Bush h8tr Killed

Top Al Qaeda commander killed in Pakistan

By Zeeshan Haider 20 minutes ago

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - An al Qaeda commander ranked the third most senior leader inOsama bin Laden's network was killed in a tribal region of Pakistan borderingAfghanistan, President Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday.

Abu Hamza Rabia, an Egyptian credited with heading al Qaeda's international operations, was among five people killed in an explosion at a house where they were hiding in North Waziristan on Thursday.

Rabia, in his 30s, took over the number three spot, behind bin Laden and his Egyptian deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, after the capture of Abu Faraj Farj al Liby in Pakistan in May, U.S. and Pakistani security officials said.

Rabia was involved in plots to attack the United States and his death was a serious blow for al Qaeda, according to a U.S. counterterrorism official in Washington.

"After Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri, Rabia was the most senior al Qaeda official for international terrorism planning," the official told Reuters.

"Rabia served in the leadership group as chief of international operations planning. His international portfolio included planning attacks against the United States," the official said.

Rabia's death was confirmed by Musharraf on his arrival in Kuwait on an official visit, although the Pakistani military has not found the body and are relying on intelligence reports and intercepted messages between al Qaeda members.

"Yes indeed, 200 percent. I think he was killed the day before yesterday if I'm not wrong," Musharraf told reporters.

ABC news:
Ahmed backed the official line that the blast was set off as the victims were making explosives inside a suspected al-Qaida hideout.

However, a senior intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said a missile attack triggered a huge explosion in a stockpile of bomb-making materials, grenades and other munitions.

Another intelligence official said U.S. help was involved in tracking Rabia down and "eliminating the threat" that he embodied. That official also spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

On Saturday, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, citing sources it did not identify, reported that the attack on a mud-walled home near Miran Shah may have been launched from two pilotless planes.

Miran Shah is a strategic tribal region where remnants of al-Qaida are believed to have been hiding and where Pakistani forces have launched several operations against them.

Intelligence officials said Rabia who is Syrian was the target of the attack because of his alleged involvement in dozens of terror attacks and killings of government officials in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions. He was brought to the area by al-Zawahri, who is believed to have been on the run along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

It's an insult for a muslim to be cremated. Don't know why, something about desecrating the body but its a pretty harsh insult.

Mike.

...not sure they will find enough pieces to cremate...or cremation may have been instant..heh heh..