Iraq PM presents nominees for key security jobs

BAGHDAD, June 8 (Reuters) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki, shortly after announcing the death of al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, today presented his nominees for defence and interior ministers to parliament.

He proposed Jawad al-Bolani, a Shi'ite, as interior minister and General Abdel Qader Jassim, a Sunni and until now Iraqi ground forces commander, as defence minister.

The two key security jobs were left temporarily vacant when Maliki's government of national unity took office on May 20 because of intense wrangling among his coalition partners.

Parliament, dominated by government parties, was later today expected to approve the new ministers.

Maliki -- who has pledged to crush a Sunni Arab insurgency against the US-backed government -- earlier announced that Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had been killed.

REUTERS KD VV1435