Hotel Bombing in Baghdad and Update on Capture/Deaths of Zarqawi Associates
By Evan Kohlmann
Yesterday's devastating suicide bomb attack on the Al-Sadeer Hotel in Baghdad was followed by a flurry of communications by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Al-Qaida faction in Iraq. The attack was hailed by at least five separate authentic statements from the group, including personal messages of congratulations from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi himself and the reputed head of Al-Qaida's Military Wing in Iraq, Abu Usaid al-Iraqi. Al-Qaida has also released a video recording of the suicide attack which I will publish online later this evening.
Separately, the Iraqi government has issued an intriguing new press release on the status of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network inside the Sunni Triangle. The press release includes a superb chart featuring a photo of Abu Talha al-Saudi--one of Zarqawi's most senior lieutenants still at large, believed to be in charge of local military operations in the restive northern city of Mosul.
*UPDATE*: I have now posted online the two videos released this morning by Al-Qaida in Iraq, including the suicide bomb attack on the Al-Sadeer Hotel in Baghdad and a separate car bombing targeting a U.S. patrol near Fallujah. [Caution: the videos feature graphic scenes of violence]