Predator strike missed Zawahiri by two hours

NY Times/Houston Chronicle:

A strike by a U.S. Predator drone in Pakistan's tribal areas in January missed al-Qaida's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, by just two hours, an intelligence official here says, revealing that the hunt for al-Qaida's leaders had come much closer to killing him than was previously thought.

Al-Zawahiri left a dinner in the village of Damadola at 10:30 on the night of Jan. 12, with a local supporter, Maulavi Liaqat, an intelligence official with knowledge of the incident said. The house where they had eaten was hit at 12:30 that night.

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The details emerged in the aftermath of a new strike on Oct. 30 on a madrasa, or religious school, in the same district of the tribal region of Bajaur. That strike killed a reported 83 people. Among them was Liaqat, the madrasa's leader, and three of his sons.

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It sounds like the later strike got one of the bad guys. It is too bad the first attack was too late. Zawahiri should feel stalked as should anyone who helps him.