U.S.: Afghanistan al-Qaida chief dead
WASHINGTON (AP) - April 9, 2008 Al-Masri died of natural causes, apparently hepatitis, sometime
in the last several months, according to the official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The official said al-Masri was "a senior external operations
planner" for al-Qaida. He said he has been linked to the 2006 plot
to blow up multiple airliners with liquid explosives traveling
between the United Kingdom and the United States and Canada. He has
also been linked to the July 7, 2005 bombings in London.
In Pakistan, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Atjar Abbas said he had no
information about the death of al-Masri. Several Pakistani
intelligence officials contacted by The Associated Press had no
immediate comment.
Based in the mountainous Afghan province of Kunar, al-Masri was
believed to have been in charge of planning attacks on U.S.-led
coalition forces in the volatile east region of the country.
Violence in southern and eastern Afghanistan spiked last year,
leaving about 1,600 people dead, including a surge in suicide
attacks - a change of tactics by the militants.
