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A Consequential Killing in Tehran

Posted: December 1st, 2020

By Norman T. Roule

Norman T. Roule is a geopolitical and energy consultant who served for 34 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to Iran and the Middle East. He served as the National Intelligence Manager for Iran (NIM-I) at the ODNI from 2008 until 2017. As NIM-I, he was the principal Intelligence Community (IC) official responsible for overseeing all aspects of national intelligence policy and activities related to Iran, to include IC engagement on Iran issues with senior policymakers in the National Security Council and the Department of State.

The killing of Al Qaeda’s second in command reportedly at the hands of Israeli operatives working in Tehran signals a significant reduction among al Qaeda’s founding generation, leaving questions about how the organization will conduct itself in the hands of younger leaders.

While Tehran denies the reports, sources told The New York Times that Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed along with his daughter, widow to Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden.

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Categorized as:Al-Qaeda CIA Intelligence IranTagged with:

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