Web Statement: Deputy Appointed to Fill in for Wounded Al-Zarqawi

[Hissyspit]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBT87DO69E.html

Web Site Statement: Deputy Appointed to Fill in for Wounded Al-Zarqawi
By Maggie Michael
Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - A Web site statement posted Thursday and signed in the name of al-Qaida in Iraq said the militant group has appointed a deputy to take the lead until Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who's purportedly been wounded, returns. The statement's authenticity could not be verified.

"The leaders met after the injury of our sheik, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ... and decided to appoint a deputy to take the lead until the return of our sheik," said the statement, which was posted on a militant Web site that two days earlier announced al-Zarqawi had been injured.

- snip -

None of those Internet postings and rumors have been confirmed, but the amount of speculation about the Jordanian-born militant has been unusual both in size and scope. It identified Abu Hafs al-Kurani as "deputy of the holy warriors."

The new statement said that al-Kurani "was known for carrying out the hardest operations, and our sheik would choose him and his group for the tough operations."

MORE

[pinniped]

1. Ya, but can he jump out of cabs WITH his notebook computer?

I seem to recall al-Zarqawi failed to take his notebook computer with him when last seen jumping out of a bullet-riddled taxi cab. Could this be the real reson he's being replaced? That guy probably didn't even pay the driver.

[Elwood P Dowd]

2. Bush's CIA is a bundle of laughs.

:applause:

[Hissyspit]

3. Here's another version of the story from Reuters:

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-05-26T072531Z_01_N26444328_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SECURITY-IRAQ-QAEDA-DC.XML

Iraq Qaeda names deputy head after Zarqawi injured
Thu May 26, 2005 3:25 AM ET



DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraq's al Qaeda said on Thursday it had appointed a deputy to lead the group until Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who it said was wounded, could resume command, according to a statement posted on the Internet.

"The leaders met after the wounding of our Sheikh Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, may God heal him, and decided to appoint a deputy to assume the leadership until the return of our Sheikh safely," al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq said in a statement.

"The leadership decided that our esteemed Sheikh Abu Hafs al-Qarni will be a deputy for the mujahideen (holy fighters) for he was renowned for carrying out the most difficult operations," it said, adding that Zarqawi had chosen him for such attacks.

The statement, whose authenticity could not be immediately verified, was posted on one of the main Islamist Web sites. It gave no details on Zarqawi's condition.

MORE AT LINK

[CJCRANE]

4. Kind of handy

that they're called "Al-Qaida in Iraq".

[TheGunslinger]

5. Anyone do a WHOIS on alqaidainiraq.com?

:)

[dusty64]

6. If I only

had a quarter for every time the corporate news trotted this guy out as dead or wounded.............................