Al-Qaida’s leader deserves the same fate as bin Laden

Even if the latest chatter about plans for a major terror attack turns out to be just that — chatter — the global alert that has been in effect since the weekend has undoubtedly boosted the morale of al-Qaida’s leaders.

The world’s leading terrorist organization has suffered several major setbacks since the May 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaida and long the face of global terrorism. Bin Laden was the architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on America’s mainland that claimed more than 3,000 lives. He was killed by U.S. Navy SEALS in his home in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

But when bin Laden’s successor, Ayman al-Zawahri, and his deputy in Yemen, Nasir al Wuhayshi, were recently detected discussing plans for a major terror attack, it was a clear indication that the organization is no longer going to sit back while its operatives around the world are killed by government forces or drone attacks.

Al Wuhayshi is head of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the terror network’s organization based in Yemen.

The intercepted secret message triggered a shutdown of 19 American diplomatic posts throughout the Arab and Muslim world in the Middle East and Africa. Other countries, including Britain and Canada, also closed their embassies in select countries.

The global alert brought to mind the months leading up the Sept. 11 attack when there was similar chatter among al-Qaida operatives.

This time, however, President Obama and his national security team aren’t taking any chances. On Monday, the U.S. evacuated non-essential personnel from Yemen, which has become a hotbed for terrorist activity.

On Tuesday, a U.S. drone strike killed four alleged al-Qaida members. It was the fourth strike in two weeks. Meanwhile, Yemeni officials released the names of 25 wanted al-Qaida suspects, saying they were planning terrorist attacks in Sanaa and other cities.

But, so long as the organization’s leader, al-Zawahri, and his deputy, al Wuhayshi, are alive, the threat of a major terror operation will remain.

In May 2011, days after bin Laden was killed, we urged the Obama administration to go after al-Zawahri because he was considered the moral leader of the organization.

We noted that the Egyptian physician, who was bin Laden’s deputy, was just as guilty of crimes against humanity and that his death would mark the end of the troika that has caused suffering throughout the world.

Drone attack

In 2010, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, also known as Saeed al-Masri, a founder of al-Qaida, was killed by a U.S. drone attack. He was the group’s chief financial officer and managed secret bank accounts in the Persian Gulf that were used to help finance the Sept. 11 attacks.

There was another reason why we urged the administration to go after al-Zawahri: He was the acknowledged successor to bin Laden, and his death would have left a leadership void.

The global alert today shows what happens when senior leaders in terror organizations aren’t being hunted.

The killing of bin Laden’s successor would be a major blow to al-Qaida’s global reach and would again demoralize operatives who today appear to have found new life.

Although affiliates operate around the world independently, a major endeavor, such as the one discussed by al-Zawahri and his deputy, need the expertise and resources of the central organization.