Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, whose real name is Assem Barqawi,Areej Abuqudairi, “Jordan releases anti-ISIL Salafi leader,” Al Jazeera, June 17, 2014, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/jordan-releases-anti-isil-salafi-leader-2014617121457552506.html. is heralded as one of the most prominent Salafist figures in the world.Joas Wagemakers, “Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi: A Counter-Terrorism Asset?” CTC Sentinel, Vol 1, Issue 6, May 15, 2008, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/abu-muhammad-al-maqdisi-a-counter-terrorism-asset. Born in the West Bank, his ideological upbringing occurred in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where he eventually adopted the prevalent local ideology of Wahhabism.Joas Wagemakers, “Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi: A Counter-Terrorism Asset?” CTC Sentinel, Vol 1, Issue 6, May 15, 2008, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/abu-muhammad-al-maqdisi-a-counter-terrorism-asset. He completed his secondary education in Kuwait and studied science at the University of Mosul in Northern Iraq. It was during this time that he “found his path,” becoming involved with the Muslim Brotherhood, the Juhayman al-Utaybi group and some sheiks of the Qutbiyeen, Sayyid Qutb’s followers. Nibras Kazimi, “A Virulent Ideology in Mutation: Zarqawi Upstages Maqdisi,” Hudson Institute, September 12, 2005, http://hudson.org/research/9771-a-virulent-ideology-in-mutation-zarqawi-upstages-maqdisi.

Al-Maqdisi has a contentious relationship with many of his early protégés. He was a mentor to the al-Qaeda branch in Iraq, from which ISIS was born, but fell out over their methods, including Muslim bloodshed. Associated Press, “Jihadi preacher latest to condemn ISIS’ methods,” CBS News, February 6, 2015, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jihadi-preacher-abu-mohammed-al-maqdesi-blasts-isis-methods-jordan-pilot-burned/. He was the spiritual guide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whom he later disowned for indiscriminately attacking civilians during the Amman hotel bombings that killed 57 people in 2005. Ian Black, “Jordan releases jihadi cleric and Isis critic after group’s murder of pilot,” Guardian, February 5, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/jordan-release-jihadi-cleric-al-maqdisi-isis-killing-pilot-al-kasasbeh. His most contrarian actions of late have been his statements against ISIS. The newest spate of criticism was for ISIS’ immolation of the Jordanian pilot, Moath al-Kasasbeh. Previously, he chastised ISIS for declaring a caliphate in territories under its control, saying that a state ruled under sharia was meant to unite Muslims, but the group was divisive and a “deviant organization.” Thomas Joscelyn, “Influential Jordanian ideologue argues against Islamic State’s caliphate,” Long War Journal, July 2, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/07/_moral_pressures_had.php.

Regardless, his influence on jihadist fighters has continued. According to one analyst in 2014, al-Maqdisi maintained support for al-Nusra Front. Areej Abuqudairi, “Jordan releases anti-ISIL Salafi leader,” Al Jazeera, June 17, 2014, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/jordan-releases-anti-isil-salafi-leader-2014617121457552506.html. The head of the Jordanian Jihadi Salafist Movement, Mohammad Shalabi, a.k.a. Abu Sayyaf, also celebrated al-Maqdisi as the “mentor and father of our curriculum.” Areej Abuqudairi, “Jordan releases anti-ISIL Salafi leader,” Al Jazeera, June 17, 2014, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/jordan-releases-anti-isil-salafi-leader-2014617121457552506.html. Additionally, a leading scholar on al-Maqdisi and his works previously asserted:

All of the more moderate positions he [al-Maqdisi] has taken in the past 10 years are completely compatible with his earlier writings and in many cases simply confirm what he has written before. This means he still believes the leaders of the Muslim world are infidels and considers jihad against them (and the West) to be legitimate. Joas Wagemakers, “Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi: A Counter-Terrorism Asset?” CTC Sentinel, Vol 1, Issue 6, May 15, 2008, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/abu-muhammad-al-maqdisi-a-counter-terrorism-asset.

Al-Maqdisi has been in and out of prison for nearly two decades and, like other jihadist emirs such as Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, has continually denied involvement or complicity in violent terror attacks. When arrested, he is typically charged with some variation of espousing extremist ideologies and supporting acts of terror. He manages to be released for myriad reasons. In 2008, he was released on lack of evidence and health concerns. Jordanian authorities released al-Maqdisi from prison in June 2014 after five years, allegedly in the hope he would speak against ISIS, as they feared that the extremist group’s contagion would spill over into their borders. Al-Maqdisi condemned ISIS’s brutal methods that summer, but Jordanian forces arrested him again on October 27 that year on charges of promoting and inciting terrorism on the Internet.Suleiman Al-Khalidi, “Jordan arrests influential al Qaeda scholar for ‘incitement’,” Reuters, October 27, 2014, https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-jordan-islamist/jordan-arrests-influential-al-qaeda-scholar-for-incitement-idUKKBN0IG1VI20141027. Al-Maqdisi was released in early February 2015 after the January 2015 killing of a Jordanian pilot by ISIS, so that he would make stronger proclamations against ISIS. According to some sources, his release was ordered before the pilot’s death.Associated Press, “Muslim clerics denounce ‘savage’ Isis murder of Jordanian pilot,”Guardian (London), February 6, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/06/muslim-clerics-denounce-jordanian-pilot-execution-kasasbeh; Ian Black, “Jordan releases jihadi cleric and Isis critic after group’s murder of pilot,” Guardian (London), February 5, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/jordan-release-jihadi-cleric-al-maqdisi-isis-killing-pilot-al-kasasbeh. Every time he is released, many of his mujahidin apostles come to pay him homage, highlighting the power and influence that he still wields. Tamer al-Samadi, “Jordan Salafist leader, freed, quiet so far on ISIS-Nusra rift,” Al Monitor, June 20, 2014, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/06/jordan-salafist-maqdisi-released-prison-silence-isis-nusra.html.

Al-Maqdisi’s followers have waged jihad in Syria and Iraq. Jordan’s Salafist jihadist movement encouraged fighters to join the battle against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. The movement’s leadership said they sent more than 2,000 fighters to either al-Nusra Front or ISIS. Tamer al-Samadi, “Jordan Salafist leader, freed, quiet so far on ISIS-Nusra rift,” Al Monitor, June 20, 2014, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/06/jordan-salafist-maqdisi-released-prison-silence-isis-nusra.html. His reach is not simply confined to Jordan. For example, two of al-Maqdisi’s followers, Marouane B. and Robbin Van D., were young men from Arnhem, Netherlands. They both became active Muslims, reading al-Maqdisi’s works on Salafist-oriented sites, and eventually went on to fight in Syria. Øyvind Strømmen, “Syrian jihad, from Antwerp,” Hate Speech International, March 20, 2014, https://www.hate-speech.org/syrian-jihad-from-antwerp/.

Some of al-Maqdisi’s major works include Millet Ibrahim, in which he establishes the importance of al wala’ wa’l-bara’ (loyalty and renunciation) and Idad al-qadeh al-fawaris bi hajr fesad al-madaris (Preparing Courageous Leaders by Leaving the Corruption of Schools), wherein he argues that state schools corrupt youth and are un-Islamic and advocates for home schooling. Nibras Kazimi, “A Virulent Ideology in Mutation: Zarqawi Upstages Maqdisi,” Hudson Institute, September 12, 2005, http://hudson.org/research/9771-a-virulent-ideology-in-mutation-zarqawi-upstages-maqdisi. He later wrote Al-kawashif al-jaliyyeh fi kufr al-aawleh al-saudiyyeh (The Illuminating Evidence of the Kufr of the Saudi State), criticizing the Saudis as non-believers. One of al-Maqdisi’s most polemic works is Al-Demoqratiyya Deen (Democracy is a Religion), arguing that democracy is akin to a religion and thus seeking it would be a conversion from Islam to another religion; in other words, apostasy. Nibras Kazimi, “A Virulent Ideology in Mutation: Zarqawi Upstages Maqdisi,” Hudson Institute, September 12, 2005, http://hudson.org/research/9771-a-virulent-ideology-in-mutation-zarqawi-upstages-maqdisi. This emphasizes that al-Maqdisi and his followers are vehemently opposed to democracy whether labeled “Islamic” or not.

Since the fall of ISIS’s physical caliphate in 2019, al-Maqdisi has continued to act as an Islamic authority and spread his controversial opinions, leading Twitter to suspend his account in December 2016.Emma Graham-Harrison, “Twitter accounts of Abu Qatada and other key al-Qaida figures suspended,” Guardian (London), December 26, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/26/twitter-abu-qatada-al-qaida-jihadi-syria-islamic-state. In a March 2021 fatwa responding to a question about whether secularists or polytheists have strayed more, al-Maqdisi condemned secular Muslims as “more evil and more malicious” than polytheists, Jews, and Christians.“Jordanian Jihadi Ideologue Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi Issues Fatwa Deeming Muslim Secularists ‘More Malicious’ And ‘Worse Than Christians And Jews,’” MEMRI, March 5, 2021, https://www.memri.org/reports/jordanian-jihadi-ideologue-abu-muhammad-al-maqdisi-issues-fatwa-deeming-muslim-secularists. On December 31, 2022, 19-year-old Trevor Bickford allegedly attacked three New York Police Department officers with a machete in New York’s Times Square. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bickford intended to kill NYPD officers in the name of radical Islamic jihad. In the summer of 2022, Bickford allegedly began consuming pro-Taliban materials, as well as al-Maqdisi’s teachings. After the attack, police found a book by al-Maqdisi in Bickford’s bag that encouraged jihad against non-believers and governments ruled by non-believers. Police also found Bickford’s journal. An entry from earlier that day stated it would likely be his last entry, indicating his belief he would die in the attack.“Federal Charges Announced Against Maine Man Who Carried Out Machete Attack in Times Square on New Year’s Eve in Name of Jihad,” U.S. Department of Justice, January 10, 2023, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-charges-announced-against-maine-man-who-carried-out-machete-attack-times-square-new.

Pakistani-born Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is a U.S.- and U.N.-designated terrorist. He is the founder and emir (leader) of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that strives to rid Kashmir of Indian influence and establish an Islamic state spanning Kashmir, Pakistan, and India.Jayshree Bajoria, “Profile: Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Pure) (a.k.a. Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Lashkar e-Toiba; Lashkar-i-Taiba),” Washington Post, December 5, 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120501582.html;
“US puts $10m bounty on Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed,” BBC News Online, April 3, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-17594018;
“Lashkar-e-Taiba,” Anti-Defamation League, accessed February 6, 2017, http://archive.adl.org/terrorism/symbols/lashkaretaiba.html;
“Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” U.S. Department of State, accessed February 7, 2017, https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm. Saeed also heads a charity called Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)—an organization which the U.N. has placed on a terrorist blacklist of groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but has also been implicated by the Indian government for financing LeT attacks.Neil MacFarquhar, “India Wants Pakistani Group Added to U.N.’s Terrorism List,” New York Times, December 9, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/world/10nations.html?_r=0.; “Recruitment by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa,” United States Department of Justice, December 11, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1135841/download.; “Seventeenth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted pursuant to resolution 2161 (2014) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities,” United Nations Security Council, June 16, 2015, https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/N1509325_EN.pdf. Pakistani authorities arrested Saeed in July 2019 and he was subsequently found guilty of two terrorism-related charges in February 2020 and two charges of terrorism financing on November 2020.Salman Masood, “Accused Mastermind of Mumbai Attack Convicted of Links to Terrorism,” New York Times, February 12, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/world/asia/hafiz-saeed-mumbai-convicted.html; Mubasher Bukahri, “Hafiz Saeed found guilty on two more charges of terrorism financing,” Reuters, November 19, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/pakistan-court-militancy-financing-idINKBN27Z1SZ. Despite the previous sentences—in which he is to serve five and a half years imprisonment in total—on April 7, 2022, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Saeed to an additional 31 years imprisonment for two cases related to terrorism financing. It is uncertain if all three sentences will be carried out concurrently.Mubasher Bukhari, “Pakistani court jails Islamist Hafiz Saeed for an extra 31 years,” Reuters, April 9, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-court-finds-hafiz-saeed-guilty-two-more-charges-terrorism-financing-2022-04-08/?utm_  ; Sukrut Khandekar, “Pakistan court sentences Islamist terrorist Hafiz Saeed to 31 years imprisonment,” Jurist, April 10, 2022, https://www.jurist.org/news/2022/04/pakistan-court-sentences-islamist-terrorist-hafiz-saeed-to-31-years-imprisonment/#.

Saeed’s family migrated from India to independent Pakistan during the partition of British India in the late 1940s. Raised in the Punjab province of Pakistan, Saeed received degrees in Islamic studies and engineering. He studied in Saudi Arabia while employed by General Zia-ul-Haq—Pakistan’s longest serving President.Neil Padukone, “The Next al-Qaeda? Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Future of Terrorism in South Asia,” World Affairs Journal, November/December 2011, http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/next-al-qaeda-lashkar-e-taiba-and-future-terrorism-south-asia.

Saeed was heavily influenced while living in Saudi Arabia. Encouraged by interactions with extremist clerics—including Osama bin Laden’s mentor Abdullah Azzam—Saeed traveled to Afghanistan to fight against the invading Soviets. He founded LeT in Pakistan in 1990, according to the U.S. and Indian governments. At its inception, LeT trained volunteers to fight alongside the Taliban against Soviet forces.Neil Padukone, “The Next al-Qaeda? Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Future of Terrorism in South Asia,” World Affairs Journal, November/December 2011, http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/next-al-qaeda-lashkar-e-taiba-and-future-terrorism-south-asia.

Virulently anti-Indian and anti-American, Saeed is believed to have directed terrorist attacks in India.“US puts $10m bounty on Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed,” BBC News Online, April 3, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-17594018;
“Lashkar-e-Taiba,” Anti-Defamation League, accessed February 6, 2017, http://archive.adl.org/terrorism/symbols/lashkaretaiba.html. The Indian and U.S. governments have worked to indict Saeed for his alleged role in multiple terrorist incidents, including plotting the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks in India. In support of India’s repeated requests for Saeed’s extradition, the U.S. State Department posted an offer in 2012 of up to $10 million for information leading to Saeed’s arrest or conviction.“US puts $10m bounty on Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed,” BBC News Online, April 3, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-17594018/;
“Information that brings to justice… Hafiz Mohammad Saeed,” Department of State, accessed February 6, 2017, https://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/hafiz_saeed.html#.

Pakistan has long allowed LeT members to operate within the country. However, since 2006, the Pakistani government has subjected Saeed to a series of house arrests and trials relating to a variety of criminal- and terrorism-related charges, including his alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks.Staff Report, “Complete Profile of Hafiz Saeed,” Daily Times, April 7, 2012, http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/07-Apr-2012/complete-profile-of-hafiz-saeed.

Saeed was placed under house arrest in September 2009, but was cleared of all charges one month later, allowing him to move freely in Pakistan until authorities reinstated his house arrest in January 2017 for disturbing peace and security.“Pakistan puts Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed under house arrest,” Hindustan Times (New Delhi), January 31, 2017, http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/mumbai-terror-attack-mastermind-hafiz-saeed-under-house-arrest-in-pakistan/story-jAdoYoe9I5Ck5f6mOstUrJ.html. Prior to January 2017, Saeed was featured in a number of interviews in Western and Pakistani media. In those interviews, Saeed focused attention on his charitable work.Saima Mohsin, “Islamist Leader, Who Offered Aid After Sandy, Speaks to CNN,” CNN, November 3, 2012, http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/03/world/asia/pakistan-mumbai-suspect/;
Hanne Coudere and Aftab Chaudry, “Interview: Hafiz Muhammad Saeed,” Diplomat, June 4, 2015, http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/interview-hafiz-muhammad-saeed/. Under Saeed’s leadership, LeT has partnered with aid organizations in Gaza.Ariel Ben Solomon, “Pakistani Terrorists Doing Charity in Gaza, Report Says,” Jerusalem Post, December 11, 2014, http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Pakistani-terrorists-now-doing-charity-in-Gaza-384290.

Following Saeed’s January 2017 arrest, his charity, JuD, rebranded itself as Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir (TAJK).Imtiaz Ahmad, “Hafiz Saeed’s JuD gets a new name with a Kashmir connection,” Hindustan Times (New Delhi), February 4, 2017, http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/hafiz-saeed-s-jud-gets-a-new-name-after-crackdown-by-pak-calls-itself-tehreek-azadi-jammu-and-kashmir/story-jScxjcTGfKab9o4AM0NkjL.html.

On November 24, 2017, Pakistani authorities announced that Saeed had been released from house arrest earlier in the week after the Lahore High Court concluded that there was “nothing tangible” in the evidence presented against him in a government request to extend his detention. The United States and India released statements criticizing the move.Jessica Donati, “U.S. Criticizes Pakistan for Freeing Terror Suspect From House Arrest,” Wall Street Journal, November 24, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-criticizes-pakistan-for-freeing-terror-suspect-from-house-arrest-1511567469; Sophia Saifi and Joe Sterling, “Accused Mumbai attack mastermind freed from house arrest in Pakistan,” CNN, November 24, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/24/asia/mumbai-suspect-freed/index.html; Asad Hashim, “Pakistan releases Hafiz Saeed from house arrest,” Al Jazeera, November 22, 2017, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/pakistan-releases-hafiz-saeed-house-arrest-171122113033590.html.

Pakistani authorities arrested Saeed on July 17, 2019, on terror financing charges. Nonetheless, critics of the Pakistani government believed that authorities arrested Saeed only because of a pending meeting between Pakistan’s prime minister and then-U.S. President Donald Trump, and Saeed would soon be released.Salman Masood and Jeffrey Gettleman, “Hafiz Saeed, Founder of Group Behind Mumbai Attacks, Is Arrested in Pakistan,” New York Times, July 17, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/world/asia/pakistan-hafiz-saeed-arrest.html. During their meeting on July 22, Trump requested Prime Minister Imran Khan prosecute Saeed.Suchitra Karthikeyan, “Donald Trump Exposes Pak Claim On JeM, LeT, Asks To Prosecute Hafiz Saeed During Imran Khan's Maiden US Visit. Details Here,” Republic, July 22, 2019, https://www.republicworld.com/india-news/politics/donald-trump-exposes-pak-claim-on-jem-let-asks-to-prosecute-hafiz-saeed-during-imran-khans-maiden-us-visit-details-here. On July 24, an anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala ordered Saeed be remanded into custody for 14 days while investigation continued into his ties to terrorism. Saeed denied all charges against him.“Pakistan remands militant accused of Mumbai attacks for 14 days,” Reuters, July 24, 2019, https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pakistan-militant/pakistan-remands-militant-accused-of-mumbai-attacks-for-14-days-idUKKCN1UJ19H.

On December 11, 2019, a Pakistani antiterrorism court indicted Seed on terrorism financing charges for his association with JuD.Asad Hashim, “Pakistan's Hafiz Saeed indicted on 'terror financing',” Al Jazeera, December 11, 2019, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/pakistan-hafiz-saeed-indicted-terror-financing-191211080238184.html. On February 12, 2020, the Lahore High Court convicted Saeed on terrorism-related charges and sentenced him to two prison terms of five and a half years, which will run concurrently, and a $194 fine (30,000 rupees). Saeed was found guilty of having links with terrorist groups—specifically JuD. The conviction on February 12 was the first time Saeed had been sentenced. He was previously arrested and on several occasions put on house arrest.Salman Masood, “Accused Mastermind of Mumbai Attack Convicted of Links to Terrorism,” New York Times, February 12, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/world/asia/hafiz-saeed-mumbai-convicted.html.; “U.S. Praises Pakistan For Jailing Of Militant Accused Of Mumbai Attacks,” Radio Free Europe, February 13, 2020, https://www.rferl.org/a/us-praises-pakistan-jailing-mumbai-attack-militant/30431754.html.; Asad Hashim, “Pakistan court convicts Mumbai 'mastermind' in terrorism case,” Al Jazeera, February 12, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/pakistan-jails-mumbai-attacks-suspect-hafiz-saeed-lawyer-200212103850045.html. Saeed’s close aide, Malik Zafar Iqbal, was also given a similar sentence.“U.S. Praises Pakistan For Jailing Of Militant Accused Of Mumbai Attacks,” Radio Free Europe, February 13, 2020, https://www.rferl.org/a/us-praises-pakistan-jailing-mumbai-attack-militant/30431754.html. Saeed was sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison on two charges of terrorism financing on November 19, 2020. The sentences—five years each—will run concurrently with the previous two sentences handed down in February of 2020.Mubasher Bukahri, “Hafiz Saeed found guilty on two more charges of terrorism financing,” Reuters, November 19, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/pakistan-court-militancy-financing-idINKBN27Z1SZ.

Despite Saeed’s arrest and subsequent convictions, media sources reported that Saeed was not incarcerated in Lahore’s high-security Kot Lakhpat jail, but that he was mostly at home in protective custody and was even allowed to receive guests—including  Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the chief operational commander and the head of the LeT’s jihad wing. Allegedly, Lakhvi and Saeed were discussing ways in which to collect funds for jihad.Shishir Gupta, “Pak has quietly moved 26/11 attacks accused Hafiz Saeed out of jail. He is home: Intel,” Hindustan Times, November 26, 2020, https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lashkar-boss-hafiz-saeed-is-serving-time-at-home-imran-khan-govt-calls-it-a-jail/story-7EQLfCNVd7kt677zSB17yI.html. Although it was never confirmed if Saeed was in protective custody at his home, on June 23, 2021, a bomb was detonated outside of Saeed’s home in Lahore. The explosion killed three people and injured more than 10 others. Reports did not indicate whether Saeed was at home at the time of the explosion or if any individuals or groups were responsible for the attack.Ayesha Tanzeem, “Explosion Outside Pakistan Islamist Militant Group Leader’s Home Kills 3,” Voice of America, June 23, 2021, https://www.voanews.com/a/south-central-asia_explosion-outside-pakistan-islamist-militant-group-leaders-home-kills-3/6207358.html.

On April 7, 2022, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Saeed to an additional 31 years imprisonment for two cases related to terrorism financing. The two criminal complaints were filed in 2019 under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997. However, given that Saeed’s two previous sentences are running concurrently, it is uncertain how much jail time Saeed will definitively serve. Additionally, reports have not clarified whether Saeed is currently incarcerated or serving protective leave from his home in Lahore.Mubasher Bukhari, “Pakistani court jails Islamist Hafiz Saeed for an extra 31 years,” Reuters, April 9, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-court-finds-hafiz-saeed-guilty-two-more-charges-terrorism-financing-2022-04-08/?utm_; Sukrut Khandekar, “Pakistan court sentences Islamist terrorist Hafiz Saeed to 31 years imprisonment,” Jurist, April 10, 2022, https://www.jurist.org/news/2022/04/pakistan-court-sentences-islamist-terrorist-hafiz-saeed-to-31-years-imprisonment/#.

Syrian national Taha Sobhi Fahla—known by his alias Abu Muhammad al-Adnani—was the spokesman of ISIS and the group’s emir (leader) in Syria.“Terrorist Designation of Abu Mohammed al-Adnani,” U.S. Department of State, August 18, 2014, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/230676.htm; “NARRATIVE SUMMARIES OF REASONS FOR LISTING: QI.A.325.14. ABOU MOHAMED AL ADNANI,” United Nations, August 15, 2014, https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/abou-mohamed-al-adnani. He also reportedly led ISIS’s Emni unit, a cell responsible for exporting terror attacks internationally, including to Paris and Brussels.Rukmini Callimachi, “How a Secretive Branch of ISIS Built a Global Network of Killers,” New York Times, August 3, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/world/middleeast/isis-german-recruit-interview.html?_r=0. In June 2014, Adnani publicly proclaimed an Islamic caliphate on ISIS’s behalf, and named Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as its so-called caliph (leader of the Caliphate).Edith M. Lederer, “UN approves measure to combat al-Qaida fighters,” Associated Press, August 15, 2014, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/un-approves-measure-combat-al-qaida-fighters; Aaron Y. Zelin, “ISIS Is Dead, Long Live the Islamic State,” Washington Institute, June 30, 2014, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/isis-is-dead-long-live-the-islamic-state.

On August 30, 2016, ISIS’s Amaq news agency reported that Adnani had been “martyred” near Aleppo while “surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns.”Amaq Agency, Telegram post, 1:50 p.m, https://web.telegram.org/#/im?p=c1077979077_8373715439778760227. On September 12, 2016, the Pentagon confirmed that a “U.S. precision airstrike” on August 30 had targeted and killed Adnani. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook referred to Adnani as ISIS’s “chief propagandist, recruiter and architect of external terrorist operations.”“Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Strike Against ISIL Senior Leader,” Department of Defense, September 12, 2016, http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/941733/statement-from-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-strike-against-isil-senio. The Pentagon’s announcement directly contradicted Russia’s claim on August 31 that its forces had carried out the strike.“IS leader Adnani: Russia says its air strike killed him,” BBC News, August 31, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37234207.

According to the U.S. State Department, Adnani was one of the first foreign fighters to battle Coalition forces in Iraq alongside al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in the early 2000s.“Terrorist Designation of Abu Mohammed al-Adnani,” U.S. Department of State, August 18, 2014, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/230676.htm. During this time, Adnani reportedly met and formed a close relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of AQI who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2006. Zarqawi reportedly recruited Adnani into his jihadist group, Ansar al-Islam, in 2002. Adnani was one of the first members of AQI when the group formed in 2004.Michael Weiss, “The ISIS Attack Dog Reported Dead,” Daily Beast, August 30, 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/30/the-isis-attack-dog-reported-dead.html?via=desktop&source=twitter.

Adnani was reportedly captured by U.S. troops in 2005 and held until 2010. During this time, he was imprisoned at the U.S.-run Camp Bucca in Iraq, where he reportedly met Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Tara John, “Everything We Know About ISIS Spy Chief Abu Mohammad al-Adnani,” TIME, August 4, 2016, http://time.com/4438388/abu-mohammad-al-adnani-isis-emni-profile/;
Ali Hashem, “The many names of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” Al Monitor, March 23, 2015, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2015/03/isis-baghdadi-islamic-state-caliph-many-names-al-qaeda.html. Adnani was appointed ISIS’s emir in Syria in early 2013 after ISIS split with the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s former affiliate in Syria.“NARRATIVE SUMMARIES OF REASONS FOR LISTING: QI.A.325.14. ABOU MOHAMED AL ADNANI,” United Nations, August 15, 2014, https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/abou-mohamed-al-adnani. He became known as ISIS’s spokesman in June 2014, when he announced the group’s declaration of the caliphate.Matt Bradley and Ghassan Adnan, “ISIS Spokesman Adnani Wounded in Airstrike Iraq Says,” Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/isis-spokesman-adnani-wounded-in-airstrike-iraq-says-1452203409?cb=logged0.8802728686616703;
Tara John, “These are the Most Wanted Members of ISIS,” TIME, March 15, 2016, http://time.com/4259075/isis-most-wanted-leaders-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-islamic-state/;
Hania Mourtada and Rick Gladstone, “Iraq’s Branch of Al Qaeda Merges With Syria Jihadists,” New York Times, April 9, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/world/middleeast/Iraq-and-Syria-jihadists-combine.html;
Amaq Agency, Telegram post, 1:50 p.m, https://web.telegram.org/#/im?p=c1077979077_8373715439778760227.

Adnani was believed to control nearly all of ISIS’s operations in Syria.Michael Weiss, “The ISIS Attack Dog Reported Dead,” Daily Beast, August 30, 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/30/the-isis-attack-dog-reported-dead.html?via=desktop&source=twitter. He was tasked with leading ISIS’s Emni unit, which, according to Western intelligence documents, was behind nearly all major ISIS attacks in the West since at least early 2014, including the Paris attacks in November 2015 and the Brussels attacks in March 2016. Adnani was also believed to coordinate the movement of ISIS fighters, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.“Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Precision Airstrike Targeting Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani,” Department of Defense, August 30, 2016, http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/930843/statement-by-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-on-precision-airstrike-targeti. According to former ISIS member Harry Sarfo, Adnani was the head of ISIS’s so-called “special forces.” “Everything goes back to [Adnani],” Sarfo told the New York Times in early August 2016.Rumini Callimachi, “How a Secretive Branch of ISIS Built a Global Network of Killers,” New York Times, August 3, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/world/middleeast/isis-german-recruit-interview.html.

In addition to leading the Emni unit inside ISIS-controlled territory, Adnani was known for his fiery rhetorical skills and for urging ISIS sympathizers in the West to carry out lone-wolf attacks.“Islamic State: Abu Muhammad al-Adnani ‘killed in Aleppo,’” BBC News, August 30, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-37224570. In September 2014, ISIS released a speech by Adnani in which he called on Muslims in the West to target civilians and military personnel in their own countries. Adnani declared: “If you can kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French – or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be.”Caleb Weiss, “Islamic State spokesman again threatens West in new speech,” Long War Journal, September 21, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/09/islamic_state_spokesman_again.php.

Adnani again called on followers to attack civilians in the West in May 2016. In a speech titled “That They Live by Proof,” Adnani said, “The smallest bit of work that you can carry out in their countries is far better and beloved to us than any major [operations] here. [These operations] would be of much success and more harmful to them.”“ISIS Spokesman Al-'Adnani Urges 'Caliphate Soldiers,' ISIS Supporters To Target Civilians In Europe, U.S. During Ramadan,” MEMRI, May 21, 2016, http://www.memrijttm.org/isis-spokesman-al-adnani-urges-caliphate-soldiers-isis-supporters-to-target-civilians-in-europe-us-during-ramadan.html.

When Adnani announced the formation of the so-called caliphate in June 2014, he was reported to be the only Syrian among ISIS’s top leaders, the rest of whom were Iraqi.“Who are ISIS’ top 20 leaders?” Al Arabiya English, September 19, 2014, http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/19/Meet-ISIS-top-20-leaders.html. Before Adnani’s death, analysts suggested that he would lead ISIS in the case of Baghdadi’s death.Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, and Michael Weiss, "Who might lead ISIS if al-Baghdadi dies?," CNN, July 2, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/11/middleeast/isis-leadership/. He was designated as a terrorist by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Treasury Department, the United Nations, and the United Kingdom.“Counter Terrorism Designations,” US Department of the Treasury, August 18, 2014, http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20140818.aspx;
“Terrorist Designation of Abu Mohammed al-Adnani,” U.S. Department of State, August 18, 2014, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/230676.htm;
“Security Council Adopts Resolution 2170 (2014) Condemning Gross, Widespread Abuse of Human Rights by Extremist Groups in Iraq, Syria,” UNSCR Press Release, August 15, 2014, http://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sc11520.doc.htm;
“CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK,” GOV.UK, last modified September 3, 2014, http://hmt-sanctions.s3.amazonaws.com/sanctionsconlist.htm.

Abdul Mohsen Abdallah Ibrahim al Charekh, more commonly known by his nom de guerre Sanafi al-Nasr, meaning “cultivator of victory,” was the reported deputy leader of the Khorasan group. U.S. officials confirmed that al-Nasr was a senior leader of al-Qaeda and the leader of al-Qaeda’s “Victory Commitee” (Shura al Nasr).Thomas Joscelyn, “Head of Al Qaeda ‘Victory Committee’ in Syria,” The Long War Journal, March 6, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/03/_at_first_nasr_staye.php. One report states that al-Qaeda’s Victory Committee “is responsible for developing and implementing al Qaeda's strategy and policies.”Thomas Joscelyn, “Head of Al Qaeda ‘Victory Committee’ in Syria,” The Long War Journal, March 6, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/03/_at_first_nasr_staye.php. On October 15, 2015, the U.S. military killed al-Nasr in an airstrike in northwest Syria.Bill Roggio and Thomas Joscelyn, “US military confirms it killed senior al Qaeda strategist Sanafi al Nasr in airstrike in Syria,” Long War Journal, October 18, 2015, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/10/us-military-confirms-it-killed-senior-al-qaeda-strategist-sanafi-al-nasr-in-airstrike-in-syria.php.

Like Khorasan's deceased leader Muhsin al-Fadhli, al-Nasr once served as the leader of al-Qaeda’s Iran-based funneling network.Thomas Joscelyn, “Senior Al Qaeda Strategist Part of So-Called ‘Khorasan Group,’” The Long War Journal, September 24, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/09/senior_al_qaeda_stra.php. This network “served as a financial conduit, collecting funds from donors throughout the Gulf and moving those funds via Iran to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq.”Thomas Joscelyn, “Report: Senior Al Qaeda Facilitator ‘Back on the Street’ in Iran,” The Long War Journal, January 31, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/01/_as_head_al_qaeda.php. The responsibilities that al-Nasr inherited included “overseeing al Qaeda efforts to transfer experienced operatives and leaders from Pakistan to Syria, organizing and maintaining routes by which new recruits can travel to Syria via Turkey and assisting in the movement of al Qaeda external operatives to the West.”Thomas Joscelyn, “Report: Senior Al Qaeda Facilitator ‘Back on the Street’ in Iran,” The Long War Journal, January 31, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/01/_as_head_al_qaeda.php.

Al-Nasr had an extensive presence online including Twitter.Thomas Joscelyn, “Head of Al Qaeda ‘Victory Committee’ in Syria,” The Long War Journal, March 6, 2014, http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/03/_at_first_nasr_staye.php. According to the U.N.’s Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, al-Nasr was “a leading terrorist Internet propagandist since 2006.”United Nations Security Council, “United Nations Security Council Adds Names of Six Individuals to Al-Qaida Sanctions List,” United Nations, August 15, 2014, http://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sc11521.doc.htm.

Sami al-Uraydi is a U.S.-designated member of the Shura Council of Syrian extremist group Hurras al-Din.Josko Baric, “Syrian War Daily – 28th of February 2018,” Syrian War Daily, February 28, 2018, https://syrianwardaily.com/2018/02/28/syrian-war-daily-28th-of-february-2018/; “Counter Terrorism Designation and Designations Updates,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, April 11, 2023, https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230411. He was previously the Nusra Front’s main sharia authorityHassan Abu Haniyeh, “Who’s who in the Nusra Front,” Al-Araby, December 15, 2014, http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/politics/1993dc89-9ba6-47c1-b168-21e1fea50307. and reportedly served as the group’s second-in-command“Syria Al-Qaeda affiliate says will free UN troops,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 11, 2014, http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110949/syria-al-qaeda-affiliate-says-will-free-un-troops/. before he resigned from the Nusra Front in 2017 after the group announced that it would cut ties with al-Qaeda.Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, “Success for al-Qaeda in Syria?” Middle East Forum, December 18, 2017, https://www.meforum.org/articles/2017/success-for-alqaeda-in-syria.

Al-Uraydii has a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a doctorate in Hadith (Islamic prophetic traditions) studies from Jordan University.Hassan Abu Haniyeh, “Who’s who in the Nusra Front,”Al-Araby, December 15, 2014, http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/politics/1993dc89-9ba6-47c1-b168-21e1fea50307. He has used social media to release sermons and declarations on behalf of the Nusra Front. He previously maintained a Twitter account under the handle @sami_oride and reportedly tweeted that the “ideal” jihadist is a moral individual watched by God and the public.“Nusra’s Sharia Cleric, Al-‘Oraidi: Who is he? And what is his response to the (IF/Sham Legion/etc) Revolutionary Code of Honor?” Tahrir Souri, May 19, 2014, http://tahrirsouri.net/2014/05/19/nusras-sharia-cleric-al-oraidi-who-is-he-and-what-is-his-response-to-the-ifsham-legionetc-revolutionary-code-of-honor/. Al-Uraydi has also used social media to attack ISIS, particularly after the group declared its caliphate in June 2014.Rita Katz, “The ‘Comical Caliphate,’” INSITE Blog on Terrorism & Extremism, July 1, 2014, http://news.siteintelgroup.com/blog/index.php/entry/196-the-comical-caliphate. Al-Uraydi said ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani “does not know what comes out of his head.”Rita Katz, “The ‘Comical Caliphate,’” INSITE Blog on Terrorism & Extremism, July 1, 2014, http://news.siteintelgroup.com/blog/index.php/entry/196-the-comical-caliphate. He also referred to ISIS’s leaders as “Muslim killers.”Rita Katz, “The ‘Comical Caliphate,’” INSITE Blog on Terrorism & Extremism, July 1, 2014, http://news.siteintelgroup.com/blog/index.php/entry/196-the-comical-caliphate. He declared war on ISIS in a December 2014 sermon posted to YouTube.“الشيخ الدكتور سامي العريدي المسؤل العام لجبهة النصرة يحرض على قتال الخوارج داعش,” YouTube video, posted by الصوارم على الخوارج صليل, December 27, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIrnl_Rhsgg.

Al-Uraydi is influenced by the teachings of Syrian jihadist Abu Musab al-Suri.Hassan Hassan, “A Jihadist Blueprint for Hearts and Minds Is Gaining Traction in Syria,” National [UAE], March 4, 2014, http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/a-jihadist-blueprint-for-hearts-and-minds-is-gaining-traction-in-syria. Al-Suri fought against the Syrian regime in the 1970s and ’80s. He became a media liaison between Western journalists and Osama bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks.David Samuels, “The New Mastermind of Jihad,” Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2012, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303299604577323750859163544. He believes Muslims should take on individual jihad that isn’t tied to any one group.David Samuels, “The New Mastermind of Jihad,” Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2012, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303299604577323750859163544. The CIA captured him in 2005 and turned him over to Syrian authorities. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad released him in December 2011.David Samuels, “The New Mastermind of Jihad,” Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2012, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303299604577323750859163544. The Wall Street Journal dubbed him “the new mastermind of jihad.”David Samuels, “The New Mastermind of Jihad,” Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2012, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303299604577323750859163544.

Al-Uraydi resigned from the Nusra Front on February 8, 2017.Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, “Success for al-Qaeda in Syria?” Middle East Forum, December 18, 2017, https://www.meforum.org/articles/2017/success-for-alqaeda-in-syria. On November 27, 2017, Nusra Front leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani ordered the arrests of al-Uraydi; Abu Julaibib al-Ordoni, former Nusra Dara’a commander; Iyad Nazmi Salih Khalil, former Jabhat Fateh al-Sham commander; Abu Khadija al-Ordoni; and Abu Mussaab al-Libi. All four were prominent Nusra leaders with strong ties to al-Qaeda.Mona Alami, “HTS Continues to Evolve,” Syria Source, December 1, 2017, http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/syriasource/hts-continues-to-evolve. Following these arrests, several members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the current incarnation of the Nusra Front, resigned, and several large factions threatened to break away.“Weekly Conflict Summary, November 30–December 6, 2017,” Carter Center, December 6, 2017, https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/peace/conflict_resolution/syria-conflict/weekly-conflict-summary-2017.11.30-12.05.pdf. Al-Uraydi was released from an HTS prison that December.Aymenn. al-Tamimi, Twitter post, December 11, 2017, 11:37 a.m., https://twitter.com/ajaltamimi/status/940259316526931969.

Subsequently, several subgroups of devoted al-Qaeda supporters defected from HTS. On December 5, 2017, HTS faction Jaish al-Badia defected, creating a new Telegram channel devoted to al-Qaeda.Tore Refslund Hamming and Pieter Van Ostaeyen, “The True Story of al-Qaeda’s Demise and Resurgence in Syria,” Lawfare, April 8, 2018, https://lawfareblog.com/true-story-al-qaedas-demise-and-resurgence-syria. Jaish al-Malahem followed three weeks later, also indicating support for al-Qaeda in its new Telegram channel, while on February 7, 2018, a new al-Qaeda-supporting group, Jund al Shariah, announced its formation.Tore Refslund Hamming and Pieter Van Ostaeyen, “The True Story of al-Qaeda’s Demise and Resurgence in Syria,” Lawfare, April 8, 2018, https://lawfareblog.com/true-story-al-qaedas-demise-and-resurgence-syria. On February 28, 2018, these three groups, along with three other small militant factions, announced a merger under the name Hurras al-Din (HaD), or Guardians of the Religion, and declared themselves an unofficial affiliate of al-Qaeda.Tore Refslund Hamming and Pieter Van Ostaeyen, “The True Story of al-Qaeda’s Demise and Resurgence in Syria,” Lawfare, April 8, 2018, https://lawfareblog.com/true-story-al-qaedas-demise-and-resurgence-syria. Al-Uraydi joined HaD’s Shura council and reportedly began talks with al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to make HaD the official al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. HaD remains at odds with HTS.Tore Refslund Hamming and Pieter Van Ostaeyen, “The True Story of al-Qaeda’s Demise and Resurgence in Syria,” Lawfare, April 8, 2018, https://lawfareblog.com/true-story-al-qaedas-demise-and-resurgence-syria.

In September 2019, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the capture of al-Uraydi and four other HaD leaders.“Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Senior Leaders of Hurras al-Din,” U.S. Department of State, September 12, 2019, https://www.state.gov/rewards-for-justice-reward-offer-for-information-on-senior-leaders-of-hurras-al-din/.

Given al-Uraydi’s leadership position in HaD as well as his role in promoting and inciting terrorist acts in support of al-Qaeda, on May 30, 2022, the Council of the European Union added al-Uraydi to the EU sanctions list.“EU fight against terrorism: one group and two individuals added to the EU sanctions list,” Council of the European Union, May 30, 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/05/30/eu-fight-against-terrorism-one-group-and-two-individuals-added-to-the-eu-sanctions-list/. The U.S. Department of State designated al-Uraydi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on April 11, 2023.“Terrorist Designation of Hurras al-Din Leader,” U.S. Department of State, April 11, 2023, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-hurras-al-din-leader/.