Karbala suspect likely to expand operations

The Jordanian-born jehadi who quickly became a suspect in Tuesday8217;s bombings in Iraq also wants to assume a leading, independent role i...

The Jordanian-born jehadi who quickly became a suspect in Tuesday8217;s bombings in Iraq also wants to assume a leading, independent role in future terrorist operations in other countries, according to senior intelligence officials.

Abu Musab Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for two dozen bombings in recent months and was on record threatening new attacks against Iraqi Shiites before Tuesday8217;s attacks. But US officials are also increasingly concerned about Zarqawi8217;s ambitions beyond Iraq.

Although Zarqawi has worked with Al Qaeda in the past, officials say it is increasingly clear he operates independently of Osama bin Laden8217;s organisation and has developed his own network of operatives. Reflecting the concern, the US announced in February that it had doubled8212;from 5 million to 10 million8212;on his head.

The focus on Zarqawi, his network and his longer-term plans had intensified before Tuesday8217;s attacks. It comes as US intelligence officials recalibrate their tactics in the fight against terrorists, paying particular smaller, largely autonomous groups. CIA Director George Tenet told a Senate panel on February 24 that the battering of Al Qaeda8217;s leadership has 8216;8216;transformed the organisation into a loose collection of regional networks8217;8217;. US officials consider Zarqawi8217;s most immediate threat to be in Iraq, 8216;8216;which he is using as a recruitment poster,8217;8217; said the senior analyst.

With Laden and his top Al Qaeda deputy, Ayman Zawahiri on the run, Zarqawi became what one US official described as the unofficial 8216;8216;umbrella leader8217;8217; of Iraqi groups. In early January, Zarqawi met with Hassan Ghul, a trusted Laden emissary, to discuss whether Al Qaeda would participate in future Iraq operations, according to the senior intelligence officials. Ghul8217;s mission was to determine whether the tide was already turning against the jehadis in Iraq. Ghul was captured in mid-January in the Kurdish border area carrying a 17-page letter in which Zarqawi conveyed his views on the situation. 8212;LAT-WP