Experts disagree on what the impact will be

Dubai: The killing of Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, the most wanted Al Qaida operative in Iraq, in an American air raid on his house on Wednesday is not expected to eliminate his group, which has claimed responsibility for scores of bloody attacks against Iraqi and coalition targets, said analysts.

Many added that the killing, on the contrary, might spark another spate of deadly attacks in the war-torn country.

"Undoubtedly, this [killing] is a major strike against the group," said Mustafa Alani, a prominent expert from the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai.

"However, it is wrong to assume that this is the end of his group," he told Gulf News.

Other analysts expressed similar sentiments. They also believe that Zarqawi's role was blown out of proportion.

"I believe that the position of importance of the group was over-exaggerated. Even some American studies pointed out that Zarqawi's role was inflated," said Sa'ad Abu Dayeh, a Jordanian political science professor.

Meanwhile, many ordinary people in the region agreed that Zarqawi was just an "American-made dummy" after the US troops started facing strong opposition and deadly attacks in Iraq after the overthrown of Saddam Hussain's regime in 2003.

Yet, there is no doubt, noted analysts, that Zarqawi was a "central figure' and "one of the field and ideological leaders of the group."

Washington had put a bounty of $25 million (Dh91.75 million) on his head.

His killing, "is a great moral victory for the US administration. Zarqawi was the person who replaced Bin Laden in terms of importance lately," said Alani, "But how this would be reflected on the group, we don't know".

"Maybe the replacement would be less qualified than the previous leadership ... But the group will continue to exist," he added.

At the same time, analysts note that the only way to defuse the explosive situation in Iraq is by putting together a timetable for the coalition forces to withdraw and to show more respect for human rights in the country.

"The Iraqis are people of good memory," said Abu Dayeh, describing them as the grandchildren of the ancient Babylonian king Hammurabi, who developed what is known as Hammurabi's code.

The expression "an eye for an eye", which has come to symbolise the principle behind Hammurabi's code was carved on rocks in the region.

On the other hand many experts say Zarqawi's killing was not only expected, but will also spark a new wave of violence in Iraq.

"Only a fool wouldn't expect the martyrdom, and I insist on using the word of martyrdom, of Zarqawi," said Ziad Abu Ghaneimah, a writer and researcher on Islamic movements.

Abu Ghaneimah is a former spokesperson for the muslim brotherhood in Jordan.

He described both the US Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalil Zad, and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair as "criminals" in his indirect criticism of the way Zarqawi's killing was announced to the world.

"This will enlist thousands of muslim youths for the Jihad's cause," he predicted.