[WestCoastGal]

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Iraqi police in al-Kut arrest three al-Qaeda members - report
Baghdad, Mar 13 (DPA) Iraqi police in al-Kut, 170 kilometres south of Baghdad, have arrested three Iraqis who confessed to being al-Qaeda members, the local al-Sabah newspaper said today.

Al-Sabah, associated with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), said Iraqi police arrested the three men Thursday.

Al-Kut police official Sabri Breisim told al-Sabah that the three Iraqis, two from Mosul and one from Amara, carried light weapons and video tapes of previous attacks on police stations and oil pipes in Mosul.

''One of then confessed he worked with the al-Qaeda network and that he coordinated with a man who is in contact with (Jordanian al-Qaeda member) Abu Masaab al-Zarqawi,'' Breisim said.

The police officer also said that one of the arrested men confirmed that al-Zarqawi was currently in Baghdad.

The newspaper also said that phone numbers belonging to former senior Baathist officials from Tikrit and Mosul were found with the men.

U S authorities are accusing al-Zarqawi of masterminding a series of attacks in Iraq. They have placed a 10 million dollar bounty on anyone who can provide information that leads to his capture or death.

[Cindy]

ARTICLE SNIPPET:

"''One of then confessed he worked with the al-Qaeda network and that he coordinated with a man who is in contact with (Jordanian al-Qaeda member) Abu Masaab al-Zarqawi,'' Breisim said. The police officer also said that one of the arrested men confirmed that al-Zarqawi was currently in Baghdad."