Al Qaeda chief rumored to be dead appears in video marking 9/11

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, who had been rumored to be dead months earlier, appeared in a video marking the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, The Associated Press reported.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terrorist websites, shared on Saturday that the video featuring al-Zawahri was uploaded to networks on Saturday, AP reported.

In the video, al-Zawahri mentions an Al Qaeda’s attack on Russian troops in the Syrian city of  Raqqa on Jan. 1. He also said,  “Jerusalem Will Never be Judaized.” 

17) Amid rumors of his death, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri shown in new 60-minute video, this time offering some evidence that he is not dead–particularly, reference to events after December, when rumors of death surfaced. (A speech from March offered no such proof) pic.twitter.com/IXpz6wIZvh

— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) September 11, 2021

The AP notes Al-Zawahiri did not mention the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan upon the U.S. military withdrawal from the country, but SITE said it did not appear the recording was recent.

Rumors spread that al-Zawahiri died from a prolonged illness in late 2020, according to AP.

“However, Zawahiri doesn’t mention Taliban’s Afghanistan victory, and his talk of US ‘making its exit from Afghanistan’ could have been said early as Feb 2020 upon Doha Agreement,”  SITE’s director Rita Katz wrote in a tweet. “Thus, he could still be dead, though if so, would have been at some point in or after Jan 2021.”

19) However, Zawahiri doesn’t mention Taliban’s Afghanistan victory, and his talk of US “making its exit from Afghanistan” could have been said early as Feb 2020 upon Doha Agreement. Thus, he could still be dead, though if so, would have been at some point in or after Jan 2021

— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) September 11, 2021

Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.