Zarqawi slipped away
The week's news at a glance.
Baghdad
U.S. forces came within minutes of catching Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a U.S. military official told the Associated Press this week. In February, the unnamed official said, the covert unit hunting al-Zarqawi had a reliable tip that he was heading for a meeting near Fallujah. When U.S. forces intercepted a car along the route, a pickup truck traveling behind it suddenly took off. By the time U.S. troops caught the truck, al-Zarqawi wasn’t in it—but his computer was, along with more than 80,000 euros (about $100,000). The U.S. has since learned that al-Zarqawi, considered the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, jumped out while the truck was going through an overpass. Officials said al-Zarqawi’s computer hard drive contained evidence of direct, two-way communication with Osama bin Laden. Al-Zarqawi, who is wanted for numerous kidnappings and beheadings in Iraq, swore loyalty to bin Laden last year.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Frauds: ‘fantastically stylish’ crime heist caper is a ‘triumph’
The Week Recommends Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker play a pair of ex-cons planning one last job
-
The struggles of Aston Martin
In the Spotlight The car manufacturer, famous for its association with the James Bond franchise, is ‘running out of road’
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rights
The Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain