Faisal al-Khalidi

Faisal al-Khalidi is a Saudi citizen and U.S.-designated al-Qaeda military official based in Iran. He previously served as a battalion commander for the terror group. The U.S. Treasury sanction-designated Bayumi in July 2016 alongside two other Iran-based al-Qaeda operatives—Yisra Bayumi and Abu Bakr Muhammad Ghumayn—for their financial and logistical support of al-Qaeda.“Treasury Designates Three Senior Al-Qaida Operatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 20, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0523.aspx. The Treasury described the three men as “senior al-Qaeda veterans.”Treasury Designates Three Senior Al-Qaida Operatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 20, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0523.aspx;
Tyler Pager, “U.S. Treasury sanctions three Iran-based Al Qaeda members,” Politico, July 20, 2016, http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/al-qaeda-us-sanctions-225871.

According to Adam Szubin, acting undersecretary of Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, the men have been “responsible for moving money and weapons across the Middle East.”“Treasury Designates Three Senior Al-Qaida Operatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 20, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0523.aspx. The designation notice noted that the men are based in Iran, though the Iranian foreign ministry has denied this.“Iran denies presence of Al-Qaeda operatives,” Daily Star (Beirut), July 26, 2016, https://www.dailystar.com.lb/Entity/People/152618493/Faisal-Jassim-Mohammed-Al-Amri-Al-Khalidi.ashx?utm_source=Magnet&utm_medium=Entities%20widget&utm_campaign=Magnet%20tools.

Khalidi was described by the Treasury as “part of a new generation of [al-Qaeda] operatives.”“Treasury Designates Three Senior Al-Qaida Operatives,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 20, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0523.aspx. According to the Treasury, Khalidi took part in an al-Qaeda Council meeting in May 2015 to examine means of procuring weapons. He also oversees liaison between al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban, a role he has fulfilled since 2011. He remains on a “wanted list” produced by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of the Interior.“Wanted List – 85,” General Directorate of Investigation, Saudi Ministry of Interior, accessed October 5, 2016, https://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/portal/Home/sectors/investigationdepartment/contents/!ut/p/z0/fY2xDoIwFEV_pQvzq6QgKyFRwUU3eAtp4KFVbIu8oJ9vNS4ujvfmnHsBoQa0ejEnzcZZPYbcYNrKUqndSsX7TB02Mj_GVZEXZbxdp1AB_gfCgrlME-aAnbNMT4ba2IVm_r4INwymo0j-tj15fecbWY4kn0k8dJB74cn5McCjmVlkycdq3yFLWrLgr9i8AM0-X48!/.

Also Known As

Extremist entity
Al-Qaeda
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Type(s) of Organization:
Non-state actor, religious, terrorist, transnational, violent
Ideologies and Affiliations:
Jihadist, pan-Islamist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni, takfiri
Position(s):
Financier, Military Officer

Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks was the deadliest ever on American soil, killing nearly 3,000 people. Since the fall of the Taliban, al-Qaeda has established operations worldwide, including in Syria, the Gulf, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and the Indian subcontinent.

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We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].

Abu Ali al-Askari, Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) Security Official Mar. 2023
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