al-Zarqawi Captured? (Wizbang)

This actually started floating around the web last night, but now that Drudge has picked it up perhaps we'll get more information.

DUBAI, January 4 (Itar-Tass) - Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, whom the US occupation authorities declared to be the "target number one" in Iraq, has been arrested in the city of Baakuba, the Emirate newspaper al-Bayane reported on Tuesday referring to Kurdish sources. Al-Zarqawi, leader of the terrorist group Al-Tawhid Wa'al-Jihad, was recently appointed the director of the Al-Qaeda organisation in Iraq.

The newspaper's correspondent in Baghdad points out that a report on the seizure of the terrorist, on whom the US put a bounty of 10 million dollars, was also reported by Iraqi Kurdistan radio, which at one time had been the first to announce the arrest of Saddam Hussein.

The 48 hour rule should probably be observed as Al-Zarqawi has been "captured" before in the press...

Update: Al-Zarqawi claims slaying of Baghdad governor. Pretty hard to do from a jail ***.

*** I know, I know, it's an Al-Zarqawi spokesman that made the statement.

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Comments (17)

The 48 hour rule should ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Paul | January 4, 2005 10:30 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Paul:

The 48 hour rule should probably be observed as al-Zarqawi has been "captured" before in the press...

about 4 times as I recall. lol

Posted on January 4, 2005 10:30

Please God, I hope this tur... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Romeocat | January 4, 2005 10:33 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Romeocat:

Please God, I hope this turns out to be true this time......!

Posted on January 4, 2005 10:33

I hate to be thinking negat... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Marcus | January 4, 2005 10:57 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Marcus:

I hate to be thinking negative on this news, but would this really mean the resistance in Iraq would take a major blow? Saddam was ousted and the terror continued if not worsened. Granted, Saddam wasn't the regional Al-Qaeda director, but I do believe someone else will step up in his place. That is what has happened with Hamas over the year of assassinations in their ranks.

Posted on January 4, 2005 10:57

I haven't found any informa... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by firstbrokenangel | January 4, 2005 11:04 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

firstbrokenangel:

I haven't found any information anywhere regarding this, so it has to be a rumor. The only thing I found was that the Governor of Baghdad was asassinated but no word of Zarqawi and if he had been arrested, it would be all over the place, so I think this report is bogus.

Cindy

Posted on January 4, 2005 11:04

This is a major happening. ... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Marcus | January 4, 2005 11:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

This is a major happening. Drudge reported that the Pentagon isn't commenting. This could be one of two things. One, we have him and we are moving him somewhere secure or two, they are still checking into it. I sure wouldn't just right away announce I had the number one wanted man in Iraq in my custody until I had him locked up nice and tight in a cell next to Saddam's.

Posted on January 4, 2005 11:09

I never paid much attention... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by firstbrokenangel | January 4, 2005 11:15 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

I never paid much attention to Drudge anyway.

Posted on January 4, 2005 11:15

It's the Dead Pool Curse. L... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Laurence Simon | January 4, 2005 11:16 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Laurence Simon:

It's the Dead Pool Curse. Lots of people pick someone that's wanted, and POOF they're caught in December. Happened to Saddam last year, and I bet that if Zarqawi was caught, it was in December, too.

Okay, so it's a good curse.

Posted on January 4, 2005 11:16

Oh, I hope he gets what's c... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by julie | January 4, 2005 11:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

julie:

Oh, I hope he gets what's coming to him.

Posted on January 4, 2005 11:44

Pentagon is saying it's not... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by packetninja | January 4, 2005 12:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

packetninja:

Pentagon is saying it's not true and that it's a rumor. Man i was hoping it was true...but wishful thinking for 10 million? I'd turn his punk arse in and make sure my family is covered... lol :)

Posted on January 4, 2005 12:05

I first saw it at LGF where... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by BR | January 4, 2005 12:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

BR:

I first saw it at LGF where a commenter linked to :
http://www.idao.org/2005/01/stop-press-abu-musab-al-zarqawi.xml.

Anyone know what IDAO is?

Posted on January 4, 2005 12:10

It's probably not true.... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Palmateer | January 4, 2005 12:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Palmateer:

It's probably not true.

But, if he really is captured, it would be better to conceal the fact in the hopes of capturing unsuspecting associates.

Posted on January 4, 2005 12:16

I'll believe it when I see ... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Clioman | January 4, 2005 12:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Clioman:

I'll believe it when I see some video of this guy in U.S. custody...preferably with a pair of panties on his head.

Posted on January 4, 2005 12:51

- Have the links to the ori... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Big Bang Hunter | January 4, 2005 4:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Big Bang Hunter:

- Have the links to the original press releases here but its all still unconfirmed....The original reports cane from UAE sources...radio and press....

Posted on January 4, 2005 16:59

Talking about the UAE (Unit... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by BR | January 4, 2005 11:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Talking about the UAE (United Arab Emirates), wouldn't it be funny if Osama was sitting eating caviar in the penthouse of that 10-star hotel that looks like a huge white sail in the UAE (Abu Dhabi or Dubai?).

When the UAE govt blocked the NE Intell Network site (homelandsecurity.com) in late Oct 04, the thought crossed my mind that maybe it offended an "influential guest." That site often does insightful translations and analyses of Al Qaeda/Bin Laden tapes.

Posted on January 4, 2005 23:05

Re: reliability of IDAO.org... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by BR | January 5, 2005 7:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Re: reliability of IDAO.org's report dated 1/3/05:

"According to IDAO's own sources in Baghdad and Sulaimanya, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been arrested in Bagouba by US forces."

IDAO = Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation
Based in London
Secretary: Sabah Jawad
The group is anti-US, pro-UN, shares platforms with British Communists, is featured on Soros-funded Indymedia in UK.

IDAO's article immediately tries to do PR damage control after reporting the arrest - something about 30,000 Iraqis demonstrating against occupation and distancing themselves from Zarqawi, as if to imply he's not that important to them.

So from that perspective, IDAO's report of Zarqawi's capture may well be valid.

Posted on January 5, 2005 07:50

NE Intell at <a href="http:... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by BR | January 5, 2005 8:40 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

NE Intell at http://www.homelandsecurityus.com currently has an analysis up on their site leaning to the skeptical side, showing a pattern of previous Zarqawi-capture-rumors followed by Zarqawi-led attacks. Like the recent killing of the Mayor of Baghdad.

Posted on January 5, 2005 08:40

NIEN is good but until I se... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by firstbrokenangel | January 5, 2005 9:08 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

NIEN is good but until I see that middle aged man without his mask - not the pencil drawn picture we see all the time, then I'll believe it. If we had him, I think the world would know immediately. Osama is coming out of hiding, too, because Zarqawi is stealing his spotlight and he, too will be caught or killed but none of my sources has anything to do with Zarqawi, so he's still out there. With him gone, so would most of his insurgents/terrorists.

I don't know about Saddam but most of his cohorts that are going through a trial now and in the future were held in a special prison cell in Cuba. Besides, who can plant a garden in a desert?

Posted on January 5, 2005 09:08

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