US arrests Arizona man over alleged ties to Al-Qaeda in Iraq

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States has arrested a man on allegations that he was the leader of a group of Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq, which has requested his extradition.

Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, a 42 year-old resident of Phoenix in the southwestern state of Arizona, appeared before a federal judge on Friday and is wanted in Iraq on premeditated murder charges over the death of two policemen in Fallujah in June and October 2006.

"The Government of Iraq subsequently requested Ahmed's extradition from the United States" after a warrant was issued by an Iraqi judge, the US Department of Justice said in a statement released Friday.

Ahmed, who was arrested on Thursday, was allegedly the leader of a group of Al-Qaeda militants in Fallujah that targeted Iraqi police.

The Justice Department statement gave no further details about how long the man had been living in the US or his visa status.

A final decision on any extradition would be made by the US Secretary of State.