| Iraq | |
| Roggio on Muthanna | |
| 2007-10-03 | |
| Killed al Qaeda in Iraq operative sheds light on foreign influence In a press conference today, Major General Kevin Bergner, the spokesman for Multinational Forces Iraq, provided further evidence of al Qaeda in Iraq's foreign influence. Bergner highlighted the arrest of "Muthanna," al Qaeda's the emir of the Iraq/Syrian border. "During this operation, we also captured multiple documents and electronic files that provided insight into al Qaedas foreign terrorist operations, not only in Iraq but throughout the region," Bergner said. "They detail the larger al-Qaeda effort to organize, coordinate, and transport foreign terrorists into Iraq and other places." "Muthanna was the emir of Iraq and Syrian border area and he was a key facility of the movement of foreign terrorists once they crossed into Iraq from Syria," Bergner said. "He worked closely with Syrian-based al Qaeda foreign terrorist facilitators."
Muthanna was captured in early September. He was but one of 29 al Qaeda high value targets killed or detained by Task Force 88, Multinational Forces Iraq's hunter-killer teams assigned to target senior al Qaeda leaders and operatives. Five al Qaeda operatives have been killed and 24 captured. 5 Emirs at the city level or higher in the AQI leadership structure. 9 geographical or functional cell leaders. 11 facilitators who supported foreign terrorist and weapons movements. Four of the senior al Qaeda leaders killed during the month of September include: Abu Usama al Tunisi: The Tunisian born leader who is believed to be the successor to Abu Ayyub al Masri. Yaqub al Masri: The Egyptian-born leader who was in the inner circle with Zarqawi and then also in the inner circle of Abu Ayyub al Masri. He was a close associate of Ayman al Zawahiri. Muhammad al Afari: The Emir of Sinjar, who led the barbaric bombings of the Yazidis in northern Iraq. Abu Taghrid: The Emir of the Rusafa car bomb network. Also captured during the month of September was Ali Fayyad Abuyd Ali. "Fayyad is the father in law of al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al Masri," said Colonel David Bacon, the Chief of Strategy and Plans, Strategic Communications, at Multinational Forces Iraq. Fayyad is a senior advisor to senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including al Masri. | |
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| Iraq |
| Three terrorists killed, 2 suspects detained |
| 2007-09-26 |
| Coalition Forces killed three terrorists and detained two other suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders in Musayyib Tuesday. Recent intelligence revealed the location of a known al-Qaeda meeting place. Reporting indicated that several suspected al-Qaeda terrorists with ties to senior leadership were present and supporting aircraft struck the building. Following the strike, ground forces found weapons, including one suicide vest and safely destroyed them on site. Iraqi and Coalition security forces have successfully captured or killed several senior and mid-level al-Qaeda operatives in recent weeks including Rafid Latif Jasim Muhammed Sabah, also known as Abu Taghrid or Abu Azar, who was killed in an operation Sept 21. Taghrid was a key leader in the organization of al-Qaeda in Iraqs Baghdad military and car-bombing operations. |
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| Iraq | |
| Banished Bomber Brought Back, Bagged | |
| 2007-09-23 | |
| Coalition forces positively identified a terrorist killed in an operation Friday in Baghdad as a key leader in the citys car-bombing network. Rafid Latif Jasim Muhammed Sabah, also known as Abu Taghrid or Abu Azar, was a key leader in the organization of al-Qaeda in Iraqs Baghdad military and car-bombing operations. After being banished to Tikrit for extorting $200,000 in terrorists funds, al-Qaeda in Iraq recalled Taghrid to assume a key appointment within the organization focused on reenergizing the car-bombing network in the east Baghdad area, after it suffered attrition from Iraqi and Coalition forces operations. In other words, he was a crook but beggers can't be choosers.
Intelligence reports indicate Taghrid was involved in the kidnapping of foreign diplomats in May 2006, and was associated with a former al-Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Baghdad, captured Dec. 19, 2006. Before joining al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2005, Taghrid was a member of Ansar al Sunna. | |
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