al qaeda

Al Qaeda’s ‘Military Brain’ Reportedly Killed in Pakistan

Ilyas Kashmiri, a man described by counterterrorism officials as Al Qaeda’s “military brain,” was killed in a U.S. drone stroke Friday night at a compound in Pakistan, according to a spokesperson for Kashmiri’s organization, Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami. The report is unconfirmed by U.S. officials, and Kashmiri’s death has been misreported before. Implicated in the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, Kashmiri has long been considered one of the most dangerous Pakistani militants allied with Al Qaeda. Pakistan’s level of involvement in the strike is currently unclear: CNN says it might be “an embarrassment for Pakistanis, who have twice in just over one month had a major Al Qaeda figure killed on their territory without their participation.” But according to the New York Times, “Kashmiri was wanted by both countries and could have been a good target for renewed intelligence sharing.”

Top jihadist leader killed, followers say [CNN]
Pakistani Militant Leader Reported Killed by U.S. Strike [NYT]

Al Qaeda’s ‘Military Brain’ Reportedly Killed in Pakistan