Iraqis capture senior aide to Zarqawi

Iraq announced the capture of a senior aide to leading militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi yesterday, hours after Zarqawi claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing near the offices of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

The interim government said it had seized Abu Omar al-Kurdi, accused of masterminding some of the country's worst car bombings, in a raid in Baghdad nine days ago.

It did not say why it had waited until now to announce his capture. Privately, one government official cast doubt on the significance of the arrest and said its announcement was a bid to boost the government's popularity ahead of Sunday's election.

Abu Omar, also known as Sami Mohammed al-Jafi, is blamed for over 30 bombings including an attack on the UN headquarters in August 2003 that killed special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello and 20 others.

The government says he also planned a blast in Najaf the same month, which killed 80, including a top Shi'ite cleric. The government said Abu Omar had received instructions from Zarqawi to carry out bomb attacks on election day - precisely the sort of assault the government, opposition figures, voters and international observers fear.