Global Security Studies Practicum

The International Security Assistance Force ( I A SF ) confirmed the capture of Afghan senior Haqqani network leader, Haji Mali Khan, in Pakitiya providence during a joint NATO -Afghan forces operation. Western intelligence officials label the Haqqani network as one of the most effective militant groups in Afghanistan and believe the Haqqani network is responsible for the assassination of Burhanuddin Rabani, the chairman of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council. Khan worked directly under his nephews, Siraj and Badruddin Haqqani, the brothers who lead the Haqqani network. The ISAF stated Khan’s role within the Haqqani network was to manage operations, command on the moving forces from Pakistan to Afghanistan to conduct terrorist activities, and conduct administrative work for Siraj Haqqani . The US is in a final formal review process in efforts to add the Haqqani network to the terrorist list and has offered $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Siraj Haqqani. Sourc

Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, a Saudi militant, is supposedly dead after the United States drone strike in Yemen . This strike killed Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and Pakistani-American propagandist Samir Khan , both key figures in the Yemen Al-Qaida branch. Al-Asiri’s importance to Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula overshadows the deaths of two Americans. Upon his release from prison in 2006, Al-Asiri became one of the first Saudis to join the Yemen Al-Qaida branch and pledge allegiance to Nasser al-Wahishi , leader of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Al-Asiri is responsible for designing explosives in two attempted attacks against the United States. The bomb found in a Nigerian’s underwear in an attempt to blow up Flight 253 over Detroit in 2009, and the bombs found in two printers headed for Chicago and Philadelphia last year. Al-Asiri also led his brother Abdullah’s suicide bombing operation to kill Saudi Prince Nayef in 2009 causing Abdullah’s death. Source: http://n

American-born Anwar al-Awlaki was killed Friday in a US drone strike in Yemen . Also killed by the CIA-operated aircraft was American Samir Khan , producer of al Qaeda's online magazine, Inspire . A Yemeni official described the effort as a "successful joint intelligence-sharing operation" between the US and Yemen. al-Awlaki was believed to be the senior leader of the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, an active affiliate of al Qaeda and the most significant threat to the US, according to the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. al-Awlaki is linked to Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab and Maj. Nidal Hasan . Only al Qaeda's current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri , remains from the top terrorists at the time of the 9/11 attacks. Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/world/africa/yemen-radical-cleric/index.html?npt=NP1 Reliability 9