Officials: Al Qaeda No.3 Killed

ABC News ^ | Monday, May 31, 2010 | Jake Tapper and George Stephanopoulos

[kristinn]

US officials tell ABC News that al Qaeda’s No. 3 -- Mustafa Ahmed Muhammad Uthman Abu al-Yazid, known as Shaikh Sa’id al-Masri and Mustafa Abu al-Yazid – has been killed. Al Qaeda released a eulogy of Shaikh Sa’id tonight, officials said.

"Word is spreading in extremist circles of the death of Sheikh Sa'id al-Masri, widely viewed as the number three figure in al-Qaeda,” a US official told ABC News. “We have strong reason to believe that's true, and that al-Masri was killed recently in Pakistan's tribal areas. In terms of counterterrorism, this would be a big victory.”

US officials believed him to have been killed about a week ago in Pakistan.

Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahiri are the spiritual founders, and considered No. 1 and No. 2 of al Qaeda list, but Shaikh Sa’id is considered the link between those two and rest of the operation, and for all intents and purposes the one running the organization day to day.

"Al-Masri was the group's chief operating officer,” the official said, “with a hand in everything from finances to operational planning. He was also the organization's prime conduit to Bin Ladin and Zawahiri. He was key to al-Qaeda's command and control.”

[Domangart]

The graveyards are filled with key men.

[Deo volente]

Just last year he was threatening us with a nuclear detonation:

http://terrorism.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/06/23/al-qaeda’s-number-3-threatens-america-with-nuclear-device-strikes-new-tone/

Not nice to threaten America! We don't take kindly to such things.

[jveritas]

Not yet. The Al Qaeda press release published on “al falojah” terrorist forum just announced that he was killed in Afghanistan but no details about how he was killed. I think that they will announce the details later on.

[lonster]

so when is bammy planing the memorial service??

[mad_as_he$$]

Is that the new number three? The new new number three? Or the new new new number three?

[Cindy]

WELL NOW, if confirmed that is very good news indeed.

[jveritas]

It is 100% true and confirmed. "Al Falojah" terrorist forum published few hours ago a press release from Al Qaeda annoucing his death.

Most excellent news indeed.

[SunkenCiv]

Probably some Amish drug dealers.

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OK...LOL!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Afghanistan sounds good....must have been us rather than the paki’s....

[Squantos]

Isn’t this the 23rd number 3 guy we have killed ?.....:o)

[gandalftb]

If we can find him, we can find bin Laden and Zawahiri.

[jveritas]

Yes, there is no doubt about it.

[RansomOttawa]

Big deal, now #4 moves up a slot.

No problem. NEXT!

[M Kehoe]

If we can find him, we can find bin Laden and Zawahiri.

We might one day find Zawahiri, but we will probably never find bin Laden...or his DNA dated December 12, 2001.

5.56mm

[Cindy]

BUMP.

[holden]

Assuming he was their chief money man, let's hope he took to the grave with him the account numbers holding a significant portion of Al-Qaeda's operating funds, never to be found again, except perhaps partied-upon by Swiss Bank executives.

HF

[Marine_Uncle]

"Any idea where , when and who did the deed?"
Perhaps by tomorrow we shall get the details.

[NormsRevenge]

predator drone a couple weeks ago,, got a bunch of his family too..

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_al_qaida_believed_killed