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Al-Qaida leader's son probably killed: U.S. intelligence
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ISLAMABAD - One of Osama bin Laden's sons was probably killed by a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan earlier this year, U.S. National Public Radio reported, citing U.S. intelligence sources.
A U.S. counter-intelligence official said it was "80 to 85 per cent" certain that Sa'ad bin Laden, who was in his twenties, had been killed.
The official said the son of the al-Qaida leader was not a major figure, and would not have been important enough to target but "was in the wrong place at the wrong time".
It was unknown whether Sa'ad was anywhere near his father when he died, NPR said. A U.S. intelligence official said in January that Sa'ad was freed from custody in Iran and probably went to Pakistan.
The United States believes Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan. While intelligence agencies have had near misses tracking his deputy Ayman al Zawahri in Pakistan, the hunt for bin Laden went cold several years ago.
While al-Qaida often releases audio-taped messages from bin Laden, the last time a video-tape was released was two years ago, and there is constant speculation that he might have died.
The difficulties of confirming kills of al-Qaida and Taliban leaders in the badlands of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was underlined by a surprise telephone call to Reuters from a spokesman for the Taliban in the Swat valley, where the army launched an offensive almost three months ago.
The Pakistani military said earlier this month that an air strike had probably wounded commander Fazlullah, but his spokesman Muslim Khan said his leader was alive and unhurt.
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ISLAMABAD - One of Osama bin Laden's sons was probably killed by a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan earlier this year, U.S. National Public Radio reported, citing U.S. intelligence sources.
A U.S. counter-intelligence official said it was "80 to 85 per cent" certain that Sa'ad bin Laden, who was in his twenties, had been killed.
The official said the son of the al-Qaida leader was not a major figure, and would not have been important enough to target but "was in the wrong place at the wrong time".
It was unknown whether Sa'ad was anywhere near his father when he died, NPR said. A U.S. intelligence official said in January that Sa'ad was freed from custody in Iran and probably went to Pakistan.
The United States believes Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan. While intelligence agencies have had near misses tracking his deputy Ayman al Zawahri in Pakistan, the hunt for bin Laden went cold several years ago.
While al-Qaida often releases audio-taped messages from bin Laden, the last time a video-tape was released was two years ago, and there is constant speculation that he might have died.
The difficulties of confirming kills of al-Qaida and Taliban leaders in the badlands of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was underlined by a surprise telephone call to Reuters from a spokesman for the Taliban in the Swat valley, where the army launched an offensive almost three months ago.
The Pakistani military said earlier this month that an air strike had probably wounded commander Fazlullah, but his spokesman Muslim Khan said his leader was alive and unhurt.
More on link
