Meet Abu Abed: the US's new ally against al-Qaida With summary beatings and imprisonments, he has the methods of a mafia don. But he and others like h

Meet Abu Abed: the US's new ally against al-Qaida With summary beatings and imprisonments, he has the methods of a mafia don. But he and others like him are crucial to American strategy : "On a recent Friday morning in west Baghdad, 20 of Hajji Abu Abed's men were shifting their feet nervously in the dusty yard outside his house as they waited for their leader to emerge. The men, young and well armed with Kalashnikovs, pistols and hand grenades, were wearing the favoured dress for militiamen in Iraq these days: green camouflage commando uniforms decorated with bits of US army kit - a pouch on one man, webbing on another, a cap here, sunglasses there, a few flak jackets between them. Some bore the insignia of Iraqi army officers. Around noon, a fighter came running from the large house across the street and shouted: 'The Hajji is coming!' A pick-up truck came speeding into the yard, followed by several saloon cars packed with fighters. In the back of the pick-up, a man with a bandanna swung a big machine gun on its mounting. The great iron gate opened and Hajji Abu Abed emerged - a squat, chubby fellow with close-cropped hair and a thin goatee and moustache. Half his face was covered with large wraparound sunglasses, a pistol was tucked into his belt and a short machine gun dangled in his hand. Three guards ran in front of him and jumped i"