Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reported "wounded"

May 26, 2005

There have been reports that the leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was wounded in Iraq. Internet statements on Al-Qaeda websites Tuesday and Thursday asked Muslims to pray for al-Zarqawi and said that an interim leader named Abu Hafs al-Gerni had been appointed.

The credibility of these statements is currently unverified. Iraq's Interior Minister Bayan Jabr did allege that the statements were correct, however. During a news conference, he reported, "We are not sure whether he is dead or not, but we are sure that he is injured."