[slowhand520]

"US catches top Zarqawi aide in Iraq

What qualifies as a "top aide"

I think the media is using this term to loosely because every day a "top aide" is getting nabbed.

[Marine_Uncle]

If you read the article carefully you will find this guy was Saddam's chief of Intellegience. He has been a key player in the insurgency. He helped plan it in the closing days of the war when the 3^rd Armored Divison tanks rolled into Baggy dad. He is a big fish, whom will deliver much information over a period of time to save his hide, as how the insurgency is now operating. Plus, he was most likely a key finiancer from the Baathist part of the insurgency.