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Zarqawi Killed in U.S. Air Strike
A U.S. air strike yesterday killed terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who led al-Qaeda’s operations in Iraq, the New York Times reported (see GSN December 16, 2005). Zarqawi and seven associates died during an attack on a remote safe house roughly five miles north of the city of Baquba, said Gen. George Casey Jr., head U.S. military commander in Iraq. He said the air strike — reportedly launched from U.S. attack helicopters — used “precision munitions” against “a single dwelling in a wooded area surrounded by very dense palm forest.” Zarqawi was positively identified through fingerprints, “facial recognition” and known scars, according to Casey and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. “Today, we have managed to put an end to Zarqawi,” Maliki said. “[Insurgents] should stop now. They should review their situation and resort to logic while there is still time.” Maliki said Zarqawi’s death should be a major blow to al-Qaeda, the Times reported. Zarqawi “is known to be responsible for the deaths of thousands,” Casey said. The United States had issued a $25 million bounty on Zarqawi for directing suicide bombings, kidnappings, beheadings and other violence (John Burns, New York Times, June 8) Jordanian-born Zarqawi was an authority on chemical and biological weapons and consulted with al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, CNN.com reported (Debra Krajnak, CNN.com, June 8). A Jordanian court in February sentenced Zarqawi and eight other men to death for plotting a foiled chemical weapons attack on the capital city of Amman (see GSN, June 8).
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