FBI director ‘not stunned’ al Zawahri was in dwelling of Haqqani Taliban chief

FBI Director Christopher Wray was “not stunned” al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahri was in a Kabul dwelling owned by Haqqani Taliban chief Sirajuddin Haqqani — seemingly confirming particulars concerning the strike the Biden administration hasn’t but.

The White Home has stated Haqqani Taliban officers have been conscious of al Zawahri’s presence in Afghanistan, and so they had tried to cowl up his presence post-strike however have declined to substantiate experiences that he was staying at a protected home linked to Haqqani.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praised the strike as a “good factor” throughout a Senate Judiciary Committee listening to Thursday, and requested Wray if he was “stunned that, one, he was in Kabul, al Zawahri, staying on the home, a visitor home owned by the Haqqani No. 2 man of the Taliban?”

Wray replied that he was “not stunned, however dissatisfied.”

Graham adopted up by asking: “What does it inform us concerning the relationship between al Qaeda and the Taliban if the chief of al Qaeda is staying in a home owned by the No. 2 man within the Taliban?”

“Nothing good,” Wray replied.

TERRORIST RESPONSIBLE FOR BLACK HAWK DOWN MAY BE NEXT AL QAEDA LEADER

The Taliban, the Haqqani community, and al Qaeda stay deeply intertwined in Afghanistan. The Taliban gave al Qaeda protected haven in Afghanistan earlier than 9/11, and so they proceed to guard and combat alongside it for 20 years after the U.S. invasion. Quite a few members of the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani community acquired prime positions within the Taliban’s authorities final 12 months after its speedy takeover amid a chaotic U.S. withdrawal. Sirajuddin Haqqani turned the deputy head of the Taliban and its inside minister.

When requested Tuesday if Haqqani had been conscious that al Zawahri was in Kabul, Nationwide Safety Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby wouldn’t reply instantly: “There have been senior members of the Haqqani community that have been conscious. I’m not going to go any additional than that."

White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre deferred to Kirby when requested related questions.

“Senior Haqqani Taliban figures have been conscious of Zawahri’s presence in Kabul,” a senior Biden official stated Monday. “We're additionally conscious that Haqqani Taliban members took actions after the strike to hide Zawahri’s former presence on the location."

The Related Press reported the protected home the place al Zawahri was staying “was the house of a prime aide to" Haqqani, in line with a “senior U.S. intelligence official.” The New York Instances initially stated the home "was owned by a prime aide to" Haqqani, in line with “one American analyst,” though it modified that to saying “the protected home was owned by an aide to senior officers within the Haqqani community” in a subsequent story.

Wray stated in September he was involved that Haqqani acquired a prime function within the Taliban authorities.

The Biden administration has tried to attract a distinction between the Haqqanis and the Taliban.

The State Division has repeatedly stated the Taliban and the Haqqani community are "separate entities," though it has admitted they're affiliated.

The Pentagon stated final 12 months there's "commingling" and "marbling" between the Taliban and the Haqqanis, whereas nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan stated, "The Taliban, clearly, to a substantial extent, are built-in with the Haqqani Community."

Kirby additionally declined to say Tuesday what repercussions there could be for the Taliban for shielding al Zawahri.

Graham requested Wray on Thursday if he was fearful about an assault on america emanating from Afghanistan.

“So, we're,” Wray stated, including: “Particularly now that we’re out, I’m fearful concerning the potential lack of sources and assortment over there, so we’re going to have rising intelligence gaps, and I’m fearful concerning the chance that we'll see al Qaeda reconstitute, that ISIS-Okay doubtlessly benefiting from the deteriorating safety surroundings, and I’m fearful about terrorists together with right here in america being impressed by what they see over there.”

Wray stated the al Zawahri strike "reinforces the specter of international terrorist organizations like al Qaeda making an attempt to reconstitute in Afghanistan.”

Al Zawahri took over the terrorist group after Osama bin Laden was killed in a U.S. particular forces raid whereas hiding out in Pakistan in 2011. Al Zawahri and bin Laden each pledged allegiance to prime Taliban leaders.

ISIS-Okay, the Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, was accountable for the August 2021 suicide bombing on the Kabul airport, which killed 13 U.S. service members and dozens of others. The Taliban, together with Haqqani forces, have been offering safety outdoors the airport when the bomber received via.