U.S.: Al Qaeda ops chief in Iran
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senior U.S. officials say intelligence suggests al Qaeda's operations chief is in Iran, and one official tells CNN there is evidence he may have played a role in planning in Monday's attacks in Saudi Arabia.
Officials say the operations chief, Saif al-Adel, is one of several al Qaeda leaders believed to be in Iran, and the official said he "may have been a major player" in the Riyadh strikes.
Officials say another key al Qaeda figure, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, has been in Iran recently and may still be there.
Senior officials declined to comment on a CBS News report that al Qaeda leaders are running operations out of Iran and an NBC News report that al-Adel "may be in custody" in Iran.
Iranian officials have consistently denied harboring any al Qaeda leaders.
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld repeated Bush administration assertions that al Qaeda leaders were finding safe haven in Iran.
"There are still countries that are harboring terrorists," Rumsfeld said. "I mean, we know there is senior al Qaeda in Iran, for example, presumably not an ungoverned area."
-- From National Security Correspondent David Ensor and Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena
