Zawahiri Named al Qaeda Leader
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
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2 comments
So reports the BBC: Ayman al-Zawahiri appointed as al-Qaeda leader
The statement announcing his appointment was posted on a militant website and attributed to al-Qaeda’s General Command.
"Sheikh Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, may God guide him, assumed responsibility as the group’s amir [leader]", it said.
It vowed that under Zawahiri, it would pursue jihad or holy war against the US and Israel "until all invading armies leave the land of Islam".
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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So long as it’s not Will Ferrell.
al-Zawahiri is not the charismatic leader that bin Laden was and I suspect there will be substantial infighting in what remains of the al Qaeda leadership for some titme.