Pakistan seeks confirmation of top Al-Qaeda death

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistani security officials were seeking confirmation on Tuesday that a top Al-Qaeda expert on chemical and biological weapons had been killed in a suspected US missile strike.

News of the strike targeting Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar came as premier Yousuf Raza Gilani urged US President George W. Bush not to act "unilaterally" against militants in Pakistan's lawless tribal zones.

There was no immediate confirmation from Washington or the US-led coalition in Afghanistan about Monday's strike in the South Waziristan tribal district, which residents said was carried out by a pilotless US drone.

The Egyptian militant -- who is also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri -- has a five-million-dollar US bounty on his head and is alleged to have...