Iraq says detains No 2 in Iraqi al Qaeda

BAGHDAD, Sep 3 (Reuters) The second most senior figure in al Qaeda in Iraq was arrested a few days ago, National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie told a news conference today.

He named the man as Hamed Juma Faris al-Suaidi, also known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, and said he was the deputy to Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who took over the Sunni Islamist insurgent group after US troops killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June.

REUTERS LL BST1458