Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, a Saudi national who according to the American Intelligence services was al-Qaeda's official bomb makers would have reappear after the Pentagon announced his death last September 30 following an air strike against the group. Declared dead at the time alongside Anwar al-Awlaki, the group's leader, US intelligence officials fear that the man used his unexpected "death" to go further underground, plotting further attacks against American interests.Al-Asiri is believed to have engineered the bomb which almost claimed Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, the Saudi deputy Interior Minister's life in 2009 when Ibrahim's brother blew himself up.
The FBI has a fingerprint and forensic evidence linking al-Asiri to one of the explosive devices used in attempted attacks on the U.S. It's not clear who provided the FBI with the original fingerprint used to match the one lifted from the underwear bomb. But it probably came from Saudi Arabia, where al-Asiri and his brother were arrested for their involvement in an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist cell. They were released and later fled to Yemen in 2006.
Several counterterrorism officials in Yemen are on the alert as Ossama bin Laden's death anniversary is approaching, fearing that the Islamic militants would want to make a public display. Amidst renewed tensions in Yemen in between Ansar al-Sharia, an offshoot of al-Qaeda and the armed forces, as the two battle for control of Abyan, a southern province, several security analysts encourage caution.
"However, we assess that AQ's affiliates and allies remain intent on conducting attacks on the homeland, possibly to avenge the death of bin Laden, but not necessarily tied to the anniversary," Carney said, referring to Al-Qaeda.