President Bush said Thursday that the death of al-Qaida leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq is "a severe blow" to the al-Qaida terrorist network and a decisive victory in the U.S.-led war against terrorism.

President Bush speaks about the death of al-Qaida in Iraq's leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Thursday, June 8, 2006, in the Rose Garden at the White House. [AP]

"Now Zarqawi has met his end, and this violent man will never murder again," Bush said in the Rose Garden.

Al-Zarqawi was considered the most dangerous terror plotter and foreign fighter in Iraq, coordinating a loose coalition of militants numbering at least in the hundreds. Osama bin Laden called him the "emir," or prince, of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Al-Zarqawi's death is an encouraging sign for the administration's war in Iraq. The U.S. has not seen the elimination of such an iconic figure since former President Saddam Hussein was found in an underground bunker in late 2003.

"It's great, good news. ... This is a significant hit," said Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn, noted "a significant day in the formation of the government of Iraq."

The U.S. government was offering up to $25 million for information leading to al-Zarqawi's killing or capture, putting him on a par with Saddam, bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri.

It wasn't clear to American authorities who would succeed al-Zarqawi as the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. A defense intelligence official noted that a number of al-Zarqawi's deputies have been taken out in recent months, which could cause chaos among the group's top tier. The official requested anonymity because events were still unfolding.

This official also said there could be retaliation in the United States or elsewhere in the world following al-Zarqawi's death, but cautioned there was no intelligence indicating such an attack was planned.

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