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| US checks 'Masri wounded' claim | US checks 'Masri wounded' claim |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US military is investigating reports that the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been wounded. | The US military is investigating reports that the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been wounded. |
| Arab TV stations reported early on Friday that Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, had been hurt during fighting north of Baghdad. | Arab TV stations reported early on Friday that Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, had been hurt during fighting north of Baghdad. |
| A US military spokesman told the BBC that he could not immediately verify the claims, or whether US forces had been involved in the fighting in Balad. | A US military spokesman told the BBC that he could not immediately verify the claims, or whether US forces had been involved in the fighting in Balad. |
| Masri took over as leader after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in 2006. | Masri took over as leader after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in 2006. |
| ABU AYYUB AL-MASRI Originally from EgyptKnown as Muhajir - which means 'immigrant' in ArabicTrained in AfghanistanHelped Zarqawi set up first al-Qaeda cell in IraqNamed as al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in June 2006 class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/2780525.stm">Who's who in al-Qaeda Little is known about Masri - the US military has said it believes him to be an Egyptian militant based in Baghdad. | |
| He is understood to have trained in Afghanistan and helped Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in the Iraqi capital. | He is understood to have trained in Afghanistan and helped Zarqawi form the first al-Qaeda cell in the Iraqi capital. |
| A statement posted on a website used by Islamic militants in June 2006 announced that he would take over as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq after Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike. | A statement posted on a website used by Islamic militants in June 2006 announced that he would take over as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq after Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike. |
| The statement said he had a history of fighting a holy war and that he had been unanimously elected as the group's new chief. | The statement said he had a history of fighting a holy war and that he had been unanimously elected as the group's new chief. |
| There is currently a $5m US bounty on Masri's head. |