Only "US official" goes on record to say # 3 terrorist is dead [View All]

[Jeffersons Ghost]

The first NYT story makes it clear that the CIA achieved another Drone-hit but neither story names the "US official." I hope its not a US Census Taker saying this stuff.

Strike Is Said to Kill a Top Qaeda Leader
By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: May 31, 2010
WASHINGTON — The operational leader for Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was killed in an American missile strike in Pakistan’s tribal areas in the last two weeks, according to a statement the group issued late Monday that American officials believe is correct.

The militant leader, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, an Egyptian, was a top financial chief for Al Qaeda as well as one of the group’s founders, and was considered by American intelligence officials to be the organization’s No. 3 leader, behind Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, another Egyptian...

Under President Obama, the C.I.A. has steadily increased the number of missile attacks against targets in Pakistan’s tribal areas by remotely piloted Predator and Reaper drones. As of May 28, the C.I.A. had carried out 38 strikes this year, compared with 53 for all of 2009, according to The Long War Journal, a Web site that tracks the number of strikes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/world/asia/01qaeda.html?hp

Senior al-Qaeda leader 'killed' in Afghanistan
Al-Qaeda's number three leader and Afghan operations chief, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, has been killed, reports say.

Mr Yazid, also known as Sheikh Said al-Masri, died along with his wife and three children, Islamist websites said, quoting a statement from al-Qaeda.

US officials say they believe he was killed recently in the tribal areas of Pakistan in an American drone attack.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10200712.stm