August 21, 2018
“MOST WANTED MAN IN THE WORLD”
Is al Qaeda’s top bomb maker finally dead?
Why It Matters
“A good chunk of what you have to take out of your bag and what has to be screened is because of (him) and his capabilities of putting explosives in very difficult to find places.”
Former CIA deputy director Michael Morell on the rumored death of Ibrahim al Asiri.
TERRORIST TARGET
- Ibrahim al Asiri – part of AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula based in Yemen).
- Master mind bomb-maker.
- Notorious for teaching terrorists all over the world how to make effective, innovative bombs.
- Responsible for underwear bomber technology in 2009 and disguising bombs as printers.
What You Should Know:
No one has confirmed his death.
He has been rumored dead 2x before and reemerged.
$5 million award from State Dept for his arrest and prosecution.
Reportedly: working on laptop or tablet bombs.
Important Context
“If he is confirmed to have been killed, his death will likely have minimal impact on AQAP as he has shared his expertise for well over a decade.”
Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies & Editor of FDD's Long War Journal
Timing matters: Monday Aug 20-21 is an important worldwide Muslim holiday calledA “Eid” – aka “Festival of The Sacrifice.” At one time, the State Dept offered upwards of $45 million for information on several al Qaeda members in Yemen.
- Wanted AQAP bomb maker rumored killed in US drone strike:
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/08/wanted-aqap-bomb-maker-rumored-killed-in-us-drone-strike.php - U.S. officials confident drone strike killed chief al Qaeda bomb maker:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ibrahim-al-asiri-chief-al-qaeda-bomb-maker-killed-in-u-s-drone-strike/ - Rewards for Justice – Reward Offers for Information on Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Leaders:
https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/10/232932.htm
by Jenna Lee,
