Iraqi leaders say Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is wounded

A poster warning Iraqis from Zarqawi

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraq”s most lethal insurgent group appears to be facing a leadership crisis amid conflicting reports about the fate of its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and whether a Saudi militant has been named to stand in for him.

Iraq”s interior and defense ministers said Thursday they have information that al-Zarqawi has been wounded – apparent confirmation of recent rumors that the Jordanian-born terrorist leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was injured. But the officials said they did not know how severe the injury might be.

Meanwhile, a host of sometimes-dueling statements posted by militants on Web sites made it clear there could be confusion within the group itself – or perhaps even a leadership struggle – over al-Zarqawi”s status.

None of the statements could be independently verified, but many of them were posted on a Web site known as a clearinghouse for al-Zarqawi, thus increasing their chances of being credible.

The first Internet statement, on Tuesday, claimed that al-Zarqawi had been wounded and asked Muslims to pray for him.

A second, on Thursday, signed in the name of Abu Doujanah al-Tunisi of the media committee of al-Qaida in Iraq – an unfamiliar name from past statements – said an interim leader had been appointed to stand in for al-Zarqawi because of his injury.

The statement said the new leader would be Abu Hafs al-Gerni, &#34deputy of the holy warriors.&#34

Then a third Web posting, later Thursday, disputed the claim that a deputy had been appointed. That statement was posted in the name of the person who usually handles the group”s Web site claims, Abu Maysara al-Iraqi.

The authenticity of none of the statements could be verified.

But the back-and-forth on the same Web site, known as a clearinghouse of Islamic militant material, could be a sign of confusion or even political competition within al-Qaida of Iraq.

It follows speculation about al-Zarqawi that has been unusual in size and scope.

On Thursday, Interior Minister Bayan Jabr said during a news conference: &#34We are not sure whether he is dead or not but we are sure that he is injured.&#34

Iraqi Defense Minister Saadoun al-Duleimi also said al-Zarqawi had been wounded. When asked how he knew, he said: &#34It is my job.&#34

Al Hayat, a respected pan-Arab newspaper, reported Thursday that several candidates were jockeying to succeed al-Zarqawi, none of whom it identified as al-Gerni. But one candidate the paper did name was Abu Maysara al-Iraqi – the man who issued Thursday”s denial that a deputy had been appointed.

Al Hayat quoted multiple unidentified sources, saying that sources in Jordan close to al-Zarqawi, including a former Iraqi officer, told the newspaper that Abu Maysara al-Iraqi and Abu al-Dardaa al-Iraqi, an al-Qaida operative in Baghdad, were two potential successors.

Thursday”s first statement said al-Gerni &#34was known for carrying out the hardest operations, and our sheik would choose him and his group for the tough operations.&#34

Middle East experts on Islamic militants told The Associated Press that al-Gerni is a Saudi who has been al-Zarqawi”s military adviser and is the emir, or prince – as senior commanders are called – of the military committee of al-Qaida in Iraq.

The two experts spoke on condition they not be further identified.

An aide to Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, head of Iraq”s largest political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, said al-Gerni was a non-Iraqi and a key lieutenant to al-Zarqawi.

&#34We are not sure 100 percent that al-Zarqawi is dead, and we can”t consider this step as a confirmation for his killing,&#34 said Haitham al-Hussaini, director of al-Hakim”s office.

&#34According to our intelligence, this al-Gerni is well known to us as one of al-Zarqawi”s top aides in Iraq who has an Arab nationality,&#34 al-Hussaini said without elaborating on which country al-Gerni came from.

Abumusab Al-Zarqawi in a previous interview (AFP)

A child inspects a wreckage in car bomb in Iraq