one of the largest US campaigns since militants were driven from Fallujah 6 months ago. The number of civilian casualties was not immediately known.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050530/...pe_2&printer=1

Anyone have an idea who is meant by this reference to a "Muslim nation"? Does anyone still harbour some doubt as to the relationship between OBL and Zarqawi?