Via The Roth Report I found this interesting article in Newsweek concerning a capture of a suicide bomber. To offer a little background, the suicide bomber is a Saudi national who entered Iraq through Syria. He was told to drive a fuel truck to the Jordanian embassy. A jeep with other terrorists followed behind him and detonated the explosives with him inside, much to his surprise.

He managed to survive the blast and was put in a hospital lumped in with all of the other Iraqis who were injured in the blast. Word came out that terrorists wanted him and were offering money for his killing. Iraqi police went into the hospital and took this man for interrogation. Newsweek also has a video of the interrogation.

A video obtained by NEWSWEEK shows some of al-Shayea’s half-whispered testimony, prompted by the commanding voice of an interrogator. He seems terrified, confused. Yet according to Kamal, the information he supplied offered startling insights into the relentless insurgency that has grown dramatically since U.S. troops toppled the statue of dictator Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003. Al-Shayea claimed the Iraqi police even had Zarqawi himself under arrest in Fallujah last October, but despite a $25 million reward—and perhaps not knowing whom they had—they let go the most ruthless and notorious killer in Iraq. (According to the deputy minister, security officials who have checked the circumstances now believe that may well be true.)

General Kamal says information supplied by al-Shayea helped Coalition forces round up several of Zarqawi’s key lieutenants within a matter of days. Among them is Abu Umar al-Kurdi, real name Sami Muhammad Saeed al-Jafi, a terrorist demolition man who confessed to 32 car bombings over the last two years. Even if Zarqawi continues to elude capture, nailing al-Kurdi was a critical score.

I had heard of stories concerning the momentary detention of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi before, however I never knew of the actual source of the information. Since this same suicide bomber gave credible tips that led the arrests of many of Zarqawi’s top henchmen, I am inclined to believe he is also telling the truth of this momentary detention of Zarqawi. It’s a shame these Iraqi policemen did not know the man they had was in fact Zarqawi.

The video of the interrogation is standard and I’ve seen other videos of interrogations. This of course is a wrap-up after an unknown time of private interrogations. There isn’t anything new in it that anyone should be surprised to learn. The man’s story however is interesting and the tips he gave have helped quell terrorist attacks as well as may end up netting Zarqawi and tearing apart his network.

Diggers Realm linked with Ahmed Abdullah al-Shayea, Captured Suicide Bomber, Led To Zarqawi Aides Capture