April 11, 2005

Zarqawi Barely Slips Away, Again

Unfortunately, close only counts in horse-shoes and hand grenades. The recent beheading snuff film released by Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq does suggest that the man may be at the end of the line. Washington Times Insider (subscription):

Abu Musab Zarqawi, the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, is on the run in an undeveloped western border region where he was nearly caught in recent weeks, a U.S. Marine commander says.

"He's going from brush pile to brush pile just like a wet rat," said Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, whose 1st Marine Expeditionary Force is back home at Camp Pendleton, Calif., after months of intense combat in Anbar province. "I believe he possibly slid back into the Anbar area, possibly the hinterlands."...

He can't use cell phones," Gen. Sattler said of the Jordanian-born terrorist, whose capture promises a $25 million reward. "He can't use any type of Internet. He doesn't know who he can trust."...

Gen. Sattler disclosed in the interview that his Marines and special operations troops came within a whisker of capturing the terror master "within the last six weeks" in western Iraq.

While guarded on details, Gen. Sattler said that only poor visibility in bad weather allowed Zarqawi to escape.

"The elements worked to his advantage," the three-star general said.

Hat tip: Charles Johnson

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 12:34 PM | |