Alleged leader of al-Qaida terrorist group arrested in Phoenix for murder of Iraqi police officers

An Iraqi man who is alleged to have been the leader of a group of Al-Qaida terrorists has been arrested in Phoenix, according to federal officials.

Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, a 42-year-old Phoenix resident, is wanted to stand trial in Iraq on charges of the premeditated murder of two Iraqi police officers, according to a statement by Michael Bailey, the U.S. Attorney for Arizona, and Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Ahmed served as the leader of a group of al-Qaida terrorists in Al-Fallujah, Iraq, according to information provided by the Iraq government in support of an extradition request, the statement said.

The al-Qaida group planned operations targeting Iraqi police, the statement said.

Ahmed and other members of the al-Qaida group are accused of shooting and killing two members of the Fallujah Police Directorate, including a first lieutenant on about June 1, 2006, and a police officer on or about Oct. 3, 2006, the statement said.

An Iraqi judge issued a warrant for Ahmed’s arrest. As a result, the Iraq government requested his extradition from the U.S. The Justice Department subsequently filed a complaint in Phoenix seeking a warrant for Ahmed’s arrest based on the extradition request, the statement said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Z. Boyle issued a warrant on Aug. 29, the statement said. Ahmed was then arrested on Thursday by the Phoenix field offices of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The statement noted the details in the Iraqi complaint were allegations that had yet to been proven in court.

Al-Nouri’s extradition would have to be certified by the U.S. court and the U.S. Secretary of State would then decide whether to surrender him to Iraq, the statement said.

It was not immediately possible to contact Al-Nouri for comment or determine whether he had hired a lawyer.

The statement did not provide information on when Al-Nouri entered the United States, whether or not he did so legally, or how long he had lived in Phoenix.

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