According to the United States Treasury Department, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appointed Abu Ghadiya the lead Syrian commander for AQI's logistics in 2004. After Zarqawi's death, Ghadiya took orders from his successor, Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, either directly or through a deputy. Abu Ghadiya allegedly provided false passports, safe houses, weapons and money to militants on the Syrian side of the Iraqi border before the fighters would cross into Iraq.[8]