Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud (a.k.a. Abdelmalek Droukdel) (born April 20, 1970) is the emir, or leader, of the Algerian Islamic militant group Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), formerly the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).
Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud | |
|---|---|
| File:Abu Musab Wadoud from as-Sahab video in Algeria 3.PNG | |
| Allegiance | Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb |
| Rank | Emir |
| Battles / wars | Islamic insurgency in Algeria (2002–present) |
Biography
Wadoud earned a university degree in mathematics before joining the insurgency in 1996.[2]
Militant commander
Abdel Wadoud was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's commander in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui.[3]
Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the "Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb."[4]
In December 2007 the United States Department of the Treasury imposed financial sanctions and froze Abdel Wadoud's assets under Executive Order 13224.[5]
External links
- Key Leader Profile: Abdelouadoud, Abou Mossaab MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base
- Ruthless chief, head of Al-Qaeda's NAfrica branch Middle East Online, December 13, 2007
References
- ^ Interview with Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, Commander of the Algerian Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat (GSPC) GlobalTerrorAlert.com, September 26, 2005.
- ^ Ragtag Insurgency Gains a Lifeline From Al Qaeda New York Times, July 1, 2008
- ^ New chief for Algeria's Islamists BBC, September 7, 2004
- ^ Salafist Group for Call and Combat Announces its New Name as al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb SITE Institute, January 26, 2007
- ^ U.S. freezes assets of Algerian over al Qaeda ties Reuters, December 4, 2007