Officials said Al Qaida as well as Saddam Hussein loyalists have sought
to destabilize KRG, Middle East Newsline reported. They said Al Qaida has recruited Kurds and Arabs to
conduct IED attacks against Iraqi and Kurdish security forces, particularly
those around the disputed city of Kirkuk.
"The arrested terrorist is wanted by the Iraqi security forces and U.S.
forces in Ramadi," the Suleimaniya security forces said.
Officials said Nasser posed as a worker in Suleimaniya. They said he was
directed to conduct a series of strikes in the Kurdish city.
"He came to Suleimaniya on the pretext of work with a local company and
he was intending to plan terrorist operations," the Suleimaniya statement
said.
The U.S. Army has acknowledged the arrest of Nasser, 36, in an operation
that included American soldiers. Officials said Nasser, captured on Nov. 9,
had been wanted for Al Qaida strikes in Ramadi, the capital of the
Anbar province, long regarded as an Al Qaida stronghold.
A U.S. military statement asserted that Nasser was a key figure in Al
Qaida. The statement said he was also linked to relaying funds for Sunni
insurgency operations.
"The suspect has been linked to major explosive attacks throughout
northern Iraq and has been connected to financing terrorist cells." the U.S.
military said.
