Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

The Jordanian-born militant has claimed responsibility for several suicide attacks and the beheadings of an American and a South Korean hostage.

U.S. President George W. Bush said June 26 that al-Zarqawi "is a problem because he is willing to kill people, innocent people, in order to shake our will and shake our confidence.

"He is willing to use death to stop the advance of freedom. He recruits suicide bombers, orders suicide bombers and has them attack on a regular basis because he wants us to withdraw from Iraq, he wants Prime Minister (Iyad) Allawi to lose his will," Bush said.

U.S. forces have launched three recent airstrikes at buildings in the rebellious city of Fallujah where they say al-Zarqawi's followers were holed up.

Al-Zarqawi's group claimed responsibility for attacks June 24 in which more than 100 Iraqis and three U.S. soldiers were killed. He has also claimed several suicide bomb attacks, including the bombing in May that killed the head of Iraq's Governing Council.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 3, 2004
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