Al-Qaeda in Iraq said media reports that its leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi was killed by US forces were a "lie", according to an Internet statement posted today.
"The media has lately circulated this news that was announced by the Crusaders (US) about the death of the leader of the group in an armed confrontation ... which was an additional lie," the group said on a Web site statement.
A US official said on Sunday US authorities were looking into whether al-Zarqawi was killed during fighting in northern Iraq but a White House spokesman later said that was "highly unlikely".