Interesting article: Monster betrayed by closest allies

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19413201-601,00.html

<snip>
Over the past month, the two key members of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's inner sanctum had been netted by Iraqi and American spies and had gradually begun to talk.

<snip>
A scene in which Zarqawi fired a machine gun in the desert also proved illuminating, with Jordanian spies saying it enabled them to pinpoint exactly where the footage was shot. Zarqawi had not quite painted a target on himself, but he had at least offered some handy reference points. One of the captives, a terrorist who had sworn loyalty to Zarqawi's al-Qa'ida in Mesopotamia, recognised the setting in the video, in which the pudgy terror leader sat cross-legged and stern-faced on a carpeted floor as he was briefed by a hooded acolyte.

<snip>
The world last heard from Zarqawi on June 1 in an audiotape posted on a noted Islamic website in which he slammed Shia Muslim clerics and renounced any reconciliation with them. By about the same time, officials were confident they had Zarqawi nailed to the northeast corner of the Sunni triangle. Unlike three occasions in 2004 and last year, there would be no escaping this time. Because of the video, the US had a real-time knowledge of his appearance.

<snip>
Several men emerged from the cars and walked quickly inside. It is understood one of the spies in place, either an electronic drone or a human source on the ground, confirmed Zarqawi was one of them. The bird was in the trap.

<snip>
However, Jordanian sources last night said Zarqawi did not die instantly. Though mortally wounded, he was alive when Iraqi and US troops arrived on the scene. His brutal reign ended 10 minutes after the bombs fell. Ten others died with him, among them a chief aide and two women.

the 25 M bounty?

And I wonder if they tried to save his life? (The US)

I wonder if they will be answered.

The Americans and the Iraqis they trained would not repeat the mistake made in late 2004 when he was captured by Iraqi security forces, then released because they failed to identify his distinguishing scars and tattoos. Early the following year, the US military stormed a hospital where Zarqawi was believed to have been treated for injuries caused during combat.

Tattoos are haraam in Islam. Was it a Jordanian prison tattoo? Why would a faithful Muslim have one, if they are proscribed?

HE WAS A KILLER! STOP THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TELLING YOU! STOP ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS! HE WAS A KILLER! HE WAS A KILLER!

:sarcasm:

(well, you get the point).

that he got the tattoos when he was young and not a faithful Muslim and they are Bedouin tribal tattoos on his forearms that they have videos of in the Bert beheading.

(they use lasers extensively over there, for eye surgery and whatnot, as eye problems are very common) that, as he became more faithful, and before he became active to the point of becoming an outlaw, he'd go and have them removed. I can't imagine the various Imams and Mullahs he encountered over the years not giving him shit about it. If you're POOR, there is wiggle room, but he's not poor, except as an example of faith.

Also, and this is just free-association rambling, one would think that if he had identifying tattoos, he'd cover them in videos, to make identification of him a bit more challenging.

I dunno, it just strikes a jarring note with me, that tattoo business.

Hey, and ON EDIT, check out this pic--are my old eyes deceiving me, or does he NOT have tattoos on his forearms in this shot???

I guess my eyes aren't as lousy as I thought!

It's something that begs to be cleared up, at any rate....

On edit, I found an article that says they are on his HANDS: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=131414

I'm not seeing that, either...!!!

And on SECOND edit, this, as you initially noted, from the CSM: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0921/p01s04-woiq.html

During a restless youth filled with brawling and drinking, as well as covering his forearms with Bedouin tribal tattoos, Zarqawi grew to be obsessed with the anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan, and went there in the late 1980s as a sort of jihad tourist, when the war was nearly over.

that the genocide in iraq is for the good of... someone.

gosh, it sounds like a WAR and SPY novel! Golly GEE!