Baghdad, June 05: The head of Iraq's al-Quds Army, set up by Saddam Hussein to free Palestinian territories from Israel, is in the custody of coalition forces, US Central Command said today. "Ayad Futayyih Khalifa al-Rawi, number 30 on the US Central Command 'Iraqi top 55' list (of most wanted Iraqis) is in custody," said a Centcom statement. He was Chief of Staff of the al Quds Army which the old regime's propaganda machine claimed had seven million trained volunteers, but never carried out threats to move on Israel. The rebel Army was said to be waiting for Arab states bordering Israel to open their frontiers.
The Centcom statement gave no details about how al-Rawi came to be in custody.
More than half the Iraqis listed as most wanted have been captured or surrendered to coalition forces since the fall of Saddam's regime on April 9, but the whereabouts of Saddam and his two sons Uday and Qussay remain a mystery.
Bureau Report