Abu Habib al-Libi
Abu Habib al-Libi | |
---|---|
Born | Hasan al-Salahayn Salih al-Sha'ari 1975 (age 48–49) Derna, Libya |
Nationality | Libyan |
Occupation | Senior Islamic State leader |
Hasan al-Salahayn Salih al-Sha'ari (born 1975), known as Abu Habib al-Libi, is a Libyan man who has been a senior Islamic State leader in both Iraq and Libya.
History
He was born in Derna, Libya in 1975.[1]
Iraq
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he traveled from Libya to Iraq via Syria to fight coalition forces. He was a member of Al-Qaeda in Iraq since at least 2004 and was an associate of Abu Umar al-Tunisi since then.[2] According to a description given by the United States Department of the Treasury, he was personally trained by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[citation needed]
He was captured by American forces in Al-Karābilah, Al Anbar Governorate on September 6, 2005. A press release at the time says he admitted to being the improvised explosive device emir of Karabilah, responsible for conducting numerous bombings against Coalition and Iraqi forces.[3][4]
Libya
In mid-2012 he was freed from jail in Iraq[5] and returned to Libya, where he continued to support IS, starting a branch of IS in Libya in late 2014. He provided Tunisian IS leader Abu Umar al-Tunisi hundreds of thousands of dollars and dispatched experienced, trusted personnel to aid him between late 2012 and early 2013.
By early 2014, he had given his oath of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and in late 2014 he was leading IS military convoys in Derna, Libya.[6]
US and UN sanctions
On 29 September 2015 he was made subject to sanctions by the United States Department of the Treasury. On 29 February 2016 he was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council.[7]
References
- ^ "Counter Terrorism Designations". Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "United Nations Security Council |".
- ^ "IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE EMIR CAPTURED". Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "Iraq Report, 10 Oct/05 - Winds of Change.NET". Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ Harris, Gardiner; Schmitt, Eric (29 September 2015). "Obama's Call at U.N. To Fight ISIS with Ideas is Largely Seen as Futile". The New York Times.
- ^ "Treasury Sanctions Major Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Leaders, Financial Figures, Facilitators, and Supporters".
- ^ "Security Council ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds 12 Names to Its Sanctions List - Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". Retrieved 30 July 2016.