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Iraqi Forces Reportedly Captured, Released Al-Zarqawi

16 December 2005 -- CNN is reporting today that Iraqi security forces apparently captured Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, the Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, but released him because they did not know who he was.

Iraqi Deputy Interior Minister Hussain Kamal told CNN that al-Zarqawi was arrested and released at some point last year. He gave no details.

The United States has not officially commented on Kamal's statement.

Al-Zarqawi is the most wanted man in Iraq. Iraqi and U.S. officials have been offering a $25 million bounty for information leading to his capture.

Al-Zarqawi, a 39-year-old Jordanian, is allegedly the mastermind of numerous bombings, armed attacks, hostage murders, and other acts of violence in Iraq. He has been sentenced to death in Jordan for the 2002 murder of a U.S. diplomat.

(CNN)

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org