“Imagine. They used to travel in Land Cruisers and double-cabin pickup trucks a few years ago,” said a commander from the Pakistani Taliban, which is close to al Qaeda. “Now, they are riding motorcycles due to lack of resources.”…

Financing was proving troublesome, since it is traditionally done in cash and in person to avoid being tracked through the banking system.

Libi was one of the few al Qaeda leaders who kept up personal contacts with commanders from other major militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban…

Al Qaeda commanders who once appeared at training camps to motivate fighters are rarely seen, according to Taliban commanders and Pakistani intelligence officials.

“Most of them have gone underground, hiding in bunkers and basements, avoiding contact with the outside world,” an intelligence official in the tribal border areas told Reuters.

One senior Pakistani security official estimates there are only about eight core al Qaeda leaders left in Pakistan.