Yemeni al-Qaeda member (1978?2020)
Qasim al-Raymi
???? ??????
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/Qassim_al_Rimi.jpg/220px-Qassim_al_Rimi.jpg) |
Born
| (
1978-06-05
)
5 June 1978
[1]
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Died
| 29 January 2020
(2020-01-29)
(aged 41)
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Nationality
| Yemeni
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Other names
| Qassim al Rimi
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Known for
| Emir
of
AQAP
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Allegiance
| Al-Qaeda
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Years of service
| 1990s?2020
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Rank
| Emir
of
AQAP
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Battles/wars
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Qasim Yahya Mahdi al-Raymi
(
Arabic
:
???? ???? ???? ??????
; 5 June 1978 ? 29 January 2020) was a
Yemeni
militant who was the emir of
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
(AQAP).
[3]
[4]
[5]
Al-Raymi was one of 23 men who escaped in the
3 February 2006 prison-break in Yemen
, along with other notable
al-Qaeda
members. Al-Raymi was connected to a July 2007 suicide bombing that killed eight
Spanish
tourists
. In 2009, the Yemeni government accused him of being responsible for the running of an
al-Qaeda training camp
in
Abyan province
. After serving as AQAP's military commander, al-Raymi was promoted to leader after the death of
Nasir al-Wuhayshi
on 12 June 2015.
[6]
Early life, Afghanistan and al-Qaeda in Yemen
[
edit
]
Al-Raymi was born on 5 June 1978 in the
Raymah Governorate
, near the Yemen capital of
Sana'a
. He was a trainer at an al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan during the 1990s before returning to Yemen. In 2004, he was imprisoned for five years for being suspected in a series of embassy bombings in the capital.
[7]
[1]
After escaping from prison in 2006, al-Raymi, along with
Nasir al-Wuhayshi
, oversaw the formation of al-Qaeda in Yemen, which took in both new recruits and experienced Arab fighters returning from battlefields across Iraq and Afghanistan.
[8]
[9]
The group claimed responsibility for two suicide bomb attacks that killed six Western tourists before being linked to the
assault on the US embassy
in
Sana'a
in September 2008, in which militants detonated bombs and fired rocket-propelled grenades. Ten Yemeni guards and four civilians were killed, along with six assailants.
[8]
Founding of AQAP
[
edit
]
In January 2009, al-Raymi, along with three other men, appeared in a video calling for the foundation of
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
, a unification of both al-Qaeda's Yemen and Saudi Arabian branches. He was introduced as AQAP's military commander. The other men were identified as
Abu Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi
,
Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri
and
Nasir al-Wuhayshi
.
[10]
[11]
[12]
Abu Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi
was an AQAP field commander,
Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri
was the Deputy of AQAP and
Nasir al-Wuhayshi
the former Emir of AQAP.
[8]
[13]
[14]
Military commander of AQAP
[
edit
]
Saudi and American wanted list
[
edit
]
On February 3, 2009, Saudi security officials published a new
list of Saudi most wanted terrorist suspects
.
[15]
[16]
The 68th individual found on the list was named
"Muhammad Qasim Mehdi Reemy" or "Qassem Mohammed Mahdi Al-Rimi", with the aliases "Abu Hurayrah" and "Abu Ammar". Qassem Al-Rimi on the Saudi wanted list was one of two
Yemenis
on the list, and was said to be a "linked to
Al Qaeda in Yemen, Saudi Arabia
".
A few days later an anonymous Saudi official supplied documents to the
Associated Press
, which alleged that al-Raymi had "links to a plot targeting the U.S. ambassador in
San'a
."
[17]
[18]
The documents also reported that he rented the house where the operation was planned and that he "monitored the US embassy".
[17]
On May 11, 2010, the
U.S State Department
listed al-Raymi as a
Specially Designated Global Terrorist
. On October 14, 2014, it announced a reward of $5 million for any information leading to his capture or death.
[19]
[1]
[20]
Previous reports of death
[
edit
]
Al-Raymi's death has been reported multiple times. He was reported to have died during a raid by Yemeni security officials on 9 August 2007.
[21]
Ali bin Ali Douha
and two other militants were reported to have been killed during the raid.
[
citation needed
]
Abu al-Raymi was the target of a raid on
al-Qaeda
camps in Yemen on December 17, 2009, which reportedly was carried out by U.S.
cruise missiles
. He was not reported killed.
[22]
It was reported that he was killed in a January 4, 2010 raid by Yemeni security forces, though this was proven false. However, according to officials, a Yemeni air strike on two cars, one of which reportedly contained al-Raymi, was conducted on Friday, January 15, 2010. Al-Raymi was reported to be one of those killed.
[23]
[24]
Of the eight men thought to be in the two cars, six are thought to have been killed in the strike.
[25]
Following reports of his death, al-Raymi was described as the military commander for
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
(AQAP).
[23]
[24]
He was reported to have "orchestrated" 25 December 2009 attempted
suicide bombing
of
Nigerian
Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab
. Al-Raymi announced the creation of an "Aden-Abyan Army" to free the country of "crusaders and their apostate agents," in an Internet audio tape.
[26]
Apology for hospital attack
[
edit
]
Following the
2013 attack on the Yemeni Defense Ministry
, which resulted in the killing of numerous doctors and patients at a hospital present in the compound, al-Raymi released a video message apologizing, claiming that the team of attackers were directed not to assault the hospital in the attack, but that one had gone ahead and done so.
[27]
Yakla raid
[
edit
]
On January 29, 2017, al-Raymi was the supposed target of a military action undertaken by the United States known as the
Yakla raid
. The raid resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL and of a number of civilians including a U.S. citizen. Shortly after the raid, on February 5, 2017, al-Raymi released an audiotape onto the internet referencing the raid. The fact that al-Raymi had been a main target of the raid had not been previously confirmed. In the audiotape, al-Raymi confirmed he was still alive and taunted U.S President
Donald Trump
.
[28]
Emir of AQAP
[
edit
]
On June 16, 2015, following the death of former AQAP Emir and founder
Nasir al-Wuhayshi
, AQAP commander
Khaled Batarfi
confirmed al-Raymi had been elected by the group's leadership council to succeed Wuhayshi.
[8]
On July 8, 2015, al-Raymi swore allegiance to
al-Qaeda
emir
Ayman al Zawahiri
. He congratulated the recent successes of the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria,
al-Nusra Front
, and the gains made by
Army of Conquest
coalition in Syria. He called for renewed attacks against the
United States
, remarking
""All of you must direct and gather your arrows and swords against [America]."
.
[9]
Reports say that on 28 June 2016, an airstrike targeted the home of Qasim in
Abyan Governorate
, killing five people, including two family members of the targeted leader. Qasim survived the attack, with only some wounds.
[29]
[30]
On October 18, 2016, the US State Department announced that it is offering rewards of $5 and $10 million for information concerning al-Raymi and another AQAP leader. The US State Department offered $10 million for information on al-Raymi and $5 million for Khalid al-Batarfi.
[31]
For more than five years al-Raymi had eluded U.S. forces as he led what experts sometimes refer to as al-Qaida's “most dangerous franchise.” He was the target of the Jan. 29, 2017, special operations raid in which
Navy SEAL
William Owens
was killed.
[32]
[33]
Death
[
edit
]
On January 31, 2020,
The New York Times
reported that three U.S. officials "expressed confidence" that al-Raymi, the emir of
AQAP
was killed by a U.S. airstrike on 29 January,
[a]
while traveling in a car with another senior AQAP leader, Abu Al-Baraa Al-Ibby, in the Yakla area of
Wald Rabi' District
,
Al Bayda Governorate
, Yemen, according to local sources, although there was no official confirmation.
[34]
On February 1, 2020, U.S. President
Donald Trump
appeared to confirm reports that the U.S. had killed Qassim al-Rimi, the leader of an al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen by retweeting reports claiming that the CIA had conducted a drone strike targeting the AQAP leader.
[35]
Some experts considered him to be a possible successor to
Ayman al-Zawahiri
, the leader of al-Qaeda overall.
[35]
On February 6, 2020, the
White House
released a statement confirming al-Rimi's death.
[36]
On February 23, 2020, AQAP confirmed al-Rimi's death and announced
Khalid Batarfi
as his successor.
[37]
Family
[
edit
]
One of al-Raymi's brothers is Ali Yahya Mahdi Al Raimi, a
Yemeni held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center
.
[38]
Ali Yahya Mahdi Al Raimi was transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia in 2016.
[39]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
There were two U.S. airstrikes in the previous week in Yemen, the first was on 25 January, in
Al Abdiyah District
,
Ma'rib Governorate
, which led to killing an individual, whose identity is unknown. The second airstrike was on 27 January, which killed Abdullah Al-Adani.
[34]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
"Qasim al-Rimi"
.
Rewards for Justice
. Archived from
the original
on 15 January 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2015
.
- ^
"Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Amends Three Entries on its Sanctions List | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases"
.
- ^
"AQAP confirms death of senior leader"
.
The Long War Journal
. 16 June 2015
. Retrieved
12 May
2016
.
- ^
[
dead link
]
"2 tourists dead in attack in Yemen"
.
International Herald Tribune
. 18 January 2008. Archived from
the original
on 21 January 2008
. Retrieved
18 January
2008
.
- ^
Ahmed Al Haj (18 January 2008).
"2 tourists killed in Yemen convoy attack"
.
USA Today
. Archived from
the original
on 4 June 2011.
- ^
Al Qaeda's second in command killed in Yemen strike; successor named
, Jethro Mullen, CNN, 16 June 2015
- ^
"Profile: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula"
.
BBC
. 16 June 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2015
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Profile: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula"
.
BBC
. 16 June 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2015
.
- ^
a
b
"New AQAP leader renews allegiance to the 'beloved father,' Ayman al Zawahiri"
.
The Long War Journal
. 9 July 2015
. Retrieved
21 July
2015
.
- ^
"Two ex-Guantanamo inmates appear in Al-Qaeda video"
.
Agence France Presse
. 25 January 2009. Archived from
the original
on 30 January 2009
. Retrieved
26 January
2009
.
- ^
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan (27 January 2009).
"Kingdom re-arrests ex-Gitmo inmates"
.
Arab News
. Retrieved
6 September
2009
.
- ^
YouTube
. Archived from
the original
on 7 March 2016
. Retrieved
12 May
2016
.
- ^
"Saudi Al-Qaeda Leader Outlines New Strategy and Tactics of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula"
.
Jamestown Foundation
. 16 April 2009. Archived from
the original
on 9 August 2009.
- ^
"Al-Qaeda Leaders in the Arabian Peninsula Speak Out"
(PDF)
.
Jamestown Foundation
. 28 January 2009. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 10 February 2009
. Retrieved
2 August
2009
.
- ^
"Saudi Arabia's 85 Most Wanted"
.
Intelwire
. 5 February 2009. Archived from
the original
on 2 January 2013
. Retrieved
18 June
2009
.
- ^
"Kingdom unveils list of 85 wanted militants abroad"
.
Arab News
. 3 February 2009. Archived from
the original
on 11 February 2009.
- ^
a
b
"Saudi suspects seeking to revive al-Qaida"
.
NBC News
. Associated Press. 7 February 2009.
- ^
"Saudi suspects seeking to revive al-Qaida"
.
Boston Herald
. 7 February 2009.
Archived
from the original on 4 March 2016
. Retrieved
17 December
2011
.
Qassem al-Reemi, 30, meanwhile, one of the few Yemenis on the list, has "links to a plot targeting the U.S. ambassador in San'a," the capital of Yemen. "He rented the house in which the plot for that operation was hatched," according to the documents. "He also monitored the U.S. Embassy."
- ^
"Designations of AQAP Leaders Qasim al-Rimi and Nayif al-Qahtani"
.
U.S. Department of State
. 11 May 2010
. Retrieved
21 July
2015
.
- ^
"Rewards for Justice - Reward Offers for Information on Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Leaders"
.
U.S. Department of State
. Retrieved
18 August
2018
.
- ^
Khaled Al-Mahdi (9 August 2007).
"Yemen Forces Kill Al-Qaeda Mastermind"
.
Arab News
. Archived from
the original
on 16 July 2011.
- ^
ABC News.
"Cruise Missiles Strike Yemen - ABC News"
.
ABC News
. Retrieved
12 May
2016
.
- ^
a
b
"Yemen: Al Qaeda Military Chief Killed in Yemen Airstrike"
.
Fox News
. 15 January 2010. Archived from
the original
on 18 January 2010.
- ^
a
b
James Gordon Meek (15 January 2010).
"Yemeni airstrike kills six Al Qaeda; Qassim Al-Raymi, leader behind Christmas jet plot, may be dead"
.
New York Daily News
. Archived from
the original
on 18 January 2010.
- ^
Reuters Editorial (15 January 2010).
"Six al Qaeda militants killed in Yemen air strike"
.
Reuters
. Retrieved
12 May
2016
.
- ^
"Loading"
.
Aawsat.com
. 15 February 2009
. Retrieved
17 November
2011
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Al Qaeda: We're sorry about Yemen hospital attack"
. CNN. 22 December 2013
. Retrieved
22 January
2014
.
- ^
"Yemen Raid Had Secret Target: Al Qaeda Leader Qassim Al-Rimi"
. NBC News. 7 February 2017
. Retrieved
7 February
2017
.
- ^
"#???? : ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????? ?? #???????"
[# Abyan: five people were killed in a raid on a leading house in the # rule] (in Arabic).
Baghdad
:
Barakish
. 28 June 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017
. Retrieved
14 April
2017
.
{{
cite news
}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
link
)
- ^
"????? ??24: ????? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????"
[Sources for 24: injury Qaeda leader Qasim al-Rimi in a US raid in Abyan] (in Arabic). 29 June 2016.
Archived
from the original on 29 June 2016
. Retrieved
14 April
2017
.
???? ???? ???? ??24 ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????.
- ^
"US offers reward for information on 2 senior AQAP leaders | FDD's Long War Journal"
.
longwarjournal.org
. 18 October 2018.
- ^
Callimachi, Rukmini; Schmitt, Eric; Barnes, Julian E. (31 January 2020).
"U.S. Strikes at Leader of Qaeda in Yemen"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
31 January
2020
.
- ^
"U.S. killed a top al-Qaida leader in Yemen, reports say"
.
yahoo.com
. February 2020.
- ^
a
b
"Exclusive: Local sources confirm the killing of Qassim Al-Raimi by US strike in Al-Baydha"
.
Almasdar Online
. 2 February 2020.
- ^
a
b
Semones, Evan (February 2020).
"Trump appears to confirm killing of al Qaeda leader in Yemen via retweet"
.
POLITICO
.
- ^
"Statement from the President"
.
whitehouse.gov
. 6 February 2020 – via
National Archives
.
- ^
"AQAP confirms death of leader, appoints successor: SITE"
.
Yahoo!
. 23 February 2020.
- ^
Human Rights Watch; Letta Tayler (2009).
No Direction Home: Returns from Guantanamo to Yemen
.
Human Rights Watch
. p. 29.
ISBN
9781564324665
.
- ^
"The Guantanamo Docket: Ali Yahya Mahdi al Raimi"
.
New York Times
. 18 May 2021.
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Ideology
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Phenomena
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Leaders
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