Al-Qaeda Leaders Killed

I just received this Press Release from Baghdad. This is something I wanted to get out right away, so I will refrain from comment other than I bet you won’t see this in the MSM.

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ

PRESS DESK

BAGHDAD, Iraq

http://www.mnf-iraq.com

703.343.8790

July 19, 2007

Release A070719c

Senior al-Qaeda in Iraq foreign terrorist identified

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces positively identified a third foreign

terrorist killed in an operation June 23 south of Hawija.

Ahmed Sancar, also known as Khattab al-Turki, was a known terrorist and

senior leader in al-Qaeda and a key financier and facilitator for the

terrorist group.

Sancar was killed during the same operation that killed Mehmet Yilmaz,

also known as Khalid al-Turki, and Mehmet Resit Isik, also known as

Khalil al-Turki. Yilmaz was a close associate of Khalid Shayikh

Muhammad, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World

Trade Center and the Pentagon. Yilmaz also led a group of Turks to

Afghanistan in 2001 to fight against Coalition Forces.

Intelligence reports indicate that Sancar, like Isik, performed key

communication and logistic roles for al-Qaeda in Iraq and coordinated

with other senior al-Qaeda facilitators. Intelligence reports also

indicate that prior to Sancar’s death, he was aggressively pursuing a

plan to attack northern Iraq, specifically focusing on the

Kurdish-controlled areas to increase al-Qaeda in Iraq’s operational

reach in the country.

Coalition Forces killed the three foreign terrorists and senior al-Qaeda

in Iraq leaders in an operation June 23. During the course of

surveillance operations, Coalition Forces identified a vehicle which

they assessed to contain Yilmaz and three associates traveling together.

When the vehicle stopped, Coalition Forces moved to detain the four

individuals. The four men exited the vehicle, which was followed during

surveillance operations, with weapons in hand. As Coalition Forces

moved to detain the armed men, the four armed terrorists fired on the

forces. Responding in self-defense, Coalition Forces engaged the armed

men, killing all four.

Inside the vehicle, Coalition Forces found rocket-propelled grenades, an

RPG launcher, numerous AK 47 rifle magazines, a pistol and suspected

homemade explosive materials. They safely destroyed the vehicle and

weapons on site.

“Coalition operations are disrupting and destroying al-Qaeda’s terrorist

network from the highest levels down,” said Maj. Marc Young, an MNF-I

spokesperson. “We will continue to target and attack these terrorists

who conduct horrendous acts of violence and terror against the Iraqi

populace.”