Islamabad: Two white British nationals
were among four militants killed in a US drone attack in
Pakistan`s lawless North Waziristan tribal region last week,
according to media reports on Thursday.
Security officials and Taliban sources were quoted by
The News daily as saying that British nationals Stephen, 48,
and Darry Smith, 25, were killed with two tribal militants
when a CIA drone targeted a car in Dattakhel area of North
Waziristan on December 10.
Taliban sources confirmed the death of the two foreign
fighters and said it was not the first time that foreigners
were killed in North Waziristan.
The Britons had converted to Islam a few years ago.
Stephen assumed the name Abu Bakar while Smith was
renamed Mansoor Ahmad. They came to North Waziristan in
November 2009 and reportedly joined al Qaeda.
The British nationals were secretly buried at a
graveyard for foreign fighters in Dattakhel town, which has
witnessed numerous drone attacks in the past two years.
The British media reported that the Foreign Office was
investigating reports of the death of two "British al Qaeda
members".
The Foreign Office said the British High Commission in
Islamabad was seeking further information.
Britain`s Guardian newspaper too reported that the
Britons were using the pseudonyms Abu Bakar and Mansoor Ahmed.
The daily said if the deaths are confirmed, the men
would be the first white British converts to have been killed
in the tribal belt.
In September, British terror suspect Abdul Jabbar was
killed in a drone attack in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
The BBC reported Jabbar, who was of Asian descent, was
being groomed to head an al Qaeda splinter group in the UK and
was tasked with preparing Mumbai-style commando attacks
against targets in Britain, France and Germany.
PTI
