-->

• Ayman al-Zawahiri is a leader of the fundamentalist Sunni Muslim terror group Al Qaeda. Reported to be Osama Bin Laden's second-in-command, Zawahiri is also sometimes thought to be the true source of many of the Al Qaeda policies, while Osama Bin Laden acts the organization's public face.CBS News: Exclusive: Al Qaeda No. 2 Injured? (August 1, 2008)

  On January 6, 2008, Ayman al-Zawahiri called on Muslims to "hit the interests of the Zionists and crusaders wherever and in whichever way you can." The calling on Muslims to act was in response to Israel's operation in the Gaza Strip.Ynetnews.com: Zawahiri urges attacks on Israeli, Western targets (January 6, 2008) The audio taped message was posted on Islamic web sites.FOXNews.com: Al Qaeda No. 2 Urges Strikes on Western, Israeli Targets (January 6, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: June 19, 1951 in Egypt
  2. Married: in 1978 to Azza Nowari
  3. Trained physician and surgeonCNN.com: No evidence of al Qaeda No. 2's illness or death, U.S. says (August 1, 2008)
  4. In 2001, published Knights Under the Prophet's Banner, a manifesto of Al Qaeda's aims
  5. $25 million reward offered for information leading to captureCNN.com: No evidence of al Qaeda No. 2's illness or death, U.S. says (August 1, 2008)

• Message to Obama

  On November 19, 2008, al-Zawahiri released an audio-taped message to President-Elect Barack Obama. In the message, Zawahiri calls Obama a "house negro" and said he is the "opposite of honorable black Americans," like Malcolm X.Telegraph: Al-qaeda Leader Racially Abuses Barack Obama (November 19, 2008)

• Zawahiri as a Youth

  Zawahiri began working with Islamist groups as a student in his native Egypt. At the age of 15, he was arrested for being a member of Egypt's oldest and largest Islamic political organization, the "Muslim Brotherhood."BBC News: "Profile: Ayman al-Zawahiri" (2004) Zawahiri went on to become a medical doctor earning his masters degree in surgery from Cairo University's medical school.BBC News: "Profile: Ayman al-Zawahiri" (2004)

• Islamic Jihad

  Zawahiri joined the Egyptian Islamic Jihad in 1973.BBC News: "Profile: Ayman al-Zawahiri" (2004) Following the assassination of Anwar Sadat, in 1981, he was arrested for his involvement in the attack and served a three year sentence. After his release, he lived in worked in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan, and Iran, making frequent visits to Egypt and the United States. In 1997 he reportedly moved to Afghanistan's city of Jalalabad, and became close with Osama Bin Laden.The New Yorker: Profiles: The Man Behind Bin LadenBBC News: "Profile: Ayman al-Zawahiri" (2004)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Al Qaeda Obama House Negro | Ayman al-Zawahiri Injured | Zawahiri Tape | Osama Bin Laden | Al Qaeda | September 11th | Egypt | War on Terror | Terrorism | Waziristan Conflict | Malika El-Aroud | Said Ali al Shihri

Categories

• View History
• Discuss on the Message Board
• Embed this Page
• Share this page