<p>An audio recording purported to be of al-Qaeda's No 2 in Yemen has surfaced on the Internet with the militant figure denying government reports that he was killed in a US drone strike last month.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the message, a man claiming to be Saudi-born Saeed al-Shihri says reports of his death were a "rumour to cover up the killing of innocent Muslim civilians."<br /><br />The authenticity of the audio could not be independently confirmed. It was produced by al-Qaeda's media arm in Yemen, al-Malahem, and posted on militant websites late yesterday.<br /><br />Yemeni officials, speaking anonymously in line with regulations, have said al-Shihri and six others travelling with him died in a September strike on their vehicle.<br /><br /> The missile was believed to have been fired by a US-operated, unmanned drone aircraft</p>
<p>An audio recording purported to be of al-Qaeda's No 2 in Yemen has surfaced on the Internet with the militant figure denying government reports that he was killed in a US drone strike last month.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the message, a man claiming to be Saudi-born Saeed al-Shihri says reports of his death were a "rumour to cover up the killing of innocent Muslim civilians."<br /><br />The authenticity of the audio could not be independently confirmed. It was produced by al-Qaeda's media arm in Yemen, al-Malahem, and posted on militant websites late yesterday.<br /><br />Yemeni officials, speaking anonymously in line with regulations, have said al-Shihri and six others travelling with him died in a September strike on their vehicle.<br /><br /> The missile was believed to have been fired by a US-operated, unmanned drone aircraft</p>