Al-Qaida's Number 2 secretly killed in Iran: Report

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, the second-highest leader of the al-Qaida terrorist organisation which was once led by Osama Bin Laden, was secretly killed by motorcycle-borne assassins in Iran capital Tehran three months ago, New York Times reported on Saturday.

Abdullah, who was operating under the assumed name ‘Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was shot dead by two assassins on August 7 on the streets of Tehran. His daughter Miriam, widow of Osama’s son Hamza Bin Laden, was also killed along with him.

He was accused of the deadly 1998 attacks on US embassies in Africa. The report claimed his assassination has been confirmed by intelligence officials. However, the al-Qiada hasn’t announced his top leader’s death yet.

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Iranian officials have reportedly covered it up and responsibility for the killing has not been claimed by any country. But the report, quoting four officials, claimed it was carried out by Israeli operatives at the behest of US, though it still remains unclear if they had any role.

The death was earlier reported as a rumour but not confirmed until now, the report said. Al-Masri, or Abdullah, was about 58. He was one of the founding leaders and first in line to lead the terrorist outfit after its current chief Ayman al-Zawahri.

He has been one  of the top names on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list, accused for the bombings at US missions in Kenya and Tanzania that left 224 people dead. A reward of $10 million was offered by the FBI for any information that would help them capture him.