Two Senior Al Qaeda Commanders Captured In Baghdad

Okay , first off these captures took place over the past two weeks and the reason we are just hearing about it now is because they came out of Task Force 88 operations - the special ops group in charge of dismantling al Qaeda in Iraq's network. Thus this has been a bit under wraps as of course, a ton of intel is probably gleened from both of these asshats. But just to show you how big the one fish is, read this from the article at The Long War Journal:

The special operations teams captured Salim 'Abdallah Ashur al Shujayri during an operation on Aug 11. Six days later, Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al Shammari was captured. The locations of the raids were not disclosed by Multinational Forces Iraq.

Shammari, who goes by the nom de guerre Abu Tiba, was al Qaeda in Iraq's "senior advisor in Baghdad, providing guidance and targeting assistance to subordinates throughout the city," Multinational Forces Iraq reported in a press release. He served as al Qaeda's leader in the Karkh district before being promoted to manage al Qaeda's overall terror campaign in Baghdad in early 2007. He provided operational and financial support to 15 terror groups operating in Baghdad. "He is alleged to have personally approved targets for car and suicide bombings targeting Iraqi civilians, intended to incite sectarian violence," the press release stated.

Get that? Shammari was in charge of the veritable siege of Baghdad back in 2007 and how this clown has stayed out of the limelight is beyond me.

Here's some more about asshat #2:

Shujayri, who is also know as Abu Uthman, served under Abu Tiba as the emir, or leader in Baghdad's Rusafa district. He had close connections to Abu Ayyub al Masri, al Qaeda in Iraq's emir, and other senior terror leaders.

Abu Uthman fought at both battles in Fallujah in April and November 2004. He also was behind several high-profile kidnappings, including Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll, aid worker Margaret Hassan, and four members of the anti-war Christian Peacemaker Teams.

But overall, this is HUGE news...these are two of the worst still hanging out in Iraq as al Qaeda has been trounced but if you noticed, these two are Iraqi citizens so they aren't nearly as prone to run on over to Afghanistan or Pakistan...they were probably going to stay til the end..and the end is now, boys.

Two senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders captured in Baghdad

Coalition forces captured two senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders behind some of the deadliest violence over the past several years. Both men were detained over the past two weeks during raids by Task Force 88, the hunter-killer special operations teams assigned to dismantle al Qaeda's networks in Iraq.
The special operations teams captured Salim 'Abdallah Ashur al Shujayri during an operation on Aug 11. Six days later, Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al Shammari was captured. The locations of the raids were not disclosed by Multinational Forces Iraq.
Shujayri and Shammari are senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders and have been "assessed to be longtime members" of the group. Both men are Iraqi citizens, a senior US military intelligence official who wishes to remain anonymous told The Long War Journal.
Shammari, who goes by the nom de guerre Abu Tiba, was al Qaeda in Iraq's "senior advisor in Baghdad, providing guidance and targeting assistance to subordinates throughout the city," Multinational Forces Iraq reported in a press release. He served as al Qaeda's leader in the Karkh district before being promoted to manage al Qaeda's overall terror campaign in Baghdad in early 2007. He provided operational and financial support to 15 terror groups operating in Baghdad. "He is alleged to have personally approved targets for car and suicide bombings targeting Iraqi civilians, intended to incite sectarian violence," the press release stated.
In this capacity, Shammari directed the siege of Baghdad, which was facilitated by al Qaeda's control of critical regions in the outlying areas of Baghdad and neighboring provinces. Al Qaeda used attacks against civilian and sectarian targets as part of its strategy to fragment the military and government and draw the country in a wider civil war.
Shujayri, who is also know as Abu Uthman, served under Abu Tiba as the emir, or leader in Baghdad's Rusafa district. He had close connections to Abu Ayyub al Masri, al Qaeda in Iraq's emir, and other senior terror leaders. Abu Uthman directed suicide and car-bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians.
Abu Uthman was a member of an indigenous Iraqi Salafist terror group prior to joining al Qaeda in Iraq, the senior US intelligence official said. Osama bin Laden's sanctioning of Abu Musab al Zarqawi as the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq was crucial in bring Abu Uthman and other Iraqi Salafists into the ranks of al Qaeda.
Abu Uthman fought at both battles in Fallujah in April and November 2004. He also was behind several high-profile kidnappings, including Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll, aid worker Margaret Hassan, and four members of the anti-war Christian Peacemaker Teams.
Jill Carroll was kidnapped in early 2005 released after several months of captivity. While in captivity, she met Abu Omar al Baghdadi, al Qaeda in Iraq's fictitious leader of the Islamic State of Iraq. Baghdadi is a front for al Masri; the person who met Carroll is believed to be an Iraqi actor who has played the role of Baghdadi.
Margaret Hassan was the Baghdad director of CARE International, a non-governmental aide group. She was kidnapped in October 2004. Her body was discovered four week later. Hassan was later found in Fallujah, brutally butchered, with her throat slit and her arms and legs hacked off.