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http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/News_Release.asp?NewsRelease=200511121.txt

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
November 26, 2005
Release Number: 05-11-121

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GATEKEEPER, COURIER, CONFIDANT OF AL-ZARQAWI DEAD, SAYS RELATIVE

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A close family member as well as Coalition sources claimed earlier this week that a gatekeeper and confidant of Abu Mu’sab al-Zarqawi, Bilal Mahmud Awad Shebah, aka Abu Ubaydah, who reportedly met weekly with the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, is dead.

Abu Ubaydah was reportedly killed Oct. 14 when Coalition Forces raided several suspected terrorist hideouts in the Albu Ubayd neighborhood north of Ramadi. Although intelligence analysts assessed Abu Ubaydah was killed during the mid-October raids, they could not determine his death with certainty at that time.

In late November, Coalition Forces received information from knowledgeable sources and a close family member of Abu Ubaydah claiming independently that Zarqawi’s confidant and gatekeeper was killed as a result of the Oct. 14 raids.

Detained members of al-Qaeda claim Abu Ubaydah served as an “executive secretary” for Zarqawi; met with Zarqawi frequently; served as a messenger and gatekeeper for Zarqawi; screened all messages and requests for meetings with Zarqawi; was one of Zarqawi’s most trusted associates; provided Zarqawi with safe house locations; and used intimidation and death threats to gain the cooperation of the Iraqi people to support al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist activity.

During the course of the raids, several weapons caches, containing mortar rounds, small arms and ammunition, were found and destroyed. Mortar rounds were also emplaced along the road leading to the safe houses, serving as improvised explosive devices against incoming vehicle or foot traffic. The forces were engaged by small-arms fire upon their arrival to the suspected terrorist location and immediately returned fire. Combining the ground attack with the use of close-air support, the terrorists’ hideout locations were destroyed.

No Coalition forces were injured or killed during the raids.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER at: cpicpressdesk@iraq.centcom.mil.
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