Abu Al-Masri Reported Dead

(Baghdad) Unconfirmed breaking news! The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, is dead.

From an Interior Ministry spokesman:

"We received intelligence reports of al-Masri getting killed in clashes between al-Qaeda in Iraq and other militant groups, at dawn today, in al-Niba'ie in Taji, north of Baghdad," Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said.

According to Khalaf, the reports are based on "very strong intelligence," but he added al-Masri's body has not been seen and stressed that the reported battle was an internal fight between rival militant groups -- no Iraqi troops were involved.

The Egyptian who is also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, assumed the leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq after Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in June. Al-Masri has a $5 million bounty on his head.

Unfortunately, bogus reports regularly surface regarding the demise of al-Qaeda leaders so, keep your fingers crossed. Al-Masri is among that evil group of murdering thugs who should be awarded 72 virgins as quickly as possible.

More later ...