Al Qaeda News

In Washington, U.S. defense officials said that Abdullah Abu Azzam, a leading deputy to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq, was killed this weekend. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the information.

The U.S. military on Tuesday said U.S. and Iraqi forces, acting on a tip, raided a high-rise apartment building in Baghdad where Abu Azzam was located early Sunday.

"They went in to capture him, he did not surrender and he was killed in the raid," Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, a U.S. military spokesman, told The Associated Press.

Earlier this month, al-Zarqawi declared "all-out war" on Shiites and vowed to kill anyone participating in the referendum.

In north Iraq, a top aide to al-Zarqawi surrendered to police in the city of Mosul, Iraqi army Brig. Gen. Ali Attalah said Monday. The aide, Abdul Rahman Hasan Shahin, was one of the most wanted figures in Mosul, Attalah said.

Whole story--including account of about 20 people dying in two attacks in Iraq--here.

Comments

[joe]

I hope this story pans out. It's always good news when actual international terrorists get beaten.

[VoiceOver]

Here's another Which-came-first-the-Chicken-or-egg?

Would AQ be in Iraq if we weren't?
Would they even be members of AQ if we hadn't invaded Iraq?

Or did they go to Iraq because that's the easiest way for them to kill 'Mercans?
AQ = Insurgency?

[Ruthless]

Does anyone else get the feeling that the US announcing a big terrorist kill is similar to the Coast Guard announcing a big drug bust?
Whatever. The beat goes on.

[Twba]

How soon before this opening for a V.P. of Death and Destruction has been filled by another bright-eyed, bushy-tailed go-getter?

[thoreau]

Good riddance.

But what we really need to take out is the Al Qaeda Human Resources Department. Otherwise they'll recruit a new guy.

[Ruthless]

thoreau,
Do you reckon Al Qaeda is an equal opportunity employer?

[thoreau]

Ruthless-

I'm pretty sure that Zarqawi discriminates against women, gays, and Shia.

Imagine this scene in Al Qaeda HR:

Bob: And this guy, Samir Naga...Naga...Naganna work in this cell anymore. We're assigning him martyr duty, to clear the way for some new hires from Malaysia.

Zarqawi: Malaysia?

Other Bob: Yeah, they're still Muslim but they work for half the price.

Bob: And now there's this guy, Peter Gibbons. We had the chance to sit down and talk to this remarkable young man, and he's just a sharp-shooter with field commander written all over him.

Zarqawi: Yeah, well, I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. He's been flaky, not making his quota of kills. And, he's had some problems with his Terrorist Personnel Summaries (TPS reports).

Bob: We just...

Other Bob: Please, let me. Look, Zarqawi, we feel that you aren't challenging him enough. Instead of assigning him random mayhem duty, you should give him a bigger project, like acquiring WMD.

[ralphus]

Yeah - we couldn't say no Portuguese in the want ad but...

No Portuguese.

[rafuzo]

hee hee hee! Good one thoreau.

Does anyone else get the feeling that the US announcing a big terrorist kill is similar to the Coast Guard announcing a big drug bust?
Whatever. The beat goes on.

You could say the same about every report of gangsters and thugs (oh sorry, "insurgents") shooting up some innocents. Far more critical to Al Qaeda than hiring is their PR department.

[Ruthless]

rafuzo,
Who heads up PR? James Carville?
I was thinking he as his opposite number is Karen Hughes?

[thoreau]

I'm glad we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here.

I mean, what if they attacked the building with the Reason server...OK, never mind.

[DogBreath]

""They went in to capture him, he did not surrender and he was killed in the raid," Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, a U.S. military spokesman, told The Associated Press."

WTF are we paying these guys for. "Capture him..." my ass. Go after them to kill 'em first. If they wave a white flag, capture second.

[Don]

DogBreath,

If we captured him, we could have Liddy England dance nakkid in front of him. That's way worse than death, and no doubt he would be willing to part with all sorts of important information.

[DogBreath]

Don: "If we captured him, we could have Liddy England dance nakkid in front of him. "

Well, that would be a fate worse than death, but we are a civilized people are we not?

[Cliff]

thoreau,

"Bob: And this guy, Samir Naga...Naga...Naganna work in this cell anymore. We're assigning him martyr duty, to clear the way for some new hires from Malaysia."

Anytime I think about "Office Space", I have to laugh. It's almost as classic as Seinfeld in my book. This almost made me spew coke all over my keyboard, great combo, I could imagine the 2 Bobs being sent by OBL to shake things up a little in Iraq.