Abu Taha al-Sudan
Encyclopedia
Abu Taha Al-Sudan was a suspected member of Al Qaeda terrorist organization, reported to be an explosives expert.
He is believed to have traveled to Southern Lebanon
along with Saif al-Adel
, Sayful Islam al-Masri, Abu Ja`far al-Masri and bu Salim al-Masri, where he trained alongside Hezbollah.
A Sudan
ese national married to a Somali
woman, al-Sudan had lived in Somalia since 1993. He was more recently identified as a close associate of Gouled Hassan Dourad
, leader of a Mogadishu
-based network that worked in support of Al Qaeda. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that Al-Sudani had been involved with a plot to target the U.S. military base in Djibouti
(see CJTF-HOA).
Al-Sudan was also believed to be the financier of the 1998 United States embassy bombings
.
In December 2006, al-Sudan was reported to have led a group of ICU fighters in Idale as part of the War in Somalia. A month later he was the target of a U.S. Air Force AC-130 airstrike
that killed 70 civilian nomadic tribesmen, but left al-Sudan unharmed.
Time
, citing a Pentagon
official, reported in late November 2007 that al-Sudani had been killed. On September 2, 2008, in a video while taunting the United States, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan declares the death of co-conspirator Abu Talha al Sudani.
He is believed to have traveled to Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
along with Saif al-Adel
Saif al-Adel
Saif al-Adel is an Egyptian explosives expert and a high-ranking member of al-Qaeda.Adel is under indictment for his part in the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Africa...
, Sayful Islam al-Masri, Abu Ja`far al-Masri and bu Salim al-Masri, where he trained alongside Hezbollah.
A Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese national married to a Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
woman, al-Sudan had lived in Somalia since 1993. He was more recently identified as a close associate of Gouled Hassan Dourad
Gouled Hassan Dourad
Gouled Hassan Dourad , born 1974, is a citizen of Somalia who is currently held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantánamo Bay detainment camps in Cuba....
, leader of a Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
-based network that worked in support of Al Qaeda. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that Al-Sudani had been involved with a plot to target the U.S. military base in Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
(see CJTF-HOA).
Al-Sudan was also believed to be the financier of the 1998 United States embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings
The 1998 United States embassy bombings were a series of attacks that occurred on August 7, 1998, in which hundreds of people were killed in simultaneous truck bomb explosions at the United States embassies in the East African capitals of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The date of the...
.
In December 2006, al-Sudan was reported to have led a group of ICU fighters in Idale as part of the War in Somalia. A month later he was the target of a U.S. Air Force AC-130 airstrike
Airstrike
An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...
that killed 70 civilian nomadic tribesmen, but left al-Sudan unharmed.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, citing a Pentagon
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
official, reported in late November 2007 that al-Sudani had been killed. On September 2, 2008, in a video while taunting the United States, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan declares the death of co-conspirator Abu Talha al Sudani.
External links
- Abu Talha al Sudani Profile at GlobalSecurity.org
- Counter-Terrorism in Somalia: Losing Hearts and Minds? Crisis Group