Iraqi officials: al-Qaida leader in Mosul arrested
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Iraq's Interior Ministry says police have arrested the top al-Qaida in Iraq figure in the northern city of Mosul, scene of an intensified crackdown on the terror network.
Maj. Gen. Ahmed Taha says Abdul-Khaliq al-Sabawi, the al-Qaida "wali" of Mosul, was arrested Monday in Salahuddin province, which neighbors Mosul's Nineveh province to the south.
"Wali" is an Arabic word meaning "governor" and is used by al-Qaida in Iraq to refer to its regional leaders.
US-backed Iraqi security forces have been carrying out a major sweep of Mosul and nearby regions to root out al-Qaida in Iraq fighters.