Yahya Al Libi: 'I'm Not Dead Yet!'

This is far from a reliable source, but the jihadis at Ansarnet, an Al Qaeda-linked forum, are reporting on rumors that top Al Qaeda ideologue Yahya Al Libi was killed in a U.S. drone attack. The thread was locked by forum moderators for being entirely speculative. Rumors always run thick, however, so take this with more than the usual grains of salt.

UPDATE: A rather cranky and surprisingly swift rebuttal has been posted to Al Ansar:

Shykh Abu Yahya Al Libi Hafizaullah is alive and 100% ok with good health n eman the recent rumor spread by kuffar is just their stupidity insha'Allah they will get answer for it.

The posting was done by a member but endorsed by a moderator, who threatened to start banning anyone who spread "kuffar" lies on the forum.

The most important takeaway here: Who knew it was so easy to ring up Yahya Al Libi and check on his health? While there are a number of possible explanations for where and how this update originated, the fact that it came so quickly suggests that Al Libi is currently in a city in Pakistan (Peshawar?) and not out hiking in the mountains with Osama bin Laden. I don't think his iPhone gets reception out there.

SECOND UPDATE: The rumors are starting to take on more force and are now being reported by other CT experts (such as here and here). On the off chance it turns out to be true, remember you read it here first... And on the off chance it turns out to be untrue, well, you read that here first too... Never let it be said I don't cover all the bases.

Previous stories on Al Libi:

A Leader Who Could Revitalize Al Qaeda

Infidel Bug Spoils Speech

The New Al Qaeda Central

Other news on INTELWIRE:

AMERICAN JIHADISTS: 'Pakistan Five' Struck From The Mold

AMERICAN JIHADISTS: Five American Jihadists Arrested in Pakistan

INTELFILES: Hal Turner Court Records

AMERICAN JIHADISTS: David Coleman Headley

AMERICAN JIHADISTS: American Muslims Threatened Over Nidal Hasan

INTELWIRE WEBLOG: Convicting Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

AMERICAN JIHADISTS: A Key Failure In Understanding Nidal Hasan

Labels: Abu-Yahya-Al-Libi, Weblog

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