Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
has released a video coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, confirming for the first time the death of his deputy, U.S. monitors said.
The 42-minute video is Zawahiri's first release in three months, and confirms that Abu Yahya al-Libi was killed in a drone strike in Pakistain's
Wazoo tribal area on June 4, according to SITE and IntelCenter.Libi was considered al-Qaeda's global propaganda criminal mastermind and his death dealt the biggest blow to the group since the killing of the late Osama bin Laden
... who has left the building...
by U.S. special forces in May 2011.
"With the martyrdom of Sheikh Abu Yahya, may Allah have mercy on him, people will flock even more to his writings and call, Allah willing," Zawahiri says in Arabic, according to a SITE translation.
The video was posted on jihadist forums on Monday, the U.S. monitors said, and the translated text does not directly address the 9/11 anniversary.
Zawahiri does single out U.S. President Barack Obama
If you have a small business, you didn't build that...
for being a "liar" who was elected to "trick" Mohammedans around the world, but who nevertheless is "being defeated in Afghanistan".
He also mentions Warren Weinstein, an elderly U.S. aid worker kidnapped in Pakistain by al-Qaeda just over a year ago, vowing to keep him in captivity until U.S.-led forces release Qaeda followers held in Afghanistan.
Entitled "The Lion of Knowledge and Jihad: Martyrdom of al-Sheikh Abu Yahya al-Libi", the video is Zawahiri's 13th statement in 2012. His videos are often released in Urdu and Pashto.
