7.62mm justice

An Al-Qaida in Iraq leader suspected of executing a Russian official and orchestrating a recent wave of bombings in Baghdad has been killed by U.S. forces in a shootout, the U.S. command said Saturday.

Mahir Ahmad Mahmud al-Zubaydiand his wife were killed Friday when U.S. troops surrounded a building in an attempt to capture him in Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood. Al-Zubaydi, also known as Abu Assad and Abu Rami, was a leader in the insurgency behind nearly simultaneous bombings at two Shiite mosques Thursday that killed at least 24 people and wounded dozens.

The death of Zubaydi "will send shock waves through Baghdad's terrorist bombing networks," U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll said. The military described Al-Zubaydi as responsible for "all terrorist operations" in eastern Baghdad.

Are there even any virgins left in Paradise for al-Zubaydi?

More via Operation Iraqi Freedom

"Sadly, here again is a case where AQI has put innocent lives in danger in order to protect themselves and shield their terrorist efforts," said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman.

Coalition forces evacuated several children from the building before performing a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance inside the residence. When the house caught fire after the detonation, forces called for assistance from the local fire department, and as a safety precaution, began evacuating surrounding buildings.

Al Qaeda has failed epically in Iraq, and is barely able to recruit. Obama would like to throw that away and hand the country back to AQ and Iran. Leadership!