A Soldiers Blog

Nut 'dies in Iraq battle'
By MARTYN SHARPE

A MARTIAL arts instructor with a pregnant wife and baby son in Sheffield is thought to have been killed trying to blow up US troops in Iraq.

Black belt Wail al Dhaleai left his family in the South Yorkshire city five weeks ago, telling friends he had landed a job teaching Tae Kwon Do in Dubai.

The 22-year-old, who came to Britain from Yemen seeking political asylum and married a British woman, allegedly died attacking Americans earlier this month.

Islamic fighters are said to have phoned his parents in Yemen with the news.

Yesterday his martial arts pals back in Sheffield were stunned.

Fellow instructor Andy Hill said: “It’s incredible, he was so friendly — the last man you’d think was involved with fanatics.”

Andy, 43, added: “He was a very good teacher — all the youngsters used to get on well with him.

“His religion was very important. We once took him to a pub, but he said he couldn’t go in because he couldn’t drink.

“His wife is a Sheffield girl and she converted to his religion after they married two years ago.”

Sources believe a number of men have been recruited in Britain to attack coalition forces.

American troops in Iraq yesterday continued their offensive against terror groups.

They shelled enemy positions near Saddam’s home town of Tikrit and destroyed extremists’ homes, killing six.

Two US soldiers were killed and two wounded in attacks near the town of Balad, near Baghdad.
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