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Iraq
Key Iraqi al-Qaeda figure 'dead'
2008-06-27
The US military in Iraq says a militant killed on Tuesday has been positively identified as the leader of al-Qaeda in the city of Mosul. It said the man - identified by a pseudonym, Abu Khalaf - had co-ordinated and ordered many attacks.
Now he's known by another pseudonym: 'deceased'.
He was shot dead by American troops during a raid on a building in Mosul.

US and Iraqi forces have been carrying out an offensive in the city for more than a month, in an attempt to drive out al-Qaeda in Iraq from Mosul. The city, US and Iraqi officials say, is al-Qaeda's last urban stronghold in Iraq.

Also on Friday, US military officials said the handover to Iraqi control of Anbar province, west of Baghdad, was being postponed. A statement said the delay was because of forecasts for high winds and dust storms on Saturday, but no new date for the handover was announced. The postponement came a day after a suicide bomb attack in Anbar, which killed at least 20 people, including a tribal leader and members of a patrol force opposed to al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Why did the Beeb put 'dead' in quotes?
Posted by:Anonymoose

#10  It's all good. Still, 3rd understudy fatlady wit horns.
Posted by: .5MT   2008-06-27 19:04  

#9  he's dead, Jim...

you check his tri-corder, and i'll pass out the chocolates.
Posted by: Querent   2008-06-27 18:37  

#8  ...not only MERELY dead, [he's] really most SINCERELY dead.
Posted by: Grenter Protector of the Geats4975   2008-06-27 15:41  

#7  'MOSTLY dead'

Well, to be more accurate, the pieces that they could find appeared to be dead.
Posted by: gorb   2008-06-27 15:15  

#6  I still think they should write it ((((((dead))))), for effect. Or, possibly _dead_.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2008-06-27 14:29  

#5  This is what, the tenth Emir of Mosul or so?

Yea, my job app is on its way... NOT
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2008-06-27 14:07  

#4  'MOSTLY dead'
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2008-06-27 14:06  

#3  "Good."
Posted by: Seafarious   2008-06-27 13:13  

#2  "B"BC "News" "reports" key "Iraqi" leader of al-Qaeda "Figure" "dead"
Posted by: Perfesser   2008-06-27 10:37  

#1  It was the only way to take the sting out of the good news. Just picture it: BBC reports Key Iraqi al-Qaeda figure dead. Now say it with the quotes. Doesn't sound as horrible that way.
Posted by: gromky   2008-06-27 10:31  

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