Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi
{{Short description|Moroccan al-Qaeda member}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi
| image =
| native_name = عبد الرحمن المغربي
| native_name_lang = ar
| birth_name = Mohamed Abattay
| birth_place = Marrakesh, Morocco
| citizenship = Morocco
| alma_mater = Hochschule Niederrhein
| occupation = Global terrorist
| years_active = 1999{{endash}}present
| organization = {{flagicon image|Flag of al-Qaeda.svg|size=23px}} Al-Qaeda
| spouse = Nabila al-Zawahiri
| relatives = Ayman al-Zawahiri (father-in-law)
}}
Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi ({{Langx|ar|عبد الرحمن المغربي}}; born 1970 or 1975) is a Moroccan-born terrorist and senior member of Al-Qaeda (AQ) who leads the organization's External Communications Office, including As-Sahab Media.{{cite news |title=Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi |publisher=FBI |url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/terrorinfo/abd-al-rahman-al-maghrebi |accessdate=August 3, 2022}}{{cite web |date=January 12, 2022 |title=Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/abd-al-rahman-al-maghrebi/ |accessdate=August 2, 2022 |publisher=Rewards for Justice, US Department of State}} He is the son-in-law of the group's late emir Ayman al-Zawahiri, and is seen as a potential successor to Saif al-Adel as leader of the terror group.{{cite news |last=Bell |first=Jennifer |date=August 3, 2022 |title=After the killing of al-Zawahri, here is the FBI's list of most wanted extremists |publisher=Al Arabiya |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/08/03/After-the-killing-of-al-Zawahiri-here-are-FBI-S-list-of-most-wanted-terrorists- |accessdate=August 3, 2022}}{{Cite journal |last1=Gunaratna |first1=Rohan |last2=Nielsen |first2=Anders |date=2008-09-10 |title=Al Qaeda in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan and Beyond |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/10576100802291568 |journal=Studies in Conflict & Terrorism |volume=31 |issue=9 |pages=775–807 |doi=10.1080/10576100802291568 |s2cid=110159420 |issn=1057-610X|doi-access=free }}
Though primarily known by a nom de guerre which references his Moroccan birthplace, his given name is Mohamed Abattay ({{Langx|ar|محمد أبطاي}}).{{Cite web |title=Décision de la CNASNU n°03/2022, du 07 avril 2022, portant publication de la liste locale |url=https://cnasnu.justice.gov.ma/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Decision_CNASNU_03_liste-locale_designation_fullfin.pdf |website=CNASNU}} After his radicalization in the late 1990s, al-Maghrebi abandoned his schooling in Germany and departed for the infamous Al Farouq training camp outside Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was hand-picked by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed for work in the groups propaganda arm.
Following the September 11 attacks, al-Maghrebi is believed to have quickly fled to Iran. He subsequently rose through the ranks of Al-Qaeda, gaining trust, and winning the hand of Zawahiri's daughter in marriage. By 2012, al-Maghrebi had become al-Qaeda's general manager for all of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The US moved to designate al-Maghrebi a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in early 2021. After the Taliban's return to power in August of that year, al-Maghrebi was believed to have been living together with Zawahiri in the same house in downtown Kabul where Zawahiri would later be killed in a U.S. drone strike. As of 2023 his whereabouts are unknown.
Early life and education
Al-Maghrebi was born Mohamed Abattay in Marrakesh, Morocco. He left Morocco for Germany in 1996, where he studied computer programming and electrical engineering in Cologne at the Hochschule Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences.{{Cite news |date=2006-01-30 |title=Al-Qaida: Führender Propagandist studierte in Köln |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/a-397951.html |access-date=2022-10-20 |issn=2195-1349}}
Militant career
While studying in Germany, al-Maghrebi joined a group of Muslim students that grew increasingly radical and that later pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.{{Cite news |date=2006-02-02 |title=War on Terror: Killed Al-Qaida Propaganda Chief Studied in Germany |language=en |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/war-on-terror-killed-al-qaida-propaganda-chief-studied-in-germany-a-398605.html |access-date=2023-07-24 |issn=2195-1349}} The group, based in Krefeld, included Christian Ganczarski, who has been charged by the United States for his involvement in the Ghriba synagogue bombing.{{Cite web |last=Brandt |first=Klaus |date=2018-09-10 |title=Sami A.: Islamistischer Gefährder war Security-Mann in Deutschland |url=https://www.waz.de/politik/das-zweite-leben-des-sami-a-gefaehrder-war-security-mann-id215291457.html |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Waz |language=de-DE}}
In 1999, al-Maghrebi left for Afghanistan, where he trained at the Al Farouq training camp. He was pulled from training by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and was later reassigned to work at al-Qaeda's Media Committee.{{Cite web |title=Muhammad Abbatay a.k.a. Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi |url=https://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/muhammad-abbatay-aka-abd-al-rahman-al-maghrebi |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=Counter Extremism Project |language=en}} According to the FBI, al-Maghrebi fled to Iran soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
In 2012, he started serving as al-Qaeda's general manager in Afghanistan and Pakistan and ran As-Sahab, al-Qaeda's media branch.
Designations
On January 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of State designated al-Maghrebi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control added him to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. The Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to $7 million for information on al-Maghrebi. On April 7, 2022, he was designated as a terrorist entity by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, who claimed that he was living in Iran.{{Cite web |title=Documents: voici la nouvelle liste des individus et des entités classés terroristes par le Maroc, H24info |url=https://www.h24info.ma/maroc/documents-voici-la-nouvelle-liste-des-individus-et-des-entites-classes-terroristes-par-le-maroc/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=H24info |date=12 May 2022 |language=fr-FR}}
Al-Maghrebi is seen as a potential successor to Saif al-Adel as Emir of al-Qaeda.{{cite news |last=Bunzel |first=Cole |date=August 3, 2022 |title=Al Qaeda's Next Move:What Zawahiri's Death Means For Jihadism |publisher=Foreign Affairs |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/al-qaedas-next-move |accessdate=August 3, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Seldin |first=Jeff |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Al-Qaida Succession Plan Being Put to Test |publisher=Voice of America |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/al-qaida-succession-plan-being-put-to-test-/6683304.html |accessdate=August 2, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Ettaba |first=Selim Saheb |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Al-Qaeda Faces Succession Quandary After Zawahiri Killing |publisher=Barrons |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/al-qaeda-faces-succession-quandary-after-zawahiri-killing-01659459308?tesla=y |accessdate=August 2, 2022}}
Personal life
Abattay is married to Ayman al-Zawahiri's daughter, Nabila.{{Cite news |last=Mascolo |first=Georg |last2=Stark |first2=Holger |date=2006-01-29 |title=Know-how aus Krefeld |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/know-how-aus-krefeld-a-92bab93f-0002-0001-0000-000045624788 |access-date=2023-07-24 |issn=2195-1349}} Abbatay was reported to be living in the Kabul house where al-Zawahiri was killed in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Yousafzai |first=Sami |date=2023-01-07 |title=Al Qaeda Is Planning to Fake the Death of Its Dead Leader |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/al-qaeda-is-planning-to-fake-the-death-of-ayman-al-zawahiri-its-dead-leader |access-date=2023-07-24}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Al-Qaeda}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maghribi, Abd al-Rahman}}
Category:Moroccan al-Qaeda members