BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Conflicting reports emerged Thursday from Iraqi officials about whether they knew insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had been wounded.

 

"We are not quite sure if he is alive or dead," said Interior Minister Baqir Jabbur, citing information on al-Zarqawi's injuries the government received several days ago.

 

But Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari later said the government didn't have anything accurate on al-Zarqawi's status.

 

Al-Zarqawi, the most-wanted man in Iraq, is blamed for bombings and kidnappings throughout the country. The United States is offering a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture.

 

CNN's Jane Arraf asked Jabbur after a Baghdad news conference whether he believed al-Zarqawi had been wounded. "He said, 'Yes, it is true he has been wounded,' " Arraf said.

 

Several Islamist Web sites reported this week that al-Zarqawi had been wounded, asking supporters to offer prayers for the militant.

 

In an analysis of one posting, Octavia Nasr, CNN's senior editor for Arab affairs, said the author "doesn't go into the seriousness of the injuries."

 

"If indeed there is an injury, the injury is serious enough for the group to be inclined to announce it publicly so that in case of death, it won't be a total shock," Nasr said earlier this week.

 

The message "could be just a prelude to announcing something even more serious," she said. (Full story)

 

Last year al-Zarqawi pledged his allegiance to Osama bin Laden, who later praised the insurgent's work against American troops in Iraq.

 

At the Pentagon, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham said Thursday that he cannot corroborate reports about the insurgent leader's possible injuries and sought to downplay such a development.

 

"While al-Zarqawi is an important character, his organization is bigger than just one guy," Ham said. "His demise, whether he is captured, which would be preferable, or if he is killed or wounded, that would not cause al Qaeda in Iraq to cease to function."

 

My fingers are crossed...

 

:whistle

I would be a very happy man to find out this bastard is dead.

Reports are saying that he's injured, and may have left the country. There have been rumors that he has been moving back and forth across the Iraqi border with Syria to meet with Al Qaeda officials.

 

Hopefully he's dead.

My bulls*** detector is wary, but I want this to be true.

Confirmed wounded by Iraq: http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story....awi&floc=NW_1-T

confirmed by Iraqi authorities...I'd save your champagne until more reliable sources come forth.

Even if hostilities will continue, it will be beenficial for the face of iraqi terrorism to croak

Someone else will replace him, but its still a postive development.

Someone else will replace him, but its still a postive development.

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Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Terrorists probably sit around for a day or two and then some new lunatic will lead the them.

Someone else will replace him, but its still a postive development.

785934[/snapback]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Terrorists probably sit around for a day or two and then some new lunatic will lead the them.

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I'm not sure that's as easy as we might think. There could be a power struggle first off which could disorganize things further. But still, we are all operating on the fact that the new Iraqi regime released correct information. This could be a ploy by either sides really.