Al Qaeda Chief Ayman al-Zawahiri’s Dying Nonetheless Unclear: US Official

Washington:

 The succession of Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was believed to have been killed in a U.S. raid final 12 months, stays unclear, a U.S. intelligence official mentioned on Tuesday.

Zawahiri was killed in a U.S. strike in Afghanistan, the most important blow to the militant group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011.

“The query for Al Qaeda, that it has not answered for itself, is who follows (Zawahiri),” Christine Abizaid, director of the U.S. Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart, mentioned in an occasion organized by the Washington Institute when requested about Al Qaeda’s “middle of gravity” after Zawahiri’s dying.

Zawahiri had been in hiding for years. Al Qaeda has not named a successor.

Saif al-Adel, a mysterious, low-key former Egyptian particular forces officer who’s a high-ranking member of Al Qaeda, is seen by consultants as the highest contender. The US is providing a reward of as much as $10 million for info resulting in his arrest.

Abizaid additionally addressed the risk panorama in the US and mentioned the nation confronted an “unpredictable” surroundings, including that People should stay vigilant about overseas-based extremist organizations similar to Al Qaeda and Islamic State.

“The net surroundings is the place many of the radicalisation is happening,” she mentioned.

Lone actors remained a key risk for the US, Abizaid mentioned, including they might be impressed by abroad extremist teams or be pushed by racially and ethnically motivated violent home extremism.

Her remarks echoed a latest evaluation by the Division of Homeland Safety, which mentioned in November that the U.S. risk surroundings will stay heightened within the coming months, with lone offenders and teams motivated by a variety of ideologies posing a hazard.

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