(2006-01-30) — Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, today expressed his regrets to ABC News for the injuries sustained by anchor Bob Woodruff and a videographer in what Mr. Zarqawi called, “this tragic incident of friendly fire.”

“The American news media has always treated us well,” the al Qaeda leader said in a printed statement. “We were trying to kill U.S. and Iraqi soldiers when this unfortunate accident occurred. We pray to Allah for the swift recovery of the injured, and hope they can be back on the job soon.”

A spokesman for ABC News said a preliminary investigation showed that the improvised explosive device (IED) which wounded Mr. Woodruff and his colleague Doug Vogt, was triggered by “an imperialist occupation of Iraq after the U.S. overthrew the nation’s duly-elected president, yet failed to find weapons of mass destruction.”

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