al qaeda to fight fellow citizens. >> reporter: one of al-awlaki's followers, another american, samir khan, died next to him in today's missile strike. khan, from north carolina, denied his tie to al qaeda in this interview in 2008. >> reporter: are you helping recruit for al qaeda? >> no. >> reporter: not at all? >> no. >> reporter: helping recruit for terrorism? >> not at all. >> reporter: he fled to yemen where he became the chief prop gannist for al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. his latest edition was published just this week, a tribute to the anniversary of 9/11. it was that signature attack, of course, which defined al qaeda. at the time in 2001 al-awlaki was an imam at this this virginia mosque. while the f.b.i. was never able to connect him directly to the attacks, we nowak back had at least some contact with three of the hijackers who attended his sermons. now, the death of al-awlaki comes, of course, just five months after the killing of osama bin laden. that makes it a double body blow to the terror organization, but officials caution that al qaeda, l.aally al-awlaki's branch

let's talk also about samir khan.ther gentleman who was actually killed with him in this united states attack. he, too, is an american and affiliated with the al-qaeda magazine known as inspire. >> that's right. an american, born in saudi arabia. he came to the united states when he was around 6 years old. he came to new york city. he was radicalized here in new york city. he then moved to north carolina, started a pro jihadist blog and in october of 2009, moved to yemen, joined forces with al-awlaki and from there, started putting out this magazine called inspire, which was put out every few months trying to urge followers in the west to launch attacks in the west and providing a how-to guide in terms of launching these attacks. counterterrorism officials on both sides of the atlantic were really disturbed by this magazine and the practical advice given. this is also a deeply significant blow. >> who is is next big threat to the united states now that he's been eliminated? >> well, i think that al-qaeda and the arabi

. >> reporter: also killed in the vehicle, another american citizen, samir khan, who edited awlaki'serror inciting online magazine, "inspire." awlaki once consider an inspiration for the ft. hood shooter the attempted times square bomber and played a major role in the attempted bomb of an american-bound jet liner. today, we spoke to the cousin of one of his victims, that was 21 and pregnant when she was killed at ft. hood. >> i'm glad he's gone and we can move on with our lives. >> reporter: u.s. officials tell me tonight that while awlaki was able to use the internet to get out his message, it was those very websites that, in part, helped the u.s. track him down. diane? >> martha rad dad reporting from afghanistan on how they tracked him down. but a question. could this mark the beginning of the end for al qaeda? abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross has been tracking awlaki for years and tells us what his death means. >> reporter: man who u.s. officials said posed the greatest threat to america was a true 21st centu terrort. harnessing the power of the internet, youtub

convoy, destroying the vehicles and killing al-awlaki and six others, including another american, samir khan, editor for al qaeda's online propaganda magazine, "inspire" and ibrahim al asiri, but officials say al-awlaki was the brains behind repeated attempts to attack the u.s. home land. the jet liner over detroit and the attempt to blow cargo planes out of the sky with explosives hidden in printer ink cartridges in october 2010. >> this country is much safer as a result of the loss of al-awlaki. >> reporter: al-awlaki's ability to inspire and recruit potential terrorists was considered his most dangerous weapon. >> anwar al-awlaki was by far the most effective communicator al qaeda had. >> reporter: al-awlaki was the inspiration between army major nadal hassan's shooting spree that killed 14 soldiers and a failed attempt by the so-called times square bombing. terrorism experts fear, even in death, hundreds of his internet postings could breed potential terrorists at home. >> given the fact that so many of his recorded sermons are out there, that he's a powerful icon he may be as much troub

another american samir khan was also killed in the same airstrike that took out al-awlaki.. >>> finally check on weather and traffic. >>> multiple layers of clouds, cool breeze off the ocean means cooler weather again. good morning. step outside, mild, upper 50s to low 60s, oakland 64 and 63 in novato. temperatures cooler than yesterday not as dramatic as we saw yesterday. low to mid 60s along the coast into san francisco mid to upper 60s richmond and oakland low to mid 70s bay shore and south bay near 80 east bay valleys that might be the last time we see 80s in your forecast best chance of rain next week. >>> new accident just reported towards hayward southbound 880 blocking lane number two. little bit of minor slowing past the scene through hayward. muni delays around mosconey center because of oracle open world remaining through next week be forewarned. walnut creek toward the 24 junction a few brake lights but not too bad. we like it that way. >> yes, we do. sue thank you. thank you for joining us for the abc7 news morning news. >> become with a local update at 7:24. k

in fact, a second american-born militant, samir khan, also died in today's strike.oduced the al-qaeda web magazine "inspire," focusing on ways to carry out attacks inside the u.s. at the white house today, press secretary jay carney declined to answer questions on the legal standard for killing american citizens. to assess the implications of awlaki's killing, we turn to brian fishman, a fellow at the new america foundation and the combating terrorism center at west point. juan carlos zarate was deputy national security advisor for counter-terrorism in the bush administration, and is now a senior adviser at the center for strategic and international studies. welcome. how important is the killing of awlaki and how significant a figure was he? juan? >> i think awlaki grew in significance over time. he became a figure in the al qaeda network known as al qaeda in the arabian pennsylvania-- peninsula in yemen. he was an operational figure. he began to play a more instrumental role in some of the external plots and e ternity network that were targeting the united states.

have the specifics on whether it came from the yemenis or not. >> there has been a report that samir khan was also killed in the strike. >> i do not have confirmation on anyone but al-awlaki. i do not have the confirmation. i would not know where the others are getting it. i do not have it to give. >> could we have a briefing on these questions? >> i am saying we will not address circumstances of his death. i would not anticipate a briefing on it. >> is there a difference between what you cannot answer because you do not know the answers? >> specifically in terms of notification and things like that. i will take the question about notification and where it came from. i do not have any details on that. >> on the buffett conversation, he talked about his idea was a tax on the altar rich -- ultra rich. >> you have to look carefully. this is important. i appreciate you clarifying this. there has been a lot of the liberal misrepresentation and misunderstanding. -- deliberate misrepresentation and misunderstanding. if you make $5 million, and i hope you do, and it is all in wages or $50 million