“Armed and dangerous” and with a $35 million bounty on his head, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was declared dead by US President Joe Biden this morning. The “most wanted terrorist” was eliminated during an airstrike in Afghanistan on Saturday, sending a clear signal the US does not forgive or forget.
“No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out,” Biden said in an address this morning.
Despite al-Qaeda’s lower profile in recent years, the death of the co-founder and leader of the 34-year-old terrorist organisation is significant. Professor Greg Barton, chair in global Islamic politics at Deakin Institute, told Crikey that although al-Qaeda has been on the decline since Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011, the world would be wrong to dismiss it as belonging to a past era.
“They are a very resilient and persistent threat,” he said. “The real question is: are al-Qaeda at an inflection point for a comeback course?”
Currently it has capacity to operate only in places without stable government, but Barton said that could well change with new leadership and a friendly regime in Afghanistan: “It’s risky to downplay and dismiss the threat posed in the longer run.”
Al-Zawahiri took over as head of al-Qaeda in 2011 after bin Laden died. Under his leadership, it suffered a series of image problems. Most notable was the irreparable brand damage done by its split from ISIS in 2013-14. Barton said al-Zawahiri was not a charismatic leader and kept a relatively low profile, operating more as a behind-the-scenes bureaucrat than a front-facing propagandist.
Biden said al-Zawahiri “made videos, including in recent weeks calling for his followers to attack the United States and our allies”.
The growth of police counter-intelligence post 9/11 has made it increasingly hard for terrorism networks to operate without detection. The US has had a field day with intel, making a business of killing top personnel in terrorist organisations. This year’s kill list includes top Islamic State leader Maher al-Agal, taken out in an airstrike in Syria. Al-Zawahiri will no doubt not be the last.
Whether his death is simply 9/11 residue for the US, a nail in the coffin for al-Qaeda, or the beginning of a new reign of terror remains to be seen.
No trial. No evidence. Who are the real terrorists?
That’s an easy one. Or weren’t you watching the news in 2001?
As someone who has been watching the news since the “Gulf of Tonkin Incident” I agree that it is very easy to say who were, are and continue to be the world’s most deadly terrorist group.
The Once & Future Hegemon.
Who will replace him? The old advice is ‘Be careful what you wish for’.
The Evil Empire strikes again.
The Great Murderers and political perverts of history remind us of days of glory past, when Assyrians, Romans, Huns, Vandals, USAns, British, French, Spanish and others killed and smiled, looted and grinned, gave thanks for supremacy.
Truly, there is no hiding. Not even in Ecuador’s London embassy.