Zarqawi escapes US force trap....

**MIKEMUN** · 26 Apr 05,, 10:25

Zarqawi escapes US troop trap

Mon Apr 25, 6:39 PM ET Politics - AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US forces recently came close to capturing Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq and they have found his laptop computer and seized some of his money.

AFP/US ARMY-HO Photo

The most wanted man in Iraq just eluded capture on February 20 as he headed to a meeting in the western city of Ramadi, ABC News quoted a senior US military official as saying. Zarqawi's driver and a bodyguard were detained in the operation.

The United States set up Task Force 626 last year to track Zarqawi, who has been accused of masterminding scores of attacks in Iraq. The United States has offered a 25 million dollar reward for Zarqawi's detention, putting him on a par with Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Following a tip off from inside the Zarqawi network about the meeting, members of the task force had troops in place and checkpoints around Ramadi, as well as Predator drones in the air monitoring the region, the report said.

The senior military official said that just before the meeting, troops pulled a car over as it approached a checkpoint and at the same time a pickup truck about a half-mile (one kilometer) behind then quickly turned in the opposite direction.

The United States believe the militant leader was in the truck. "Zarqawi always has someone check the waters," the official was quoted as saying.

US teams began a chase, but when the truck was pulled over Zarqawi was not inside. The senior military official said they had since learned that Zarqawi jumped out when the vehicle passed beneath a bridge and hid there before running to a safe house in Ramadi.

The official said Zarqawi's computer and 80,000 euros (104,000 dollars) were found inside.

He described the find as "a seminal event." The computer had "a very big hard drive," the official said, and recent pictures of Zarqawi. The driver and a bodyguard were detained.

ABC said Lieutenant General John Vines, the US commander responsible for daily military operations in Iraq, would not provide detail of the escape in a recent interview, but that he did say the Zarqawi network has been damaged.

"We believe he is resilient," Vines said. "He is incredibly evil and we can't forget that. So he is dangerous still, but he is on the run."

The official said the owner of the safe house where Zarqawi ran had also been arrested.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp.../iraquszarqawi

**Bluesman** · 26 Apr 05,, 17:01

I was on duty that day. Dam' near cried right there on the Operations floor, it was so frustrating.

Then we found out what we DID get...

...and we went to town on them sunza*****es for the next couple of weeks.

Exciting time to be in the bidness, lemme tell ya...

Still, I am living for the day when we finally put this reptile in the mayonaisse jar for good.

And that day is coming, boys and girls.

**Bill** · 26 Apr 05,, 17:04

Well the rest of us are living vicariously via your mayonaisse jar. Keep up the good work Top.

**Franco Lolan** · 26 Apr 05,, 21:25

Aw man. Keep it up Bluesman. You'll get him.

**Ray** · 26 Apr 05,, 23:10

Damn.

I was about to have a salad with mayonnaise, but now I won't. Bluesman has spoilt the appetite.

**Julie** · 27 Apr 05,, 00:59

Originally Posted by Ray

I was about to have a salad with mayonnaise, but now I won't. Bluesman has spoilt the appetite.

Compromise a little....oil and vinegar?

**Bluesman** · 28 Apr 05,, 17:19

Originally Posted by M21Sniper

Well the rest of us are living vicariously via your mayonaisse jar. Keep up the good work Top.

When I was a kid, I used to love to catch bees, and watch 'em fly around inside the big mayonaisse jar. I'd tap on the glass, or drop flowers in to watch the bees working. At the end of the day, I'd let 'em all go.

Well, when we slam the lid on Zarqawi, I look forward to tappin' on the glass; dropping little 'projects' for him to do over the bars; and NEVER letting him go.

One of the guys I work with refers to Gitmo as the 'terrorist Habitrail', and likes to think of the losers in there as the Marines' hamsters.

**Bluesman** · 28 Apr 05,, 17:24

Originally Posted by Franco Lolan

Aw man. Keep it up Bluesman. You'll get him.

I bet we do, too. We may not get him alive (although I hope we DO), but it's one or the other:

1) he dies running away, or

2) he goes in the bag.

What will NOT happen is him dieing of old age as a free man.

**Bluesman** · 28 Apr 05,, 17:26

Originally Posted by Ray

Damn.

I was about to have a salad with mayonnaise, but now I won't. Bluesman has spoilt the appetite.

HAH!

Sorry, sir.

But I know what you mean: a most unsavory character.

**Officer of Engineers** · 28 Apr 05,, 17:48

You will let us know when to send you guys a bottle of champagne/scotch/whiskey/lowenbrau...

**Franco Lolan** · 29 Apr 05,, 00:15

Me too. Have way too much Spanish liquour that we don't drink in my house,

**dalem** · 29 Apr 05,, 06:03

I'll donate a bottle of Scotch to your boys, Bluesman, if Seanachai doesn't drink it all first.

-dale

**Avenger** · 04 May 05,, 04:01

Originally Posted by Bluesman

I was on duty that day. Dam' near cried right there on the Operations floor, it was so frustrating.

Then we found out what we DID get...

...and we went to town on them sunza*****es for the next couple of weeks.

Exciting time to be in the bidness, lemme tell ya...

Still, I am living for the day when we finally put this reptile in the mayonaisse jar for good.

And that day is coming, boys and girls.

Yeah, stay vigilant, stay tuned--you'll get him eventually. He got real lucky that day, but his luck will run out soon. He won't look so tough once he's been under interrogation--that is if he's caught alive. However he does die, suddenly now or by execution later, I hope it's painful. He's a thoroughly evil moron, and he richly deserves the fate that, one way or the other, is in store for him.

**Avenger** · 04 May 05,, 04:03

Originally Posted by Bluesman

When I was a kid, I used to love to catch bees, and watch 'em fly around inside the big mayonaisse jar. I'd tap on the glass, or drop flowers in to watch the bees working. At the end of the day, I'd let 'em all go.

Well, when we slam the lid on Zarqawi, I look forward to tappin' on the glass; dropping little 'projects' for him to do over the bars; and NEVER letting him go.

One of the guys I work with refers to Gitmo as the 'terrorist Habitrail', and likes to think of the losers in there as the Marines' hamsters.

There ya go: Zarqawi the Head Hamster. Serves him right! I hope we see video of him doing tricks.

**smilingassassin** · 04 May 05,, 11:46

I'd like very much to see Zarqawi sweat it out in Gitmo. I recently saw a show on what they beleive to be the treatment of detainee's. I'm looking forward to the day Zarqawi gets his sleep "altered" and he basically gets treated like the little beyotch that he is.