Bush's national security adviser won't confirm death of al-Qaida leader

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Bush's national security adviser won't confirm death of al-Qaida leader

WASHINGTON President Bush's national security adviser is refusing to confirm that a top al-Qaida leader was killed in Pakistan.

During an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Stephen Hadley said "at this point we are not in a position publicly to confirm that he is dead."

Hadley also would not confirm whether the U-S took part in the missile attack that is alleged to have killed Hamza Rabia (HAHM'-zuh RA'-bee-uh).

Pakistan's information minister said yesterday that Rabia's remains were identified by D-N-A tests. And President Pervez Musharraf (pur-VEHZ' moo-SHAH'-ruhv) said the death was "200 percent confirmed."

Confusion over al-Qaida 'death'

Sunday 04 December 2005, 20:04 Makka Time, 17:04 GMT

The United States says it cannot confirm the death of Hamza Rabia, an al-Qaida leader Pakistan claims to have killed near the border with Afghanistan.

Stephen Hadley, Bush's National Security Adviser, told Fox News on Sunday: "We have seen those reports out of Pakistan. Obviously, we're looking into them.

"At this point, we are not in a position publicly to confirm that he is dead."

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Sitting amid the ruins of his home in North Waziristan, Haji Mohammad Siddiq told Reuters that his 17-year-old son and an eight-year-old nephew were killed in a missile attack.

"There were no foreigners in my house," Siddiq said. "I have nothing to do with foreigners or al-Qaida.

"We were sleeping when I heard two explosions in my guest room. When I went there I saw my son, Abdul Wasit, and my eight-year-old nephew, Noor Aziz, were dead.

"I heard more explosions and went out to the courtyard, and when I looked up at the sky, I saw a white drone. I saw a flash of light come from the drone followed by explosions."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FFD2D6D0-307A-4240-B3FE-DFC9DA694EEE.htm