Officials: Al Qaeda's Mad Scientist Killed

CIA Drone Targeted Chemical Weapons Expert Abu Khabab Al-Masri On Afghanistan-Pakistan Border

(CBS)  Written for CBSNews.com by Farhan Bokhari, reporting from Islamabad.

---

One of al Qaeda's top chemical and biological weapons experts was killed in an air strike by a CIA pilotless drone in a remote Pakistani border region, senior Pakistani intelligence officials told CBS News Tuesday morning.

Intelligence officials investigating the early Monday missile attack confirmed that Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri was one of six men killed and his remains had been positively identified.

"We now have a positive ID on the body. I can confirm to you that Al-Masri has been killed," a Pakistani intelligence official told CBS News on the condition of anonymity. Earlier reports claimed that the six men killed included three Arabs, while the other three were believed to be Afghans or Pakistanis.

However, the intelligence official who spoke to CBS Tuesday said all six men were Arabs. Those killed also included Sheikh Ibrahim, a mid ranking al Qaeda operative believed to be either Egyptian or Jordanian. The other four victims were described as ordinary foot soldiers. The intelligence official did not provide the full names nor the citizenship of the four lower ranking militants.

Al-Masri, an Egyptian national, became notorious for developing chemical and biological weapons for al Qaeda. He was known to have used a variety of animals, including dogs, cats and frogs in brutal experiments which often left the animals dead.

The Western security official, who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity, said al-Masri's animal experiments were filmed and used by al Qaeda to train new volunteers in the use of chemical and biological weapons.

The attack took place in Waziristan - a region along the Afghan border which has become notorious for its local tribes playing host to al Qaeda and Taliban militants, including some who fled U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

While al-Masri was among al Qaeda's senior-most operatives, it was difficult to ascertain the damage his death could theoretically inflict upon the terror group, if confirmed. A senior Pakistani security official, who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity, said that, despite heightened fears after Sept. 11 that al Qaeda was determined to carry out chemical and biological weapons attacks, the group has largely relied on suicide and conventional arms attacks in locations such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Al Qaeda has never proven itself as a potent force in using chemical and biological weapons," said the official. "If al-Masri has in fact died, his death will not cripple al Qaeda or the Taliban."

The timing of the report on al-Masri's death also aroused suspicion - coinciding with a visit to the White House by Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. In the past week two U.S. officials, speaking on deep background, told CBS News that they expected Pakistan to overtly demonstrate its support for the U.S. fight against terrorism by assisting in the arrest or killing of an important Islamic militant, close to the time of Gilani's Washington trip.

Though the attack was carried out by the CIA, the Pakistani official who spoke to CBS News said, "this case once again demonstrates that without active cooperation from Pakistan, key militants cannot be targeted" in the border region. The official refused to elaborate on the kind of support that may have been extended by Pakistan.

Western diplomats told CBS News that Pakistan may have supported the U.S. in tracking down al Masri. However, many concerns remain that Pakistan's border territory remains a haven for senior militants.

"Every time you have someone prominent like al-Masri getting killed in Pakistan, everybody has good reason to ask, 'Why are all these people getting found in Pakistan? Shouldn't Pakistan do more to push out these guys from its soil,'" asked one diplomat, who asked not to be named.

Gilani, appearing Monday on the White House lawn after meeting President Bush, told reporters, "We are committed to fight against those extremists and terrorists who are destroying and making the world not safe."

President Bush said Gilani had made a "very strong commitment" to securing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, which the U.S. considers the principal gateway for Islamic militants crossing back and forth from Afghanistan to attack Western troops.

---

Farhan Bokhari has been covering Southeast Asia for several large European news organizations for 16 years. Based in Islamabad, he focuses his coverage on politics and security issues surrounding the war against terrorism.

[hamiltongrad]

Another win for the forces of GOOD. Thank God for our military, and our brave leaders.

[smirk5]

You can trim the grass all you want, it''ll keep growing if the roots are still there. And, our form of grass trimming is unsustainable in the long-term. Our current lawn mower has an ultimate cost of about 1 trillion dollars after just 7 years. The Bin Laden plan for ultimate U.S. bankruptcy continues unabated with the help of current neocon policy.

[edintex]

I wonder if his "constitutional rights" were violated by not giving him due process. Maybe some of those bleeding heart lawyers should take a trip over there to investigate.

[edintex]

Huh, another EGYPTIAN. I thought that the great Jimmy Carter made peace with them already. Looks like Jimmy did exactly NOTHING good during his presidency.

[standlee5]

Let me guess, he acquired his science expertise at an American university.

[colonieny]

BAPTISTS TORTURED BY HAMMAS - CARTER- WHO TAKES MONEY FROM OIL RICH ARABS, IGNORES.

"The Islamic Outreach" (NICE NAME) head- Sheik Abu Saquer on 8 26 07 proclaimed that there was no need to have Christians in GAZA. There were only about 3,000 living there before Israel left.
Now that HAMAS is in control, what has happened to them ?
All Christian Women must wear Muslim dress in public. No Church Services allowed. The YMCAS were burned down, and he directors killed. Beatings and rapes, as expected. for example:
Mr. Rami Ayyad one local leader of the Christians, and Christian book store owner - only one, brave soul, was tortured and murdered by HAMAS police, 10 11 07. His family given refuge in Israel, his book store destroyed. A blazing book burning of Christian Books followed - sounds like NAZIS ?) By the way - to CARTER- Ayyad was a practicing BAPTIST ! Will you ask about what happened to your fellow BAPTIST ? and why ? be strong Pres. Carter. coward.
So said Islamic Outreach . " All Christians engaging in missionary activity in GAZA will be dealt with HARSHLY."
CARTER takes millions of dollars each year from rich ARAB OIL, just to be a traitor to his own people. Why ??

[oneamerican_]

Thanks to a U.S. drone packing a Hellfire Missile, Abu Khabab is now...


...Shish Kebab.



Nice shooting!

[haoli25]

I think I have heard this LIE before.

Blaming President Carter seems to be the norm for a Bush -Cheney supporter. No positives for that dynamic duo.

[arrestbush1]

This news is useless. They could have created the existence of this mad scientist guy over night just to say he may be dead today just so they have some more circular news to keep idiots busy.

[arrestbush1]

This news is useless. They could have created the existence of this mad scientist guy over night just to say he may be dead today just so they have some more circular news to keep idiots busy as an effort to keep our minds off what''s really going on in the world. Mainstream media doesn''t report anything real unless it''s so widely exposed they cannot hide it. People stick with alternate media where they stay much more loyal to their readers. CBS can go take a long walk off a short pier.

[apnewshunter]

Finally. Now we can rest easy in our beds. A notorious terrorist killer of dogs and frogs has been killed. I quess we really are winning the war after all.

[wellhell3]

Another one bites the dust!

[clew37]

I like how the title says "Mad Scientist Killed", and then in the first and further paragraphs say they can''t be sure and don''t have a body. I hope they don''t do everyone''s obituary this way.

[eddom949]

Pakistan border? How much longer until they start using our own borders? Will Al Qaeda raise the dead?

[patriot12436]

It is always good to hear when they make a terrorist a good terrorist.

[neoconrcrazy]

before had bloddthirsty commies, and today it''s the al-qaeda boogymen......


at least the commies were real....

[ajaxtheleast]

OF COURSE we had to BOMB him!!!

Almost had to bomb him twice!!!

We had us one tough actor here!!!

Dont you see our file photo there?

Doesn''t the four bullet holes in this
man''s head and he''s still sitting up for
the photo session tell you something
about this man.

This man was MEAN!!

Mean enough that his death should EASILY
counteract the 60 dead and 200 wounded
shiites of yesterday!!

[babooph]

Likely a boon to the world that this was done,but I wonder how many weddings were wiped out until the right target was hit?If we gave a bunch of drones to the Afghans to fly around over the States,blasting any they were suspitous of maybe our hearts & minds can be won over.

[whiskyrokkr]

I hope there right.

[wellhell3]

Another one bites the dust!

[nextgenman]

Another one bites the dust!


Posted by WellHell3 at 06:18 AM : Jul 29, 2008
----------

And ten more already trained and ready to take his place.

Its a shame Bush and Hillary didn''t do their jobs right the first time.

[realpatriot1]

It''s not quite correct to say that another 10 will take this guy''s place. He had very specialized expertise which is not as easily replicated as teaching someone how to blow themselves and/or others
up with roadised bombs or suicide belts.

That''s why Afghanistan is the right battlefield and iraq has always been the wrong battlefield. Al Quaeda in Iraq is composed of raw Jihadist recruits with no high level capabilities. The command structure of the global network began in Afghanistan and has been operating in Pakastan since 2002.

Once again the Obama policy of acting upon intelligence which Pakastan will not is the correct policy. Since we knew where this guy was Pakastan has no excuse for not taking action.

Although Bush & McCain blasted Obama when he stood alone in advocating this policy in August 2007, no one is admitting their mistake which demonstrates their lack of understanding of the threats facing America. They''ve just adopted the policy without giving credit to the source of the policy change.

[petro49l]

Bin Laden laughed about Al Masri''s death. He rivalled Osama for full authority within the organization. Bin Laden referred to him as an open target for assassination. There will be only one true leader in Waziristan.

[dinkydog1]

Yeah, sure. Uh huh, and Al Qaeda used chemical weapons exactly how many times?

The ease at which these thugs are elevated to "2nd in command" and "chemical weapons expert" is truly amazing.

Regards,


Posted by Nancy_Naive at 06:40 AM : Jul 29, 2008

..................

I agree, with this administrations credability there just as likley to be a group of nobody goat hearders. Rember the silly terrorist playing cards with Saddam as the ace?, maybe thats how they knew.

[checkthepast]

who is skyk, mcvet, hungry1968, floydzepp and liberalme going to take their orders from now?

Posted by jamesm12341

Maybe from Barrack Osama

[wellhell3]

That''''s why Afghanistan is the right battlefield and iraq has always been the wrong battlefield. Al Quaeda in Iraq is composed of raw Jihadist recruits with no high level capabilities. The command structure of the global network began in Afghanistan and has been operating in Pakastan since 2002.

Once again the Obama policy of acting upon intelligence which Pakastan will not is the correct policy. Since we knew where this guy was Pakastan has no excuse for not taking action.

Although Bush & McCain blasted Obama when he stood alone in advocating this policy in August 2007, no one is admitting their mistake which demonstrates their lack of understanding of the threats facing America. They''''ve just adopted the policy without giving credit to the source of the policy change.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by realpatriot1 at 07:21 AM : Jul 29, 2008

Oh really? What happened to Obscamma''s principle screeching point that all we had to do was sit down and tea TALK to these bastwards? Seems like the public didn''t buy it, and now he''s ready to cowboy up and go fight in Afghanistan with our EXHAUSTED TROOPS AND TREASURY!

[hungry1968]

Another "top" al Qaeda leader killed?

What''s this - number 1386 "top al qaeda leader"?

Did ANYONE ever notice that when ANYONE in Afghanistan is killed, they''re a "top leader" - never some regular foot soldier slob?

[pzabbie]

Too bad that drone wasn''t armed with nukes. It''s a wasteland, anyway.

[navyretired2]

Where''s all the Michael Vick haters that support the US'' killing of this dog-hurter? I don''t know HOW many posts I saw, "anybody who hurts animals should be killed!"

Chock one up for you folks!!

[wellhell3]

It''s pathetic! Our generals and troops have outstmarted the bastwards, brought them out in the open to fight in the deserts of Iraq and eliminated most of them. The stragglers are headed back to Afghanistan to scamper into their hidey hole caves in Afghanistan! And NOW Obscamma thinks it''s appropriate to fight instead of TALK tea!

The goofball gets more ridiculous every day!

[hungry1968]

Oh really? What happened to Obscamma''''s principle screeching point that all we had to do was sit down and tea TALK to these bastwards? Seems like the public didn''''t buy it, and now he''''s ready to cowboy up and go fight in Afghanistan with our EXHAUSTED TROOPS AND TREASURY!

Posted by WellHell3 at 08:25 AM : Jul 29, 2008





WHEN and WHERE did Obama EVER propose "negotiating" with al Qaeda?


This is one of the most ridiculous, BS lies you''ve ever told. And considering that 98% of what you say are lies, that''s saying something.

[hungry1968]

who is skyk, mcvet, hungry1968, floydzepp and liberalme going to take their orders from now?

Posted by jamesm12341 at 08:30 AM : Jul 29, 2008




It was pretty stupid the first time you posted it.

Posting it AGAIN just confirms how stupid you are, thinking something this dumb is funny.




If you want to talk to the people that are tight with al Qaeda, I suggest you talk to a republican. They''re the group that helped al Qaeda escape after 9/11.

[txgrouch2006]

Humanavance wrote
How many false claims must Bush make before we realize he is simply a serial liar?
-----------------------------
Bush is a foul-up. Can''t get anything right.

But Clinton wasn''t very truthful, either. He just didn''t kill as many terrorists. And he didn''t capture Saddam, he only made speeches about how bad Saddam was with his WMD and his genocide. BTW, Bill Clinton was the first President to use the phrase "weapons of mass destruction."

Clinton only talked about fighting terrorism. Bush actually DID something. That''s why there hasn''t been another major terrorist attack in the USA since 9/11/2001, and bin Laden is in hiding instead of running Afghanistan.

[hungry1968]

It''''s pathetic! Our generals and troops have outstmarted the bastwards, brought them out in the open to fight in the deserts of Iraq and eliminated most of them. The stragglers are headed back to Afghanistan to scamper into their hidey hole caves in Afghanistan! And NOW Obscamma thinks it''''s appropriate to fight instead of TALK tea!

The goofball gets more ridiculous every day!

Posted by WellHell3 at 08:31 AM : Jul 29, 2008





WHEN and WHERE did Obama EVER propose "negotiating" with al Qaeda?


This is one of the most ridiculous, BS lies you''ve ever told. And considering that 98% of what you say are lies, that''s saying something.

[tireslinger]

This guy is butt wipe scumbag for a variety of reasons, most of all, for the suffering he''s inflicted on the animals. My only hope, is that maybe he didn''t die immediately in the conflict. I hope that justice prevailed, and that he spent as much as possible, suffering.

[wellhell3]

WHEN and WHERE did Obama EVER propose "negotiating" with al Qaeda?


This is one of the most ridiculous, BS lies you''''ve ever told. And considering that 98% of what you say are lies, that''''s saying something.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968 at 08:33 AM : Jul 29, 2008

Of course you didin''t hear his screeching that the US should''ve used DIPLOMACY after 911 for 5 years!

Now that''s HILARIOUS, Hungry!

[dinkydog1]

Nancy_Naive - You are a Frigging moron


Posted by guyfrompa49 at 08:27 AM : Jul 29, 2008

..............................

Ah at last, that mental giant "guyfrompa" is back to share his highly intelectual thoughts on the subject. Why don''t you post "I am a Republican Bush supporter and believe everything Bush and Fox news tells me". Then top it off with a little name calling, a few Limbaugh and Coulter quotes and a silly one liner here and there. Won''t get you back on track and cover about everything on your mind?

[hungry1968]

hungry1968 - Just remeber that the dems let them go after the first attack on the towers.

Posted by guyfrompa49 at 08:37 AM : Jul 29, 2008





The attack in 1993?

Can you tell me WHO Mohammad Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima and Ahmad Ajaj are, and where they currently live?




It''s AMAZING how you try to deny history (pretty recent history too) to support your failed arguments.

[realpatriot1]

guyfrompa,

***! The original attackers of the WTC we''re prosecuted and jailed during the Clinton Administration and are still there!

Clinton did blow the chance to get him from Sudan.
Bush allowed all of his relatives to leave the country after September 11 when no one else in the country could fly without even asking them if they knew where OBL was. He also refused to give the CIA permission to apprehend him when they had him in their gunsights at Tora Bora.

Neither party is in a position to be holier than thou on Bin Laden.

[usclimey]

hungry1968 - Just remeber that the dems let them go after the first attack on the towers.

Posted by guyfrompa49

Actually those guys were caught, tried and locked up at Supermax in Colorado. Al Qaeda members are currently doing life terms in England, Spain and Italy also. It''s only the Bush administration that seems to have this hang-up about imprisoning suspects without trial. Why???

[docpeter-2009]

From the above article, "In the past week two U.S. officials, speaking on deep background, told CBS News that they expected Pakistan to overtly demonstrate its support for the U.S. fight against terrorism by assisting in the arrest or killing of an important Islamic militant, close to the time of Gilani''s Washington trip."
____________________________
Guess GWB finally decided to play his trump card. Better get that trump out of your hand and on the table to cover a losing McCain and make the American people thing the GOP is "protecting" us.

[hungry1968]

Of course you didin''''t hear his screeching that the US should''''ve used DIPLOMACY after 911 for 5 years!

Now that''''s HILARIOUS, Hungry!

Posted by WellHell3 at 08:39 AM : Jul 29, 2008






Of course I didn''t hear about it.

It''s because it NEVER happened.

Are you that stupid to accuse me of NOT HEARING something that you KNOW was never said?!?!


The ONLY negotiating Obama proposed, was with Iran over their nuclear program - something that BOTH George Bush AND John McCain are now on board with, after following Obama''s lead - AGAIN.

[pensacola88]

Air domination roles are quite effective.

In the 70''s, General Dixon, former commander in charge of the Air Force Strategic Air Command, said the future of the air domination lies in a "pilotless aircraft".

President Carter was sold on the cruise missile and gave faith to it over the B-1.

RPV''s were demonstrated to the Pentagon in the early 80''s by the Israelis when they landed one on a US Navy carrier patroling off the Libyan coastline.

There is no shortage of imagination to make our opponents believe in their own mortality...the trouble is - they have accepted it with fanatical purpose.

[wellhell3]

The ONLY negotiating Obama proposed, was with Iran over their nuclear program - something that BOTH George Bush AND John McCain are now on board with, after following Obama''''s lead - AGAIN.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968 at 08:46 AM : Jul 29, 2008

Hogwarsh!

[wellhell3]

Hungry, you are so full of *****!

Iran requested talks...Bush sent an envoy...the envoy came back and said Iran is still pixxing in the wind!

What kind of whack job idiocy are your promoting that they''re following Obscamma recommendations? Now that is PATHETIC!

[rushlimbaug4]

I think everyone should be grateful to our wonderful and beloved President Bush for destroying the evil mad scientist and vote for McCain if you want to remain alive the next 4 years.

Posted by GOP_forever at 08:39 AM : Jul 29, 2008

God BLESS YOU my LOYAL LISTENER!!! Yes WE will not be safe unless McCAin is in office. Dont beLIEVE tHE Libz suspicions that this assasination coinciding with a visit to the White House by Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani is cooked Up intelligence from our LOYAL FRIENDS IN PAKISTAN to make them look good!!! THe border between PAKISTAN and AFGANNISTAN IS not swiss cheese as teh LIBZ would have you think!! Our VERY CLOSE freinds IN PAKISTAN ARE cleaning up HOUSE!!

THEY GOT THIS DOG KILLER and IT would have ONLy been a matter of TIME before HE MIxed THE right chemeical in the correct PROPORTIONS, swam accross the OCEAN, and planted them INTO YOUR CHILDS CRIB!!!

VOTE MCCAIN FOR the SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN!!

[docpeter-2009]

I think everyone should be grateful to our wonderful and beloved President Bush for destroying the evil mad scientist and vote for McCain if you want to remain alive the next 4 years.

Posted by GOP_forever at 08:39 AM : Jul 29, 2008
__________________
Thank, but No Thanks. If I want to stay alive for the next four years I think I will depend on myself and my own weapons, thanks to the help of the NRA :-)!

I really don''t think the GOP has my best interest in mind, they are way too busy supporting corporate greed.

[hungry1968]

Clinton did blow the chance to get him from Sudan.

Posted by realpatriot1 at 08:43 AM : Jul 29, 2008




I disagree with this statement.

Yes Bill Clinton DID turn down the opportunity to take bin Laden into custody, but at the time, (summer 1996), he wasn''t wanted for anything. He hadn''t committed ANY CRIMES against America (at that point), and he hadn''t yet issued any of his anti-American fatwa''s.

Yes, with 20/20 hindsight should we have taken him into custody - of course! But no one has the ability to look into the future (as far as I know), so it''s pretty hard to hold this against Clinton.

[hungry1968]

Hogwarsh!

Posted by WellHell3 at 08:48 AM : Jul 29, 2008




It''s a fact - check it out for yourself, (for the first time in your life), and quit relying on speculation and guessing.