In a statement apparently issued by the "Islamic State of Iraq," the militant organization denies the killing of Abu Ayyoub al-Masri, whom the group calls its "minister of war."

An Iraqi Interior ministry official earlier announced the death of al-Masri, known also as the leader of al-Qa'ida in Iraq, but uncertainties have emerged and the claim is still unconfirmed.

In a new development, the Iraqi Interior minister has refused to confirm the claim of Masri's killing, as Iraqi security officials seek to obtain the body of the Egyptian militant.

The statement apparently issued by the "Islamic State of Iraq" denying al-Masri's killing, has appeared on Internet forums usually used by the group to carry the group's propaganda under the heading, "Islamic State of Iraq Denies the Killing of the Minister of War (God Protect Him)." The statement bears the hallmarks of previous Islamic State of Iraq communications.

The statement, written in Arabic, refers to al-Masri by a nom de guerre by which he is known, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir. It reads, in part:

The Islamic State of Iraq reassures the (Islamic) community over the safety of Shaykh Abu Hamza al Muhajir (God protect him), and that he still battles the enemies of God.

We point out that the enemy still pretends that there are cracks in the ranks of the Muhahidin in Iraq, but this is beyond their abilities, and will not be, with God’s permission.

We only offer news of this denial to calm the hearts of the Muslims and as a rebuttal to the craftiness of God’s enemies, for whom only papers remain to announce their lies”

We say to our family in all places that your brothers in the ministry of war bring you the good news of painful blows that delight the believers and frustrate the unbelievers, Godwilling.

God, who sent down the book (revealed the Qur’an), who sets the course of the clouds, and who vanquishes the factions, vanquish the hateful apostates and the Crusaders, who act like Zionists, and those who have allied with them.

God, destroy them and make them tremble.

The statement continues with further praise to God and supplication for victory against those described as his enemies.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani refused on Tuesday to confirm the killing of al-Qaeda in Iraq organization leader Abu Ayoub al-Masri, Voices of Iraq (VOI) reports.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference with Iraqi Defence Minister Mohammed Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi, the minister said that information we obtained on the death of al-Masry still uncertain.

“But it is a reliable information,” he explained, VOI writes.

The minister also said that the ministry still tracking down this information to make sure of his death.

“The ministry will update media on any news as soon as we obtain it,” al-Bulani noted.

The Iraqi government is seeking to obtain al-Masri's body, the spokesman for the Iraqi government Ali al-Dabagh and a spokesman for the interior ministry Brigadier Abdul Karim al-Juburi told the official satellite channel al-Iraqiya.

“The government is trying to get the body through negotiations with the tribes that have it,” Al-al-Dabagh told the state-run channel.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Brigadier Abdul Karim Khalaf said earlier that “police forces do not have the body,” underlining that the police received information that he was killed from Iraqi tribes and are trying to obtain his body, VOI reports.