Iraq captures Al Qaeda suspect in Baghdad’s UN building bombing

BAGHDAD - Iraqi forces captured a senior leader of Al Qaeda who was responsible for a 2003 bombing of the United Nations’ headquarters in Iraq, Baghdad security spokesman Qassim Atta said Saturday.

Atta said that Ali Hussein al-Azawi, known as Abu Imad, was a top leader in the Al Qaeda linked the Islamic State in Iraq group, the Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

The 2003 attack left 22 people killed, including UN special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Before the US-led invasion in Iraq, al-Azawi was a pilot for Iraqi airways.

Atta showed footage featuring other Al Qaeda members, including Mohammed Abdallah Nasser, a Saudi, stating the operations al-Azawi was responsible for.