U.S. Says It Has Captured Suspected Terrorist Leader’s Aides in Iraq

WASHINGTON —  U.S. officials said Friday that forces in Iraq had captured several aides to Abu Musab Zarqawi, a suspected terrorist leader who they believe has links to Al Qaeda and played a role in attacks in Iraq and terrorist actions in Europe and the Middle East.

Officials in Washington said the men were detained in a series of actions along with another man they identified as an “Al Qaeda facilitator” who has been providing financial and logistical assistance to Iraqi insurgents.

One of the men was identified by U.S. forces in Iraq and in Washington as Husam al Yemeni. The U.S. military said he had been captured in a raid Jan. 15 near the restive town of Fallouja by soldiers of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment working with special forces. Officials in Washington said the CIA also was involved in the operation.

“We had been tracking several folks, and he was one of the targeted individuals,” said Col. Jefforey Smith, who commands U.S. troops in Fallouja.

“We’re examining possible ties to some of the known terrorist organizations, such as Ansar al Islam and Al Qaeda,” Smith said.

Officials in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they could not disclose details of the operations, including the identities of the other men, because the suspects’ associates were still being hunted. The officials would not comment on whether the captured men had provided them with information about attacks in Iraq, including what role, if any, Zarqawi was playing.

The Bush administration placed a $5-million bounty on Zarqawi’s head last year after accusing the Jordanian-born militant of being the leader of an extremist group, Al Tawhid, with close ties to both Al Qaeda and Ansar al Islam, an affiliated organization that has been based in northern Iraq.

U.S. and Kurdish forces hit Ansar hard during last year’s war in Iraq, but there are concerns that it is now regrouping and participating in attacks on U.S. forces.

Zarqawi, who is of Palestinian descent, is thought to be hiding in Iran or perhaps being held in custody there. However, U.S. officials said he might also be in Iraq and playing a role in financing and orchestrating the attacks.

Early last year, during an appearance before the United Nations Security Council to build a case for war against Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell described Zarqawi as a link between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein’s regime, though others have disputed any connection.

If confirmed, the capture of an Al Qaeda operative, especially in the tinderbox of Fallouja, would be a significant development. U.S. officials have long said that foreign fighters were among those attacking the U.S.-led occupation force. But ties between the insurgency and terrorist groups have been hard to nail down, despite the Bush administration’s assertions that Hussein’s regime had longtime ties to Al Qaeda.

The U.S. commander in Iraq said Friday that the insurgents were using tactics that resembled those of Al Qaeda.

“I think it’s probably not appropriate for me to talk about Al Qaeda in the sense of a concrete, proven presence,” Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said in an interview with CNN.

However, he added: “We’re seeing Al Qaeda-like tactics. We believe that there’s training that’s been conducted for some of the terrorists.”

Although the training is not occurring in Iraq, he said, Al Qaeda seems to be instructing “those elements that are operating in here. And we think that there’s also financing that has been taking place.”

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Meyer reported from Washington and McDonnell from Baghdad.