http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198651,00.html
BAGHDAD, Iraq ??? Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Al Qaeda in Iraq leader who led a brutal insurgency that included homicide bombings, kidnappings and beheadings, was killed in an airstrike on a building north of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi officials announced Thursday.
Officials said the terror leader's identity was confirmed by fingerprints, facial recognition and known scars.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Zarqawi was killed along with seven aides Wednesday evening at around 6:15 p.m. local time in a bombing raid on a building in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province.
Loud applause broke out at a press conference in Baghdad as Al-Maliki, flanked by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Gen. George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, announced that "Zarqawi was terminated."
U.S. President George W. Bush said Zarqawi's death "is a severe blow to Al Qaeda and it is a significant victory in the war on terror."
"We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people," he said in an address from the White House.
n London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called Zarqawi's death "a strike against Al Qaeda in Iraq and therefore a strike against Al Qaeda everywhere," but added that there were no illusions that the insurgency in Iraq would immediately crumble.
"We know that they will continue to kill, we know that there are many, many obstacles to overcome," he said at his monthly news conference.
In a statement posted on the Web, Al Qaeda in Iraq confirmed the death of Zarqawi and vowed to continue its "holy war."
"We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," said the statement.
Zarqawi's death came just six days after an audiotape was posted on the Internet, in which the Jordanian-born terrorist leader called on Sunnis to battle Shiites in Iraq.
At a press conference in Baghdad, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell showed a photograph of Zarqawi's body and video of U.S. F-16's dropping two 500-pound bombs on the house near Baqouba.
"The days of Zarqawi are over," Gen. Caldwell said. "Iraqis can take great pride in this achievement."
Gen. Caldwell said there was "100 percent confirmation" that Zarqawi was in the house prior to the attack. He added that six other people were killed in the attack, including one woman and one child.
Video from the scene of the attack showed children playing among mounds of cinderblocks and concrete that had clearly been a structure at one point. Parts of the roof of the building appeared intact lying on top of the ruble as if the walls of the building had merely collapsed under the impact of the bombs.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said the killing of Zarqawi was "enormously important" for the fight against terror in Iraq and around the world.
"Let there be no doubt the fact that he is dead is a significant victory in the battle against terrorism in that country and I would say worldwide," Rumsfeld said from Brussels where he was attending a NATO meeting.
Zarqawi himself is believed to have wielded the knife in the beheadings of two of the Americans ??? Nicholas Berg and Eugene Armstrong ??? and earned himself the title of "the slaughtering sheik" among his supporters.
BAGHDAD, Iraq ??? Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Al Qaeda in Iraq leader who led a brutal insurgency that included homicide bombings, kidnappings and beheadings, was killed in an airstrike on a building north of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi officials announced Thursday.
Officials said the terror leader's identity was confirmed by fingerprints, facial recognition and known scars.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Zarqawi was killed along with seven aides Wednesday evening at around 6:15 p.m. local time in a bombing raid on a building in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province.
Loud applause broke out at a press conference in Baghdad as Al-Maliki, flanked by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Gen. George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, announced that "Zarqawi was terminated."
U.S. President George W. Bush said Zarqawi's death "is a severe blow to Al Qaeda and it is a significant victory in the war on terror."
"We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people," he said in an address from the White House.
n London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called Zarqawi's death "a strike against Al Qaeda in Iraq and therefore a strike against Al Qaeda everywhere," but added that there were no illusions that the insurgency in Iraq would immediately crumble.
"We know that they will continue to kill, we know that there are many, many obstacles to overcome," he said at his monthly news conference.
In a statement posted on the Web, Al Qaeda in Iraq confirmed the death of Zarqawi and vowed to continue its "holy war."
"We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," said the statement.
Zarqawi's death came just six days after an audiotape was posted on the Internet, in which the Jordanian-born terrorist leader called on Sunnis to battle Shiites in Iraq.
At a press conference in Baghdad, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell showed a photograph of Zarqawi's body and video of U.S. F-16's dropping two 500-pound bombs on the house near Baqouba.
"The days of Zarqawi are over," Gen. Caldwell said. "Iraqis can take great pride in this achievement."
Gen. Caldwell said there was "100 percent confirmation" that Zarqawi was in the house prior to the attack. He added that six other people were killed in the attack, including one woman and one child.
Video from the scene of the attack showed children playing among mounds of cinderblocks and concrete that had clearly been a structure at one point. Parts of the roof of the building appeared intact lying on top of the ruble as if the walls of the building had merely collapsed under the impact of the bombs.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said the killing of Zarqawi was "enormously important" for the fight against terror in Iraq and around the world.
"Let there be no doubt the fact that he is dead is a significant victory in the battle against terrorism in that country and I would say worldwide," Rumsfeld said from Brussels where he was attending a NATO meeting.
Zarqawi himself is believed to have wielded the knife in the beheadings of two of the Americans ??? Nicholas Berg and Eugene Armstrong ??? and earned himself the title of "the slaughtering sheik" among his supporters.
