Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

The Tawhid and Jihad movement of terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has declared itself a part of al-Qaeda, according to a statement found Sunday on an Islamist Web site.

The statement said al-Zarqawi had been in contact with Osama bin Laden eight months ago and "viewpoints were exchanged" before the dialogue was interrupted. It said the links were renewed recently. "God has soon blessed us with a resumption in communication, and the dignified brothers in al-Qaeda understood the strategy of Tawhid and Jihad," the statement said.

It announced the "allegiance of Tawhid and Jihad's leadership and soldiers to the chief of all fighters, Osama bin Laden," declaring that it would follow his orders without question. "You are the best leader for Islam's armies against all infidels and apostates," said the statement by the group, whose name means "Monotheism and Holy War" in Arabic. The Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi is suspected of about a dozen high-profile attacks in Iraq, including last year's bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, and the beheading of several foreign hostages. He and a dozen others were indicted Sunday in Jordan for plotting to attack U.S. and Jordanian interests.

Al-Zarqawi's relationship to bin Laden and the al-Qaeda leadership had been the subject of considerable speculation. Some experts believed al-Zarqawi considered himself a rival to bin Laden.

U.S. officials said they intercepted a letter in January from al-Zarqawi to the al-Qaeda leadership in which the Jordanian terrorist complained that his fighters were under strong pressure from U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. In the letter, which was released by the Americans, al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for about 25 attacks in Iraq. Since then the number of attacks claimed by or attributed to al-Zarqawi has risen sharply. In announcing its allegiance to al-Qaeda, Tawhid and Jihad, which means "Monotheism and Holy War" in Arabic, declared that it would follow bin Laden's orders without question. "You are the best leader for Islam's armies against all infidels and apostates," the statement added. The statement appeared on a Web site often used as a clearinghouse for statements by militant groups, including Tawhid and Jihad.

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