Iraq mistakenly freed terror kingpin Zarqawi

The deputy interior minister, Hussein Kamal, said the Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq was in custody sometime last year, but he wouldn't provide further details, CNN reported.

The report could not be confirmed, but a US official said in Washington that American intelligence believed it was plausible. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in compliance with office policy.

There have been several reports of missed opportunities to capture al-Zarqawi, including an April 28 raid by US forces acting on a tip from local informants that militants reportedly including the terror leader were hiding in a hospital in Ramadi.