Pakistan stands by report of Al Qaeda operative’s death

Officials also brushed off Washington’s reluctance to confirm the death of Hamza Rabia, saying they had no doubt that he died in a massive explosion which killed four other people - reportedly including his two Syrian bodyguards - last Thursday in a house in North Waziristan, one of Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Shrapnel that appeared to be from an American-made missile was found at the house, and a neighbor described seeing the white streak of a missile just before the blast. An NBC television report, citing anonymous officials, claimed the attack was launched by a US drone.

Two US counterterrorism officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the information’s sensitivity, say Rabia was believed to be an Egyptian and head of Al Qaeda’s foreign operations, possibly as senior as the No. 3 in the terrorist group, just below Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his lieutenant, Ayman Al Zawahri.

Despite the physical evidence of an apparent missile attack, Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema, head of the Interior Ministry’s Crisis Management Cell, insisted that Rabia “blew himself up while making bombs.”

A US missile attack could create a backlash against the government. Sadique Al Farooq, a spokesman for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s party, said that only Pakistan nning for attacks against the United States,” US national security adviser Stephen Hadley said Sunday.

Pakistani officials said Rabia’s death was confirmed by DNA tests. But the Dawn newspaper, citing officials it did not identify, said Saturday his body had been retrieved by associates from outside Pakistan.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said DNA tests and “other information” confirmed Rabia’s death. Three intelligence officials said the other information included communication intercepts.

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