International   

Al-Qaeda leaders killed in U.S. attack?

B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD: Amidst media speculations that at least two senior commanders of Al-Qaeda were among the dead in last Friday's American strike on a village in the troubled Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has confirmed that some of the dead in the attack were foreigners.

Mr. Rashid told reporters here on Thursday that latest probe reports on America's attack in Pakistani area of Bajaur Agency have revealed that some foreigners were among the dead. However security agencies are still trying to establish their identities.

The Minister said foreigners' present at the time of the air raid could have moved the bodies from the scene.

He was confident that the investigating agencies would soon establish the identities of the dead who disappeared from the spot.

A section of the media has reported that at least two senior Al-Qaeda commanders and a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden's second in command, Ayman Al Zawahiri, were among those believed to have been killed in last week's attack in the Bajaur tribal region.

Pakistan English daily, Dawn quoting sources said the pre-dawn U.S. aerial assault on three compounds in Damadola, Bajaur, on Friday killed four foreign militants.

The paper said intelligence officials believe that among those killed in the missile attack was Midhat Mursi Al Sayid, Al Qaeda's chemical and explosives expert, who carries a $5 million reward.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

U.K. "kidnap'' group disbanded
Sri Lankan parties for resumption of talks
Al-Qaeda leaders killed in U.S. attack?
Cold wave in Russia hits supply of gas to European countries
U.S. professors under scrutiny by Right-wingers
U.K. House under cyber attack
Blasts in Baghdad kill 23
3,000 still listed missing
Death for murderers
Violence rocks Ivory Coast
Monitors find minor violations
Indian named "Inventor of the Year"
India-born Tellis is Adviser to Burns

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu