UN: Egyptian Seif al-Adel is new al-Qaeda boss

Under the battle name "Sword of Justice" he belongs to the old guard of the terrorist organization. A bounty of ten million dollars has been placed on his head. The United Nations assume that the Egyptian Seif al-Adel is the new boss of the extremist network al-Qaeda. "In the talks in November and December, many member states took the view that Seif al-Adel was already acting as the de facto and undisputed leader of the group," says a UN report. Adel was a member of the Egyptian special forces and has a bounty of ten million dollars on his head. In January, however, a representative of the US secret service said that the successor to al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was killed in a US drone attack in Kabul last August, was unclear.

Involved in attacks on US embassies
Experts assume that the pressure on al Qaeda had increased to select a strategic leader who can plan attacks and direct the network. According to her, Adel acted more covertly than other leading al-Qaeda members. While the former al Qaeda bosses addressed the public with speeches and threats against the United States, the Egyptian made a name for himself planning attacks in the background. In 1998, a US court accused him of taking part in the attacks on US Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya to have been involved. At that time, 224 civilians died and more than 5,000 people were injured. He is also said to have played a role in the murder of US journalist Daniel Paerl in Pakistan in 2002. The earliest indications of a turn to extremism date from 1981. At that time, Adel was suspected of having been part of the assassination plot against Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat. The US State Department understands he is currently residing in southeastern Iran and is under the protection of the Revolutionary Guards.

Contemptuous, brutal - but with friendly advice
Former FBI investigator Ali Soufan, who helped track down al-Qaeda operatives, describes Al-Adel as a smart personality with a poker face. "His temper is notorious. With his sharp tongue, he threatens violence against anyone who displeases him. He is known to immediately punish disloyalty with ruthless violence," Soufan wrote in a personality profile for the Combating Terrorism Center. With subordinates he can be contemptuous and even brutal. On the other hand, he is also known for friendly advice. The expert at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, Yoram Schweitzer, judged: "He is a very courageous, professional and cold-blooded personality."