abcNEWS  &nabsp; September 3, 2006
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No. 2 in al-Qaida Leader in Iraq Caught

Iraqi and Coalition Forces Arrest Second Most Senior Leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Official SaysBy ELENA BECATOROS

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BAGHDAD, Iraq Sep 3, 2006 (AP)- Iraqi and coalition forces have arrested the second most senior figure in al-Qaida in Iraq, Iraq's national security adviser announced on Sunday, saying the group now suffered from a "serious leadership crisis."

Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, was captured north of Baghdad a few days ago "along with another group of his aides and followers," Mouwafak al-Rubaie said.

He was the second most important al-Qaida in Iraq leader after Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who took over the group after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed by a U.S. air strike north of Baghdad on June 7, al-Rubaie said.