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Intel - Terrorism
Ayman al-Zawahiri

"In God we trust.
All others we monitor."
 

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Biographical
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Quotes
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Born in Cairo, 1951
  • Born in 1951 in Cairo, Egypt
  • Al-Zawahiri was "studious and introverted as a boy," and was described as "tender and soft-hearted" by his schoolteachers. However, he was also a militant Islamist from a young age.
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Sayyid Qutb Executed, 1966
  • Zawahiri was fifteen, at the time
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Yom Kippur War, 1973
  • Zawahiri was twenty-two, at the time
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Iranian Revolution, 1979
  • Zawahiri was twenty-eight, at the time
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Mecca Seized, 1979
  • Zawahiri was twenty-eight, at the time
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Anwar Sadat Assassinated, October 6, 1981
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Imprisoned, in Conjunction with Sadat Assassination, 1981
  • After being acquitted of having been involved in the assassination plot and released from jail in 1984, al-Zawahiri pushed to unify the remaining members of al-Jihad and continue the group's struggle against the Egyptian government.
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Imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood Spent Much Time Discussing Failure Of Sadat Assassination
  •  They spent many days considering why the underground operations had failed and how they might have succeeded. "Ayman told me that he hadn't wanted the [Sadat] assassination to take place," Montassir al-Zayyat, his fellow prisoner and biographer, recalled. "He thought they should have waited and plucked the regime from the roots through a military coup. He was not that bloodthirsty."
    [source: Looming Tower, p. 65]
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Imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood Drawn To Zawahiri From Wealth And He Fed Them Often
  • His education, family background, and relative wealth made Zawahiri a notable figure. Every other day, a driver arrived with food from his family, which Zawahiri distributed among the other prisoners.
    [source: Looming Tower, p. 65] 
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Zawahiri, As A Prisoner In Egypt, Helped Out In Prison Hospital
  • He also helped out in the prison hospital.
    [source: Looming Tower, p. 65]
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Released from Egyptian Prison, 1984
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Zawahiri Travels to Saudi Arabia, 1986 (?)
  • He did not remain in Egypt for long, however, moving to Saudi Arabia for a brief period
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Zawahiri to Peshwar, Pakistan, 1986
  • and then on to Peshawar, Pakistan in 1986.
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Worked with Abdullah Azzam, Recruiting Muhajideen, 1986-1989
  • In Peshawar he worked with Abdullah Azzam in facilitating the recruitment, training, and deployment of the Arab muhajideen to the Afghan jihad against the Soviets.
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Befriends Osama bin Laden
  • It was also at this time that he established a personal and professional relationship with Usama bin Ladin.
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"Jihad Group" Created, Dr. Fadl Named Emir 1987
  • In 1987 he declared the formation of Tanzim al-Jihad, or the "Jihad Group," appointing his close friend, Dr. al-Sayyid Imam Abdel Azeez, as amir.
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First Founding Al Qaeda Meeting In Spring 1988 - Led By Zawahiri
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, pp. 286-287]
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Zawahiri Visits Brooklyn Office of al Khifah 1989
  • Ayman Al-Zawahiri, future Al-Qaeda second-in-command, makes a recruiting trip to the office in 1989.
  • The Brooklyn office also raises a considerable amount of money for MAK/Al-Kifah back in Pakistan.
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Zawahiri Had No Interest In Azzam's Kashmir & Pakistan Plans, Wanted Egypt First
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, pp. 284-285]
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Late Summer 1989 Plot Against Azzam Foiled - Bombs In The Podium
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, p. 285]
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Azzam & Zawahiri Very Tense After This
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, p. 285]
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Author: Zawahiri Persuaded Osama To Split From Azzam
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, p. 285]
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Author: Zawahiri Treating Osama's Bad Kidneys By 1989 At Least
  • [source: Gods Terrorists, p. 285]
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Ayman al-Zawahiri in disguise in Bosnia 1992-1994

 
Al-Zawahiri Frequently Visits Bosnia, Works with Bosnian Muslim Politicians 1992-1994
  • Al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri is said to visit Bosnia many times from around this date.
  • A prominent Muslim Bosnian politician later claims that al-Zawahiri visited mujaheddin camps in central Bosnia as early as September 1992.
  • The Egyptian government, which considers al-Zawahiri an important enemy, claims al-Zawahiri is running several muhajideen operations in Bosnia through charity fronts.
  • They also claim he meets regularly with Bosnian Muslim politicians in Sarajevo.
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Zawahiri Discusses Bosnia War and Weapons Requirements with Iranian Government 1992
  • He is further said to occasionally meet with Iranian government representatives to discuss the war in Bosnia, as Iran is supplying weapons to the Bosnian Muslims.
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Zawahiri Runs Bosnia Operations from Bulgaria 1994
  • By 1994, al-Zawahiri will settle in Bulgaria to manage operations in Bosnia and the rest of the Balkan region.
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