Khalid Ibn Muhammad Al-Juhani
Encyclopedia
Khalid Ibn Muhammad Al-Juhani was a Saudi member of al-Qaeda
who appeared cradling a rifle, in a 2002 videotape in which he promised a "martyrdom" attack. In 2003, the Saudi government identified al-Juhani as one of twelve dead perpetrators of the Riyadh compound bombings
based on DNA
found at the scene.
On January 14, 2002, a series of five videocassetes were recovered from the rubble of the destroyed home of Mohammad Atef outside of Kabul, Afghanistan. The tapes showed Abderraouf Jdey
, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan
, Abd Al-Rahim, and Al-Juhani vowing to die as martyrs. It was the first time authorities had reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing. NBC News
said the videos had been recorded after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
After the tape was discovered, and the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan
contacted
his family members, they said he spent three years fighting in Afghanistan from the time he was 18 years old, and another three years fighting in Chechnya
. They believed he had been left mentally ill "as a result of pressure he faced during the [Afghan] war".
He fled Afghanistan during the American invasion, and moved to Yemen, before moving to Riyadh in 2003. In Saudi Arabia, Karim el-Mejjati
agreed to allow al-Juhani to live with his family. He tried to find a wife for al-Juhani, who was not supposed to be involved in any more fighting.
On March 23, 2003, el-Mejjati's wife and 10-year old son Ilyass left the city to try to reach an Ophthalmologist. They had been originally intended to travel with al-Juhani, which caught the attention of the Mabahith
secret police. However, al-Juhani argued he wasn't feeling well and asked a brother and his wife to instead accompany el-Mejjati and her son. The group was nonetheless arrested by authorities who hoped that al-Juhani was present.
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
who appeared cradling a rifle, in a 2002 videotape in which he promised a "martyrdom" attack. In 2003, the Saudi government identified al-Juhani as one of twelve dead perpetrators of the Riyadh compound bombings
Riyadh compound bombings
The Riyadh compound bombings took place on May 12, 2003, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Altogether, 35 people were killed, and over 160 wounded. A smaller campaign of insurgency in Saudi Arabia had started in November 2000 when car bombings were carried out targeting and killing individual expatriates in...
based on DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
found at the scene.
Life
He fled Afghanistan, along with Saleh al-Oufi, in late 2001 following the American invasion.On January 14, 2002, a series of five videocassetes were recovered from the rubble of the destroyed home of Mohammad Atef outside of Kabul, Afghanistan. The tapes showed Abderraouf Jdey
Abderraouf Jdey
A Canadian citizen, Abderraouf bin Habib bin Yousef Jdey was found swearing to die as a shaheed on a series of videotapes found in the rubble of Mohammed Atef's house in Afghanistan...
, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan
Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan
Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan was self-implicated on videotape as a possible terrorist in 2002, and has since then been wanted by the United States Department of Justice's FBI, which is seeking information about his identity and whereabouts...
, Abd Al-Rahim, and Al-Juhani vowing to die as martyrs. It was the first time authorities had reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing. NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
said the videos had been recorded after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
After the tape was discovered, and the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan
Al-Watan
-Anthems:*"Ardulfurataini Watan", the former national anthem of Iraq*"Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo", an Indian patriotic song written in Hindi*"Nahnu Jund Allah Jund Al-watan", the national anthem of Sudan*"Rasamna Ala Al-Qalb Wajh Al-Watan", the Army anthem of Egypt...
contacted
his family members, they said he spent three years fighting in Afghanistan from the time he was 18 years old, and another three years fighting in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. They believed he had been left mentally ill "as a result of pressure he faced during the [Afghan] war".
He fled Afghanistan during the American invasion, and moved to Yemen, before moving to Riyadh in 2003. In Saudi Arabia, Karim el-Mejjati
Karim el-Mejjati
A French citizen born in Morocco, Karim Thami el-Mejjati was a Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group militant claimed to have aided the Riyadh compound bombings, the 2003 Casablanca bombings, the 2004 Madrid train bombings and the 2005 London bombings.He was killed, along with his 11-year-old son, by...
agreed to allow al-Juhani to live with his family. He tried to find a wife for al-Juhani, who was not supposed to be involved in any more fighting.
Mabahith
The Mabahith , also spelled Mabaheth, is the secret police agency of the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia.According to Human Rights Watch, the Mabahith "monitors suspected political opponents and others, targets individuals for arrest, and interrogates detainees...
secret police. However, al-Juhani argued he wasn't feeling well and asked a brother and his wife to instead accompany el-Mejjati and her son. The group was nonetheless arrested by authorities who hoped that al-Juhani was present.