Al-Zarqawi has fled Iraq - report

An Islamic website statement claimed today that Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida in Iraq chief, 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. Soon, the posting appeared on another militant site, where it quickly came under attack from other posters as untrue and unauthorised by al-Qaida.