Saif Al-Adel Named New Qaeda Chief, U.S. Says

The United States confirmed that the former Special Forces officer "Saif Al-Adel" became the new leader of Al-Qaeda after the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in July 2022.

The U.S. assessment is consistent with what the United Nations has said that Al-Adel, who is in Iran, is the de facto leader of the organization. The organization has not yet officially declared him "emir" due to sensitivity to the concerns of the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, who did not want to admit that al-Zawahiri was killed by U.S. missile in a house in Kabul.

Meantime, Iran’s FM denied the US claim that an Iran-based Egyptian has become the new leader of al-Qaeda, calling it “laughable.”

“I advise White House officials to stop the failed game of Iran-phobia," the FM added.

Al-Adel, 62, helped train several of the hijackers who took part in the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. according to the organization US Counter Extremism Project

Adel, who was born in Egypt, is a former lieutenant colonel in the Egyptian security forces and has long been central to the leadership of Al Qaeda, according to a new U.N. report.

Adel is also wanted by the FBI for involvement in the bombings against the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998.

Since 2011, he has been connected with the kidnapping of the journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Al-Adel and Saad bin Laden were implicated in the 12 May 2003 suicide bombing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Al Qaeda's new leader has $10 million bounty on his head from the FBI.