Free Republic

When U.S. commandos grabbed a former al Qaeda operative in Tripoli this month, American forces were just hours away from potentially launching a more dangerous covert raid to capture a militia figure facing charges in the deadly Benghazi terror attack, U.S. officials tell CNN. U.S. special operations forces were ready, if ordered, to enter Benghazi and capture Ahmed Abu Khattalah, a leading figure in the Ansar Al-Sharia militia. But the mission never materialized.

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has released a video coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, confirming for the first time the death of his deputy, US monitors said. The 42-minute video is Zawahiri's first release in three months, and confirms that Abu Yahya al-Libi was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan's Waziristan tribal area on June 4, according to SITE and IntelCenter. **SNIP** Zawahiri does single out US President Barack Obama for being a "liar" who was elected to "trick" Muslims around the world, but who nevertheless is "being defeated in Afghanistan". He also mentions Warren Weinstein,...

After the Benghazi massacre the al-Marsad News Network, an Egyptian media organization, posted a “rare” video interview with Muhammad Jamal al-Kashef AKA Abu Ahmed, who reportedly led the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Al-Kashef was reportedly released from jail during the Arab Spring and was thought to be behind the attack on the US consulate. The Al-Marsad News interviewer concluded the discussion by congratulating al-Kashef.