Iraqi Officials Perform DNA Tests to Determine If Slain Terrorist is Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Several Al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists were killed in a recent raid in western Anbar province but it is "highly unlikely" the group's leader, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was among the dead, a U.S. military spokesman said Thursday.

U.S. forces initially "thought there was a possibility al-Masri was among them," Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said. But he and an Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said it did not appear the terror chief — one of Iraq's most wanted men — was killed.

"We have no reason to believe that we've killed al-Masri," Johnson told the Associated Press.

"We are doing DNA testing to completely eliminate the possibility that this would be al-Masri, but we do not believe it is."

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