Al Qaeda’s second-highest leader Abu Muhammad al-Masri, whose real name was Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, was shot dead along his daughter on a street in Tehran about three months ago, The New York Times revealed in a new report citing intelligence officials.
Masri was reportedly the mastermind behind the deadly 1998 attacks on American embassies in Africa.
His assassination, according to four officials who talked to the news agency, was carried out by Israeli operatives at the behest of the United States.
Masri “was gunned down on the streets of Tehran by two assassins on a motorcycle on Aug. 7, the anniversary of the embassy attacks. He was killed along with his daughter, Miriam, the widow of Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden” said the report.
This is the first time al-Masri’s death is confirmed by intelligence officials. His death had been rumored but never confirmed before.
“Al Qaeda has not announced the death of one of its top leaders, Iranian officials covered it up, and no country has publicly claimed responsibility for it,” The New York Times said.
The agency said that according to American intelligence officials al-Masri had been in Iran’s “custody” since 2003.
