Website claims wounded al-Zarqawi has fled from Iraq

AN Islamic website statement claimed yesterday that Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, chief of al-Qaida in Iraq, has fled to an unidentified “neighbouring country” with two Arab doctors treating him for gunshot wounds to his lung.

There was no way to verify the authenticity of the claim. The site used to carry al-Qaida postings, but has fallen out of use recently. The posting later appeared on another militant site, where it quickly came under attack from other posters as untrue and unauthorised by al-Qaida.

The statement from somebody identified only as al-Khalidi the same name as a regular poster for the site in the past said the information was based on accounts of "brothers close to the holy warriors in Iraq and who are in contact with them". He did not elaborate.

Mideast security officials told journalists in the Jordanian capital, Amman, they could not verify the authenticity of the posting or its veracity.

Yesterday's statement said al-Zarqawi "was secretly smuggled to a neighbouring country a few days ago in a complicated and organised operation". It did not identify the country.

It said al-Zarqawi was in "stable condition now" after he incurred a "bullet wound which penetrated his right lung".

Al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for attacks on Iraqi civilians and security forces and kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners, and has a $25 million bounty on his head.