The State Department said in a statement that US Secretary of State Colin Powell authorised the increase. "Zarqawi has had a long-standing connection to the senior leadership" of al-Qaeda, the statement said.

Iraqi police said this week they were holding a man who resembled the Islamic militant but the US military denied he was Zarqawi. Coalition forces blame Zarqawi for at least 25 attacks in Iraq but US officials say it is hard to know his precise responsibility for attacks he is accused of carrying out.

http://theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/01/1088488092859.html