Most wanted killer enjoys the publicity of horror

The Times ^ | June 17, 2004 | Michael Theodoulou and Daniel McGrory

[MadIvan]

INTELLIGENCE experts who have watched Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin’s rise in al-Qaeda’s ranks believe his thirst for self publicity is matched only by his desire to spill more Western blood.

Saudi Arabia’s most wanted terrorist knew his threat on video to execute his American hostage would be screened worldwide and enhance his own reputation among militant followers in the Kingdom.

Former comrades now in US custody have described how this slightly built, high school drop-out was determined to establish himself as the most ruthless of al-Qaeda’s new generation of leaders.

In the four months since he took control of al-Qaeda’s operations in Saudi Arabia he has devised ever more violent plots to drive Westerners out of the kingdom.

While leaders like Osama bin Laden rarely claim responsibility for attacks, the skilled manipulator al-Muqrin wastes no time in posting his exploits on sympathetic websites.

At 35, he is already a veteran of terror campaigns in Bosnia, Somalia, Algeria and Afghanistan, where he was handpicked by bin Laden for promotion. Posing for the camera yesterday, hooded and cradling an automatic rifle, al-Muqrin appears determined to establish himself as America’s most hated figure after his mentor.

He used Islamist websites to proudly claim responsibility for last month’s killing spree in the eastern city of al-Khobar in which 22 people died.

Saudi Arabia’s rulers know from his track record that if they refuse his demands to free his jailed cohorts he will have no hesitation in producing another video showing the murder of Paul Johnson.

“Muqrin cannot lose with his tactic,” one Western diplomat in Riyadh said last night.

“If he gets a deal he gets terrorists free and if he kills Mr Johnson his name will be known and feared the world over. Either way the cult of Muqrin grows among his followers.”

His hallmark is to use the internet to reveal minute details of his operations. Gunmen last week took their own camera crew with them to record the murder of Robert Jacobs, a US defence contractor.

Those involved in the al-Khobar killings telephoned al-Jazeera, the Arabic satellite channel, to offer an interview while their 25-hour siege was going on.

Al-Muqrin first went to Afghanistan as a 17-year-old and drifted back and forth to Saudi Arabia for five years until he abandoned his wife and daughter to devote his life to bin Laden.

He proved such a successful student that he was swiftly promoted to train new recruits.

In the mid-1990s he was sent to fight in Algeria and encouraged militants to film their murderous attacks. This gruesome footage can still be seen on al-Qaeda promotional videos.

From there al-Muqrin was ordered to help smuggle explosives and weaponry across north Africa and Spain into Algeria.

Intelligence experts say Islamist groups managed to smuggle him out of Algeria after the rest of his cell were wiped out in a security raid, a claim that is impossible to verify but only adds to al-Muqrin’s mystique.

His next posting was Bosnia, and again he alone survived while his 10 cohorts were all killed.

The next battlefield was Somalia but he was captured by the Ethiopian authorities after being implicated in a plot to murder Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak.

He was extradited to Saudi Arabia and jailed, though officials described him as a model prisoner and cut his four year sentence in half, citing his learning the entire Koran by heart as evidence why he deserved early release.

Freed from jail, he returned to Afghanistan to fight alongside bin Laden in the war against the US-led coalition. Once defeat was obvious he was sent back to Saudi.

While Islamist websites lauded al-Muqrin they were carrying rumours that senior members of the Saudi Royal Family are planning lavish holidays abroad in spite of the worsening crisis.

[MadIvan]

Let's remember Winston for a moment, who had to fight a similar evil -

What kind of people do they think we are? Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?

- Winston Churchill, December 1941

So shall it be now with the Islamofascists.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[Desdemona]

THis one is a serial killer. There's really no better term for it.

[Judith Anne]

These people aren't soldiers that we are fighting, they are simply killers who drag innocents in. They kill only people who cannot fight back. They do not have the courage of soldiers, they are far too cowardly to fight armed MEN, they simply kill anyone who is convenient, and do it in the name of anything but their blood lust.

They do not deserve trials. They do not deserve the dignity of a prison sentence. They do not deserve the title of soldier.

Everyone around them should simply fade away, disappear, stay far removed. I have no doubt that strong men with guns are right now searching for them, will find them, and will end their lives.

[GVnana]

And we'll be so happy to have his head on a platter..

[nopardons]

Winston was THE best and how right he was.

Thanks for the ping,Ivan.