Too many times has the story been trumpeted that the noose is tightening around the neck of bloody terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and I’ll admit I’ve played my part in the brass soundings. Still, one day one of these stories just may be the linchpen to the bastard’s demise. Maybe this is the one, though I’m not holding my breath.
Iraqi Interior Ministry forces captured a senior aide to al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi state television said.
Iraqiya named the man as Abu Farouq and said he was captured with five others in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of the capital.
It said Abu Farouq al-Suri, previously unknown to the media, was captured by the Wolf Brigade, one of several counter-insurgency units operating within the Shiite-run Interior Ministry but accused by Sunnis of targeting civilians in their community.
The word Suri is Arabic for Syrian, indicating that the captured man may have come from Iraq’s western neighbour.
US military spokespeople were unaware of the capture.
Previous postings, all too familiar and hopeful, are as follows:
- Zarqawi Aides Captured
- Zarqawi Aide Killed During U.S. Air Strike
- Terrorist Associate Seized in Iraq
And I ain’t even going to pretend I blogged each rendition of this tale. Still, every single one brings hope for the end of the menace that is Zarqawi.