Leader of Iraq al Qaida Arrested

Boo Ya! BBC

The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been arrested, according to media reports quoting the country's defence ministry.

Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was detained in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the reports said.

The US military in Iraq said it was currently looking into the reports.

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The Egyptian-born militant took over the leadership of the group from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shortly after he was killed in a US air strike in June 2006.

Masri is believed to have helped Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in Baghdad following the US-led invasion in 2003.

After becoming leader, he vowed to "continue what Sheikh Abu Musab began" and avenge his death with attacks that would "turn your children's hair white".

In April 2007, he was named "minister of war" in the 10-man cabinet of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Sunni militant groups.