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Pakistani Soldiers Kill Top Al Qaeda Militant Accused of Plotting NYC Subway Attack

The Pakistani military says soldiers killed Adnan Shukrijumah, al Qaeda’s head of external operations, during a pre-dawn raid in South Waziristan.
Photo via AP/FBI

The Pakistani military announced Saturday that soldiers killed a top al Qaeda militant who was accused of plotting a bombing attack on the New York City subway system.

The militant, Adnan Shukrijumah, was on the FBI's most wanted list and served as al Qaeda's head of external operations, a role formerly occupied by 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

— AsimBajwaISPR (@AsimBajwaISPR)December 6, 2014

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Adnan Shukrijumah, wanted for his alleged role in a plot to bomb New York's subway system, killed near Afghan border. — TRACterrorism.org (@TRACterrorism)December 6, 2014

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Shukrijumah, 39, allegedly recruited three US citizens to participate in the foiled 2009 subway bombing, which Attorney General Eric Holder deemed one of the most dangerous schemes since 9/11. The men were arrested in September 2009 before they could detonate homemade devices during rush hour. Shukrijumah — a Saudi national who attended community college in Florida — fled the US in 2003 and planned the attacks from Pakistan.

Shukrijumah was reportedly killed during a pre-dawn raid in South Waziristan, an area in northwest Pakistan along the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani military has been waging an ongoing battle against militants in the area since June. More than 1,100 militants and 100 soldiers have been killed in the operation, the military told AFP

The Pakistani military's Chief of Staff expressed his "complete satisfaction on the progress of operations and the achievements made so far," in a statement posted on the military's website Saturday. Pakistani soldiers and journalists declared the killing of Shukrijumah a major victory on social media.

Pakistani soldier Amer Khan praised the "outstanding operation" and encouraged his fellow servicemen to "keep chasing pigs."

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Outstanding operation by raiding force who killed To Al Qaeda leader Adnan Shukri Al Juma in South Waziristan. Keep chasing pigs. Well done

— Amer Khan (@KhanAmerKhan)December 6, 2014

Adnan el Shukrijuma was on FBI most wanted terrorists' list,described as al-Qaida's global operation,killed by Army — Amer Khan (@KhanAmerKhan)December 6, 2014

Islamabad-based journalist Farhat Jrved Rabani tweeted that the militant was the "first big name" killed in Pakistan's counterterrorism offensive.

— Farhat Javed Rabani (@Farhat_Javed)December 6, 2014

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Villagers in the area where Shukrijumah was killed were ordered to remain inside Saturday in case of further confrontations.

"The entire area was kept in curfew and all schools remained closed today," Dildad Wazir told NBC News. "Beside the ground forces, two helicopter gunships took part in the offensives and pounded suspected hideouts of the militants."

Follow Meredith Hoffman on Twitter: @merhoffman