US forces arrest top Kurdish Al-Qaeda 'bomb-maker' ~ near the oil hub of Kirkuk,

TurkishPress.Com ^ | Published: 8/28/2006 | US military - Major General William Caldwell

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BAGHDAD - An alleged Al-Qaeda militant suspected of bombing the office of President Jalal Talabani's party in northern Iraq has been arrested near the oil hub of Kirkuk, the US military said.

US military spokesman Major General William Caldwell said the militant, an Iraqi Kurd, was arrested on August 19 and is a "bombmaker suspected of orchestrating some of the most horrific bomb attacks" in Iraq.

Caldwell said he is considered an "explosive expert producing suicide vests, improvised-explosive-devices and detonation devices and is known to have facilitated the movement of high level leaders of Al-Qaeda in Iraq."

He said the captured individual was also close to the Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who allegedly took charged of Al-Qaeda's Iraqi subsididary following the June 7 death of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

During the operation, five suspected "terrorists" were killed and another five detained, he told reporters.

"Intelligence does indicate that the captured terrorist was also involved in the bombing of a Kurdish political party headquarters in Mosul on August 15," Caldwell said, referring to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

On August 15 a truck bomber detonated his load of explosives near the PUK office and killed eight Kurdish peshmerga militiamen and wounded 51 others.

Caldwell said in a series of operations against the Al-Qaeda network in the month of August, US forces conducted "140 assaults, killed 17 individuals, wounded five and detained 300 suspects."

08/28/2006 13:23 GMT

[Marine_Uncle]

"Nice catch!"
Indeed. Now his criminal buddies shall have to try to escape the same fate. It would obviously be great if we soon can capture Masri. Surely he would love the water board interogation. But I suspect this clown is far less cocky then Zarqawi was. The SASO activites continue to round them all up.
Now with more Iraqi independent army units working perhaps directly with provincial police forces, we may see even a greater dis-proportional roundup of goons from all phases of this insurgency and religious resistance.
I would think the Iraqi military and police forces now are at the point where they must proceed with real vigor to prove themselves worthy. They are over that large initial hump. They are organized/trained and growing in numbers.

[cosine]

Not if he can provide intelligence.

[b4its2late]

We get more intelligence from their laptops and cell phones. So, shoot for the head.

[tongue-tied]

Hahaha....got'im!

As to the "Fiasco" writer referred to upthread--I bet these releases are timed for the upcoming elections (much media coverage of "bad, bad military decisions" or "corrupt politicians (R) caught in the act" as voters go to the polls) and also predict we'll see more as the presidential election comes around as well.

I also see today Michael Brown is being interviewed all over the alphabet channels as he blames the administration for the Katrina response.

[Fresh Wind]

While wearing it, I trust?

No, that would be cruel. Put him out in the field, and explode a bomb about 50 feet away from him. If he's still alive, then try 30 feet. Then 25, then 20. Let him experience the thrill of having one of his legs blown off, and then the other.

Let him enjoy his gradual approach to martyrdom.

[beachn4fun]

yeah...yeah....we've heard it all before. The Bush & his admin have been blamed for everything from TS Ernesto to Christ's Crucifixion. Blame-game is the liberal DemocRATS claim to fame.

[tongue-tied]

Pre-zactly. It's Bush's fault...vote dem.

Hey, it has worked so well for them in the past that...wait...oh, never mind.

[citizensgratitude]

: )