Sari Shihab
Sari Muhammad Hasan Shihab, known as Abu Khalid al-Muhandis, was a Jordanian national born in 1973 who was a member of the different groups that were founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He was one of the initial members of the Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad organization which was founded by al-Zarqawi in 1999. Shihab was also known as Abu Safar and Suhayb.[1] Shihab was one of five al-Qaeda leaders who were released by Iran in March 2015 in exchange for a kidnapped Iranian diplomat in Yemen. The other four were Saif al-Adel, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, Abu Khayr al-Masri and Khalid al-Aruri.[2]
According to one report, Sari Shihab was "involved in WMD programs and plots."[3] Sky News described Shihab and Al-Aruri as "The Iranians have also released two lesser known, though no less dangerous, operatives, both of Jordanian descent."[4]
Shihab was killed in an explosion in Idlib, Syria on August 22, 2019.[5]
References
- ^ Jean Charles Brisard and Damien Martinez, Zarqawi: The New Face of Al Qaeda (Cambridge 2005) p 136
- ^ "Iran Released Top Members of Al Qaeda in a Trade". New York Times. 17 September 2015.
- ^ "Al Qa'ida's External Operations Unit is back". 19 September 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Terror Fears As Iran Frees Al Qaeda Members". Sky News. 14 September 2015.
- ^ "Al Qaeda veteran reportedly killed in Idlib | FDD's Long War Journal". 22 August 2019.
