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abujagirl
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US special forces on Saturday carried out a raid in the Libyan capital to capture an al-Qaeda leader linked to the 1998 American Embassy bombings in East Africa and wanted by the United States for more than a decade.
According to CNN, Nazih Abd al Hamid al Ruqhay also known as Al-Libi was returning to his house after morning prayers at about 6:30 a.m. local time (Friday night ET) when a group of 10 masked men in three cars surprised him, according to Libyan counter terrorism analyst Noman Benotman, who spoke to family members. His wife was watching from the window and saw the snatch-and-grab operation, Benotman said.
Al-Libi is believed to have returned to Libya during the 2011 civil war that led to the ouster and killing of dictator Muammer Gaddafi.
Al-Libi joined al Qaeda soon after its founding, as the terrorist organization built up its presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
When the group's late leader Osama bin Laden relocated to Khartoum, Sudan, in 1992, al Libi went with him.
As the 1990s continued, al Libi came to be known as one of al Qaeda's most capable operatives, especially for his expertise in surveillance and computers.
al-Libi's capture represents a significant blow to what remains of the core al-Qaeda organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.
News24 also reported that Pentagon spokesperson George Little said al-Libi "is currently lawfully detained by the US military in a secure location outside of Libya".