US forces take al-Qaida leader in Libya

Updated: 2013-10-06 09:21

(Agencies)

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WASHINGTON - A U.S. official says American forces have captured an al-Qaida leader in Libya who is linked to the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in east Africa.

The official identifies the leader as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al-Libi. He has been wanted by the United States for more than a decade.

Relatives of al-Libi say he was seized outside his house Saturday in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

The U.S. official says there have been no U.S. casualties in the operation. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

Al-Libi has been high on Washington's list of most-wanted fugitives. His capture would represent a significant blow to what remains of the core al-Qaida organization once led by Osama bin Laden.