BAGHDAD, Jan. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The Iraqi interim government on Monday announced the capture of two aides of Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose group has claimed a series of deadly attacks in the war-torn country.

   One of the captured was said to be plotting attacks on the Jan. 30 election day and involved in the 2003 bombing of the United Nations Baghdad headquarters.

   "Iraqi security forces arrested on Jan. 15 Sami Mohammad Said al-Jaf, also known as Abu Omar al-Kurdi, who was one of Zarqawi's aides," the government said in a statement.

   "Abu Omar al-Kurdi was responsible for 32 attacks including the car bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad in August 2003, which killed more than 20 people including the UN representative in Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello," the statement added.

   The government also confirmed that Kurdi was planning to attack polling stations in Baghdad on the upcoming election day.

   The statement said the Iraqi security forces on Jan. 14 arrested a second man who was identified as Hassan Hamad Abdullah Mohsen al-Duleimi, who was in charge of the "propaganda" of Zarqawi's group. Enditem