Omar al-Baghdadi Captured (Updated, Bumped, Now With 100% More F*ck Yeah! (vinnie)

It looks a lot more certain than previous reports of his capture.

AP via Yahoo News Baghdad: The leader of the al-Qaida-affiliated Islamic State ofIraq was captured Friday in a raid west of Baghdad — his identity revealed by a fellow insurgent detained with him, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was captured in a raid in Abu Ghraib on the western outskirts of Baghdad, said Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, spokesman of the Baghdad security operation. U.S. officials had no confirmation of the capture.

"One of the terrorists who was arrested with him confessed that the one in our hands is al-Baghdadi," al-Moussawi said.

Al-Baghdadi has been identified in statements posted on Islamic extremist Web sites as the head of the Islamic State, which was proclaimed last year after the death of the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Allahpundit is following the story at Hot Air here. He also reports that two more terrorists were captured.

This morning we got “the Butcher,” whoever the hell he is, and an Al Qaeda “media emir” a.k.a. courier north of Mosul

I hope it's this guy.

The Irony is that the one knowns as courier was just bragging Baghdadi ordering a raid in Mosul. They claimed to have released 150 terrorists. A couple of which may have been Baghdadi's close relatives.

al-Qaeda's umbrella group, the ISI via their website: The brothers withdrew safely by the grace of Allah and we shall provide you with more details and a meeting with the leader of the brigade and some released captives as well Allah willing

Another crushing defeat, apparently, Allah ain't willing.

Andrew Cochran has more here at Counterterrorismblog

So can I have a big, "F*ck Yeah!"?

Update:

Via Reuters: BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A top leader of an al-Qaeda linked group arrested on Friday and initially thought to be Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was not in fact the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, Iraqi officials said on Saturday... ..."We captured a figure who was a senior al-Qaeda member and we suspected that he was Abu Omar al-Baghdadi but after initial investigations it was proven it was not Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. But he was a senior al-Qaeda leader," said Iraqi military spokesman Qassim Moussawi.

This was common with the ISI's former and very dead leader Abu-Muscab al-Zaqeery. There were multiple reports of his caprture and or death before he was killed. Let's hope this series of reports ends the same way with ISI's new leader out of the picture.

The only consolation is the MSM picked this one up too and that really pisses off the ISI. And as Rusty says, "Isn't pissing off the Jihadis what The Jawa Report is all about?"

Mmmmmm, never had to eat, "F*ck Yeahs!", for breakfast. Pretty tasty. So, can I get a big, Well F*ck!? Related:
Two al Qaeda Leaders, Dozens More Captured in Iraq.
Islamic State of Iraq: #1 In Beheading Murders For Allah
Al Qaeda in Iraq Crumbling: al Masri on the run
The Jawa Report: Iraqi Murdered in New Al Qaeda Beheading Video
The Jawa Report: Islamic State of Iraq Suffers Crushing Defeat

The Centcom press release for captures today is here.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces killed one terrorist and captured 16 suspected terrorists including an alleged al-Qaeda media emir during raids Friday morning throughout Iraq.

In Mosul, Coalition Forces captured an al-Qaeda related suspect known as "The Butcher" who is allegedly responsible for numerous kidnappings, beheadings, and suicide operations in the Ramadi and Mosul areas.

Coalition Forces captured five additional suspects and killed one terrorist during the raid.

During operations in Fallujah, Coalition Forces captured two suspected terrorists with alleged ties to foreign fighter facilitation.

Northeast of Karmah, a suspected al-Qaeda media emir was captured along with seven others. The suspects are also believed to be part of an al-Qaeda courier network, "Coalition Forces will continue to target al-Qaeda in Iraq and foreign terrorist facilitators regardless of where they may hide," said Lt. Col.

Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.

More on the non-capture here at the Houston Chronicle.

It was al-Mousawi who announced late Friday that al-Baghdadi had been captured. A senior adviser to the prime minister also had told the AP that al-Baghdadi had been taken into custody. The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Al-Mousawi said the suspect at first identified himself as al-Baghdadi, and that his identity was corroborated by another man captured with him. The reported arrest followed rumors this week that al-Baghdadi's brother had been arrested in a raid near Tikrit.

Almost nothing is known of al-Baghdadi, including his real name and what he looks like; his capture would be difficult for officials to verify.

He is believed to lead the shadowy Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida-inspired group that challenged the authority of Iraq's elected government. He has also signed militant messages posted online, as the leader of the Mujahedeen Shura Council — an umbrella group that includes al-Qaida in Iraq.

Of course becuase of the way the world works this kind of stuff always happens right after Rusty walks out the door. Then this lucky nerd get's to post "the big one". Ha!

Posted by: Howie at 06:15 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment
Post contains 873 words, total size 7 kb.