Zarqawi died almost an hour after blast

Major-Gen William Caldwell added 140 military operation were carried out after Zarqawi8217;s death and 32 insurgents were killed and 178 detained. He said 11 raids were directly connected to intelligence gleaned from Zarqawi8217;s death.

Caldwell said that US forces arrived about 28 minutes after the airstrike and treated Zarqawi, who was breathing with difficulty. When the US forces arrived on the site, a medic provided care, but Zarqawi8217;s 8216;8216;pulse was such that he was not going to live8217;8217; and 8216;8216;it was very evident that he had extremely massive internal injuries8217;8217;.

According to Caldwell, al-Zarqawi was not wearing an explosives vest. The Jordanian-born al-Qaeda leader often claimed he wore one to prevent capture by American troops. 8216;8216;He was wearing some black outfit. There is nothing that said he was wearing a suicide belt on,8217;8217; Caldwell said.