Dan Darling of Winds of Change puts the pieces together, and notes that three senior al-Qaeda leaders have recently been killed or captured: 3 Senior Al-Qaeda Leaders Taken Down.
Mustafa Setmariam Nasar was captured about a month ago, possibly more if Islamist claims of the timing of the capture are to be believed. The capture has now been confirmed by both the US government and by an Islamist website.
Meanwhile, one of al-Qaeda's top five, Hamza Rabia, was just killed by a CIA missile from a Predator drone, and Abu Omar Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Saif committed suicide in Dagestan to avoid being captured by Russian forces.
Winds of Change points out that these deaths and capture are significant.
Mustafa Setmariam Nasar was one of the most viable successors to Osama bin Laden other than al-Zawahiri within al-Qaeda leadership. Nasar has been identified in media reports as having been actively involved with the al-Qaeda leadership in Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq. Media reports have also quoted intelligence officials in Britain as saying Nasar is wanted in connection with the July 7 London bombings, which killed 56 people including four suicide bombers. He may also be suspected in the Madrid bombings.
Winds of Change points out that due to Nasar's active involvement with the al-Qaeda leadership, he may be able to provide the U.S. with actionable intelligence. "His capture is thus a major blow to al-Qaeda and will be of major benefit to the US and its allies. It is no small exaggeration in my view to describe Nasar's capture as being one of the most severe blows to al-Qaeda since the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in March 2003."
Rabia is important because he was a top al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan, and came close to killing General Musarraf more than once.
Abu Omar Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Saif was a top Saudi Arabian Al-Qaida commander in Chechnya. He was killed during a Russian counterterrorism operation in Dagestan. Unable to escape after Russian soldiers backed by helicopters surrounded his temporary hideout, Abu Omar allegedly detonated an explosive device he was carrying and collapsed the building on top of himself. Al-Saif has supported Zarqawi's jihad against US forces in Iraq and has appeared in a number of al-Qaeda propaganda videos since 9/11.
Read the entire post at Winds of Change for more excellent discussion. Other good commentary on the recent attrition in al-Qaeda top leadership is available at A Blog for All ("Bad Guys Go Boom"); alphabet city (who notes that "The careers of three Al Qaida very-important-terrorists (VIT's) are over"); California Yankee, and Security Watchtower
Related post: Senior Al Qaeda Terrorist Hazma Rabia Killed?
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