By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Security forces are closing in on the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, a senior Iraqi official said Sunday, showing a video of the terror chief teaching followers how to build a car bomb.
The video, displayed to journalists, showed Abu Ayyub al-Masri his face exposed going through what appeared to be a storage bunker, pointing out different elements of a car bomb in what National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie called an instructional CD.
"My message to Iraqis in Ramadan, God willing, is that in a very short time, we will bring you the good news of Abu Ayyub al-Masri either killed or handcuffed to be brought before the Iraqi justice system," al-Rubaie said.
Al-Rubaie did not say why he believed security forces were close to catching al-Masri, who was named as leader of Iraq's most feared terror group after the death of his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June.
Al-Rubaie said the video was found in Youssifiyah, 12 miles south of Baghdad, a few days ago, and that al-Qaida in Iraq had been distributing it to followers.
"My message to Abu Ayyub al-Masri is that we are closer to you than you can imagine your days are numbered and you will face your fate very soon," al-Rubaie said.
In the video, al-Masri, wearing a white T-shirt, talks to the camera as he moves beside boxes and coils of wire. His hair was cut short and he wore glasses and had a mustache but no beard. No one else appeared in the video.
"He is copying this video for distribution to the killers and criminals to spread murder and sabotage among Iraqis," al-Rubaie said. "We are displaying this tape to let Iraqis recognize him easily and make it hard for him to hide."
It was the first time al-Masri also known by the pseudonym Abu Hamza al-Muhajer has appeared showing his face in a video, though U.S. and Iraqi military officials have shown photos of him.
Al-Masri has released two audiotapes since being named head of al-Qaida in Iraq. In the latest, posted on the Internet on Sept. 28, he called for nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war and urged insurgents to kidnap Westerners so they could be traded for a blind Egyptian sheik who is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
Separately, the U.S. military command said Sunday that a U.S. soldier died in a Humvee accident in northern Iraq.
The soldier, assigned to Task Force Lightning, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, died Saturday in the northwest city of Mosul, the command said. No name was released.
Iraq switched to winter time early Sunday, moving its clocks one hour back.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061001/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_061001104849;_ylt=AhOf1l7Iw4_i6vUesJgWicVn.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA2ZGZwam4yBHNlYwNmYw--
Capture of Iraq Al-Qaeda leader imminent ping!
the pudding man, the pudding
proof is always in the pudding
;-)
If this capture really happens, it's probably safe to say that one of the contributing factors to the capture is that the Iraqi security forces don't follow the John-McCain-Nancy-Pelosi-let-them-eat-pastry interrogation protocols.
The heck with capturing him....let's waste the vermin.
Hopefully true but - why broadcast this info, unless if they already have him?
Isn't this the same Iraqi Military that cannot handle matters on their own?
/sarcasm
Zarqawi released a self-promoting narcissist video.
Days later, the outtakes from this video were found by our side and broadcast throughout the world (e.g., he couldn't cock the weapon and needed help).
And days after that, he was dead.
I'd like to believe that American, Iraqi, and Brit operators have a similar line on Masri.
Happy Dance on stand-by....
/sarc
Oh, Ya!
These kind of advanced warnings are ALWAYS helpful in catching the bad guy..../sarc.
If they DO capture the SOB, (and I'm not going to hold my breath) I hope they just shoot him on the spot. We don't need another ridiculous Saddam-type trial.
(suggestion for Iraqis:)
Come to think of it, just drag Saddam out and shoot him too. Y'all can practice rule-of-law mumbo jumbo after you're better established. Right now you need swift justice.
Bravo! The noose is tightening. I think there will be at least one major positive development (such as another large roundup, and/or shootout in which dozens or hundreds of terrorists die) before the US election.