Al Qaeda commander killed in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - An al Qaeda commander ranked the third most senior leader in Osama bin Laden's network was killed in a tribal region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, President Pervez Musharraf said.

Abu Hamza Rabia, an Egyptian credited with heading al Qaeda's international operations, was among five people killed in an explosion at a house where they were hiding in North Waziristan on Thursday.

Rabia, in his 30s, took over the number three spot, behind bin Laden and his Egyptian deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, after the capture of Abu Faraj Farj al Liby in Pakistan in May, US and Pakistani security officials said.

Rabia was involved in plots to attack the United States and his death was a serious blow for al Qaeda, according to a US counterterrorism official in Washington.

"After Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri, Rabia was the most senior al Qaeda official for international terrorism planning," the official said.

"Rabia served in the leadership group as chief of international operations planning. His international portfolio included planning attacks against the United States," the official said.

Rabia's death was confirmed by Musharraf on his arrival in Kuwait on an official visit, although the Pakistani military has not found the body and are relying on intelligence reports and intercepted messages between al Qaeda members.

"Yes indeed, 200 per cent. I think he was killed the day before yesterday if I'm not wrong," Musharraf said.

Pakistani intelligence sources said two of those killed with Rabia were also believed to be Arabs, while other two dead were boys related to the tribesman harbouring them.

Rabia was involved in two attempts on Musharraf's life in December 2003 and security forces had been hunting him for some time, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said.

Rabia was killed in Haisori, a village near Mir Ali in the tribal agency, just 30 km (20 miles) from Afghanistan where US forces are based.

However, there were differing versions of how he met his end.

Officials said the blast at the mud house was caused by explosives stored for bomb-making, and government spokesmen denied Rabia was killed during a military operation.

However intelligence sources, who requested anonymity, said after Rabia's presence was confirmed by electronic tracking, the house was hit by rockets or missiles in an aerial attack, raising the possibility of US involvement.

Rabia was suffering from a broken leg resulting from an attack on another house he had been staying at in North Waziristan on November 5, intelligence sources said.

He escaped on that occasion but eight people, including his wife and children, were killed in that operation.

After the explosion in Haisori on Thursday, intelligence officials said they intercepted a message between militants saying "Nawab" was dead. Nawab was Rabia's code name, or alias.

Many al Qaeda members took refuge in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt after US-led forces ousted Afghanistan's Taleban in 2001 for refusing to hand over bin Laden, architect of the September 11 attacks on the United States.

- REUTERS