U.S. denies reports of al Qaeda No. 2's illness or death

[Newsjock]

Source: CNN

U.S. counterterrorism officials said Friday they have seen no evidence to support a media report that al Qaeda's No. 2 official, Ayman al-Zawahiri, may be critically wounded or dead.

A senior intelligence official told CNN there is no evidence to support the CBS report on al-Zawahiri, and no reason to believe it is true.

"This is utterly uncorroborated, and at this point there is no reason to believe that al-Zawahiri has been injured or killed," another intelligence official said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/08/01/alzawahiri/index.html

[pinto]

1. Thanks for the addition to this story.

:thumbsup:

[Gman]

2. There's been #2's dead and dying for 7 years now

how many are there anyway?

[meow2u3]

3. All you have to do is look in the toilet bowl

...in the White House :evilgrin:

[Just-plain-Kathy]

4. These #2's are like a box of tissues...you take one down and another pops up in it's place.

It sure looks like our government doesn't want us to think this "bad guy" is dead. After all, if we kill all the bad guys, supporters of this war on terror would want our troops to call it a victory and come home.

[Phredicles]

5. Al Qaida's still going through #2s like Spinal Tap goes through drummers.

[blue52power]

6. There is only 1 #2 - Zawahiri

Zawahiri's been the #2 in bin Laden's "Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders" since Feb 1998 when bin Laden issued the fatwa declaring war on the US with his signature and Zawahiri's on it.

Zawahiri is the head of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which is a founding member of Al Qaeda's Islamic Front. It is his man, Mohammed Atta of the EIJ that led the 9/11 attacks.

Zawahiri's group EIJ was involved in the US Embassy bombings in Africa that year.
You're confusing him with all the bin Laden "Lieutenants,". But there was only one #2.

Now, whether he is dead or not is another story.

[ohio2007]

7. Iraq AQ has had many #2's. Nobody wants to be # 1 in that country

not even this guy can be found in Iraq



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3244022&mesg_id=3244022

[Gman]

9. So all the other #2's have been imposters??

typical al queda diversion tactics!

[blue52power]

10. Ohio is talking about AQ in Iraq

That is different than THE Al Qaeda.

There is Bin Laden at the top.

...Zawahiri at the 2 spot.

It's alwasy been that way and will be until we kill him. Which did not happen in this instance btw.

[Imagevision]

12. Keep him alive - don't want the fear level to drop...

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. That pesky #2 has had about 139 lives so far.

They play the #2 card whenever things get slow.

[Imagevision]

11. of course! - and don't forget, Bin Laden is still alive and looking even better in latest video's...

[Buns_of_Fire]

13. You mean we've gotta kill him AGAIN???

These guys are scary. Did they ever mention anything in their fatwas about eating brains?