Mohammed Atef

Mohammed Atef محمد عاطف
Atef inAfghanistanon May 26, 1998
Nickname(s)	Al-Khabir Taysir Abdullah Abu Khadijah Abu Fatima
Born	1944 Monufia Governorate,Egypt
Died	November 14–16, 2001 (aged 56–57) Kabul,Afghanistan
Allegiance	al-Qaeda
Rank	Military Commander
Battles/wars	Soviet-Afghan War Battle of Jaji United States invasion of Afghanistan Fall of Kabul†

Mohammed Atef(Arabic:محمد عاطف,romanized:Muḥammad ʿĀṭif;bornSobhi Abd Al Aziz Mohamed El Gohary Abu Sitta,also known asAbu Hafs al-Masriandal-Khabir;1944 – November 2001) was an Egyptian militant and prominent military chief ofal-Qaeda,and a deputy ofOsama bin Laden,although Atef's role in the organization was not well known by intelligence agencies for years.He was killed in a US airstrike in November 2001.

Atef served two years in theEgyptian Air Forceand became anagricultural engineer.He was also a police officer and a member of the groupEgyptian Islamic Jihadbefore he moved to Afghanistan to repelthe Soviet invasion,while operating fromPeshawar.He has been credited as having convincedAbdullah Azzamto abandon his life and devote himself to preachingjihadat this time.

Atef was sent to anAfghan training campwhere he metAyman al-Zawahiri,who later introduced him to Osama bin Laden.

He attended two meetings from August 11 to 20 in 1988, along with bin Laden, al-Zawahiri,Mamdouh Mahmud Salim,Jamal al-Fadl,Wa'el Hamza Julaidan,andMohammed Loay Bayazidand eight others, to discuss the founding of "al-Qaeda".Bin Laden later sent a letter to Mohammed Loay Bayazid informing him that Atef andAbu Ubaidah al-Banshiriwere to each be given 6,500Saudi riyalsmonthly, the same as they had been given for their work inMaktab al-Khidamat.

In Sudan

Atef followed al-Qaeda to the Sudan in 1992 until the group was forced to leave,following the execution of the teenaged son ofAhmad Salama Mabruk,and Atef moved toAfghanistan.

In 1994, he refused to allow Americandouble agentAli Mohammedto know which name and passport he would be traveling under, expressing concerns that Mohammed could be working with the American authorities.He traveled toMombasa,Kenya, where he met withMohammed Odehand gave him money to purchase himself a 7-tonnetrawlerand start a fishing business.

While inSudan,he allegedly conducted a study which resulted in him presenting al-Qaeda details on whyaircraft hijackingswere a poor idea as they were engineered to allow the negotiation of hostages in exchange for prisoners, rather than inflicting damage.Another alleged study he carried out determined that theAfghan ArabsandTalibancould together topple the dictatorship ofPervez Musharrafin Pakistan, and the government of Iran.

In 1995, Atef gaveKhalid Sheikh Mohammeddetails for a contact inBrazil.When Mohammed returned to Afghanistan, he turned to Atef to set up a meeting with bin Laden inTora Bora,at which he told the pair his plans for military attacks against the United States.

Prior to 1996,Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri,Atef and Yaseen al-Iraqi aidedEnaam Arnaoutin purchasingAK-47sand mortar rounds from a Pashtun tribesman named Hajjji Ayoub, and they were subsequently delivered in large trucks to the Jawr andJihad Wahl training camps.

Named military chief

Abu Hafs was the real chief of al-Qaeda. Bin Laden was very humble, I could ask him for advice in particular circumstances and he would simply say: "Go and ask Abu Hafs, who is more intelligent than me".

— Paulo Jose de Almeida Santos

In 1996, al-Qaeda's military chiefAbu Ubaidah al-Banshiridrowned in a ferry accident onLake Victoria,and Atef was chosen to succeed him.He drew up a plan summarizing the positive qualities ofTalibanleaders, and showed his "nuanced understanding" that the United States had energy interests in theCaspian Seawhich would lead them to want anoil pipelinebuilt through Afghanistan in the near future.

In 1998, a number of militants began to speak openly of their disdain for Atef, leading bin Laden to convene a meeting at which he spoke at length aboutAbu Bakr's loyalty toMuhammad.Comparing Atef to the Prophet's lieutenant, he reminded those present that Atef "knew of Jihad before most of you were even born", and warned them that he didn't want to hear any more "negative talk" about Atef.

Atef was allegedly sent into Somalia at least twice to meet with tribal leaders, once having to escape aboard a smallCessnaaircraft used for transportingkhat.Years later, amaterial witnesstold American authorities that he flew Atef and four others from an al-Qaeda compound in theSudan,toNairobi, Kenyato train Somali fighters.This led the United States to accuse him of training the militants who attacked their troops in the 1993Battle of Mogadishu.

1998 embassy bombings

On May 7, 1998, Atef faxed bin Laden afatwasigned by Afghan scholars on May 7, which said that attacks against American civilians could be justified.Three months later,al-Qaedacarried out the1998 U.S. embassy bombings,leading to Atef's indictment as having been involved in the preparation of the attack.

Following theAmerican reprisal bombings,Ateffriskedjournalists looking to meet bin Laden.On November 4, anarrest warrantwas issued in the United States for Atef.

Atef also began speaking toHambaliin Singapore, as the Indonesian-based militant sought al-Qaeda's financing forJemaah Islamiyahoperations.In turn, when Atef informed Hambali of al-Qaeda's need for a new biological engineer, the latter sentYazid Sufaatto al-Zawahiri.

Planning of further militant activity

In the 1999Returnees from Albania,he was triedin absentiaby an Egyptian court which sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment for his associated with the EIJ.That year, he met repeatedly with bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed at theAl-Matar complexto discuss possible targets for the9/11attacks.It was accepted that Atef was the one responsible for organizing the hijackers for the attacks.Near the end of the year, he met withRamzi bin al-Shibh,Mohamed AttaandZiad Jarrahand explained they would be undertaking a highly secret operation, in cooperation withNawaf al-Hazmiwhom he named asRabia al-Makki.

Following the 2000USS Cole bombing,Atef was moved to Kandahar, Zawahiri to Kabul, and bin Laden fled to Kabul, later joining Atef when he realised no American reprisal attacks were forthcoming.Whenever al-Qaeda organised games ofvolleyball,Atef and bin Laden were forced to be on separate teams since they were both tall and skilled.

In January 2001, inKandahar,Atef's daughter married bin Laden's 17-year-old son Mohammed; the wedding guests included Osama's mother,al-Jazeerajournalist Ahmad Zaidan, a "few" Taliban party members, and about 400 others. Osama recited poetry about the USS Cole bombing, but was upset with his delivery and tried having Zaidan re-record the section before deciding he preferred the earlier version.

That year,Mullah Omaris said to have argued that bin Laden should not draw further reprisals against Afghanistan by striking the United States again. This led to a schism among al-Qaeda leadership, where Atef sided with bin Laden, while leaders likeSaif al Adelsided with Omar.

He is believed to have givenJosé Padillamoney to travel back to Egypt from Afghanistan, to visit his wife. The two then formed a working relationship. He also gaveRamzi bin al-Shibhmoney to travel fromKarachitoMalaysiato meet with Atta.WhenDavid Hickscompleted his training at al-Farouq, Atef interviewed him about his achievements and asked about the travel habits of Australians, before agreeing to suggest he be moved to theTarnak Farmstraining camp.

Atef was a serious-minded man, a disciplined man. He was not the gregarious type who could live with the young mujahideen and understand and solve their problems and address their concerns... his work and activities sometimes compelled him to avoid people and keep away from others.

— Abu Jandal

Following theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks,and still a fugitive from his U.S. indictment in the 1998 Embassy bombings, Atef appeared on the initial list of the FBI's top 22Most Wanted Terrorists,which was released to the public by President Bush on October 10, 2001.Debka.comhas suggested that Atef led an "elite unit" of militants who captured and killed rival warlordAbdul Haqin October 2001.

In early November 2001, theTalibangovernment announced they were bestowing official Afghancitizenshipon him, as well asbin Laden,Zawahiri,Saif al-Adel,and ShaykhAsim Abdulrahman.

Described as a "devout" and "very quiet man", Atef was one of the few al-Qaeda leaders to not make public video statements.He is alleged to have written a 180-page manual entitled "Military Studies in the Holy Struggle against Tyrants", and directedAfghan training campshimself.

Death

Atef was killed, along with his guard Abu Ali al-Yafi'i and six others,in aU.S.airstrike on his home near Kabul during theU.S. invasion of Afghanistanat some time during November 14–16, 2001.American intelligence intercepted communications from those digging through the rubble of Atef's home, leading them to believe they had been successful in killing him. According to theCombating Terrorism Centerhe was killed in a strike on an "al Qa'ida safehouse".Reports said that Americanbomber aircrafthad destroyed the house whileMQ-1 PredatorUAVshad destroyed vehicles parked outside the house.

Donald Rumsfeldwas initially cautious and indicated only that reports of Atef's death "seem authoritative".His death was confirmed when the ambassador of theTaliban,Abd Al-Salam Dhaif, said three days later, "Abu Hafs al-Masri died from injuries he suffered after US warplanes bombed his house near Kabul."

When American forces sifted through the rubble of his house, they found a number of videocassettes, including five that carriedmartyrdommessages fromAbderraouf Jdey,Ramzi bin al-Shibh,Muhammad Sa'id Ali Hasan,andKhalid Ibn Muhammad Al-Juhani.Another videocassette included Hashim Abas casing American institutions in Singapore forpossible attackbyJemaah Islamiyahin 1999,but was not turned over to Singapore authorities until December 14.It showed a bus station where American military personnel departed for their base, a temple adjoining American military barracks, a park where off-duty soldiers gathered and the Eagle's Club restaurant owned by the American government for its local workers.

Wall Street Journalreporter Alan Cullison purchased two computers that had been looted from the home on theblack market,and noted that while Atef's computer had relatively few files, the other computer appears to have belonged toAyman al-Zawahiriand held nearly a thousand files, including some of importance.

On November 8, bin Laden delivered a joint eulogy for Atef andJummah Khan Namangani.Following his death, it was rumored thatSaif al-Adlwould take over his position as Military Chief of al-Qaeda.Under interrogation, a number of suspected militants includingIbn Shaykh al-Libilater invented fictitious ties from Atef to other uninvolved entities to distract American attention from their true colleagues. Al-Libi told interrogators that Atef had sent an emissary named Abu Abdullah toIraqto obtainchemicalandbiological warfaretraining for two al-Qaeda members in December 2000. This led theCIAto release a paper tying al-Qaeda to Iraq in January 2003, and justifying the invasion two months later, which arguably relieved some of the pressure on militants in Afghanistan.

Atef appeared in a video released in September 2006 that showed the planning of the September 11 attacks.

Atef has been named as a conspirator in the conspiracy charges against several of theGuantanamo captives.In March 2002, Bosnian security forces raided aBenevolence International Foundationoffice inSarajevoand seized a computer which contained a number of documents suggesting a degree of complicity with al-Qaeda, including a letter to Atef fromEnaam Arnaoutstating that "the organization loaned us ahowitzercannon, and it must be returned so that it can be transferred to Kabul ".

See also

• Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades
• Abu Hafs the Mauritanian