According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), a large somewhat conservative german newspaper, rumors are flying around Baghdad that Musab Al Zarqawi has been caught and has been in custody for several days already. According to the rumors, the capture will be announced closer to election day. They quote Iraqi interior minister Falah al-Nakib:
No Comment, perhaps we'll have a comment on that in a few days
That sounds like a pretty leading no comment. The article also mentions that Chalabi will be arrested.
Meahwhile
CNN reports on a new tape allegedly from Zarqawi
and mentions Chalabi again but cites disputes the imminent arrest:
Top Iraqi officials disputed reports that former Iraqi exile leader Ahmed Chalabi would be arrested soon, despite Defense Minister Hazem Sha'alan's claim Friday that Chalabi, a political rival, would be taken into custody by Interpol. (
Full story)
Sounds indeed like some politics leaking out. Possibly including Chalabi allies in the Pentagon, and rivals in Iraq. This would be irrelevant to the al Zarqawi if not for the interesting link: Jordan.
<speculation>
Jordanian terrorist al Zarqawi is nabbed,(maybe) and used for internal political impact in Iraq by some faction, meanwhile this faction has decided to do Jordan a favor by giving Chalabi to interpol. Could there be a few quid behind this quo? Did some Jordanians trade a Zarqawi tip for Chalabi, who pulled a Neil Bush on the Jordanian Petra Bank, but actually had to flee the country?
</speculation>