Saeed al-Masri
{{Short description|Egyptian al-Qaeda member}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Saeed al-Masri
|image=
|image_size=
|caption=
| other_names = Sheikh Saeed al-Masri
| birth_date= February 27, 1955{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2012/sc10697.doc.htm|title=Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Deletes Eight Individuals from Its Sanctions List | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases}}
| birth_place = Egypt
| death_date = May 21, 2010 (aged 55)
| death_place = Boya, North Waziristan, Pakistan
| children =
| occupation =
}}
Mustafa Ahmed Muhammad Uthman Abu al-Yazid ({{langx|ar|مصطفى أحمد محمد عثمان أبو اليزيد}}), better known as Saeed al-Masri ({{langx|ar|سعيد المصري}}) or simply al-Masri, (February 27, 1955 - May 21, 2010) was an Egyptian who was alleged to have acted as the financial chief for al-Qaeda.{{cite news |first=Craig |last=Whitlock |author2=Ladaa, Munir |title=Al-Qaeda's New Leadership |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/specials/terror/yazid.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |year=2006 |access-date=December 28, 2007}}{{cite web
| url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/profiles/shaikh_saiid_al-masri.htm
| title=Shaikh Saiid al-Masri
| publisher=Global Security
| access-date=February 7, 2007
}} Along with Mahfouz Ould al-Walid and Saif al-Adel, al-Masri was believed to have opposed the September 11 attacks two months prior to their execution.[http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf 9/11 Commission p 251] He was killed in a targeted killing drone airstrike in Pakistan on May 21, 2010.
In Pakistan
He was initially arrested among hundreds of others following the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981.Fox, [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,402061,00.html?CFID=340496&CFTOKEN=29b2ce341951f778-1EE1E23D-FF70-A07E-9C1F2DC61E3891F8 Senior al-Qaeda commander killed in Pakistan], August 12, 2008 He was imprisoned for three years in Egypt, and shortly after he joined Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and in 1988 went to Afghanistan. He had two wives and several sons and daughters, including one married to the son of Sheikh Omar Abd al-Rahman.Michael Scheuer (July 3, 2007) [https://jamestown.org/program/al-qaedas-new-leader-in-afghanistan-a-profile-of-abu-al-yazid/ Al-Qaeda's New Leader in Afghanistan: A Profile of Abu al-Yazid] Terrorism Focus Volume 4, Issue 21. The Jamestown Foundation. Washington, D.C., pp. 5–7.
As of 1991, al-Masri was working as the financial chief for al-Qaeda, running the Mektabh al-Muhassiba (accounting office) in Peshawar. He was alleged to have appointed Ibrahim al-Qosi as his deputy to handle money destined for NGO projects.Charge sheet, United States of America v. Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi
In Sudan
Al-Masri set up a financial office on McNimr Street in Khartoum on June 9, 1993, from where he managed al-Qaeda's payroll. al-Fadl aided al-Masri until he was replaced by Abu Dijana al-Yemeni and Abdallah Lubnani.
After receiving his pilot license, L'Houssaine Kherchtou returned to the Sudan in December 1995, but was appalled to find that his wife, heavily pregnant and in need of $500 for a cesarean section, was begging on the streets for money to allow her entrance to Khartoum's general hospital. Kherchtou went to al-Masri and asked him to cover his wife's medical bills, and was upset upon being informed there was no money to spare and al-Masri suggested he take her to a Muslim charitable hospital for free treatment. He angrily demanded to know "if it was your wife or your daughter, you would take her there", and later recounted that he was angry enough to have shot al-Masri if he had had a gun at the time.Benjamin, Daniel & Steven Simon. "The Age of Sacred Terror", 2002Hirsch, Susan F. "In the moment of Greatest Calamity", 2006Wright, Lawerence. "The Looming Tower", p. 197Vest, Jason. American Prospect, [http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=9876 Pray and Tell] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206041204/http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=9876 |date=2010-02-06 }}, June 19, 2005Bergen, Peter. "The Osama bin Laden I Know", 2006. p. 141 & 154
Return to Pakistan, claims of death
{{rquote|right|There is nothing that is worth mentioning about [al-Masri] and we cannot classify him as being one of the well-known leaders that rotated within Al-Qa'ida during at least the past ten years... he is not one of the well-known leaders.|Muntasser al-Zayat commenting on the 2007 video}}
In May 2007, al-Masri released a video promising Americans that al-Qaeda troops had been training through the winter and were ready to begin a fresh summer offensive in Afghanistan.[http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom2/Exposing%20the%20Enemy/Al-Jazirah%20Carries%20Video%20Remarks%20by%20'New'%20Al-Qa'ida%20Official%20in%20Afghanistan.aspx Al-Jazirah carries video remarks by 'new' al-Qa'ida official in Afghanistan], May 27, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818002118/http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom2/Exposing%20the%20Enemy/Al-Jazirah%20Carries%20Video%20Remarks%20by%20'New'%20Al-Qa'ida%20Official%20in%20Afghanistan.aspx |date=August 18, 2007 }}
In December, al-Masri was said to have claimed responsibility for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, telling Adnkronos International that "we terminated the most precious American asset which vowed to defeat mujahideen".{{cite news |title=Pakistan: Al-Qaeda claims Bhutto's death |url=http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.1710322437 |publisher=Adnkronos|date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=December 27, 2007}} The Asia Times Online also reported that it had received a claim of responsibility from al-Masri by telephone.{{cite news |first=Syed Saleem |last=Shahzad |title=Al-Qaeda claims Bhutto killing |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IL29Df01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517102602/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IL29Df01.html |url-status=unfit |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |publisher=Asia Times Online|date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=December 27, 2007}}
al-Masri allowed himself to be interviewed on Geo Television in July 2008 following the Danish embassy bombing, which he claimed were carried out by a Saudi follower of al-Qaeda.Asharz Alawsat, [http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=13707 Senior al-Qaeda leader killed in Pakistan], August 12, 2008
{{cite news
|url = http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-qaeda13-2008aug13,0,6792835.story
|title = Al Qaeda Official Is Said To Be Dead
|page = 6
|newspaper = Los Angeles Times
|author = Zulfiqar Ali, Laura King
|date = August 13, 2008
|access-date = August 30, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090629215006/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-qaeda13-2008aug13,0,6792835.story
|archive-date = June 29, 2009
}}
Pakistan's DAWN reported him killed on August 13, 2008, in an airstrike in Bajaur.Daily Telegraph, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/2544435/Al-Qaedas-Abu-Saeed-al-Masri-killed-on-Afghan-border.html Al-Qa'eda's Abu Saeed al-Masri 'killed on Afghan border'], August 12, 2008DAWN, [http://www.dawn.com/2008/08/13/top7.htm al-Qaeda leader among 18 killed in Bajaur], August 13, 2008 Tehrik-i-Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar, himself captured five days after the attack, denied the claim that al-Masri had been killed.[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125058169202439497 Pakistan Captures Aide of Taliban Commander] Others suggested that the report of his death was a Pakistani attempt to refute recent American accusations that sections of the ISI were still assisting al-Qaeda.
{{cite news
|first= James
|last= Cogan
|title= Hundreds dead in fighting along Afghanistan-Pakistan border
|url= http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/aug2008/afgh-a16.shtml
|work= World Socialist Web Site
|date= August 16, 2008
|access-date=August 24, 2008
}}
{{cite news
|url = http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=13885
|title = Sheikh Said: Al Qaeda's Financier
|publisher = Asharq Alawsat
|author = Mohamed al Shafey
|date = August 29, 2008
|access-date = August 20, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101206034048/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=13885
|archive-date = December 6, 2010
}}
On February 9, 2009, the Indian government received a video from al-Yazid in which he reiterated the promise of Pakistani retaliation if India launched a first strike. This video took everyone by surprise as he was presumed to be dead.
{{cite news
|url = http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/mumbaiterrorstrike/Story.aspx?ID=NEWEN20090083079&type=News
|title = Al-Qaida warns India against any attack on Pakistan
|publisher = NDTV
|author = NDTV Correspondent
|date = February 9, 2008
|access-date = February 9, 2008
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090211143156/http://ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/mumbaiterrorstrike/Story.aspx?ID=NEWEN20090083079&type=News
|archive-date = February 11, 2009
}}
Confirmed death
He was reported as having been killed in a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan on May 21, 2010, along with his wife, three daughters and granddaughter. His death was confirmed by both US officials and al-Qaeda.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/officials-al-qaeda-no-3-killed.html |title=Officials: Al Qaeda No. 3 Killed - Political Punch |website=blogs.abcnews.com |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602064048/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/officials-al-qaeda-no-3-killed.html |archive-date=2 June 2010 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news| url=http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/31/group-al-qaeda-says-top-leader-in-afghanistan-dies/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602212826/http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/31/group-al-qaeda-says-top-leader-in-afghanistan-dies/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 2, 2010 | work=CNN | title=Group: Al Qaeda says top leader in Afghanistan dies}}{{cite web |title=Islamic site: Al-Qaida's third in command killed |website=NBC News |date=June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305094721/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/37440747 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna37440747}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080723203218/http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/21/1212847.aspx Al-Qaida senior leader grants rare TV interview]
- [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/articles/34/Qaeda_vows_to_fire_Pakistan_nukes_at_US.html al-Qaeda vows to fire Pakistan nukes at US]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{Al-Qaeda}}
{{Militant Islamism in the Middle East}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masri, Saeed}}
Category:Egyptian al-Qaeda members
Category:Egyptian Sunni Muslims
Category:Egyptian expatriates in Pakistan
Category:Assassinated al-Qaeda leaders
Category:Deaths by drone strikes of the Central Intelligence Agency in Pakistan