Saif al-Adel named new al-Qaida leader: Report

WASHINGTON: Al-Qaida has chosen a former Egyptian Special Forces officer as interim leader of the violent extremist group in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death earlier this month, CNN reported on Tuesday. Saif al-Adel, a top al-Qaida strategist and senior military leader, has been tapped as "caretaker" chief of the group, CNN reported, citing former Libyan militant Noman Benotman, who has renounced al-Qaida's ideology. Pakistan's The News newspaper corroborated the claim, citing unnamed sources in an article datelined Rawalpindi, a city home to the military headquarters of the Pakistani Armed Forces near the capital Islamabad. The decision to chose Adel, also known as Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi, came as militants grew increasingly restive over the lack of a formal successor to bin Laden, who was killed in a dramatic US commando raid deep in Pakistan on May 2, Benotman told CNN. Bin Laden's long-time deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, another Egyptian, is considered to be his presumed successor. Benotman said the appointment of Adel on a temporary basis may be a way for the group to gauge reaction to having someone outside the Muslim holy region of the Arabian Peninsula at the helm. 

Laden's possible successors at Al Qaeda' s top

Ayman al-Zawahiri is advisor and second in command to bin Laden. He is most likely to succeed bin Laden. Head of Egyptian Islamic Jihad group, he is a Egyptian national. (Source: internet Date:05/06/2011)

Anwar al-Awlaki is leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and is considered a possible successor to bin Laden. (Source: internet Date:05/06/2011)

Saif al-Adel is in charge of security operations and succeeded Mohammed Atef. He is a former Eqyptian army officer who joined the mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Reportedly being held under house arrest in Iran, but may have been released. (Source: Afghanbabes.com Date:05/06/2011)

 

 

 

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah is in charge of financial operations. (Source: Afghanbabes.com Date:05/06/2011)

Adnan Gulshair el-Shukrijumah is in charge of operations. Has Lived in the United States with his father, a Muslim cleric. (Source: Afghanbabes.com Date:05/06/2011)

Adam Gadhan is a propagandist. Grew up in California and converted to Islam as a teenager. Moved to Pakistan in 1998 and appeared in several Al Qaeda videos. Indicted and charged with treason in 2006. (Source: www.moonbattery.com Date:05/06/2011)

Photo Courtecy: International Business Times