Al Qaeda leader threatens Myanmar in new video
Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri threatens Myanmar in a newly released video, which attempts to connect the plight of Muslims there to the jihadists’ global struggle.
Author Archives: Thomas Joscelyn
AQAP leader cites U.S. Capitol riot as evidence of America’s supposed decline
Khalid Batarfi, the emir of AQAP, appears in a video released today. His commentary proves that he was not detained late last year, as some reports said.
AQAP leader reportedly captured
According to a newly released report by a UN Monitoring Team, AQAP leader Khalid Batarfi was captured in Oct. 2020. FDD’s Long War Journal has not confirmed Batarfi’s arrest.
Al Qaeda ‘gaining strength’ in Afghanistan, U.S. Treasury says
The U.S. Treasury Department states in a Jan. 4 memo that al Qaeda is “gaining strength” in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s protection. The same memo points to the Islamic State’s “logistical hubs” inside Turkey.
U.S. identifies additional al Qaeda leaders in Iran
The State Department revealed today that ‘Abd al Rahman al Maghrebi, a senior al Qaeda leader who heads the group’s propaganda arm and has served as its “general manager,” is based in Iran. Maghrebi and four others based in Iran were designated as terrorists.
Alleged Shabaab operative charged with plotting 9/11-style hijacking
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced yesterday that Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a 30-year-old Kenyan national, has been charged with plotting a 9/11-style attack inside the U.S. Abdullah allegedly served as an “operative” for Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa.
AQIM names veteran jihadist as new emir
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has named Abu Ubaidah Yusef al-Annabi as its new emir. His predecessor, Abdelmalek Droukdel, was killed in a French counterterrorism operation in Mali earlier this year.
Analysis: Al Qaeda’s deputy emir killed in Iran
The New York Times and other press outlets have confirmed that Abu Muhammad al-Masri, al Qaeda’s deputy emir, was killed in an Israeli operation in Tehran on Aug. 7. His death was originally reported on an al-Qaeda-linked social media account.