Story highlights The target of the Somalia raid was a commander for Al-Shabaab, an official says

The man has ties to one of the 1998 U.S. embassy attacks, the official says

Members of the elite U.S. Army Delta Force carried out the Libya raid

The al Qaeda operative is accused in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings

(CNN) -- In two operations in Africa nearly 3,000 miles apart, U.S. military forces went after two high-value targets over the weekend.

One operation took place early Saturday in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, when members of the elite U.S. Army Delta Force captured Abu Anas al Libi , an al Qaeda operative wanted for his alleged role in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

In the second raid, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs in southern Somalia targeted a foreign fighter commander for Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked with al Qaeda, according to a senior Obama administration official.

Early-morning capture

Al Libi, 49, was returning to his house after morning prayers around 6:30 a.m. (Friday night ET) when a group of at least 10 men in four vehicles surprised him, his wife told CNN.

Umm Abdul Rahman said some of the men were wearing masks and some weren't. She said the unmasked men looked like Libyans to her and spoke Arabic with Libyan accents. She couldn't say whether the other men were Americans.

The capture was over very quickly, she said.

She disputed reports that her husband of 22 years was reaching for a gun when he was taken. She said he broke with al Qaeda in 1996 and had no role in the embassy bombings two years later, and he had even tried recently to clear his name.

The Saturday operation was conducted with the knowledge of the Libyan government, said one U.S. official. The Pentagon said the U.S. military was holding al Libi in a "secure location" outside Libya.

He eventually will be taken to New York, a source with knowledge of the capture and proceedings told CNN.

JUST WATCHED U.S. forces strike in Libya and Somalia Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH U.S. forces strike in Libya and Somalia 02:06

JUST WATCHED Bartley: 'Relieved' Al Libi captured Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bartley: 'Relieved' Al Libi captured 03:24

JUST WATCHED U.S. forces capture al Qaeda figure Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH U.S. forces capture al Qaeda figure 04:47

JUST WATCHED U.S. forces make 2 raids in Africa Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH U.S. forces make 2 raids in Africa 03:13

The Libyan interim government called the U.S. capture a kidnapping and has requested an explanation from Washington about the raid, the country's state news agency reported Sunday. Libya emphasized its citizens should be tried in Libya if they are facing charges, LANA reported.

President Barack Obama approved the two raids, monitored them closely and was updated regularly by homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco and his national security staff, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden told CNN on Sunday.

"This operation should be a clear reminder that the United States will seek justice against those who would attack Americans, and never forgets those who are victims of terrorism," the White House said Sunday.

And in a written statement Sunday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the raids "send a strong message to the world that the United States will spare no effort to hold terrorists accountable, no matter where they hide or how long they evade justice."

"We will continue to maintain relentless pressure on terrorist groups that threaten our people or our interests, and we will conduct direct action against them, if necessary, that is consistent with our laws and our values," Hagel said.

SEAL Team Six involved in Somalia

In the Somalia raid, members of the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team Six targeted a foreign fighter commander for Al-Shabaab named Ikrima, a senior Obama administration official said Sunday.

A Kenyan of Somali origin, Ikrima is associated with now-deceased al Qaeda operatives Harun Fazul and Saleh Nabhan, who played roles in the 1998 embassy bombing in Nairobi and the 2002 attacks on a hotel and airline in Mombasa, all in Kenya, the official said. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for all three.

The Nairobi embassy attack claimed 213 lives and wounded 4,500 people.

In the 2002 attacks, three suicide bombers detonated a car bomb outside the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel in Mombasa, killing the bombers as well as 12 Kenyans and three Israelis. The same morning, a missile attack unsuccessfully targeted an Israeli airliner taking off from Mombasa's airport.

Local residents said the compound targeted by the Americans was the home of Al-Shabaab leader Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, also known as Ahmed Abdi Godane, and an Al-Shabaab spokesman claimed Godane was the target of the attack.

SEAL Team Six is the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011.

The SEALs came under fire and withdrew before they could confirm whether they killed their target, a senior U.S. official said. A second administration official said the commandos withdrew to avoid civilian casualties.

The operations were carried out even as polls show Americans are skittish about U.S. military involvement in overseas conflicts. This means others who might be in U.S. crosshairs could have more reason to worry, said retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona, a CNN military analyst.

"One (mission) could have gone without the other," Francona said. "But the fact that they did them both, I think, is a real signal that the United States -- no matter how long it takes -- will go after these targets."

Speaking to reporters at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali, Indonesia, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the raids ought to make clear that the United States "will never stop in its effort to hold those accountable who conduct acts of terror."

"Those members of al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations literally can run," he said, "but they can't hide."

Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Relatives of Johnny Mutinda Musango, 48, weep after identifying his body at the city morgue in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, September 24. Musango was one of the victims of the Westgate Mall hostage siege. Kenyan security forces were still combing the mall on the fourth day of the siege by al Qaeda-linked terrorists. Hide Caption 1 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Ann Gakii reacts at the Nairobi City Mortuary after identifying the body of her father, who was killed in the mall attack on Saturday. Hide Caption 2 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A Kenyan soldier runs through a corridor on an upper floor at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 24, shortly before an explosion was heard. Sounds of heavy gunfire erupted from the mall Tuesday, even as authorities said they had the building under their control. But four days after Al-Shabaab terrorists stormed the swanky mall, several gunmen -- including snipers -- were still inside, two senior officials said. Hide Caption 3 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Kenyan Defense Forces walk near the mall on Monday, September 23. Hide Caption 4 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Kenyan Defense Forces leave the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 5 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Stephen, center, is comforted by relatives as he waits for the post mortem exam of his father, who was killed in Saturday's attack at the mall. Hide Caption 6 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A Kenyan police officer guards the entrance of a building near the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 7 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A Kenyan security officer takes cover as gunfire and explosions are heard from the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 8 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Heavy smoke rises from the Westgate Shopping Mall on September 23. Hide Caption 9 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Medics take cover behind a tree as gunfire and explosions are heard from the Westgate Mall on September 23. Hide Caption 10 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A Kenyan police security officer runs for cover as heavy smoke rises from the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 11 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A paramedic runs for cover outside the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 12 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – People run for cover outside the mall after heavy shooting started on September 23. Hide Caption 13 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Kenyan security forces crouch behind a wall outside the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 14 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Soldiers take cover after gunfire near the mall on September 23. Hide Caption 15 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Kenyan paramilitary police officers patrol the area near the mall on Sunday, September 22. Hide Caption 16 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Soldiers from the Kenya Defense Forces arrive outside the Westgate Mall on September 22. Hide Caption 17 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A woman shields a baby as a soldier stands guard inside the Westgate Mall on Saturday, September 21. Hide Caption 18 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A rescue worker helps a child outside the mall. Hide Caption 19 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – People who had been hiding inside the mall during the gunfire flee the scene. Hide Caption 20 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – An armed official takes a shooting position inside the mall. Hide Caption 21 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – An armed official crouches on September 21. Hide Caption 22 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Hide Caption 23 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Bodies lie on the ground inside the mall. Hide Caption 24 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Men help a wounded woman outside the mall. Hide Caption 25 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Officials carry an injured man in the mall. Hide Caption 26 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Soldiers move up stairs inside the Westgate Mall. Hide Caption 27 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Armed police leave after entering the mall. At least one suspect has been killed, a government official said. Police have said another suspected gunman has been detained at a Nairobi hospital. Hide Caption 28 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Armed police take cover behind escalators as smoke fills the air. Witnesses say tear gas was thrown in the corridors. Hide Caption 29 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A woman who had been hiding during the attack runs for cover after armed police enter the mall. Hide Caption 30 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A body is seen on the floor inside the smoke-filled four-story mall. Hide Caption 31 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – An injured person is helped on arrival at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi after the attack at the upscale mall. Hide Caption 32 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A soldier directs people up a stairway inside the Westgate on September 21. Hide Caption 33 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – An injured man is wheeled into the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi. Hide Caption 34 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – People run from the Westgate Mall. Hide Caption 35 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A Kenyan woman is helped to safety after the masked gunmen stormed the upscale mall and sprayed gunfire on shoppers and staff. Hide Caption 36 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Crowds gather outside the upscale shopping mall. The interior ministry urges Kenyans to keep off the roads near the mall so police can ensure everyone inside has been evacuated to safety. Hide Caption 37 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A policeman carries a baby to safety. Authorities said multiple shooters were at the scene. Hide Caption 38 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Bodies lie outside the shopping mall. Hide Caption 39 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A security officer helps a wounded woman outside. Hide Caption 40 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Elaine Dang of San Diego is helped to safety after the attack. The military asked local media not to televise anything live because the gunmen are watching the screens in the mall. Hide Caption 41 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Paramedics treat an injured man outside the mall. Hide Caption 42 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Medical personnel carry a body away. Hide Caption 43 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A body lies outside the mall. Gunmen shot people outside the mall as they entered it Hide Caption 44 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A woman is pulled by a shopping cart to an ambulance. Hide Caption 45 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A wounded man is escorted outside the mall. Hide Caption 46 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A police officer carries a baby as people keep low and run to safety. Crowds dashed down the streets as soldiers in military fatigues, guns cocked, crawled under cars to get closer to the mall. Hide Caption 47 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – People run away from the scene. Hide Caption 48 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – Armed Kenyan forces take position to secure the area around the shopping mall as ambulances move in to carry the injured. Hide Caption 49 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A woman reacts after she is rescued from the mall. Hide Caption 50 of 51 Photos: Photos: Kenya mall attack Kenya mall attack – A couple flee the area. As night fell, authorities said they had cornered the gunmen in the mall. Hide Caption 51 of 51

Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – Abu Anas al Libi, a key al Qaeda operative wanted for his role in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, has been captured in a U.S. special operations forces raid in Tripoli, Libya, U.S. officials told CNN on Saturday, October 5. Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – The blast on August 7, 1998 at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, killed more than 200 people. Kenyan security guards keep watch on August 8, 1998, at the scene of explosion. Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – A guard looks over the site of the bomb blast on August 8, 1998, in Nairobi, Kenya. Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – Rescuers help move survivors from the explosion site in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 7, 1998. Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – The Tanzania blast went off nearly simultaneously, to the one in Kenya on August 7, 1998, leaving 11 people dead. Here, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright talks with a member of the FBI at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam on August 18, 1998. Visible in the background is the tanker that was used to create the explosion. Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Photos: 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings – A U.S. Marine talks with an FBI investigator in front of the bomb-damaged U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on August 15, 1998. Hide Caption 6 of 6

Al Libi tied to U.S. embassy bombings

Al Libi, has been on the radar for years. He was on the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists" list, with a $5 million reward offered for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

He is alleged to have played a key role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of American embassies in Nairobi, Kenya; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. More than 200 people were killed and another 5,000 wounded in the Kenya attack; 11 died in the Tanzania incident.

Al Libi has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, murder, destruction of American buildings and government property, and destruction of national defense utilities of the United States.

As early as December 2010, Libyan authorities told a United Nations committee that al Libi was living there, even providing a Tripoli address for him.

U.S. officials wanted al Libi to face trial in an American court.

But, counterterrorism analysts told CNN, he may not have been apprehended at the time because of the delicate security situation in much of Libya. There, ex-jihadists -- especially those who once belonged to the Libyan Islamic Fighters Group -- held considerable sway after the ouster of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

"It's a huge deal to get him," said CNN's Nic Robertson, who has long been covering al Qaeda. "He's a big player in al Qaeda (and) he is in one of the key target areas, the north of Africa."

Beyond any psychological impact on the terrorist group, al Libi's capture could potentially yield a wealth of information about al Qaeda's plans and capabilities. The terrorist network has shown particular strength of late in Africa.

"Clearly, he may have useful information about the strength of al Qaeda and the Islamists in Libya," Robertson said. "He is somebody who is senior within al Qaeda. He was well respected, a good operative."

Al-Shabaab blamed for Kenya mall attack

Al-Shabaab long has been a target of Washington as well: It was designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2008. The group is seeking to turn Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state, though it has carried out attacks in other African countries as well.

The attack on Nairobi's Westgate Mal l on September 21 thrust Al-Shabaab into the spotlight once again. Washington vowed to support Kenya's government after the bloody raid, which killed at least 67 people.

The Navy SEAL raid on Al-Shabaab took place before dawn Saturday (late Friday night ET) in the southern Somalian port city of Barawe. Abdiaziz Abu Musab, an Al-Shabaab spokesman, said at least one Al-Shabaab fighter was killed in the gunfight. But no U.S. personnel were injured or killed, a U.S. official said.

In recent months, Al-Shabaab's haven in south-central Somalia has been been increasingly squeezed as Kenyan forces fight the group from the south and African Union forces come down from Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

At the same time, Al-Shabaab has become even more closely aligned with al Qaeda. The two groups effectively merged last year, said CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen.

"This is a group that has adopted al Qaeda's ideology wholesale," Bergen said. "The reason they attacked the mall was not only because it was Kenyan, but also because it attracted a fair number of Western businessmen and others living in Nairobi."