Sources: Key al Qaeda operative killed
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A key al Qaeda operative was killed earlier this week in Pakistan, two knowledgeable sources told CNN Friday.
They said a CIA-operated Predator drone aircraft fired a missile, killing Haithem al-Yemeni, whom U.S. intelligence had been tracking for some time.
There had been hope he might lead authorities to Osama bin Laden or other top al Qaeda leaders, the sources said.
ABC News first reported the Predator attack. Pakistani officials are saying they were unaware of it. The sources pointed out, though, that the United States would be highly unlikely to fire a missile in Pakistani territory without notifying the government.
Both sources declined to be further identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. One pointed out the report could create political problems for the Pakistani government, which has been quietly cooperating with U.S. efforts to round up or kill al Qaeda operatives.
ABC News reported al-Yemeni was in line to replace Abu Faraj al-Libbi as al Qaeda's global operations chief. Al-Libbi, the No. 3 man in bin Laden's terror network, was captured by Pakistani authorities last week in the frontier along the border with Afghanistan.
One of the sources who spoke with CNN disputed al-Yemeni's importance, saying as recently as last month, he did not occupy that high of a level in al Qaeda.
"...Though I suppose you can't rule it out entirely," the source added.
CIA officials have declined all comment on the report.
Last week, Pakistani authorities arrested 18 people thought to be part of al-Libbi's group.
Pakistani intelligence officials said after the arrest that they have been interrogating al-Libbi, and one said the prisoner was talking.
The official described the questioning as going in the right direction, but said it was difficult to say if the information provided by al-Libbi would result in the apprehension of other top al Qaeda leaders.
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapc...ing/index.html
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feel good wish they get them all in next 3days, but that only in dreams
this news release is not 100%, but what they shot at is a 98% chance it is the man.