Baghdad, June 12 (DPA) The Al Qaeda network in Iraq issued a statement Monday announcing a replacement for leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a US air strike.

The religiously worded statement issued by the media authority for the consultative council of Jihadists in Iraq said: "Al Qaeda's shura council agreed to having Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Muhajer assume the place of Sheikh Abu Musab el-Zarqawi - god's mercy be upon him."

The authenticity of the statement could not be proven.

The statement said that Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Muhajer is an experienced Jihadist and that "we ask of god's assistance to help him accomplish what Sheikh Abu Musab initiated."

--DPA