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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Radical Syrian cleric 'shot dead' | Radical Syrian cleric 'shot dead' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Syrian cleric suspected of recruiting foreign militants to fight in Iraq has been shot dead in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, his aides have said. | A Syrian cleric suspected of recruiting foreign militants to fight in Iraq has been shot dead in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, his aides have said. |
| Sheikh Mahmoud Abu al-Qaqaa was shot several times by a gunman as he left the Imam Mosque after Friday prayers. | Sheikh Mahmoud Abu al-Qaqaa was shot several times by a gunman as he left the Imam Mosque after Friday prayers. |
| The gunman tried to flee the scene of the shooting, but was chased by a crowd and later arrested, the aides said. | The gunman tried to flee the scene of the shooting, but was chased by a crowd and later arrested, the aides said. |
| Correspondents say Abu al-Qaqaa was a charismatic Sunni cleric with thousands of radical Islamist followers in Syria. | Correspondents say Abu al-Qaqaa was a charismatic Sunni cleric with thousands of radical Islamist followers in Syria. |
| His anti-American sermons attracted a wide audience after the US-led invasion in Iraq in 2003, and his reputation rapidly spread. | His anti-American sermons attracted a wide audience after the US-led invasion in Iraq in 2003, and his reputation rapidly spread. |
| 'American agent' | 'American agent' |
| After the shooting, one aide to the cleric told the Associated Press that "terrorists" had killed the sheikh, whose real name was Mahmoud al-Aghassi, for his "nationalist positions". | After the shooting, one aide to the cleric told the Associated Press that "terrorists" had killed the sheikh, whose real name was Mahmoud al-Aghassi, for his "nationalist positions". |
| The one who carried out the assassination was a prisoner of the American forces in Iraq and had been released some time ago Sheikh Samir Abu Khashbeh | The one who carried out the assassination was a prisoner of the American forces in Iraq and had been released some time ago Sheikh Samir Abu Khashbeh |
| Another aide, Sheikh Samir Abu Khashbeh, said the gunman had told him that he had killed the cleric "because he was an agent of the Americans". | Another aide, Sheikh Samir Abu Khashbeh, said the gunman had told him that he had killed the cleric "because he was an agent of the Americans". |
| "The one who carried out the assassination was a prisoner of the American forces in Iraq and had been released some time ago," Abu Khashbeh said. "He is known to us." | "The one who carried out the assassination was a prisoner of the American forces in Iraq and had been released some time ago," Abu Khashbeh said. "He is known to us." |
| In June 2006, a group of militants killed while attempting to carry out an attack in the capital, Damascus, were found to be carrying CDs of sermons by Abu al-Qaqaa in which he called for US forces in the Middle East to be slaughtered "like cattle". | In June 2006, a group of militants killed while attempting to carry out an attack in the capital, Damascus, were found to be carrying CDs of sermons by Abu al-Qaqaa in which he called for US forces in the Middle East to be slaughtered "like cattle". |
| Afterwards, the sheikh denied he had called on Syrians to go to war in Iraq. | Afterwards, the sheikh denied he had called on Syrians to go to war in Iraq. |
| Others have claimed that Abu al-Qaqaa was an agent of the Syrian government, who was used to appease rising anti-American discontent amongst the country's Muslims and to keep the authorities informed of the activities of radical Islamist groups. | |
| Abu al-Qaqaa is said to have kept a low profile in the last year since he was appointed head of a religious school by the Syrian government and he did not openly criticise the authorities. | Abu al-Qaqaa is said to have kept a low profile in the last year since he was appointed head of a religious school by the Syrian government and he did not openly criticise the authorities. |
| The Syrian government has yet to make an official statement about the incident. | The Syrian government has yet to make an official statement about the incident. |