Saleh Al-Qaraawi (Arabic: صالح القرعاوي) is a Saudi militant Jihadist.[1]

Saleh Al-Qaraawi
Press photo/Mugshot of Saleh al-Qaraawi after he confessed to crimes.
NationalitySaudi Arabian
OccupationTerrorist
Military career
Allegiance Al-Qaeda
Years of serviceUnknown–present
RankFighter in Afghanistan
(?–?)

Commander in Iraq
(2003–2009)

Emir of Al-Qaeda in Lebanon
(2009–2012)
Battles / warsWar in Afghanistan (1978–present)

2014 Israel–Gaza conflict

Iraq War

Background

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Al-Qaraawi fought in the Iraqi Insurgency alongside Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[2] He was a founder of the militant Abdullah Azzam Brigades in 2009, which has carried out a number of attacks in the Middle East.[3] He was identified as the leader of Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia by Saudi Arabian security officials in a 3 February 2009 list of their 85 most wanted.[1]

In December 2011, the US State Department listed him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist[2]

Al-Qaraawi was arrested on 9 June 2012 after returning to Saudi Arabia from Pakistan where he had been wounded in a drone strike.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "85 on Saudi wanted list of militants". Saudi Gazette. 3 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2009. Al-Arabiya satellite news channel said the statement identified one of the militants, Saleh Al-Qarawi, as the leader of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.
  2. ^ a b "Terrorist Designation of Saleh al-Qarawi". 15 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Lebanon 'arrests head of Abdullah Azzam Brigades'". BBC News. 1 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Asharq Al-Awsat Exclusive: The Untold Story of Al-Zarqawi's Wife". Asharq Al-Awsat. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Online jihadists discuss fate of al Qaeda operative held by Saudi Arabia". The Long War Journal. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2015.