Dafna Linzer:

U.S. officials would not say where al-Iraqi was captured, but sources ruled out all of Iraq's immediate neighbors, as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan, and said he was not stopped at a border crossing. Officials said that several recent reports that al-Iraqi was operating freely were erroneous and that he has been in custody, in a third country, since late December.

Meantime, the Times of London is reporting that al Hadi, who is reportedly connected to the July 7 London bombings, was captured coming from Iran to Iraq last year. (And this BBC report says the CIA has been extremely interested in al Hadi's activities in Iran -- where he has reportedly "been causing problems in Iran" as well. Did elements in Iran have a role in his hand over?) The whole way this capture that occurred several months ago has been released by the Pentagon today has been extremely odd. As Linzer writes, "The disclosure revealed that the Bush administration reopened its detention program within three months of announcing that no secret prisoners remained in the CIA's custody."

Posted by Laura at April 28, 2007 12:11 AM