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| map by Evan Centanni (www.polgeonow.com) |
The US killed al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's senior sharia,
or Islamic law, official in a drone strike in early October, according
to a Yemeni journalist who is closely connected to the terror group.
Sheikh Abu Zubeir 'Adil al'Abab, the sharia official, was described as
AQAP's fourth-most important leader.
Al'Abab was the "fourth man in the hierarchy of Qaedat al-Jihad Organization in the Arabian Peninsula," according to a report by Abdul Razzaq al Jamal, which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. A close follower of AQAP, al Jamal has traveled and embedded with the terror group, and has interviewed many AQAP senior and midlevel officials. He has also written articles that sympathized with the terror group's attempts to control the region. AQAP has not released an official martyrdom statement announcing al'Abab's death.
Al'Abab was killed in the Oct. 4 drone strike that targeted vehicles as they traveled in the Maqbala area in Shabwa province. Four AQAP fighters were reportedly killed in the strike.
According to al Jamal, al'Abab was the most important AQAP leader after Nasir al Wuhayshi, the group's emir; Said al Shihri, the deputy emir; and Qassim al Rimi, AQAP's military commander. Al'Abab is also the fourth-most important AQAP leader killed in a US drone strike after Abu Ali al Harithi, Anwar al-Awlaki, and Fahd al Quso, according to al Jamal.
As AQAP's sharia official, al'Abab provided religious justification for AQAP's operations, including suicide attacks. Additionally, al'Abab helped with AQAP's propaganda efforts. Al'Abab "contributed articles to AQAP's Arabic magazine, 'Echo of the Epics' (Sada al- Malahem), and answered questions about targeting non-Muslim civilians and Yemeni soldiers in the fourth issue of AQAP's English magazine, 'Inspire,'" according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
Al'Abab was the "fourth man in the hierarchy of Qaedat al-Jihad Organization in the Arabian Peninsula," according to a report by Abdul Razzaq al Jamal, which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. A close follower of AQAP, al Jamal has traveled and embedded with the terror group, and has interviewed many AQAP senior and midlevel officials. He has also written articles that sympathized with the terror group's attempts to control the region. AQAP has not released an official martyrdom statement announcing al'Abab's death.
Al'Abab was killed in the Oct. 4 drone strike that targeted vehicles as they traveled in the Maqbala area in Shabwa province. Four AQAP fighters were reportedly killed in the strike.
According to al Jamal, al'Abab was the most important AQAP leader after Nasir al Wuhayshi, the group's emir; Said al Shihri, the deputy emir; and Qassim al Rimi, AQAP's military commander. Al'Abab is also the fourth-most important AQAP leader killed in a US drone strike after Abu Ali al Harithi, Anwar al-Awlaki, and Fahd al Quso, according to al Jamal.
As AQAP's sharia official, al'Abab provided religious justification for AQAP's operations, including suicide attacks. Additionally, al'Abab helped with AQAP's propaganda efforts. Al'Abab "contributed articles to AQAP's Arabic magazine, 'Echo of the Epics' (Sada al- Malahem), and answered questions about targeting non-Muslim civilians and Yemeni soldiers in the fourth issue of AQAP's English magazine, 'Inspire,'" according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/10/aqaps_top_sharia_off.php#ixzz29vh0Bvv2
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