[AlAhram] The killing of al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-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 assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
in a US dronezap will not affect the operations of the terror group's affiliates across the world, but opens the way for a potentially troubled succession process.
| Most likely contenders: Saif al-Adel, a former Egyptian special forces lieutenant-colonel and old guard of Al-Qaeda, reported in Iran, and Abu Abd al-Karim al-Masri, part of the leadership of Hurras al-Din in Syria. |
The Egyptian jihadist, who the United States says has been killed in a hideout in the Afghan capital Kabul, never even attempted to replicate the charisma and influence of his predecessor the late Osama bin Laden |