Al-Qaida leader behind Baghdad bombings killed

A senior leader of al-Qaida in Iraq suspected of masterminding deadly bombings in Baghdad, has been killed, the US military said today.

The military said US troops acting in self defence also killed his wife in Friday’s firefight.

Today’s statement identified the man killed as Mahir Ahmad Mahmud Judu’ al-Zubaydi, also known as Abu Assad or Abu Rami.

It said he directed the insurgent cell that was believed to have been responsible for nearly simultaneous car bomb and suicide attacks which killed at least eight people on Thursday.

The military said he was suspected of being involved in several other attacks against Iraqis and US forces in past years. It also said he was seen in the videotaped execution of one of four Russian diplomats in June 2006.