Al-Qaida leader captured in western Iraq
2010-04-18

RAMADI, Iraq, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces captured an al-Qaida leader on Sunday in a raid on an insurgent safe house in the country's western province of Anbar, a provincial police source said.

Mohammed Abed, a leader of al-Qaida militants in Anbar, was captured after being wounded during the raid in the city of Rawa, some 280 km northwest of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Based on intelligence reports, a force from Anbar police command raided the house in Rawa in an attempt to arrest Abed who traded fire with the attacking force, wounding two policemen, the source said.

The police also seized 34 blasting caps which can be used in detonating explosive-belts, roadside bombs and car bombs, the source added.

Anbar province has seen deadly attacks in recent months, although it has been relatively calm in the past few years after Sunni tribes and anti-U.S. insurgent groups turned to cooperate with the U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces against al-Qaida in Iraq network.