Al-Qa'eda's American-born propaganda chief may have died in predator attack

UK Telegraph ^ | 06 Sep 2008 | Nick Meo

[Straight Vermonter]

Months of attacks by unmanned US predator aircraft have caused carnage among the middle ranks of terrorist leaders in the lawless lands along the border with Afghanistan, where al-Qa'eda remains dangerous despite suffering a serious defeat in Iraq.

Their victims have included experienced Arab leaders and, it is now thought, Adam Gadahn, a former heavy-metal fan and so-called "killer computer nerd" originally from California. Nothing has been heard from him for months, leading intelligence experts to conclude that he may be dead.

Mr Gadahn has been credited with helping transform al-Qa'eda's al-Sahab propaganda wing into a slick operation which communicates in fluent English and produces professional quality DVDs, including one for Osama bin Laden last year.

But he may have fallen victim to an expanded programme of predator assassinations which in the last year has targeted and killed many of al-Qa'eda's military commanders, terrorist trainers and facilitators.

Jihadists around the world will be watching as closely as intelligence officials this week to see whether Mr Gadahn - also known as Azzam al-Ameriki - produces a new video message to mark September 11, as he has done every year since 2003.

[Straight Vermonter]

Ping

[fishergirl]

Well said! Burn in hell, Gadahn!

[Candor7]

Vermonter here. I concur. It would be nice to have some physical evidence of his demise, like a hanging left wingnut or some such.

The Israelis likely know for sure. We should ask the Mossad.

[highpockets]

Praise be to Allah.

[Interesting Times]

Did they get Pinch?

[stboz]

I hope he saw it coming.

[FlingWingFlyer]

This would be a real heartbreaker for the DemocRATS. I hope this is true.

[Navy Patriot]

Death from above!

[Popman]

Refugee tribesmen from the Bajaur region in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province told The Sunday Telegraph that pilotless drones fly overhead constantly, hunting for Taliban and al-Qaeda targets. They are armed with Hellfire missiles which can be fired by an operator thousands of miles away in the United States.

Gawd, I love our military

Jihadist assclowns sleeping away, dreaming of humping their goat and kissing their camel and BADA BING, you're meeting fellow jihadist in hell. Hah!

[null and void]

I guess they'll be needing a replacement.

Nice to know that someone has a plan B available when he loses the election...

[mathprof]

[A.A. Cunningham]

One can hope.

[eastsider]

See ya! Wouldn’t want to be ya!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Their victims have included experienced Arab leaders and, it is now thought, Adam Gadahn, a former heavy-metal fan and so-called "killer computer nerd" originally from California.

One of YouTube's Finest, "The Dumb Blonde", did a video-torial on Gadahn a while back. It's fantastic! Find it here: Part One Part Two

I think she gives a more plausible explanation to Gadahn's ultimate fate: he stopped being useful to al Qaeda and they bumped him off.

[353FMG]

“But he may have fallen victim to an expanded programme of predator assassinations..”

The US Army does not assasinate — it kicks ass and kills. Typical leftist reporter.

[Wilhelm Tell]

I hope so. I had fears that he would be captured, do a year or two in prison, emerge as a leftist celebrity and be given a platform (t.v. show, professorship at a far-left college) to preach his hate.

[Navy Patriot]

Somebody in special ops with a sense of humor should have operations fly a Predator around the Gadahn family farm in Southern California, with maybe a little red crescent painted on the nose.

[353FMG]

As soon as they convert they get that typical Muslim look of hatred in their eyes.