Senior al-Qaeda chief Saif al-Adel arrested in Cairo, officials say

[dipsydoodle]

SENIOR al-Qaeda chief Saif al-Adel was arrested at Cairo airport, security officials cited by AFP said today.

The FBI is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to al-Adel's arrest over the August 7, 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/senior-al-qaeda-chief-saif-al-adel-arrested-in-cairo-officials-say/story-fn3dxity-1226285572626

[maddezmom]

1. BBC has a bit more

Senior al-Qaeda leader, Saif al-Adel, has been arrested at Cairo airport, Egyptian security officials say.

He had arrived in the Egyptian capital on a flight from Pakistan, which had stopped in Dubai, an airport official told the AFP news agency.

The Egyptian, whose real name is Muhammad Ibrahim Makkawi, was once Osama Bin Laden's security chief and oversaw its military operations.

He is wanted by the US for the 1998 embassy bombings in East Africa.

Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Saif al-Adel is believed to have fled to Iran with Saad Bin Laden, a son of the late al-Qaeda leader.


more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17204128

[dipsydoodle]

2. Thanks

I think they got that from the Australian too.

Al Jazeera link here as well :

Al-Qaeda official arrested at Cairo airport.

The FBI said on its website that al-Adel "is thought to be affiliated with the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), and is believed to be a high-ranking member of the al-Qaeda organisation".

He was wanted since 1994 in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

An airport source speaking to Al Jazeera said al-Sadel told reporters at the airport that he left al-Qaeda long time ago.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/02/2012229112459825101.html

[maddezmom]

3. mistaken identity?

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Makkawi said he was not the senior al-Qaida leader known as Saif al-Adel and that he had nothing to do with the terror group since 1989.

The U.S. has listed the name Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi as the real name of Saif al-Adel, a pseudonym that means "sword of justice." But former militants who know both men have previously said they are two different people and the U.S. identification is incorrect.

more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jvKzgAyT-he-ulepeCo3zZQVk83w?docId=b11a399d7fef41fc8c6fe8424988362e

[maddezmom]

4. Arrest Wed at Cairo airport is an Egyptian Islamist militant, but not the senior al-Qaeda operative

A man arrested Wednesday at Cairo airport is an Egyptian Islamist militant, but not the senior al-Qaeda operative Seif al-Adel as it was previously suspected, security officials said.




"He is wanted because of his links with the (Islamic) Jihad. He is not Seif al-Adel," an Egyptian national security source revealed.




Egyptian officials and state television reported earlier that an Egyptian named by the United States as one of al-Qaeda's top figures has been arrested in Cairo, but he has denied the link and says it was a case of mistaken identity.

more: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4196688,00.html


Doubts over identity of al-Qaeda militant held in Cairo

¬snip¬

Security officials told the Egyptian state news agency Mena that Saif al-Adel was detained at Cairo International Airport as he arrived on Wednesday, after flying to Egypt from Pakistan via Dubai.

The officials said they had received information about his plans to return to Egypt and hand himself over the authorities.

All flights from Asia were monitored as he was expected to come from either Afghanistan or Pakistan, and eventually his name was spotted on the passenger list of an Emirates Airline flight, they added.

Mena said Saif al-Adel had been handed over to the Higher State Security Prosecution for interrogation. It did not say where was being held

more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17204128

[dipsydoodle]

5. I saw your earlier update.

Some sites have been updated to reflect the confusion but not others.

Obviously a circular news day.