One of al Qaeda’s top most figures, Yahya al-Libi was reportedly among 16 suspected militants killed in a US drone strike in South Waziristan on June 4 (Monday).
A US drone targeted a compound believed to be used by militant commanders Mullah Nazir and Commander Malang in the Wocha Dana Beermal area of South Waziristan.
While officials in various intelligence agencies have confirmed al-Libi’s death, officials in the United States endorsed that al-Libi was the target of Monday’s drone strike. There has not been any confirmation or rejection of the report by al Qaeda yet. According to reports, the militants had gathered in the compound to condole the death of Malang’s brother who was killed the previous day in a drone attack in the same area. Hailing from Libya, al-Libi’s real name was Muhammad Hussain. He was a scholar of Islamic Shariah and had a degree in chemistry. He was believed to be a close confidant of slain al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
He appeared in numerous videos by the militant group, along with his former leader. The United States places al-Libi as the second most important militant of al Qaeda after its current chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, however, other security experts describe him as one of the top five members of the militant network.
Al-Libi, reportedly born in 1963, made repeated appearances on al Qaeda videos and wrote prolifically, becoming one of the group’s most prominent media warriors. He was first arrested at Karachi in May 2002 and later shifted to an American detention centre at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul. However, he along with three other Qaeda militants escaped from the prison in July 2005 after picking a lock and dodging guards. His notoriety swelled after he appeared in a 54-minute video a year later, describing his capture by Pakistani forces in 2002 and his escape from one of the world’s largest military prisons.
In Washington, American officials familiar with the strikes confirmed that Libi, believed to be in his late 40s, was the target of the attack. But they said they did not know whether he had survived. Officials appeared to be wary because, as with some other top militants sheltering in the region, Libi has been falsely reported dead before – in December 2009 after a drone strike in South Waziristan Agency. A Pakistani official said that authorities had intercepted a telephonic conversation about 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,” the official told a British news agency.
A resident of the Mir Ali area, citing militant sources and speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he believed that Libi was in the compound in Hasso Khel when the attack occurred. He said Libi had been moved there to recuperate from light injuries sustained in a drone strike on May 28. The resident said he could not be sure if Libi had been killed or injured. A senior Pakistani security source in Peshawar said it “looks like he has been killed.”
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.”
According to reports from North Waziristan, which American government sources did not contest, US drones launched three attacks along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan between Saturday and Monday. Reports said that nearly 30 people were killed during the sequence of strikes, including four suspected militants on Saturday, another 10 on Sunday, and at least 15 people on Monday in the strike in which Libi was targeted.
Documents seized from bin Laden’s compound and released by the United States last month suggest Libi was one of the late terror mastermind’s most trusted lieutenants. He signed a letter dated December 3, 2010 and sent to the Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud reprimanding him for making “legal and religious mistakes” including the mass killing of Muslim civilians in suicide attacks.
I wish the news of the Shiekh’s death would be true. We dont need these beasts to be alive to kill other people.
Thank you Drones. I feel safer in my home.
May God open the gates of Hell for him….amen
May he suffer in hell
Not only is an ugly MF, but also stook for tyranny.. May he rest in hell with his other Saudi Friends
God bless america……!
Why there are so many Libyan holed up in Waziristan. why don't they preach their ideology of hatred to Libyan….We don't need no teachers….Leave us alone…!
I agree with the above comments. "ALL" foreigners should be kicked out. Some are in hiding, others are hired by ppp govt. for the very top jobs. The ones in hiding are not as dangerous as the ones pretending to represent Pakistan out in the open and at tax payers expense. We need to worry about these criminals more because they have already proven that they have lied to become members of parliament and now they are serving as top dogs of their ministries. If they have lied about one thing, they will lie about everything. The decieved the public and committed a crime by not declaring their foreign nationality. These are the ones we need to worry about. And this is the govt. we need to worry about who is so stupid to think that these foreigners will have Pakistan's best interest at heart. This is a conspiracy against pakistan and the punishment is no less than the death sentence.
All foreigners especially Saudies including Rehman Malik & Farah Naz Isphani & Ch Nisar Ali Khan must be kicked out!!
One mullah less…what a relief
NAPAKISTAN is now the 51st state of uncle sam…but none of you losers will get the green card…haha…
Zawahiri is in the cross-hair now …
Put one on Rawapindi… thats where the head of snake lies.. mother of all terrorism is Pakistan army and ISI..
All you losers in support of the attack please know that 1 drone strike is killing more civilians than terrorists. That's why it is the most ineffective way of eliminating targets.
correct! but why do Molvies harbor such foreign Fasadies!
If someone has a gun and someone has a stick then tell me who will win? They have their families and they are vulnerable. its not that they send a sponsor letter to terrorists for visit visa
Al Qaeda and Taliban book lick ers….repent! repent for killing Pakistanis….!
Such Fasadies shd be eliminated in any case! They have brought such a bad name to Islam. I fail to get it that these are Saudi or Libyan then why do not hey go back to Saudi to do all of this Fasadi stuff. Why have these parasites chosen Pakistan as their client state!! Have we taken a contract to harbor all the filth of the world in our country? Look at the discrimination that Pakistanis face at the hands of Saudi in their country. Still, why some among us give refuge to these idiots!! People like OBL and Libi shd face a social boycott of the whole Pakistani nation!! These ruthless murderers!!
@aloneinlonelyplanet :
Saudi Arabians do not consider Pakistanis as part of Ummah. They consider pakistanis as well as other non-Arab muslims as 'miskeen' – the poor wretch.
Your 2nd point about Fasadis is: Why have these parasites chosen Pakistan as their client state!!
Every body in this world knows the answer except pakistanis. Pakistanis actually also know the answer but are in 'Denial Mode'. Personally or individually, if you don't know, then, ask your Army and ISI.
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