Iraq's al-Qaeda Leader Not Captured

by Jarrett Martineau | May 9, 2008 at 08:47 am

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Yesterday NowPublic reported that the Iraqi government had declared that al-Qaeda leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri had been captured. Today, it appears that he hasn't been. Turns out it was some other guy "with a similar name". Oops.

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. military on Friday denied Iraqi government claims that the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq was captured and said a man with a similar name had been arrested in the northern city of Mosul.
Iraqi authorities had announced Thursday that police commandos captured Abu Ayyub al-Masri in a raid in the northern city of Mosul.

"Neither coalition forces nor Iraqi security forces detained or killed Abu Ayyub al-Masri. This guy had a similar name," said Maj. Peggy Kageleiry, a U.S. military spokeswoman in northern Iraq. She said no additional details were being immediately provided.