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Web Site Claims Zarqawi Injured

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

CAIRO, Egypt — Al Qaeda's branch in Iraq, blamed for numerous terror attacks on U.S. and Iraqi targets, said Tuesday in an Internet posting that its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (search), had been wounded and called on supporters to pray for his recovery.

The posting's authenticity could not be verified, but it was posted on a Web site known for carrying prior statements by Al Qaeda (search) in Iraq and other militant groups.

Asked about the reports al-Zarqawi had been wounded, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher (search) said, "I don't know."

A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the official's work said one of the possibilities being considered is whether it was purposely misleading information.

There have been several reports this month that U.S. forces were close to capturing Iraq's most-wanted terrorist.

The statement, which purportedly was from the group's media coordinator, Abu Maysarah al-Iraqi, did not say how or when al-Zarqawi was injured. Al-Iraqi is known to be the group's media coordinator, but there was no way to confirm if the statement was true or that it was posted by Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian, has claimed responsibility for attacks on Iraqi civilians and security forces, kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners, and has a $25 million bounty on his head — the same as for Al Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden (search).

"Let the near and far know that the injury of our leader is an honor, and a cause to close in on the enemies of God, and a reason to increase the attacks against them," the statement said.

It ended with prayers for al-Zarqawi, calling on the nation of Islam to "pray for our Sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to recover from an injury he suffered for God's sake."

Media reports earlier this month said the U.S. military was investigating whether al-Zarqawi was being treated at a Ramadi, Iraq, hospital. The reports were never confirmed.

The Washington Post reported May 5 that Al Qaeda in Iraq had posted a statement at two mosques, including one in Ramadi, saying al-Zarqawi was at the hospital during an April 28 raid by the U.S. military but escaped capture. Ramadi residents told The Associated Press at the time they had seen no such statements.

U.S. forces searched the hospital in central Iraq after receiving a tip from an informant about possible terrorist activities there related to al-Zarqawi, but no insurgents were found, the U.S. military said at the time.

Iraq's presidential adviser for security affairs, Gen. Wafiq al-Samarie, told the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera network Tuesday that one of al-Zarqawi's closest aides was arrested three days ago in Salahuddin province.

"Of course he gave information," al-Samarie said. "The day of announcing the killing or arrest of Zarqawi is not far."

The Jordanian born al-Zarqawi reportedly met with his lieutenants in Syria last month and ordered an increase in attacks in Iraq to follow the installation of the newly elected Iraqi government.

A senior U.S. military official, who briefed reporters on condition he not be named, said May 18 that al-Zarqawi and his key militant leadership had met at least five times in foreign countries during the conflict, most recently during the past 30 days in Syria.

At the time, the group denied al-Zarqawi went to Syria. It was unusual for the group to speak out about the condition of its leader and his likely whereabouts.

Last week, an audiotape purportedly recorded by al-Zarqawi surfaced in which he denounced Iraq's Shiites as U.S. collaborators and justified killing them.

"God ordered us to attack the infidels by all means ... even if armed infidels and unintended victims — women and children — are killed together," said the speaker purported to be al-Zarqawi. "The priority is for jihad (holy war), so anything that slows down jihad should be overcome."

U.S. forces believe they just missed capturing al-Zarqawi during a Feb. 20 raid that netted two of his associates and a computer believed to belong to him.

The raid took place west of Baghdad near the Euphrates River (search), the military said May 6. Al-Zarqawi escaped as coalition forces closed in on his vehicle, but an aide who sometimes acted as his driver was apprehended, the military said then.

Zarqawi left behind his computer, pistols and more ammunition, which were seized, the U.S. military said.

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