Top Al Qaeda strategist killed in Pakistan?
June 5th, 2012 - 7:27 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, June 5 (IANS) Abu Yahya Al Libi, a top Al Qaeda militant may have been killed in a drone strike in northwest Pakistan, the country’s intelligence officials said Tuesday.
Viewed as the most prominent figure in the network after Al Qaeda’s new chief Ayman Al Zawahri, Al Libi may have been killed in the strike, Online news agency quoted Pakistani intelligence officials as saying.
He was viewed as one of Al Qaeda’s top strategists.
In case of the death being confirmed it could be the biggest blow to Al Qaeda since US special forces killed former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a secret raid in Pakistan in May 2011, the report said.
Media reports quoting US sources said Al Libi, a Libyan cleric with a degree in chemistry who survived previous drone attacks, was a target of a strike early Monday in the North Waziristan tribal region.
Some US officials describe Libi, real name Mohamed Hassan Qaid, as number two to Al Zawahri who took over Al Qaeda after Osama’s death.
Pakistani intelligence officials told a British news agency they believe Al Libi may have been among seven foreign militants killed in Monday’s strike.
One of the officials said Pakistani authorities had intercepted telephone chatter about Al Libi.
“We intercepted some conversations between militants. They were talking about the death of a ‘Sheikh’,” one of the Pakistani intelligence officials said, referring to the title given to senior religious leaders.
“They did not name this person but we have checked with our sources in the area and believe they are referring to Al Libi.”
A militant commander in North Waziristan closely associated with foreign fighters however said: “He has not been killed. This is not the first time claims have been made about his death.
“The Americans are suffering heavy losses in Afghanistan so they have resorted to making false claims.”
Reports from Pakistan said that during the sequence of strikes nearly 30 people were killed, including four suspected militants Saturday, another 10 Sunday, and 15 people in the strike in which Al Libi was targeted.
- Badruddin Haqqani killed in drone attack: Report - Aug 25, 2012
- Al Qaeda No 2 dead: US - Jun 06, 2012
- Al Qaeda No. 2 leader is dead: White House (Lead) - Jun 06, 2012
- Pakistani Taliban leader possibly killed in U.S. drone strike - Jan 16, 2012
- Al Qaeda leaders leaving Pakistan, moving to Africa: Report - Dec 26, 2011
- Al-Qaeda's Af-Pak chief killed in US drone attack in North Waziristan - Sep 29, 2010
- Top Al Qaeda leader killed by US in Pakistan - Dec 12, 2009
- Top Qaeda commander killed in drone attack was Abu Yahyaa-al-Libi, claims US - Dec 12, 2009
- Nine killed in Pakistan drone strike - Jul 12, 2011
- Year after Osama, world still unsafe - May 01, 2012
- Sit-in against Pakistan drone strikes - Feb 26, 2012
- Al Qaeda leader admits terror network facing pressure from drone hits in Pakistan - Jan 27, 2011
- Pakistan summons US diplomat to protest drone strikes - Aug 23, 2012
- Ties with Pakistan essential to fight terror: US - Jul 31, 2011
- `Osama dead but Al Qaeda still dangerous' (Lead) - Apr 30, 2012
Tags: abu yahya, ayman al zawahri, british news, cleric, drone, early monday, foreign fighters, heavy losses, intelligence officials, mohamed hassan, north waziristan, osama bin laden, pakistan islamabad, pakistani authorities, qaid, religious leaders, strategist, strategists, target, time claims