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| Terror Networks |
| Descriptions of the new generation of terrorist leaders |
| 2004-05-31 |
| And some not so new * ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI—A former commander for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, this 38-year-old Jordanian has links to terrorist groups from North Africa to Caucuses. He allegedly maintains ties to al-Qaeda and is believed to be leading the resistance to Iraq’s occupation. The CIA said Zarqawi was the black-clad militant who decapitated American Nicholas Berg. He is also believed to have had a hand in the March 11 bombings in Madrid, Spain, the failed chemical attack in Jordan and numerous attacks in Iraq. US authorities are offering US$10- million reward for his capture. * AMER AZIZI—The leader of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, this 36-year-old Moroccan is believed to have supervised the March 11 bombings in Madrid that killed 191 people, acting as the link between al-Zarqawi and a cell of mostly Moroccan al-Qaeda members. Azizi trained in Bosnia and Afghanistan and spent time in Iran. He was recently indicted in Spain for allegedly helping plan the September 11 attacks on the United States. * ABDULAZIZ ISSA ABDUL-MOHSIN AL-MOQRIN—This 30-year-old Saudi school dropout took command of al-Qaeda’s cell in Saudi Arabia when his predecessor was killed in a May 2003 shootout. He has been trained in Afghanistan and is believed to have been involved in attacks in May and November 2003 in Riyadh that killed 51 people. He is not linked by authorities to the May 1 attack in Yanbu that killed five Westerners and Saudi, but he issued a statement praising the attack. * HABIB AKDAS—In his 30s, he was little known before Turkish authorities alleged that he orchestrated the November 2003 bombings in Istanbul that killed more than 60. He is believed to have met bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2001 and received military and explosives training there. * NABIL SAHRAOUI—This Algerian in his mid- to late-30s, has reputation for ruthlessness. Last year, he took over leadership of North African Salafist Group for Call and Combat based in Algeria and pledged allegiance to bin Laden. The group drew recent attention by kidnapping Europeans. * FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED—This 30-year-old Comorian is the alleged leader of East Africa’s al-Qaeda cell. He is a computer expert and skilled in languages. US indictment in New York charged him with planning the 1998 attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Kenyan police accused him of planning the 2002 bombing of hotel and attempt to shoot down Israeli airliner. The US government has a $25-million bounty for his capture. He is on a list of seven people just released by the Justice Department in the midst of a new terror scare in the United States.* SALEH ALI SALEH NABÂÂHAN—This Kenyan is said to be Fazul’s No. 2 man. Kenyan police said he built the bomb used at a Kenyan hotel in 2002 and fired a missile at an Israeli airliner. He and Fazul were believed to have fled from Kenya to Somalia following the attacks, but were seen visiting Kenya last year. * KHADAFFY JANJALANI—A man educated in Islamic school and Arabic speaker, he is apparently trying to bring the main faction of the Philippines’ al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf organization back to religious moorings. He is trying to revive an Islamic separatist group with recruits trained by foreign and Filipino insurgents in guerrilla warfare and urban bombings, according to ex-hostages, captured guerrillas and security officials. *ZULKARNAEN—A former biology student, this Indonesian native is one of few militants from Southeast Asia to have trained in Afghanistan. He stepped in late last year as operations chief of al-Qaeda-linked Jema’ah Islamiyah, replacing Hambali after his August arrest. He is believed to be about 40. His real name is Aris Sumarsono and he’s called Daud by fellow militants. |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |
| #3 Whew! That was a close one! Note to self: Preview is your friend. Preview is your friend. Preview is your friend. Preview is your friend. Preview is your friend. Preview is your friend. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-05-31 4:23:42 PM |
| #2 Descriptions of the new generation of terrorist leaders: Dead or soon to be. It may be time for a (secret) Presidential Finding that authorizes the Letters of Marquee and Reprisal .com, it's hard to keep it secret if you're putting it up on the Marquee. Otherwise, I agree. It's time for open season on these parasites. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-05-31 3:34:21 PM |
| #1 Sheesh. The list of chiefs is a little to long for my taste, heh... Thanks, Paul. Your amazing hard work in tracking and consolidating the huge mass of tripe out there into a target list of who and why is, simply put, priceless! T H A N X !!! IMNERHO*, we should emulate the Israelis (Why does that thought occur so often to me? Because they know more about the WoT than we do?) in handling this. It may be time for a (secret) Presidential Finding that authorizes the Letters of Marquee and Reprisal - staffing and funding it with a mix of current and recently-separated SF personnel. They can begin with this list. *IMNERHO = In My Not Even Remotely Humble Opinion |
| Posted by: .com 2004-05-31 2:47:46 PM |