Iraq Official: Top Zarqawi Aide Captured

Iraq Official: Top Zarqawi Aide Captured

By SINAN SALAHEDDIN, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago

Interior Ministry forces captured a top aide to al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi during a raid in western Iraq, a security official said Monday.

The official, a member of the ministry's counterinsurgency Wolf Brigade, identified the
key al-Qaida figure as Abu al-Farouq, who was previously unknown. The official spoke on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The officer said al-Farouq and five other al-Qaida operatives were captured based on a tip
from residents near al-Bakr, about 30 miles west of the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi.

"Abou al-Farouq, a Syrian, was in charge of planning and financing militant groups
operating in Ramadi while the other five are responsible of attacking Iraqi and coalition
forces," the officer told The Associated Press.

Forces of the Interior Ministry, under the control of the country's majority Shiite
Muslims, are routinely accused by minority Sunnis of targeting civilians within their
community.

Also Monday, the Defense Ministry reported Iraqi security forces had killed 35 insurgents
and arrested 487 in nationwide raids since Wednesday, when bombers blew up a major Shiite
Muslim shrine in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad.

"All of them are Iraqis and affiliated to different terrorist groups and especially
al-Qaida in Iraq," Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohamed told The Associated Press. "But we don't have
confirmed reports that they were behind Samara bombings

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