Al Qaeda's 'military brain' killed in Pakistan drone strike

(CNN) -- The man described by counterterrorism officials as al Qaeda's "military brain," Ilyas Kashmiri, was killed in a drone strike Friday night in Pakistan, a spokesman for his group, the jihadist Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami, said.

Pakistani and U.S. officials, however, said they have not confirmed Kashmiri's death.

Kashmiri was killed, along with some aides, in a strike at 11:15 p.m., spokesman Abu Hanzla Kashar said.

"The oppressor U.S. is our only target and, God willing, we will take revenge on the U.S. soon with full force," he said.

A senior Pakistani military official said that in all, nine were killed by the drone strike. The official reiterated that they had not confirmed Kashmiri's demise.

Kashmiri, who was known to operate in North Waziristan, had moved to South Waziristan and was seen at the site of the attack on Friday, the official said.

If confirmed, his death would be the first major kill or capture since Osama Bin Laden, and the highest profile drone target since Beitullah Mehsud in 2009.

It could also be seen as an embarrassment for Pakistanis, who have twice in just over one month, had a major al Qaeda figure killed on their territory without their participation.

U.S. drones now operate entirely autonomously in Pakistan, a Pakistani intelligence source has told CNN. Whereas before the United States cooperated with Pakistan and used their intelligence, today, the Americans have an intelligence network that allows them to go after terrorists unilaterally.

Kashmiri, a veteran jihadist, is considered one of the most dangerous men in the world by counterterrorism officials on three continents.

He was commander of "Brigade 313" of Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami, which has formed a close relationship with al Qaeda.

Kashmiri is also said to have ties with David Coleman Headley, the U.S. citizen who confessed to helping scout

targets for the Mumbai attack in November 2008. After his arrest, Headley said he had twice met Kashmiri.

During questioning by India's National Intelligence Agency, which was given access to him in Chicago, Illinois, in June 2010, Headley said he'd been taken to Pakistan's tribal territories to meet Kashmiri early in 2009.

A copy of the interrogation obtained by CNN reveals that Kashmiri sent Headley on another trip to survey targets in India. One place he said he videotaped was a bakery that was later attacked in Pune in February 2010.

Kashmiri in his early years fought the Indians in the disputed territory of Kashmir and the Russians in Afghanistan, where he lost an eye.

He famously escaped from an Indian jail and went to fight with a unit of Pakistan's special forces. Eventually, he fell out with his sponsors in the Pakistani military, and moved his operations to North Waziristan.

At one point, he was arrested in connection with an attempt to assassinate Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in 2003. For reasons unknown, Kashmiri was released a short time later.

CNN's Nasir Habib, Nick Paton Walsh and Tim Lister contributed to this report.

CNN

NHL player's brain going to research

New York Rangers player Derek Boogaard was found dead Friday in his apartment.The cause of the death of Derek Boogaard has not been determinedBoogaard was found dead Friday in his Minneapolis apartment The 28-year-old hockey player joined the New York Rangers in July

(CNN) -- The parents of a New York Rangers player found dead in his apartment have decided to donate his brain to Boston University researchers studying the effects of concussion in athletes, a medical examiner's office said Sunday.

New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead Friday in his Minneapolis apartment.

An autopsy was conducted Saturday, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office in Minnesota, which confirmed that Boogaard's parents signed papers to donate Boogaard's brain.

The office has not released a cause of death, saying it was waiting for toxicology test results that might not be determined for several weeks.

Dr. Robert Stern, co-director for Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, confirmed Sunday that the family has donated Boogard's brain to the VA CSTE Brain Bank for study. The center has a donation registry for athletes to study effects of trauma on the brain and spinal cord.

Boogaard, 28, began his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native joined the Rangers last July and appeared in 22 games during the 2010-11 season.

"Derek was an extremely kind and caring individual," New York Rangers President Glen Sather said on the team's website.

"He was a very thoughtful person, who will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time."

Boogaard supported the Defending the Blue Line Foundation, a nonprofit that ensures the children of military personnel get the opportunity to play hockey.

While with the Rangers, he created "Boogaard's Booguardians," which hosted military families at home games, according to the website.

CNN's Stephanie Smith contributed to this report.

CNN

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Ex-Falcons lineman had brain disease linked to concussions

Chris and Shane Dronett, and their two children, Hayley and Berkley, in 2002. STORY HIGHLIGHTSScientists confirmed that ex-Falcons lineman had a brain disease linked to concussionResearchers believe the battering Shane Dronett took may explain his brain's deteriorationHis family reported troubling personality changes before his suicideEditor's Note: Dr. Sanjay Gupta gets a candid look at the mental deterioration of a former NFL player and the toll that chronic traumatic encephalopathy can take on a family on "Sanjay Gupta, M.D." at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.

(CNN) -- Former NFL lineman Shane Dronett's transformation from an affable prankster, quick to flash a wry smile, to a person who was often frightened -- and frightening -- was subtle at first.

It began in 2006, with a bad dream.

"He woke up in the middle of the night and started screaming and told everyone to run out of the house," said Chris Dronett, Shane Dronett's wife. "He thought that someone was blowing up our house. It was very frightening."

Chris tried to dismiss the incident as isolated, except that two weeks later, there was another outburst, then another, until they were an almost-nightly occurrence. And as Shane's fear and paranoia began overwhelming him, so did episodes of confusion and rage that sometimes turned violent.

Only three years after retiring from the NFL in 2006, Shane was suffering. The tragic culmination of his pain came when he committed suicide in 2009 at 38.

Scientists at the Boston University School of Medicine's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy tested Shane's brain tissue and confirmed that before he died he was suffering with a brain disease -- chronic traumatic encephalopathy -- that seems to afflict football players.

"There is evidence of CTE in his brain making him yet another former NFL player who had definite CTE," said Chris Nowinski, co-director of the traumatic encephalopathy center. Nowinski said the center has found evidence of CTE in the brains of 13 of 14 former NFL players, including Dronett.

Usually found in much older dementia patients, CTE is an accumulation of an abnormal protein in the brain called tau, which is associated with repeated head traumas -- concussions or subconcussive hits -- that are not allowed to heal. CTE can also diminish brain tissue and is associated with memory loss, depression, impulsive behavior and rage.

Outrage comes out of nowhere

The Dronetts' daughter recalled an incident at a local burger joint: "He was ordering, and he got mad at (an employee) and just punched him in the face," said 16-year-old Hayley Dronett.

"He thought the guy was shaking the ice weird or something, and he took him down in the restaurant," added Chris.

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