It seems Al Qaeda lost its lead man in Chechnya today as Russian troops took him and four others out of commission:

The Federal Security Service, known by its Russian initials FSB, said in statement carried by the RIA-Novosti news service that Abu Hafs al-Urduni, who it described as al-Qaida’s “chief representative in the North Caucasus” and “a very dangerous international terrorist,” had been killed Sunday in a “special operation” Khasavyurt in the Russian-supported Republic of Dagestan.

Al-Urduni, a Jordanian who fought in Chechnya for fellow Afghan war veteran Ibn al-Khattab in the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade, is said to be a financial lynchpin for Islamic jihadis in Chechnya. His death, if confirmed, will be a significant blow for them.

“Because of his close ties to both al-Khattab and Osama bin Laden, al-Urduni controlled most of the money the Chechen guerillas received from their foreign sponsors,” says the Terrorism Knowledge Base Web site.

Good news, but interesting timing as well. More here.