New bombings in Iraq steal thunder from top insurgent's arrest
Al Qaeda in Iraq appears to be exploiting instability in Iraq's government
Amman, Jordan
In what Iraqi authorities say could be the biggest blow to Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) since its former leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a 2006, a military spokesman announced Thursday that Iraqi security forces had arrested the group's current leader, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. [Editor's note: ]
The news was a morale boost in Iraq, which has seen increased violence in recent weeks, including two bombings Thursday that killed dozens.
US military officials, however, said that they did not have information from the field to confirm the capture of the self-proclaimed "emir of the Islamic State of Iraq."
But even if Mr. Baghdadi was captured, Iraq's recent uptick in violence is not likely to abate soon, experts say. The government remains divided and the country's sectarian fault lines are easily exploitable.
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