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'''Abu Musab al-Zarqawi''' (Arabic: أبو مصعب الزرقاوي; b. 1966, d. June 7, 2006) was the Jordanian-born Islamic insurgent head of al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Group of Monotheism and Jihad,) which later became [[al-Qaeda]] in Iraq and ultimately the [[Islamic State]]. A notorious figure associated with [[Osama bin Laden]], he was known for high-profile bombings such as those of the UN office in [[Bagdad]] and [[Shiite]] Mosques and for bloody assassinations, beheadings of foreign hostages, and mayhem that was intended to drive [[Iraq]] into [[civil war]].

'''Abu Musab al-Zarqawi''' (Arabic: أبو مصعب الزرقاوي; b. 1966, d. June 7, 2006) was the [[Arab]] [[Jordan]]ian-born [[Islam]]ic insurgent head of al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Group of Monotheism and Jihad,) which later became [[al-Qaeda]] in Iraq and ultimately the [[Islamic State]]. A notorious figure associated with [[Osama bin Laden]], he was known for high-profile bombings such as those of the UN office in [[Bagdad]] and [[Shiite]] Mosques and for bloody assassinations, beheadings of foreign hostages, and mayhem that was intended to drive [[Iraq]] into [[civil war]].

[[File:Abu Musab al-Zarqawi portrait.jpg|thumb|al-Zarqawi in May 2004]]

[[File:Abu Musab al-Zarqawi portrait.jpg|thumb|al-Zarqawi in May 2004]]

Zarqawi first arrived in Afghanistan in 1989, after the Soviet withdrawal of forces. He worked as a correspondent for a radical Islamist journal.  He anticipated taking part in the victorious fall of Kabul and erection of the first Sunni-Islamic state in modern times, however jihadists immediately began fighting among themselves. Kabul was not fall for another three years.

Zarqawi first arrived in Afghanistan in 1989, after the Soviet withdrawal of forces. He worked as a correspondent for a radical Islamist journal.  He anticipated taking part in the victorious fall of Kabul and erection of the first Sunni-Islamic state in modern times, however jihadists immediately began fighting among themselves. Kabul was not fall for another three years.

Meantime Zarqawi took residence in Pakistan and befriended many Jordanian jihadists, and began organizing to overthrow the [[Heshemite dynasty]] of Jordan.<ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27304#.VANcMfBX-uY]</ref>

Meantime Zarqawi took residence in Pakistan and befriended many Jordanian jihadists, and began organizing to overthrow the [[Heshemite dynasty]] of Jordan.<ef>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220613091827/https://jamestown.org/program/abu-musab-al-zarqawi-a-biographical-sketch-2/ Abu Musab Al-zarqawi: A Biographical Sketch].

Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 2 Issue: 24 By: Gary Gambill. December 16, 2004.</ref>

==Return to the Middle East==

==Return to the Middle East==

He spent seven years in prison in Jordan for conspiring to overthrow the monarchy and establish an Islamic caliphate. Osama bin Laden invited Zarqawi to join al Qaeda in 2000, but Zarqawi refused having differing views on the basic strategy for global jihad. Bin Laden wanted to first focus on defeating the United States, then destroy Israel and the House of Sa'ud, and finally establish the [[Caliphate]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050329101123/https://abcnews.go.com/International/print?id=610353 The New Head of Jihad Inc.?].

He spent seven years in prison in Jordan for conspiring to overthrow the monarchy and establish an Islamic caliphate. Osama bin Laden invited Zarqawi to join al Qaeda in 2000, but Zarqawi refused having differing views on the basic strategy for global jihad. Bin Laden wanted to first focus on defeating the United States, then destroy Israel and the House of Sa'ud, and finally establish the [[Caliphate]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050329101123/https://abcnews.go.com/International/print?id=610353 The New Head of Jihad Inc.?].

Intelligence Officials Say Jordanian Terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi May Be Emerging as Osama Bin Laden Successor

Intelligence Officials Say Jordanian Terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi May Be Emerging as Osama Bin Laden Successor

By Alexis Debat. ABC News, Mar. 28, 2005 </ref> Zarqawi, following the strategy mapped out by Abu Musab al-Suri, a veteran of the 1982 Syrian uprising, wanted to carve out an Islamic State in the heart of the Middle East, declare a Caliphate, and invite jihadis from all over the world to unite Muslims and war against non-believers.

By Alexis Debat. ABC News, Mar. 28, 2005 </ref> Zarqawi, following the strategy mapped out by Abu Musab al-Suri, a veteran of the 1982 Syrian uprising, wanted to carve out an Islamic State in the heart of the Middle East, declare a Caliphate, and invite jihadis from all over the world to unite Muslims and war against non-believers (''infidels").

Jordan had asked Iraq to extradite al-Zarqawi following the murder of the U.S. diplomat Lawrence Foley, executive officer of USAid, but [[Saddam Hussein]]'s regime ignored the request. Zarqawi was in Iraq at the end of 2002 and was given shelter by the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam which operated from northern Iraq<ref>http://www.gloria-center.org/meria/articles/2006/march/karmon/1.pdf</ref> where he established a chemical weapons lab. He was tried ''in absentia'' for murder in Jordan and given the death penalty.

Jordan had asked Iraq to extradite al-Zarqawi following the murder of the U.S. diplomat Lawrence Foley, executive officer of USAid, but [[Saddam Hussein]]'s regime ignored the request. Zarqawi was in Iraq at the end of 2002 and was given shelter by the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam which operated from northern Iraq<ref>http://www.gloria-center.org/meria/articles/2006/march/karmon/1.pdf</ref> where he established a chemical weapons lab. He was tried ''in absentia'' for murder in Jordan and given the death penalty.