Zarqawi aides arrested in Iraq

2005-05-25 15:28

Baghdad - Iraqi and American forces said on Wednesday they have arrested two top aides to al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a day after the country's most wanted man was reported wounded.

Described as "one of the most wanted people" in northern Iraq, Mullah Kamel al-Assawadi was arrested after he tried to bribe his way past an Iraqi checkpoint, a United States military statement said, while one of Zarqawi's regional secretaries was detained in Baquba, north of Baghdad.

"Assawadi was questioned by an Iraqi soldier at a checkpoint close to Balad," 70km north of Baghdad, said the statement, without giving a date for the arrest.

Described as one of Zarqawi's top lieutenants, Assawadi had on him various identity papers as well as dollars with which he tried to buy the soldier's silence, it said.

The Iraqi defence ministry also announced the arrest in Baquba Tuesday of Zarqawi's secretary for Diyala province, Agha Omar, without providing further details.

News of the arrests came a day after an internet statement issued by Zarqawi's group said the Jordanian-born militant had been wounded.

Zarqawi's group has been behind many of the deadliest bombings and hostage beheadings in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein two years ago and the United States has put a $25m price on his head.

The Iraqi government had no comment about the reported wounding of Zarqawi.

- AFP