Al Qaeda's second-in-command, accused of helping to mastermind the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, was killed in Iran in August by Israeli operatives acting at the behest of the United States, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing intelligence officials. Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle in the streets of Tehran on Aug. 7, the Times reported. The killing of Masri, who was seen as a likely successor to al Qaeda's current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was kept secret until now, the newspaper said.
Al Qaeda has not announced his death, Iranian officials have covered it up and no government has publicly claimed responsibility, the Times said. A U.S. official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, declined to confirm any details of the Times' story or say whether there was any U.S. involvement. The White House National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Masri, one of al Qaeda's founding leaders, was killed along with his daughter, the widow of former al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's son, Hamza bin Laden, the Times reported.