Abu Yahya al-Libi
Encyclopedia
Abu Yahya al-Libi c. 1963, is an Islamist ideologue and leading high-ranking official within al-Qaeda
, and an alleged member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group
. and is believed to be able to speak Urdu
, Pashto and Arabic.
It is believed that he has also used the aliases Hasan Qaiid (Hasan Qayad or Hassan Qayid) and Yunis al-Sahrawi. Also Hassan Qaed al-Far
Al-Libi is a citizen of Libya
, who was held in extrajudicial detention
in the Bagram interim detention facility. whom at the time American counter-terrorism
analysts assert that al-Libi was a member of al Qaeda. al-Libi was one of several high-profile Bagram captives who escaped on the night of July 10, 2005.
Jarret Brachman
, a former analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), states of al-Libi:
"He’s a warrior. He’s a poet. He’s a scholar. He’s a pundit. He’s a military commander. And he’s a very charismatic, young, brash rising star within Al-Qaeda, and I think he has become the heir apparent to Osama bin Laden in terms of taking over the entire global jihadist movement."
Scheuer states of him that "in the last year or so emerged as al-Qaeda's theological hardliner" and an "insurgent-theologian" He is also an official on al-Qaeda's Shariah Committee.
Al-Libi went to Afghanistan in the early 1990s and whilst bin Laden is an engineer and al-Zwahiri is a doctor, al-Libi is said to be an Islamic scholar who "spent two years in Africa
studying Islam". It is believed after going to Afghanistan in the 90's, he was "was sent back to northern Africa to study Islam in Mauritania
."
As detailed below, he was imprisoned by both Pakistani and U.S. authorities. He has claimed to have studied Islamic law, history and jurisprudence "for years among excellent and great scholars" who were in the field with al-Qaeda and other Islamist insurgent groups.
It is stated that "When he returned two years later" [from his Islamic studies in Mauritania, Africa], "Afghanistan was no longer a battleground for militant Libyans, but rather a haven: the Taliban controlled most of the country. Mr. Libi’s training in warfare was minimal, and his early work as a preacher rarely touched on militant action, according to the Libyan man who said he had met Mr. Libi in Afghanistan, and who spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns. “He started to visit training camps and talk about Shariah,” or Islamic law, this man said in a telephone interview, about “morals, etiquette, how to act.”
, who was captured by ISAF
forces in the Invasion of Afghanistan a year after 9/11 (Pakistani authorities and turned over to American authorities, who eventually put him in the Bagram prison.) and was held in extrajudicial detention
in the Bagram interim detention facility. American counter-terrorism
analysts assert that al-Libi was a member of al Qaeda. al-Libi was one of several high-profile Bagram captives who escaped on the night of July 10, 2005.
Early reports on the 2005 escape from
Bagram Airbase included Qayad's name as one of the escapees.
Posters around the airbase identified "the Libyan, Mohammad Hassan Abu Bakar" as one of the escapees, but did not mention high-ranking al-Qaeda leader Omar al-Faruq
as one of the escapees. - later reports removed the Libyan from the list of escapes and inserted al-Faruq.
On November 4, 2005, he appeared in a Ramadan
video on the Arabic television station al-Arabiya, and mentioned that he had escaped from Bagram.
He was re-listed as an escapee, and as of October 2006 was listed among the Department of Defense
's "Most Wanted
", and a Terrorist Recognition Card repeated the earlier claim that he was indeed among the four escapees. In addition, the name off the Airbase posters was added as an "alias".
Bryant Neal Vinas
, an American
, took part in 2008 with other masked fighters in an al-Qaeda propaganda video featuring al Libi. Vinas was captured in November 2008, and convicted of participating in and supporting al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S.
.
On May 30, 2007 a 45 minute video, starring al-Libi came to light.
On June 22, 2008 Abu Yahia Al Libi released a 19-minute video urging Somalis to resist United Nations
forces in Somalia
.
He also appeared in a July 2009 video from al-Sahab entitled, "Swat: Victory or Martyrdom," about the Pakistani military's campaign against Pashtun militias and jihadi groups in the Swat Valley. On March 12, 2011 al-Libi has urged his countrymen to overthrow Moammar Gadhafi's regime and establish Islamic rule, expanding the terror network's attempts to capitalize on the wave of unrest sweeping the region. That was put on in a video posted on a militant website.
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, and an alleged member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group
Libyan Islamic Fighting Group
Libyan Islamic Movement formerly known as The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group also known as Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya is a group active in Libya which played a key role in deposing Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime, allying itself with the National Transitional Council.However...
. and is believed to be able to speak Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Pashto and Arabic.
It is believed that he has also used the aliases Hasan Qaiid (Hasan Qayad or Hassan Qayid) and Yunis al-Sahrawi. Also Hassan Qaed al-Far
Al-Libi is a citizen of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, who was held in extrajudicial detention
Extrajudicial detention
Arbitrary or extrajudicial detention is the detention of individuals by a state, without ever laying formal charges against them.Although it has a long history of legitimate use in wartime , detention without charge, sometimes in secret, has been one of the hallmarks of totalitarian states...
in the Bagram interim detention facility. whom at the time American counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
analysts assert that al-Libi was a member of al Qaeda. al-Libi was one of several high-profile Bagram captives who escaped on the night of July 10, 2005.
Jarret Brachman
Jarret Brachman
Jarret Brachman is a terrorism expert, the author of Global Jihadism: Theory and Practice and a consultant to several government agencies about terrorism.-Education and career:...
, a former analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA), states of al-Libi:
"He’s a warrior. He’s a poet. He’s a scholar. He’s a pundit. He’s a military commander. And he’s a very charismatic, young, brash rising star within Al-Qaeda, and I think he has become the heir apparent to Osama bin Laden in terms of taking over the entire global jihadist movement."
Scheuer states of him that "in the last year or so emerged as al-Qaeda's theological hardliner" and an "insurgent-theologian" He is also an official on al-Qaeda's Shariah Committee.
Background
The nisba patronymic of "al-Libi" suffixed to his name indicates that the bearer or his ancestors were from Libya. Al-Libi was born 1963, but Scheuer believes there is little "information available about al-Libi beyond his record as an insurgent",Al-Libi went to Afghanistan in the early 1990s and whilst bin Laden is an engineer and al-Zwahiri is a doctor, al-Libi is said to be an Islamic scholar who "spent two years in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
studying Islam". It is believed after going to Afghanistan in the 90's, he was "was sent back to northern Africa to study Islam in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
."
As detailed below, he was imprisoned by both Pakistani and U.S. authorities. He has claimed to have studied Islamic law, history and jurisprudence "for years among excellent and great scholars" who were in the field with al-Qaeda and other Islamist insurgent groups.
It is stated that "When he returned two years later" [from his Islamic studies in Mauritania, Africa], "Afghanistan was no longer a battleground for militant Libyans, but rather a haven: the Taliban controlled most of the country. Mr. Libi’s training in warfare was minimal, and his early work as a preacher rarely touched on militant action, according to the Libyan man who said he had met Mr. Libi in Afghanistan, and who spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns. “He started to visit training camps and talk about Shariah,” or Islamic law, this man said in a telephone interview, about “morals, etiquette, how to act.”
Capture and escape
Al-Libi is a citizen of LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, who was captured by ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
forces in the Invasion of Afghanistan a year after 9/11 (Pakistani authorities and turned over to American authorities, who eventually put him in the Bagram prison.) and was held in extrajudicial detention
Extrajudicial detention
Arbitrary or extrajudicial detention is the detention of individuals by a state, without ever laying formal charges against them.Although it has a long history of legitimate use in wartime , detention without charge, sometimes in secret, has been one of the hallmarks of totalitarian states...
in the Bagram interim detention facility. American counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
analysts assert that al-Libi was a member of al Qaeda. al-Libi was one of several high-profile Bagram captives who escaped on the night of July 10, 2005.
Early reports on the 2005 escape from
Invasion of Afghanistan prisoner escapes
During the 2001 Invasion of Afghanistan, many Taliban, al-Qaeda and militant fighters were captured and held at military bases in the region. On several occasions, there were instances of mass escapes.-2003:...
Bagram Airbase included Qayad's name as one of the escapees.
Posters around the airbase identified "the Libyan, Mohammad Hassan Abu Bakar" as one of the escapees, but did not mention high-ranking al-Qaeda leader Omar al-Faruq
Omar al-Faruq
Omar al-Faruq was a Kuwaiti of Iraqi descent, and a senior al-Qaeda member. He was a liaison between al-Qaeda and Islamic terrorists in the Far East, particularly Jemaah Islamiyah. He was captured in Bogor, Indonesia in 2002 by an Indonesian security agent who handed him over to the United States...
as one of the escapees. - later reports removed the Libyan from the list of escapes and inserted al-Faruq.
On November 4, 2005, he appeared in a Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
video on the Arabic television station al-Arabiya, and mentioned that he had escaped from Bagram.
He was re-listed as an escapee, and as of October 2006 was listed among the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
's "Most Wanted
Most Wanted
*Lists used by law enforcement agencies to alert the public, such as:**FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives**FBI Most Wanted Terrorists**United States Secret Service Most Wanted Fugitives**U.S...
", and a Terrorist Recognition Card repeated the earlier claim that he was indeed among the four escapees. In addition, the name off the Airbase posters was added as an "alias".
Bryant Neal Vinas
Bryant Neal Vinas
Bryant Neal Vinas is a Hispanic Muslim American convicted of participating in and supporting Al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S....
, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, took part in 2008 with other masked fighters in an al-Qaeda propaganda video featuring al Libi. Vinas was captured in November 2008, and convicted of participating in and supporting al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S.
Reports of death
It was reported by Pakistani sources on 11 December 2009 that Abu Yahya al Libi was killed in a U.S Drone strike in Pakistan; however, later reports identified the man killed as Saleh al-SomaliSaleh al-Somali
Saleh al-Somali is described as being an al Qaeda leader.He was killed by a missile fired from an unmanned predator drone on December 8, 2009.The missile strike was on a suspect compound in Janikhel village near Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas....
.
Other
Al-Libi has produced a series of propaganda videos.On May 30, 2007 a 45 minute video, starring al-Libi came to light.
On June 22, 2008 Abu Yahia Al Libi released a 19-minute video urging Somalis to resist United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
He also appeared in a July 2009 video from al-Sahab entitled, "Swat: Victory or Martyrdom," about the Pakistani military's campaign against Pashtun militias and jihadi groups in the Swat Valley. On March 12, 2011 al-Libi has urged his countrymen to overthrow Moammar Gadhafi's regime and establish Islamic rule, expanding the terror network's attempts to capitalize on the wave of unrest sweeping the region. That was put on in a video posted on a militant website.
Video releases
- Dec 16 2005 - Names and Information of Twelve Detainees in Bagram Prison in Afghanistan from Sheikh Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications131105&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Dec 21 2005 - Eid al-Fitr Sermon 2005 Eid al-Fitr Sermon by Abu Yehia al-Libi and Scene of Mujahideen Training Exercises http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications132805&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Dec 21 2005 - A Letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqaw from Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications132505&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Dec 27 2005 - Jihad or Resistance – An Examination of the Exchanging Terms from Islamic Law for Secular, Western Terms by Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications134105&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Mar 07 2006 - A Discussion Concerning the Facts and Claims of Extremism Within Islam by Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications154406&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Apr 17 2006 - Hamas and the Impending Exposure by Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications165906&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- May 9, 2006 - http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications172206&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Abu Yahya al-Libi on 11 May 2006 http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications173306&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Abu Yahya al-Libi on 17 Jun. 2006 (English Subtitles)
- June 2005 - As-Sahab Interview with Abu Yahya al-Libi http://clearinghouse.infovlad.net/showthread.php?t=3294 http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications186606&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Light & Fire in Eulogizing the Martyr Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (English Subtitles)
- Jul 26 2006 - Labik Video Production: “They Are Coming,” of Mujahideen Training Exercises in Afghanistan and Speeches from Abu Yehia al-Libi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications199606&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Jul 31 2006 - As-Sahab Video Eulogy from Abu Yehia al-Libi for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications199906&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Jihadi Poems
- Combat, Not Compromise (English Subtitles) transcript
- Oct 27 2006 - “The Infidel Karzai Regime and the Necessity of War” http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications222906&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Nov 02 2006 - Abu Yahya al-Libi Video Eulogy for Faruq al-Iraqi Produced by as-Sahab http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications224306&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Dec 26 2006 - Our Battle Between Intensity [of the Past] and the Caution of Tomorrow http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications238206&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Feb 01 2007 - And the Crusade Continues... The AIDs Children in Libya (English Subtitles) http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications248507&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Feb 12 2007 - Labik Productions Presents Selected Pictures of a Shari’a Course Led by Abu Yahya al-Libi in a Mujahideen Training Center http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications252407&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Feb 08 2007 - The Adha Holiday Sermon 1427H
- Mar 22 2007 - Iraq: Between Indications of Victory and Conspiratorial Intrigues (English Subtitles) http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications265207&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Mar 25 2007 - To the Army of Difficulty in Somalia (English Subtitles) http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications265907&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Apr 30 2007 - Palestine, an Alarming Scream and a Warning Cry http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications278007&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- May 30, 2007 - The Tawheed of Saud... and the True Tawheed (English Subtitles) http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications288907&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Jun 06 2007 - Eulogy for Mullah Dadullah (Eulogy for Taliban Commander Mullah Dadullah)http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications291507&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Jul 31 2007 - The Masters of the Martyrs (Of the Masters of Martyrs) http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications306207&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Sep 09 2007 - Dots on the Letters (English Subtitles) [As-Sahab Second Interview with Shaykh abu Yahia Al-Libi] http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications314207&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Nov 07 2007 - The Closing Statement for the Religious Training that was Held at One of the Mujahideen Centers (Final Session of the Shari’a Course Held at a Mujahideen Center). Video. The transcript of this speech is titled 'Balancing Between Jihad and Seeking Knowledge'. Transcript (Apr 19 2008 - [Eid al-Adha 1428]). video and transcript links, SITE Intel Group on speech
- Going Forth - Nafeer (Go Forth) Khutbah video more links
- The Companion
- Dec 18 2007 - Trumpet of War - Videohttp://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications334507&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- Jan 08 2007 - The Fire of the Magi in the Arabian Peninsula http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications242507&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- January 20, 2008
- Feb 11 2008 - Selected Notifications Of Jihad - Transcript
- March 3, 2008 - “Companion of the Path”, Abu Yahya Al-Libi Delivers Eulogy for Abu Laith Al-Libi
- March 10, 2008 - I am Not a Deceiver, Nor Will I Allow Someone to Deceive Me Site institute on speech
- May 22, 2008 - Abu Yahya al-Libi Derides Moderation of Islam http://www.siteintelgroup.org/bin/articles.cgi?ID=publications363308&Category=publications&Subcategory=0
- June 23, 2008 - Somalia - No Peace without Islaam UK News article, video part 1, part 2, video discussion, SITE Intel Group on speech