Abu Ayyub al-Masri
Guide Note
Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, is thought to be the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq.
On May 8, 2008 Iraqi forces arrested a man thought to be al-Masri in Mosul, northern Iraq. Mosul is regarded as one of the Al Qaeda's last major hold-outs in the country. Reports later said it was a man with a similar name.
Al-Masri took over control of Al-Qaeda in Iraq after his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a US air strike June 2006.
He is thought to have met al-Zarqawi at an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in 2001 then going on to help Zarqawi create the first al-Qaeda cell in Baghdad.
In April 2007, he was named "minister of war" in the 10 man Islamic State of Iraq cabinet, a collective of Sunni Islam organizations of militant groups.
The combined US Iraqi forces have been fighting for control of Mosul for months leading up to al-Masri's arrest. Sunni extremists moved there after they turned against their former Al Qaeda allies - the Sunni Awakening.
Fast Facts
- US military placed five million dollar bounty on al-Masri
- 2007: became involved in Islamic State of Iraq
- 1982: joined Egyptian Islamic Jihad
- Expert in explosives, making car/truck bombs
The Mahalo Top 7
- AFP: US says Qaeda chief in Iraq not captured (May 9, 2008)
- Babylon & Beyond (LA Times): IRAQ: Al Qaeda in Iraq leader arrested -- not (May 9, 2008)
- Wikipedia: Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Hamza al-Muhajir
- Global Terrorism Analysis: A Profile of al-Qaeda's New Leader in Iraq (2006)
- GlobalSecurity.org: Abu Ayyub al-Masri
- Rewards for Justice: Masri Page
- IraqSlogger: Accounts Vary as Tribes Claim Masri Kill
Abu Ayyub al-Masri Recent News
- Google News: "Abu Hamza al-Muhajir"
- AFP: US says Qaeda chief in Iraq not captured (May 9, 2008)
- Press TV (Iran): 'Iraq al-Qaeda leader still at large' (May 9, 2008)
Abu Ayyub al-Masri Background and Articles
- Jamestown.org: Abu Ayyub al-Masri
- CBS News: U.S. IDs New Iraq Terror Chief (2006)
- Al Jazeera English: Zarqawi Successor 'in Egypt Jail' (2006)
- Al Jazeera English: US Offers $5 Million for al-Masri Tips (2006)
- United Press International: Confusion Swirls Over Zarqawi Successor (2006)
- International Herald Tribune: "U.S. Portrayal Helps Flesh Out Zarqawi's Heir" (2006)
- The Christian Science Monitor: "Picture of a Weakened Iraqi Insurgency" (2006)
False Reports of al-Masri's Death 2008
- BBC News: Al-Qaeda Iraq leader 'arrested' (May 8, 2008)
- Fox News: Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq Arrested in Mosul (May 8, 2008)
- TIME: Al-Qaeda in Iraq Leader Arrested (May 8, 2008)
- Times Online: Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri captured (May 8, 2008)
False Reports of al-Masri's Death 2006
- The Washington Times: "U.S. Can't Confirm al-Qaida Death Report"
- Reuters: Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader Killed: Interior Ministry
- Al Jazeera English: Iraq al-Qaeda Leader 'Wounded'
- BBC News: Iraqis Test Dead Militant's DNA (2006)
Abu Ayyub al-Masri Blogs and Message Boards
- A Blog For All: Posts about Abu Ayyub al-Masri
- The Fourth Rail: Search for al Masri
- Iraq News Monitor: Search for al-Masri
- Think Progress: Search for al-Masri
- IslamOnline.net: Abu Ayyub al-Masri, Dead or Not?
Abu Ayyub al-Masri Photos and Videos
- Google Image Search: Abu Ayyub al-Masri
- YouTube & Google Video Search: Abu Ayyub al-Masri
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