Reuters first with killing of leading al Qaeda militant by US forces in Somalia

Reuters was alone with the news on Sept 14 that one of Africa’s most wanted al Qaeda militants had been killed in a helicopter raid in southern Somalia. Reuters was able to break the story - sourced to local residents - because of unparalleled ‘on the ground’ contacts. The Reuters bulletin moved at 1450 GMT. Al Qaeda’s presence in Somalia is an important factor in regional instability that extends beyond Somalia’s borders and is a threat to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Five hours later, U.S. officials confirmed that U.S. special forces were behind the attack that killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, suspected of building the truck bomb that killed 15 people at a Kenyan hotel in 2002 as well as involvement in a simultaneous, but botched, missile launch at an Israeli airliner leaving Mombasa airport.