Slain al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been buried in a "secret location" in Baghdad, Iraq's national security adviser said on Sunday. According to the AP, Mouwafak al-Rubaie did not say when the Jordanian-born, who was killed June 7 in a U.S. airstrike northeast of Baghdad, was buried or give any specifics on the location of the grave. The U.S. military confirmed the burial.
"The remains of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi were turned over to the appropriate government of Iraq officials and buried in accordance with Muslim customs and traditions," the military said in a statement. "Anything further than that would be addressed by the Iraqi government."
Al-Zarqawi's family had called for his body to be returned to Jordan for burial, but the Jordanian authorities had refused.
Over the weekend, al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden called on President Bush in an audiotape to release the body of al-Zarqawi and said Jordan should allow the slain leader to be buried in his homeland. In another message, he endorsed the new leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Bin Laden gave his support to Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. ''I pray to God to make him the best successor to the best predecessor,'' bin Laden said.
