Sucks to be him.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapc...bia/index.html
Quote:
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- A senior al Qaeda commander, Abu Hamza Rabia, has died in an explosion in a home in the North Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan, Pakistani officials said Saturday.
The November 30 explosion killed "five miscreants, including three foreigners," one of which was Rabia, Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao told CNN. Two others were injured in the blast.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistani information minister, told CNN Rabia was in charge of international operations for al Qaeda.
"We were tracking him from last month," Ahmed said. "He was a big fish in al Qaeda."
Two U.S. intelligence officials describe this as a "very significant development" and a "significant blow to al Qaeda and its organization."
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The officials say Rabia, an Egyptian in his 30s, was responsible for external planning of terrorism, including terror strikes against the United States. They said he replaced Abu Faraj al-Libbi, a top al Qaeda leader, who was captured earlier this year.
Rabia narrowly avoided capture on November 5, and was slightly wounded in the leg, Sherpao said.
Ahmed said Rabia apparently was working with explosives when the blast occurred. Sherpao told CNN he could not confirm reports that the explosion stemmed from a missile strike.
Authorities are examining the home where the blast took place, Sherpao said.
Battles in Waziristan
Pakistani troops have engaged in several battles with suspected al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in North Waziristan, the mountainous tribal region along the border with Afghanistan that is said to shelter militants.
Rabia narrowly avoided capture on November 5, and was slightly wounded in the leg, Sherpao said.
Authorities are examining the home where the blast took place.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf confirmed the death when asked about Rabia by reporters in Kuwait on Saturday.
CNN Producer Syed Mohsin Naqvi contributed to this report.
I've heard on several reports this morning that it was a possible Predator strike, but if it turns out that he was in fact working with explosives and had a "whoopsie"........well maybe there is some justice in this world. No virgins for him.
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