Washington: A top al-Qaeda operative, a Pakistani veteran, has been captured while organizing terrorist operations in Iraq, and a top deputy to another al-Qaeda linked figure was seized in a separate action a week earlier, US (United States) officials have disclosed.

"These are significant developments," a US official said yesterday (Jan 23, 2004), who asked not to be identified. "Both of them point to stepped up efforts on al-Qaeda's part and other Islamic extremists to launch terrorist attacks in Iraq," he said.

Hasan Guhl, a Pakistani veteran of al-Qaeda operations, was captured Thursday (Jan 222, 2004) in Iraq where was believed to be scooping out the turf for organising al-Qaeda operations in the country and working with likeminded Islamic extremists.

"He is a very significant player," the official said. "He's a long time facilitator of al-Qaeda operations in terms of moving both people and money. He has an extensive network of contacts all over the world."

Guhl was believed to have worked in the past with captured al-Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and had connections to people involved in the bombings of US embassies in East Africa.

In another major break, US forces captured Husan al-Yemeni, the leader of an Ansar al Islam cell in the flashpoint town of Fallujah, on January 15, said another US official, who also asked not to be identified.

"He is the most senior Ansar al Islam person that's been caught to date," said the official.