The U.S.-Pakistan Militant Most Wanted: One Down?

Ilyas Kashmiri, al Qaeda senior leader, was on wanted list U.S. handed Pakistan.

ByABC News
June 6, 2011, 11:58 AM

June 6, 2011 — -- With the reported death of al Qaeda commander Ilyas Kashmiri in a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan over the weekend, the U.S. may be able to cross out the first name on a narrow list of militants recently targeted in joint U.S.-Pakistani initiative.

Late last month the U.S. provided the Pakistani government a list of five suspected terrorists and asked the Pakistanis to provide immediate intelligence on each, as first reported by ABC News.

READ: U.S. Presses Pakistan to Go After Specific Militant Leaders

It is not clear if Kashmiri's possible death -- which U.S. officials cannot confirm at this time -- was a result of intelligence shared by the Pakistanis, but on Friday a senior Pakistani official confirmed reports that a joint U.S-Pakistani intelligence team had been created specifically to go after militants.

Here are the militants with the distinction of being featured on the terror short list:

Ilyas Kashmiri, 'The Next Osama Bin Laden'

Ilyas Kashmiri joined the ranks of America's most wanted terrorists in April when the U.S. State Department announced a $5 million reward for information leading to his location.

Kashmiri is the commander of Harakut-ul-Jihad al-Islami, an al Qaeda-connected terror group believed to be responsible for several attacks in India and Pakistan, and allegedly provides logistical support for al Qaeda, according to the U.S. State Department. Kashmiri was considered a top possible contender for the leadership role for core al Qaeda following Osama bin Laden's death in May and had been referred to as "the next Osama bin Laden."

Pakistani government officials said early Monday they are "100 percent" sure Kashmiri was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's South Waziristan last week, but several U.S. officials said they have not been able to confirm the death.

Sources told ABC News that after the drone attack, which claimed 16 lives, several of the bodies were blown beyond recognition.READ: Al Qaeda Leader Reported Killed By U.S. Missile Attack in Pakistan

Ayman al-Zawahiri, Bin Laden's Deputy