EXCLUSIVE: Pakistani Military Sources Say Zawahiri May Be Dead

ABC News ^ | January 13, 2006 | Brian Ross

[John W]

Jan. 13, 2006 — Today, according to Pakistani military sources, U.S. aircraft attacked a compound known to be frequented by high level al Qaeda operatives. Pakistani officials tell ABC News that al Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, may have been among them.

U.S. intelligence for the last few days indicated that Zawahiri might be in the location or about to arrive, although there is still no confirmation from U.S. officials that he was among the victims.

[Brilliant]

Villagers described seeing an unmanned plane circling the area for the last few days and then bombs falling in the early morning darkness.

Not very discrete.

Pakistani officials tell ABC News that the bodies of the five suspected al Qaeda figures will be recovered at first light in Pakistan...

Why wait? They'll be carried away by then.

[mystery-ak]

Praying that this is for real.....

[Jet Jaguar]

Possible good news.

[mtbopfuyn]

OBL was killed a dozen times and is still breathing. Zawahiri's been killed a couple times before. Thanks, but I'll wait for the DNA testing.

[Dog]

This was the lead?

[AdmSmith]

Background on the attack here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1155685/posts?page=1318#1318

[Brilliant]

Maybe we'll really get lucky and get Zawahiri and bin Laden.

[DAC22]

"This the read deal. Zawihiri sleeps with the fishes"

You seem to be in the know, connected?

[msnimje]

He is the evil force behind this evil group. His death is more important than Bin Laden's in reality though not in symbolism.

[carolinacrazy]

He died again????!!!!!

Shifty bastard.

[leadpenny]

victim = hair, teeth, eyeballs, blood, guts and gore - hopefully.

[Coop]

Yeah, it's just funny as all get out, ain't it? < / sarcasm >

[Dog]

Can't leave you out...

[WV Mountain Mama]

I see we are starting the new year off with some proper rumors.

[Coop]

But since our chains have been yanked so many times before, I'll wait until I hear official word, then I'll celebrate.

Had you done that before, your chain would not have been yanked.

[John W]

Yes, exclusive and "breaking".

[RAY]

Hope they got him!!!!

[RightWhale]

It's hard to remember which thug is which. Which one is this that they think maybe they got? The ranking regional Alqaida general?

[Coop]

D'oh! Forgot to ping you, with the original scoop on this. My humblest apologies. :-}

[Anti-Bubba182]

Thanks for the ping. One thing that concerns me is that we have never heard the results of the DNA tests after Zarqawi was reported to have been killed in Iraq. Plenty of time has passed.