As usual, froms news.com.au:
Air raid kills al-Qaeda's Zarqawi
From AFP and Reuters correspondents in Bagdhad
June 08, 2006
THE al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a US air attack near Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said today.
"Today, al-Zarqawi was eliminated," Mr Maliki told a news conference. His statement drew loud applause in the hall where he made the announcement.
"What happened ... is the result of collaboration from people who facilitated the operation conducted by Iraqi police and multinational forces," Mr Maliki said.
"This is a message to those who choose the path of violence to change their direction before it is too late.
"I thank our forces, our police and the multinational forces for what they are doing in pursuing the terrorists."
The Iraqi prime minister was flanked by US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and US General George Casey Jr, the top US commander in Iraq.
General Casey, head of US-led forces in Iraq,said Zarqawi, who had a $US25 million ($33.54 million) bounty on his head, was killed in an air raid, adding his body had been identified.
He also said Zarqawi's group still posed a threat. General Casey told the press conference that Zarqawi and one of his key lieutenants, spiritual advisor Sheikh Abdel Rahman were killed at 6:15 pm yesterday (0015 AEST today) in an air strike on an isolated safe house.
"Tips and intelligence from Iraqi senior leaders from his network led forces to al-Zarqawi and some of his associates, who were conducting a meeting approximately 8km north of Baquba, when the air strike was launched."
Baquba is about 60km north of the capital.
"Iraqi police were first on the scene after the air strike, and elements of Multinational Division North, arrived shortly thereafter. Coalition Forces were able to identify al-Zarqawi by fingerprint verification, facial recognition and known scars."
General Casey said Zarqawi and sl-Qaeda in Iraq "have conducted terrorist activities against the Iraqi people for years in attempts to undermine the Iraqi national government and coalition efforts to rebuild and stabilize Iraq".
He said Zarqawi's death "is a significant blow to Al-Qaeda and another step toward defeating terrorism in Iraq.
"Although the designated leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq is now dead, the terrorist organization still poses a threat as its members will continue to try to terrorise the Iraqi people and destabilize their government as it moves toward stability and prosperity.
"Iraqi forces, supported by the coalition, will continue to hunt terrorists that threaten the Iraqi people until terrorism is eradicated in Iraq."
In Amman, a senior Jordanian official said "Zarqawi was killed in Baquba ... in a joint operation involving the Jordanian intelligence, the US intelligence and American special operations forces."
"It was a land operation with air cover," he said.
According to the official, Jordanian-born Zarqawi was "presiding over a meeting of his terrorist group" at the time of the operation.
"He died ten minutes after the operation, along with eight to 10 of his partisans," the official added.
He was identified by the agents that carried out the raid who compared recent pictures of Zarqawi with the body," the official said.
ABC news reported that US helicopters hit a house near Baquba, 65km north of Baghdad, at sunset yesterday.
"Zarqawi was apparently injured at first ... The Americans found him. They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries," ABC said.
A Pentagon press officer could not immediately confirm the report.
Also, a senior Zarqawi aide was captured in Iraq with crucial information on Zarqawi and his organisation, an Iraqi government source said.
Reuters said the source did not confirm the report on Iraqi state television that Zarqawi was dead.
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