Iraqi security forces have captured an aide to Jordanian militant Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, the Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, the government said yesterday.
A government statement said Iraqi forces arrested Ghassan Al Rawi, identified as the militant leader of the western town of Rawa, on April 28. It identified Rawi as a Zarqawi lieutenant in the western town who facilitated Zarqawi's movements in the region and organised the infiltration of foreigners into Iraq. It said two of his assistants were also seized.
Iraqi and US officials say they are closing in on Zarqawi, whose group has claimed some of the deadliest bombings in Iraq. The Iraqi government statement said Rawi confessed to meeting Zarqawi once in January and facilitated his stay with an associate for five days. The government said Rawi had kidnapped civilians and demanded ransoms and that security forces found weapons and cars being prepared for bombings when they detained him. |