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Yemen's defence ministry said its armed forces were behind the operation (File) Hani Mohammed/AP/Press Association Images

Al Qaeda's second-in-command in Yemen killed says country's military

Saeed al-Shehri, the second man in Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was killed in an operation by armed Yemeni forces according to the country’s defence ministry.

YEMENI TROOPS KILLED the second in command of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, regarded by Washington as the jihadist network’s deadliest branch, in a raid in the east, the defence ministry news website said today.

“The Saudi terrorist Saeed al-Shehri, the second man in Al-Qaeda, was killed in a quality operation by the armed forces in Hadramawt,” the 26sep.net news website reported.

“Six other terrorist elements accompanying him were also killed,” it added quoting what it said was a “high-ranking source,” without mentioning when the operation took place.

“Shehri’s death deals a painful blow to what’s left of the terrorist elements.”

A tribal source told AFP that a ground operation had taken place in the province of Hadramawt, where the family of Al-Qaeda’s slain founder Osama bin Laden had its roots. AFP however could not independently confirm his death.

Shehri escaped death on September 20 last year when US drones carried out several air strikes on the village of Al-Mahfad in Abyan province in the south.

He was released from Guantanamo in 2007 and was flown to Saudi Arabia where he was put through a rehabilitation programme.

But after completing the programme, Shehri disappeared and later resurfaced as the second man in AQAP, which has been repeatedly described by US officials as the most dangerous of the jihadist network’s worldwide affiliates.

Underpants bomber plot

Saudi and Yemeni Al-Qaeda branches had merged to form the Yemen-based AQAP, announced in January 2009.

AQAP has been linked to the 2009 Christmas plot in which a bomb hidden in a Nigerian attacker’s underwear failed to detonate on a plane bound for Detroit.

It is also suspected of having a hand in a 2010 attempt to blow up cargo planes heading to the United States with explosives concealed in printer cartridges.

In October 2000, an Al-Qaeda suicide attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden killed 17 US service members. Fahd al-Quso who was wanted in connection with the bombing was killed in a US drone strike in May.

In 2011, AQAP took advantage of the weakness of the central government in Sanaa during protests against ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh to expand its presence in the impoverished country.

It took over a string of towns across the south and southeast, mainly in Abyan.

But in May, the army launched an all-out offensive, forcing Al-Qaeda to withdraw from towns in Abyan as suspected US drone attacks in southern Yemen have targeted Al-Qaeda insurgents.

Saleh’s successor President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has pledged to crush the militants since he came to power in February.

- (c) AFP 2012

Yemen: 42 killed in suicide bombing

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    Mute mart_n
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    Sep 10th 2012, 9:34 PM

    What a load of bollix. ‘Al Qaeda’s Second in command’ killed.. what does that even mean? I’m pretty sure the second in command has been killed a few times already. Right on the anniversary of the big day too… A lot of people must not have closed their eyes on 9/11, because their wishes for a better world aren’t coming true.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:02 PM

    Well I chose to believe he is Al Qaeda and I’m happy for him, that he has been granted his most fervent of holiest of desires. He has gone to meet his maker.

    It’s just a pity that with this one gone there are a dozen more to take his place.

    BTW I’m not saying who is right or who is wrong. I have not studied this unholy mess enough to be able to declare any sort of definitive statement.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:24 PM

    Mart, can I ask you an honest question? If you’re running a business and one of your managers leave, are you going to replace him/her? Of course you are. The second in command has been killed a few times because they’ve killed a few across the globe and all were different individuals. They did kill the top, Bin Laden, in Pakistan so obviously they’re capable of promoting people.

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    Mute Aidan Geraghty
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:45 PM

    But i see Mart’s point….

    But like, Al Queda are a bunch out of control nut cases so is there really a ‘second in command’ ? it’s silly talk.

    I’d have more faith in the announcement if they said ‘one of the biggest headers in Al Queda was bursted’

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:03 PM

    Well technically lads this is the No 2 in Yemen. I’m sure they have more no 2′s in other national branches like afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq , Sudan etc.

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    Mute Michael Tuohy
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:05 PM

    It means the 2nd in command was killed! luder

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    Mute Adrian Nolan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:06 PM

    I reckon they should just target the nasty human resources manager who keeps filling the top vacancy’s and be done with it.

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:59 PM

    How can u have a second in command for organization that doesn’t excist except on database in the pentagon. Its ridiculous to say that there is any structure to islamic fundementalists its a patsy organisation.

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    Mute Pádraig O'hEidhin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 2:30 AM

    Al queda are a peacefull organisation. Its full of holymen and dogooders. Where did they get misunderstood along the way?

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 9:06 AM

    It’s a phantom group created by the Americans in the 1980′s and used to keep a neverending war on terror going. For god sake the Bushes and the Bin-Laden families were in bussiness to-gether in a Oil company called Arbusco in the 80′s and 90′s.

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    Mute Martin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 9:16 AM

    Please ignore misplaced hyphen above…thanks!

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    Mute Éamonn Tiernan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 9:16 PM

    Is Chandler alright?!?

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    Mute Paul Breen
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    Sep 11th 2012, 11:13 AM

    Yes, this happened nowhere near Yemen Road.

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    Mute alan
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:04 PM

    the real issue here isnt whether or they are killing the first second or third or hundreth in command. the real issue is the number of people being killed in afghanistan and iraq every day. the killing there, on both sides, continues unabated. so much for the success of the invasions

    and it is amazing the way that the americans won’t admit to al q not being a traditional military force. they surely cannot believe that headline grabbers like this will distract from a serious analysis of what al q actually areand how they operate?

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    Mute Stewie Griffin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:54 PM

    your right alan. but i cant fault the usa in going to war in Afghanistan it had to happen really and could have been avoided by the Taliban and in a way it was good that the americans went in. Of course there are alot being killed. but its it more or less then if the Taliban (murders) were left in power. shooting woman and little girls for rumours ??

    Iraq thats different story that was completely wrong and i believe for this g.w.bush and tony blair should be held to account for the implosion of iraq and the descent into chaos . they expected a clean war like the first gulf war but like churchill said when you go to war you go into a world that unpredictable and you cannot control the outcome of events.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 11th 2012, 1:43 AM

    Alan, you do realize that yemini troops killed this guy. Have you ask the govt of yemen why they are going after al Qaeda? Is because they pose a risk in Yemen?

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    Mute Edward Carr
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    Sep 10th 2012, 10:53 PM

    I’m sure he was al qaeda but really every few weeks the second in command is killed they must be pumping them out on the factory line by the 100s

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    Mute Stewie Griffin
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:02 PM

    true but your getting rid of the experienced guys at the top bit by bit that fought the soviets and organised the big terror events. Losing that experience is what matters, can always replace but what are you replacing with if you get me

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 10th 2012, 11:22 PM

    Rehabilitation programme in Saudi Arabia?
    Well that didn’t work.
    The man must have had serious connections.

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    Mute JP SHERRY
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    Sep 11th 2012, 12:40 AM

    Trial by bullet

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    Mute Pádraig O'hEidhin
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    Sep 11th 2012, 2:33 AM

    I don’t believe a word of it. Bin laden was such a friendly looming chap.

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