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This still image from video obtained Oct. 18, 2011, courtesy of IntelCenter shows al-Qaida's Abu Yahya al-Libi making a statement on Algeria.
The al-Qaida leader killed in a weekend drone strike in Pakistan was linked to at least two terror plots that targeted New York City, security officials tell NBC 4 New York.
Videos made by Abu Yahya al-Libi were used to recruit the terrorists who planned to be suicide bombers on city subways in the 2009 Zazi bomb plot.
Officials also said al-Libi gave orders to terrorist Bryant Neal Vinas, who later scouted the Long Island Rail Road for a possible terror attack.
Reuters
Al-Qaida leaders killed or captured (click to enlarge).
Al-Libi moved up to the No. 2 position in al-Qaida after the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May.
During this year’s subway bomb trial, admitted terrorist Najibullah Zazi testified that he and his fellow plotters attended a terror trainingcamp in Pakistan where Al-Libi’s videos were played to inspire them to carry out an attack. And Vinas testified at the same trial that he personally met with al-Libi before returning to the U.S. to scout possible targets.
According to the trial transcript, prosecutors asked Vinas about his travels to Lwara, Pakistan.
"Whose command were you under at that point?” prosecutors asked.
Vinas responded, “Sheikh Abu Yahya al-Libi.”
Al-Libi played a role in making videos calling for attacks on U.S. targets, both overseas and domestic. Intelligence officials said he actively reached out to al-Qaida affiliates across the globe to encourage terror strikes. Inside Pakistan, security officials said he played a direct role in a suicide bombing that targeted the Danish embassy in Islamabad.
Related story
Deputy al-Qaida leader killed in Pakistan, White House confirms
Al-Libi had been in U.S. custody in Afghanistan but escaped from a prison at Bagram Air Base in 2005. That escape and his religious background made him popular among al-Qaida members.
Ayman al Zawahiri remains al-Qaida's top leader and other terror operatives like Adnan Shukrajuma, also linked to the Zazi subway plot, are believed to be hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.
Click here to read the full story on nbcnewyork.com.
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Egypt’s Tahrir protesters take on Mubarak's man
- Deputy al-Qaida leader killed in Pakistan drone strike, White House confirms
- Fugitive Canadian porn actor wanted for murder found in Berlin
- Vatican scandal: More than just the 'butler did it'
- After Nigeria plane crash, families mourn; government suspends airline
- In shift, US works toward bigger role for India in Afghanistan war
Leave a Comment:
Good job drone operators and all the others involved, including your Commander in Chief, President Obama.
This guy was apparently actively plotting attacks in the US. Good riddance!
Is it true that all ordinance for the drones are coated in pig fat by the soldiers who service them?
It's a good thing that Bush set all these drone strikes in motion, I don't think Barry is smart enough to come up with it.
@Old Pilot
Pig fat anf blood. But that's a need to know
Didn't take long ......way to go worn out..........Bet you think it was a good thing Bush and Cheney lied about WMD's in Iraq to start a war because Bush Jr told staff member in Airforce "He wanted to be known as a war president because war presidents are remembered." Bet you think it was a good thing that Cheney got Haliburton no bid contracts for billions of dollars to his old company.. Long as you want Bush to get credit due to him....all the dead and wounded and dying soldiers Bush created along with the debt he caused and never payed for.
Hey wornout show us your school grades and match them to PRESIDENT Obama's grades. Show us how smart you are.....actually...you already have. Guess you would rather have more strikes in New York than take out terrorists.
Starsailing why are you wasting you time? Our country is full of ignorant Bush lovers you can't educate stupid! Too bad we can't round them up and ship them to Afganistan so they could have a front row seat.
Starsailing: First off, I was listening to President Bush's speech when he announed he was going in. He admitted that he had no proof that Saddam had WMDs, but he said the evidence was very strong and he felt the risk of not acting could be more dangerous than acting. In the second place, Saddam had time to shunt any weapons he had to another country or faction within a given country. Of course, in the idiot's favor, he, like his hero, Adolph Hitler before him, was so cocksure of himself that he might well not have taken the opportunity to ditch the evidence. In any case, After Iraq fell, we found a bevy of Scientists busily working on the Bomb and pretty near the finish line.
The al-Qaeda leadership is self-replicating.
You really don't know what you're talking about, do you?
How would he know this? :/
They will be killed as they replicate! Keep running!!!!!!!!
One more P.O.S. has bit the dust. :)
I would point out that the "al-Libi" in the man's "nom de guerre" means Libyan. Many of al-Quaeda's recruits come from the eastern tribes in Libya. These were the "rebels" that deposed Ghadaffi. These were the rebels that the GOP hawks so vocally wanted armed. It was precisely this sort of Libyan that was the reason why Pres. Obama refused to arm the rebels in Libya and left their own internal stew to simmer on its own.
This is also the reason why the Obama administration, over the objections of hawks like McCain and Romney, is refusing to arm the "rebels" in Syria or to provide substantial assistance to the "Greens" in Iran. There is simply no real gain in training and arming people who will use that training and armament against us.
It's my understanding that we (NATO) supported the "rebels" in Libya, and their goal of ousting Ghadaffi, for one main reason. Ghadaffi was refusing to use the US Dollar.
@Veeco,
We only supported their "humanitarian aspirations." No money, no weapons. There were airstrikes to keep them from being slaughtered, but no real support of their offensive operations. I have no idea of any conspiracy theory around Ghadaffi refusing to use the US Dollar.
Does Abu Zubaydah also have a parrot, peg leg, and salty demeanor?
Nope, just one eye. But he does have a steering wheel growing out of his crotch.
Arrgh! Its drivin me nuts!
LOL It apparently drove Zubaydah to terrorism.
Furnish pictures please they wold be great models for Halloween costumes?
we should just take out the good people from Paki, which is far fewer than the terrorists, then just level it, instead of leaving the people there and shooting around them with drones.....I should be presi, problem solved.
Remember those that hate Obama call him an appeaser and he has taken out how many of these scum? For that level of appeasement he may earn himself another 4 years.
William... it is the hard work of others, putting their lives on the line every day that accomplish those tasks. Obama, or ANYONE in the WH is just the guy that signs the paperwork.
XD, do you expect Democrats to come up with excuses to why they lost in Wisconsin? Why do it to Obama's leadership? Don't minimize for the sake of paddling your views.
XtraDuim is a troll, nothing to be had by interacting with it but a waste of time,
XDm9mm,
you just flashed your level of ignorance. Any missions such as these must be green-lighted by the POTUS.
While it's great that we got another POS, and I congratulate all involved, it's ultimately a losing battle.
We're battling an ideology backed by religious fanaticism and no-one will ever win that war.
Personally, I believe ALL civilized countries should remove their troops and just isolate them. Let them kill each other. Just let it be known that if they try to bring their mindless hate of others outside of their borders and kill or injure people like they did on 9-11, that the retribution will be swift and merciless. No troops on the ground, just relentless aerial carpet bombing of every square inch of land that anything moves on. That should get those that want to live their lives peacefully to eradicate the radicals.
As Bush declared after 9-11, never again would we allow those that plot to harm us to plot in the safety of other countries. that we'd go after these people where ever they hide. Though not a Bush fan i believe that strategy began by him and continued under Obama has prevented another 9-11. Taking out the people that plan these atrocities is the right course.
I give Obama little credit but for this. He learned that his campaign rhetoric was just that, rhetoric.
Once he got into the White House he at least learned that the world doesn't run the way "you think it should" but that there are a bunch of "people" that want to destroy us no matter what.
The elimination of these POS's have taken years of planning, intelligence gatherings, placement of informers and the will to find them. Reagan brought down the USSR the same way, years of effort by thousands.
We have a long road ahead of us but we cannot simply bury our heads in the sand and "hope" things will be better, we need to keep after these bastards, even if it is only a one by one effort.
Bill, I give President Obama full credit. Not Bush. History will tell the real truth.
WTFH - You give credit to Obama for killing this bad guy.
But if you do, you also have to give credit to Bush for toppling the entire fundamentalist theocracy of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Their iron grip on the country was brutal, especially against women. Bush changed that.
Changing the entire government of a country is, by any measure a far more significant accomplishment than killing a few Muslims.
Trolls are paid to lie; it's a waste of time to prove them wrong by facts or reason. Trolls already know their point is wrong because they were the ones who constructed it, or rather, created that particular variation of the given theme, i.e., Obama doesn't desreve any credit; didn't do anything anybody else wouldn't have done; the military/CIA did it, Obama''s just taking the credit; he just gave the ok; he's just reaping the fruits of what Bush set up; he just happens to be the one in the WH now, etc. etc. blabady blah.
XD for reals
I would remind you that the plotting for 9/11 was done in Germany and the US, that all the hijackers save one was a Saudi citizen and all the planning, recruiting, financing, direction and execution was done by Saudis, in particular several members of the Saudi royal family. It appears that the Saudis are probably still plotting to harm us from the safety of Germany and Saudi Arabia.
If you recalled, we attacked Iraq and Afghanistan --- two countries that had noting to do with 9/11.
Bill: Your bias is showing. No attacks can be launched against another contry without the direct authorization of the president. Obama has greatly increased drone attacks against Al'Queda leaders anyone unwilling to give him credit for these indicates your thinking is so twisted if Obama farted you wouldn't credit him with the smell. We have a black president get over it.
Republicans hate it when another of our enemies goes down and Obama gets credit. This president has proven to have a healthy sack when it comes to national security. Suck it up Bushies. Everything your guy touched became a giant clusterfunk. Deny all you want. It is what it is.
sounds like they are trying to justify the murder.
Were you OK with Bush killing these guys? Just curious. Thanks.
it is what it is.
Well of course he's linked to NYC terror plots. He probably was the 2nd shooter of JFK. Pardon me for not believing everything the government says.
I'd wait on the "don't trust your government"...
Taking Al-Queda out without a lost of one of our American soldiers? "WOW!!" Thank you Commander-in-Chief, President Obama!!!!!
President Obama-The right way president-2012
google "paid right wing trolls"
And google "paid left-wing trolls." You'll find more.
Hahahaha! well, I did as you suggest. And, judging from the links just on the first page of google results, I saw that there are such links, but most of which are merely questioning whether there are more than a very few left wing trolls, and whether there are any PAID trolls on the left. In contrast, one page of google results on the right wing reveals the huge numbers of right wing trolls, and all or most links make clear that they are in fact PAID to trash Obama, the Democrats, and left of center political issues in general.
Conclusion: mpa lied when he said "you'll find more." Not even close, my friend. In fact, I found much, much, less. But interested readers do not need to take either mpa's or benji's word for it. Anyone can see for themselves in minutes whose claims are closest to the truth.
These people are like lemmings, they will come in droves. Knock one out and another will appear. The few educated ones drive the uneducated masses, Ala Jim Jones. Vigilance is a must. that is why a strong military is of the utmost importance.
They should take out #36 or #11,896. You gotta Kill these bastards from the ground up not Top down. I mean #2 just got replaced by the old #3.
Start at the bottom and then there wont be any one to rise up the ranks.
Just an Opinion.
Basically the bottom of the al-Quaeda pyramid is filled with one opf three classes of people: 1) religious nuts (not Muslims, just plain ole religious nuts just like those Christian nutcases here in the US) --- about 10% or less, 2) People who have spent all their lives fighting for one side or another and know no other way of life --- about 20%, miscellaneous --- about 5%, and most of all the relatives and friends of people who have been killed or wounded by forces associated with the US or NATO --- about 65%.
The Israelis did a lot of research among the Palestinians and determined that every time you kill an innocent civilian, it generates 14 new fighters. A woman or a child who is well known in their neighborhood can raise that number a high as 100. The Israelis are concerned because rocket attacks have killed around 40 Israelis and they have retaliated by killing at least 14,000 Palestinians, but every cycle of violence sees MORE armed Palestinians popping up, not less as they expected.
If you wanted to "take out" the "bastards from the ground up" you would stop killing innocent civilians. As in Vietnam, Obama has chosen to classify all male civilians killed over the age of 18 as "enemy combatants." In Vietnam I saw dead infants classified as "confirmed NVA regulars" despite being less than a year old. The reasoning was that they would grow up to be soldiers. These drone strikes kill about half and half fighters and civilians. In one case they blew up a wedding and killed the bride and groom and most of the guests. But every time we kill one, more than a dozen pop up to replace him. This means that Obama's drone strikes, while effective at killing leaders has also generated thousands of fighters. Not a good situation.
Chris ...
I'm willing to grant that your claims, if not completely true, then at least have a reasonable basis.
But ... what's your solution?
@chris. Religious nuts, not muslims?? When did there become a difference? Where's all the suicide christian bombers? Nice try on the comparison though. Fact of the matter is 98% of the worlds terrorism comes from Islamic(muslims) believers. @porter. He has no solution, just the usual liberal bash Israel and America jargon.
I'm a lot closer to Chris's point of view than I am to yours. I think it's a crime every time we kill an innocent civilian too. But crime is unavoidable in war and unfortunately, we're in one.
And, by the way, lick your own ... your head is very close to being in the right place.
I'm glad you got him but I never heard of him. So many are in Pakistan, I don't know why we stop attacking in there with drones sometimes. I guess it helps them think the coast is clear and they we get them. Waziristan is big still, I bet you could stop again somewhere and they will just return back to where they were and you can check it and get another one all the time.
O.K. Already. He's dead we got him.
Don't give them anymore publicity. Get more of them.
At this point the main thing here is that he is dead. Good riddence... Let's go on to the next POS... you know there are no virgins waiting for you guys... really.... maybe you should think about that the next time you murder dozens of innocent men, women and children... you know you can join the human race, applications are open if you choose so... it takes far less energy to live in peace and freedom than to plot death and destruction... what happened to this POS is your fate...
Hell yes to the US!
I knew it would only be a matter of time before he was linked to some terror act that's already transpired. It's called laying the ground work and getting the BS machine in full operational mode to explain why your justified in breaking your own laws that prohibit foreign assassination's. Obama is directing an action that is unconstitutional but we know that document doesn't exist as far as he's concerned. These drones are assassinating individuals based on someone's interpretation of whether or not they are a threat to this Country. So if you don't watch what internet sites you frequent, or if you publicly state that you hate America you may be next on the list. It's only a matter of time before you'll find these drone's circling your next barbecue so don't stand to close to the grill
wayback...think wayback to last year....just a little intel found when Bin Laden was killed.......ya think they didn't get info for a few more targets. How did the president of the United States not think to run past all that intel through you first? Repubs complained when Clinton sent cruise missles in, then they complained he didn't get everyone with cruise missles.......whine...whine...whine.....revue video of 911 or....jump in your wayback machine to top floor of either trade center on Morn of 911. There will be a time when it comes to stop the drones. Chris is right, you can make more enemies if hitting innocents as it will give cause to others. At the same time..if some knucklehead is planning more N.Y. strikes...duh!
Wow you even look like the loon Robert Blake.
Al Qaida leaders are living in and protected by the same country as Osama Bin Laden was right up to his demise. Look at American government handout checks, specifically the "Pay to the order of" line, if you haven't figured it out already. Obama should be impeached and made to pay back American taxpayers the billions of dollars he gives to Islamabad every year.
Seems to be the # 2 spot in Al Qaida means one has a short life expectancy. Ever since 9/11 these guys are getting killed. They do seem to keep finding replacements though.
Now they need to get that Asz Wipe Herey guy.
Yeah boy - just keep on sending them to their 72 virgins~!
Shhhh ! don't mention the 'virgins' too often. The secret of the virgins is this: they are sheep or in case of shortages goats. NOT females whom the men can batter, mutilate and harm in other ways.
But let's keep that a secret?
When the 'missing' Imam , you know the dude who lives in a well finally climbs out and starts to lead the 'brotherhood' to world domination he will have to tell the rabble the truth.
Oooops forgot these dudes are mooslums and by definition are allowed to lie about everything to further the cause of islam.
But how about that substituting goats for lambs? Incredible.
Would be nice to review all the pre-Obama election fears that we're doomed, national security is gone, Obama will cause another 911, etc. He's kicking ass, and without more boots on the ground. Collateral damage? A very sad fact that this happens. But it happens just as much or more when our soldiers are there. Whether it be rifle, rocket, bombs, or some U.S. nut-job soldier going on a killing spree in Afghanistan, taking out the enemy (and their top leaders) with drones is better than placing more soldiers in harm's way.
But while we concentrate on "them" and "over there", who knows what they already have planted here? These are sneaky bastards and the fact that we have had NO attacks except a few foiled ones means nothing. As long as we focus on "over there", over here is leaving the gate open.