The US military said today it had arrested a “senior leader” in the network run by Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, along with five others during night raids in the rebel stronghold of Fallujah.

US troops pounded the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah with airstrikes and tank fire, and the Iraqi government appealed to residents to expel ”foreign terrorists” to prevent an all-out attack.

A video found on an Islamic militant website today broadcast footage of an American man telling US troops to stop the occupation of Iraq and then showed his head being cut off.