Saleh al-Oufi
Encyclopedia
Born in al-Hindiya, the Saudi Saleh Muhammad 'Awadullah al-'Alawi al-'Oufi (d. 2005) was a member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
(AQAP), and became the leader of that group when Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin was killed in June 2004. Al-Oufi in turn was killed in August 2005, in Madinah.
In 1993, he traveled to Afghanistan; and fought in Chechnya
the following year, but sustained a head wound and returned to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. Following his recovery, he opened a car dealership and traveled frequently to Germany through Dubai.
In 2001, he was back in Afghanistan but fled the American invasion along with Khalid al-Juhani. In 2002, he returned to Saudi Arabia for his father's funeral, which he attended disguised as a woman.
. A car bombing in Qatar
, which killed one and wounded dozens, came two days after an instigation by al-Oufi (on a terrorist web forum) to attack "crusader" targets in the Gulf nations.
Al-Oufi has been variously described as a former policeman and a former prison guard. According to AQAP, he participated in some way in the fighting in Afghanistan.
, four AQAP members were killed and one captured. These raids were made possible by the interception of mobile telephone transmissions.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is a militant Islamist organization, primarily active in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It was named for al-Qaeda, and says it is subordinate to that group and its now-deceased leader Osama bin Laden, a Saudi citizen whose father was born in Yemen...
(AQAP), and became the leader of that group when Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin was killed in June 2004. Al-Oufi in turn was killed in August 2005, in Madinah.
Life
He was a sergeant in the Prison detachment of the National Service, but was discharged in 1989 for his overt support of anti-government forces.In 1993, he traveled to Afghanistan; and fought 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...
the following year, but sustained a head wound and returned to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. Following his recovery, he opened a car dealership and traveled frequently to Germany through Dubai.
In 2001, he was back in Afghanistan but fled the American invasion along with Khalid al-Juhani. In 2002, he returned to Saudi Arabia for his father's funeral, which he attended disguised as a woman.
Leadership
During his 14 months as leader of AQAP, Al-Oufi wrote a few pieces for the al-Qaida online magazines Sawt al-Jihad and Mu'askar al-Battar, particularly about IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. A car bombing in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, which killed one and wounded dozens, came two days after an instigation by al-Oufi (on a terrorist web forum) to attack "crusader" targets in the Gulf nations.
Al-Oufi has been variously described as a former policeman and a former prison guard. According to AQAP, he participated in some way in the fighting in Afghanistan.
Death
One other suspect with al-Oufi was killed, and another wounded and captured. In a simultaneous raid in RiyadhRiyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, four AQAP members were killed and one captured. These raids were made possible by the interception of mobile telephone transmissions.