in VOA Special English.An American air strikein Yemen has killedAnwar al-Awlaki.He led the group knownas al-Qaidain the Arabian Peninsula.BARACK OBAMA: "The death of Awlakiis a major blow to al-Qaida'smost active operational affiliate."President Obama said al-Qaidain the Arabian Peninsularemains dangerous, but weakened.Anwar al-Awlaki was bornin the United States.He urged his followersaround the world to kill Americans."It is either us or them," he said.He built a loyal followingthrough YouTube, Facebook and a blog.(SOUND: Awlaki in Arabic)The United States governmentapproved Mr. Awlaki for killingwithout trial -- a rare stepfor an American citizen.A missile attack from a droneor unmanned aircraft killed himearly Friday in eastern Yemen.Several other suspectedmilitants also died.Yemen's Defense Ministry saidthey included Samir Khan,a militant raisedin the United States.He produced an English-languagemagazine for al-Qaidathat appeared on the Internet.American officials told reportersthat the Central Intelligence Agencyorganized the raid.It was carried outunder the leadership of the JointSpecial Operations Command.That command also led the operationearlier this yearin which an American teamkilled Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.Some Western intelligence officialsbelieved Anwar al-Awlakiwas more dangerousthan Ayman al Zawahiri,the current main al-Qaida leader.Mr. Awlaki spokeboth Arabic and English.Michael Leiter,former director of the NationalCounterterrorism Center, sayshis skill with languageand the Internet made himespecially dangerous.MICHAEL LEITER: "Ideologuesand operational leaderslike Anwar al-Awlaki,other Americanswho are using al-Qaidain the Arabian Peninsulaas a platform to tryto recruit Westerners-- this makes themI think the most significant threatof all the affiliates we face."Mr. Awlaki was born to Yemeni parentsin New Mexico in nineteen seventy-one.He served as a religious leaderin several mosquesin the United States.These included onein San Diego, California.That mosque was often attendedby two of the hijackersin the attacks of September eleventh,two thousand one.Mr. Awlaki was wantedby both the United States and Yemenfor his reported involvementin terrorist attacks.President Obama said Mr. Awlakidirected the failed attemptto blow up a passenger airplaneon Christmas Dayin December two thousand nine.Investigators say he may have alsohad a part in a shooting attacka month earlier.They say he may have advisedArmy Major Nidal Malik Hasan.Major Hasan is accused of killingthirteen peopleat Fort Hood in Texas.Yemeni officials charged Mr. Awlakiwith "inciting violenceagainst foreigners"for the killing last yearof a French oil industry workerin Yemen.The killing of Anwar al-Awlakicomes as Yemenfaces violent political unrest.President Ali Abdullah Salehhas agreed repeatedly to resignbut has yet to do so.On Friday, President Obamamade his commentsduring a ceremony marking the end of Navy Admiral Mike Mullen'sfour-year term as chairmanof the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Army General Martin Dempseyreplaces him as the nation'stop military officer.And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.