Is US gearing for another ‘Kill Zawahiri’ operation?

Washington, May 9: After the US successfully hunted down and killed the most dreaded terrorist mastermind in the world, Osama Bin Laden, they seem to have realized that the threat is far from over where terrorism is concerned. Following widespread reports emerging from various sources that the next in line, who is most likely to take over the reins of al-Qaeda is Ayman Al Zawahiri, the US has already begun the manhunt for him.

The US is playing hide and seek with Pakistan after the confusion that erupted over the covert operation which was involved in the 'Kill Osama" campaign and the fact that Pak was involved and intentionally ruled out from the sensitive operation. The same treatment is intended to be repeated when the US snoops on Zawahiri as well.

The US has indicated that it may choose not to tell Pakistan if Zawahiri is indeed being targeted or not. The White House National Security Advisor Tom Donilon has been quoted as saying to the channel ABC that, informing Pak on any operation aiming Zawahiri would depend on 'the specifics of the operation".

On the secretive nature of 'Operation Geronimo" on the Abbottabad hideout of Osama, Donilon commented, “This really wasn't a matter of trusting or not trusting; it was a matter of operational security." He also informed that after the death of Osama, the Egyptian surgeon Ayman Al Zawahiri will be the next most-wanted in the updated terror list. He added, “Al Zawahiri will be the next number one terrorist that we're looking for in the world. But we have a broad and global effort."

Terming the effort in capture and killing of Osama “the most significant achievement against Al Qaeda and our nation's efforts against Al Qaeda over the last ten years." He was also convinced of the range of information recovered from the hideout and said, “the amount of intelligence we got as a result of the raid, in addition to taking out bin Laden, is really extraordinary."

OneIndia News