Zarqawi died of lung injuries hour after raid

BAGHDAD: Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi died of serious damage to the lungs caused by the shockwaves from a US air strike on his hideout last week, the US military said on Monday.

The military, which also said DNA analysis confirmed the identity of the corpse as Zarqawi's, revealed he died nearly one hour after coalition forces dropped two 500-pound bombs on his safe house north of Baghdad last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda in Iraq appointed a little-known militant named Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Muhajer to succeed the Jordanian-born Zarqawi, in an Internet message posted Monday whose authenticity could not be verified.

"Sheikh Abu Hamza is a pious brother with a jihadi track record and a solid scholarly background. We ask God to bless him and to help him finish what Sheikh Abu Musab has started," the statement added.

His nationality was not given but the word "muhajer" means immigrant in Arabic, suggesting he is also a non-Iraqi.

US military doctor Colonel Steve Jones told reporters in Baghdad: "The cause of death was close space primary blast injury of the lung. Blast waves from the two bombs caused tearing, bruising of the lungs and bleeding ... This wound was not immediately fatal. Death occurred as lung function deteriorated and the lungs became progressively unable to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream."

Jones brushed aside reports that Zarqawi was beaten to death after coalition forces found him alive after the air strike.

"He died of blast injuries and there was no evidence of beating. The injuries to his lungs were not survivable. That is what killed him as there were no firearm injuries visible on his body," Jones said.

Coalition spokesman Major General William Caldwell also gave further details on the timing of Zarqawi's death and revealed that DNA analysis conducted by doctors from outside Iraq had confirmed the identity of his corpse.

"We have the DNA results of Zarqawi and it matches positive," he said.

He said a coalition medic tended to Zarqawi after the air strike, securing his air way and ensuring the militant was breathing as "he lapsed in and out of consciousness".

The medic noticed that his breathing was shallow and pulse weak and concluded that Zarqawi's death was imminent, the spokesman said.

"At 7:04 pm on 7 June (the coalition medic on duty) realised that Zarqawi was dead. This is approximately 24 minutes after the coalition forces arrived or approximately 52 minutes after the first strike on the safe house," he said.

He said that the findings of the autopsy confirmed the initial conclusion that Zarqawi was in an enclosed room at the time of the air strikes.

Meanwhile, a doctor who carried out the autopsy told the news conference from the United States that Zarqawi appeared to be healthy and in fit condition but was on the "heavy side".

He said the autopsies on Zarqawi and his spiritual advisor Sheikh Abdel Rahman, who was also killed in the strike along with four others, lasted for "two-and-half to three hours each."

Caldwell said he believed that Zarqawi was dressed in a "black outfit at the time of the air strike and there was nothing to suggest that we was wearing a suicide belt at that time."    He said his and Abdel Rahman's remains were "being treated with utmost dignity and respect. He (Zarqawi) was treated better in death than he did (others) in life," said Caldwell.

The doctor said the wounds of the two men suggested that Abdel Rahman "was close to the detonation of the bombs. I believe (Abdel) Rahman was hit against a wall as there were severe head injuries. He was more exposed to blast waves than Zarqawi."

Caldwell said the military was "still in dicussion with the Iraqi government as to final disposition of the remains. They are still under the coalition forces control."