DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraq's al Qaeda wing denied on Friday that several people arrested in Spain and Iraq this week were its members, according to an Internet statement.
ADVERTISEMENT
U.S. forces said on Thursday they had detained a senior associate of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, while Spain announced on Wednesday the arrest of 11 suspected Zarqawi followers.
"We've become used to the lies of the crusaders and their followers. Every now and then they hold a Muslim and say they have captured an aide to Sheikh Zarqawi," the statement said.
"Spain claimed it has arrested a group of Zarqawi aides. Each Muslim, now is suspected of belonging to al Qaeda," said the statement signed by the group's spokesman Abu Maysarah al-Iraqi.
"In Mosul, the enemies of God claimed to have arrested a senior official and aide to Zarqawi...We tell you that your brothers are well...and continuing their jihad," it added.
The statement could not be immediately authenticated.
~snip~
more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050617/wl_nm/security_qaeda_denial_dc;_