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Terror Leader Escaped Custody Several Times

Iraqi security forces caught the most wanted man in the country last year, but released him because they didn`t know who he was, the Iraqi deputy minister of interior Hussain Kamal said last week. Kamal confirmed that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda in Iraq leader who has a $25 million bounty on his head, was in custody at some point last year, but he wouldn`t provide further details.

Thursday`s news tops a list of reports of missed opportunities to capture the 39-year-old terrorist mastermind. An official said the military receives frequent reports of al-Zarqawi sightings, all of which are investigated. In April, U.S. troops stormed a hospital in Ramadi based on credible intelligence that terrorists were hiding there, but no suspects were found.

The Jordanian-born terrorist was almost captured in February, too, after troops received a tip that he was heading to a meeting in Ramadi, said Pentagon officials speaking on condition of anonymity. His vehicle under surveillance by an unmanned Predator spy plane, troops set up checkpoints along his route. Bu as al-Zarqawi`s truck approached one of the checkpoints, the vehicle abruptly turned around. He was chased for several miles, but when troops finally ran his vehicle down, the terrorist had escaped.