DHAKA: In two raids nearly 3,000 miles apart, U.S. military forces went after two high-value targets over the weekend. And while officials have yet to say whether the operations were coordinated or directly related, they show Washington`s reach, capability and willingness to pursue alleged terrorists.
One operation took place Saturday in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, when U.S. forces captured Abu Anas al Libi, an al Qaeda leader wanted for his role in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
In the second raid, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs in southern Somalia targeted a top leader of Al-Shabaab, which was behind last month`s mall attack in Kenya. The SEALs came under fire and had to withdraw before they could confirm whether they killed their target, a senior U.S. official said.
"One could have gone without the other," said retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona, CNN`s military analyst. "But the fact that they did them both, I think, is a real signal that the United States -- no matter how long it takes -- will go after these targets."
The operations come at a time when polls show the American public is skittish about more involvement in conflicts overseas. That means, Francona said, that others who might be in the U.S. government`s cross hairs could have more reason to worry.
Al Libi tied to U.S. embassy bombings
Al Libi, 49, has been high on the radar for years. He was on the FBI`s "Most Wanted Terrorists" list, with a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
He is alleged to have played a key role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of American embassies in Nairobi, Kenya; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. More than 200 people were killed and another 5,000 wounded in the Kenya attack; 11 died in the Tanzania incident.
He has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, murder, destruction of American buildings and government property, and destruction of national defense utilities of the United States.
As early as December 2010, Libyan authorities told a United Nations committee that al Libi was living there, even giving a Tripoli address for him.
U.S. officials wanted al Libi, to face trial in an American court. But counterterrorism analysts told CNN in 2012 that al Libi may not have been apprehended because of the delicate security situation in much of Libya, where ex-jihadists -- especially those who once belonged to the Libyan Islamic Fighters Group -- held considerable sway since the campaign against and ultimate ouster of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.
The Saturday operation was conducted with the knowledge of the Libyan government, said one U.S. official. The Pentagon said late Saturday night that the U.S. military was holding al Libi in a "secure location" outside Libya.
"It`s a huge deal to get him," said CNN`s Nic Robertson, who has long been covering al Qaeda. "He`s a big player in al Qaeda (and) he is in one of the key target areas, the north of Africa."
Beyond any psychological impact on the terrorist group, al Libi`s capture could potentially yield a wealth of information about the al Qaeda`s plans and capabilities. The terrorist network has shown particular strength of late in Africa, something he might be able to shed light on.
"Clearly, he may have useful information about the strength of al Qaeda and the Islamists in Libya," Robertson said. "He is somebody who is senior within al Qaeda. He was well respected, a good operative."
The United States made significant efforts since those nearly simultaneous 1998 bombings to beef up its security at U.S. diplomatic posts. But as the September 11, 2012, attack on a U.S consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, showed, they are still very much under threat. The Benghazi attack killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
Source: CNN
BDST: 0940 HRS, OCT 06, 2013
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