Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a US air raid north of Baghdad.

A STATEMENT signed by an Iraqi insurgent group said yesterday in an internet posting that it had killed a kidnapped US security consultant.

An Iraqi insurgent group said today in an internet posting that it killed a kidnapped US security consultant. The claim’s authenticity could not be immediately verified.