"Abu Khalaf previously had been a deputy and Mosul military commander
for a close associate of former Al Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Mussib Al
Zarqawi, who was killed in a June 2006 coalition bombing raid," the U.S.
military said. "He rose through the ranks to become the terror
organization's overall chieftan in Mosul."
"With the declining morale [among Al Qaida in Iraq operatives] and
paranoia within their ranks, Abu Khalaf's death and loss of funds will
severely impact their terrorist operations," Lt. David Russell, a
Multinational Force-Iraq spokesman, said on June 27.
Officials said Abu Khalaf had met senior Al Qaida leaders in Mosul and
Jazeera. They said he had coordinated and ordered dozens of attacks against
Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces and coalition forces.
"Information gleaned from associates in custody revealed that Abu Khalaf
often traveled with foreigners, and associates identified the
suicide-vest-wearing man killed with him as Abu Khalud, a Syrian who was a
longtime close associate of the Mosul terrorist leader," the U.S. military
said.
