Bodies of soldiers found; al-Qaida claims responsibility for killing them

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The bodies of two U.S. soldiers reported captured last week have been recovered, and an Iraqi official said today the men were &#8220killed in a barbaric way.” Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for killing the soldiers, and said the successor to slain terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had &#8220slaughtered” them, according to a Web statement that could not be authenticated. The language in the statement suggested the men had been beheaded. U.S. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the remains, found late Monday by American troops, were believed to be those of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore. Caldwell said the cause of death was &#8220undeterminable at this point,” and t