Iraqi forces nab Zarqawi aide
2005-05-07 15:41
Baghdad - A top aide of the most-wanted man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was arrested and an insurgent leader related to deposed dictator Saddam Hussein surrendered, Iraqi government and security sources said on Saturday.
"Ghassan Mohammed Amin Hussein al-Rawi was arrested on April 26 during a raid in the town of Rawa," 350km west of Baghdad, in the restive Sunni province of Al-Anbar, the government announced.
Rule of terror
A statement said Rawi imposed a rule of terror on the town, where he stole cars to booby-trap them for attacks and kidnapped civilians to finance his operations with the ransoms.
His arrest came after a series of raids tht led to the discovery of car bomb-making workshops and the arrest of two of his lieutenants.
The statement alleged that Rawi facilitated Zarqawi's movements in the region and organised the infiltration of foreigners into Iraq.
Insurgent Saddam relative 'surrendered'
The US military also announced the surrender of an insurgent leader related to Saddam Hussein responsible for a string of attacks against US and Iraqi forces in Salaheddin province north of Baghdad.
"Pressure exerted by Iraqi troops and Task Force Liberty soldiers operating near Baiji helped force lieutenant colonel Nabil Badri al-Nasseri... to surrender to the Iraqi army on May 2 in Tikrit," said a US statement sent to AFP in Kirkuk.
The statement said Nasseri was a member of Saddam's tribe and a former member of his National Guard.
- AFP