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Al-Qaeda leader al-Masri 'dead' Al-Qaeda leader al-Masri 'dead'
(30 minutes later)
Abu Obaidah al-Masri, the militant chief believed to be a senior planner of al-Qaeda's attacks in Afghanistan, has died, US intelligence sources say.Abu Obaidah al-Masri, the militant chief believed to be a senior planner of al-Qaeda's attacks in Afghanistan, has died, US intelligence sources say.
They said they believed Masri, a major operational figure within al-Qaeda linked to attacks on the UK and elsewhere, died of "natural causes". They said they believed Masri, a major operational figure within al-Qaeda linked to attacks in the UK and elsewhere, died of "natural causes".
"The sense is that he is dead," a US official said."The sense is that he is dead," a US official said.
A US official told AP that Masri had apparently died of hepatitis "within the last several months". A US official told the BBC that Masri had apparently died within the last two months, probably of hepatitis.
Masri was believed to be the mastermind of attacks on US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan's volatile eastern region. The Egyptian-born militant was described by both US and British counter-terrorism officials as head of external operations for al-Qaeda's core leadership, says the BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner.
Village attacksVillage attacks
But he was such a mysterious figure that even his real name was a carefully veiled secret - Abu Obaidah al-Masri is an Arabic nom de guerre meaning "Father of Obaidah the Egyptian". A former military commander in Afghanistan, Masri is believed to have directed attacks on US-led forces after the Taleban were ousted in 2001, before turning his attention to high-impact attacks on Western populations.
Thought to have been hiding out in Pakistan's tribal areas before he died, counter-terrorism officials believe Masri was so important to al-Qaeda that his successor has yet to be appointed, our correspondent adds.
He was such a mysterious figure that even his real name was a carefully veiled secret - Abu Obaidah al-Masri is an Arabic nom de guerre meaning "Father of Obaidah the Egyptian".
Masri had escaped at least two assassination attempts in the past.Masri had escaped at least two assassination attempts in the past.
Pakistani officials reported he had been killed in a 2006 missile strike on a Pakistani village near the Afghan border. Pakistani officials reported he had been killed in a 2006 missile strike on a Pakistani village near the Afghan border, only to say later that he had not been in the village at the time.
They later said he had not been in the village at the time of the attack.
Another missile attack on a different Pakistani village later in 2006 also missed its target.Another missile attack on a different Pakistani village later in 2006 also missed its target.