US military identifies Zarqawi successor, releases photo

The US military today released pictures of the man it said was the successor of slain Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.

The US military today released pictures of the man it said was the successor of slain Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.

US-led coalition forces spokesman Major General William Caldwell said the new leader, Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, alias Sheikh Abu Hamza Al-Muhajer, was believed to be operating out of Baghdad.

‘‘Al-Qaeda on its website has named him as Abu Hamza Al-Muhajer, but we believe that he is one and the same,’’ caldwell told reporters.

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‘‘He is a senior Al-Qaeda operative, a direct associate of Zarqawi and facilitator of foreign fighters from Syria.’’ Caldwell said he was believed to have become a militant in 1982.

Zarqawi was killed last week in a US air raid near the restive city of Baquba, North of the capital.

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