GAZA/ BAGHDAD: Hamas’ deep grief and mourning for the Jordanian-born terrorist – whose hands were dipped in the blood of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis - as a “martyr of the (Muslim Arab) nation”, has sent a wave of severe anger and fury in Iraqi people.

Hamas, which never expressed grief on the martyrdom of any Iraqi at the hands of terrorists, today deplored the killing by US warplanes of the terror network al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab Az-Zarqawi, describing him as a casualty of a crusade against Arabs and Muslims.

In a statement faxed to Reuters after Zarqawi was killed in the air strike north of Baghdad on Wednesday, Hamas said it mourned the Jordanian-born terrorist as a "martyr of the (Muslim Arab) nation."

"With hearts full of faith, Hamas commends brother-fighter Abu Musab ... who was martyred at the hands of the savage crusade campaign which targets the Arab homeland, starting in Iraq," the statement said.

He has been described as a thief, a drunk, a poor student, a rapist, a bully.

"There is a bad seed in him," said Abu Muhammad, who recalled seeing Az-Zarqawi walking the streets near his shop many years ago in Zarqa. "I can't imagine a person liking him or admiring him. He's just like that terrorist [Osama] bin Laden."

Other interviews in Cairo, Egypt, and in Amman found many who were pleased by Zarqawi's killing. "He was a terrorist and it's good he died," said Mohamed Hashem, 28, a Cairo salesman. "Islam doesn't call for terrorism."

"May he burn in hell," said Samah Fareed, 32, a bank supervisor in Cairo.