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Al Qaeda

Government troops in southern Yemen on Sunday attacked al Qaeda hideouts, killing two dozen suspected militants in the latest push to clear the area of the terror organization, local security officials said.

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'Brilliant' move devastates al Qaeda affiliate, but not fatally, analysts sayupdated: Wed May 09 2012 22:54:00

The infiltration of a Middle Eastern terror network by a mole who helped foil a plot to blow up a U.S.-bound plane was a "phenomenal," "brilliant" and "powerful" success, experts said Wednesday.

News report: Would-be bomber was a double-agentupdated: Tue May 08 2012 21:39:00

A man who volunteered as a suicide bomber for a terrorist group intent on blowing up a U.S.-bound plane was working instead as an intelligence agent for Saudi Arabia, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing American and foreign officials.

Al Qaeda terror plot thwartedupdated: Tue May 08 2012 17:15:00

The U.S. says it's foiled a plan by al Qaeda to blow up a U.S. bound flight. CNN's NIc Robertson explains.

Al Qaeda's bomb-makers evolve, adapt and continue to plotupdated: Tue May 08 2012 17:15:00

Three months before he was killed by a U.S. drone strike, Fahd al Quso, one of al Qaeda's top operatives in Yemen, spoke at length to a local journalist. He was asked why al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had stopped plotting against the United States. Was it because all efforts were devoted to an internal project?

New terrorist plot to attack plane foiledupdated: Mon May 07 2012 22:27:00

U.S. and other intelligence agencies recently broke up a plot to bomb an airliner and have seized an explosive device that is similar to ones previously used by al Qaeda, officials said Monday.

Militants kill 26 soldiers after al Qaeda operative is killed in Yemen airstrikeupdated: Mon May 07 2012 04:28:00

A day after an airstrike killed a senior al Qaeda operative in southern Yemen, militants attacked two government military posts in the region, killing 26 soldiers and taking 16 hostage, officials said.

Yemeni president vows offensive against al Qaedaupdated: Sat May 05 2012 21:54:00

In his first public speech since being inaugurated as president of Yemen, Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi promised a strong fight against al Qaeda and political reconciliation at home.

Officials: Drone strike kills 13 suspected militants in Yemen updated: Thu May 03 2012 06:49:00

A U.S. drone hit an al Qaeda training site in southern Yemen, killing 13 suspected militants, three security officials said.

Is al Qaeda in Pakistan still a threat?updated: Tue May 01 2012 11:58:00

One year after the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, CNN's Reza Sayah investigates al Qadea in Pakistan.

Poll: Many Muslims in Mideast, Pakistan have poor view of al Qaedaupdated: Tue May 01 2012 11:30:00

Most Muslims in several key Middle Eastern and Asian countries hold negative views of the terrorist network al Qaeda a year after U.S. forces killed its leader, Osama bin Laden, according to a recent survey.

Documents reveal al Qaeda's plans for seizing cruise ships, carnage in Europeupdated: Mon Apr 30 2012 22:14:00

On May 16 last year, a 22-year-old Austrian named Maqsood Lodin was being questioned by police in Berlin. He had recently returned from Pakistan via Budapest, Hungary, and then traveled overland to Germany. His interrogators were surprised to find that hidden in his underpants were a digital storage device and memory cards.

Al Qaeda's U.S. railroad, Wal-Mart plotsupdated: Mon Apr 30 2012 19:58:00

CNN's Brian Todd reports on a newly-exposed 2008 al Qaeda plot to bomb the Long Island Railroad.

Document shows origins of 2006 plot for liquid bombs on planesupdated: Mon Apr 30 2012 15:14:00

An internal al Qaeda document reveals new details in the 2006 plot to bring down planes using liquid explosives, including the level of al Qaeda's technical expertise.

'We're on a path to al Qaeda's destruction,' U.S. counterterorrism adviser saysupdated: Sun Apr 29 2012 09:02:00

Nearly a year after commandos killed Osama bin Laden at a compound northern Pakistan, U.S. officials "still have work to do" in order to defeat al Qaeda, a top counterterrorism official said Sunday.

Top al Qaeda leader dead in airstrike, Yemen saysupdated: Wed Apr 25 2012 08:07:00

The fourth-most wanted al Qaeda leader in Yemen was killed Tuesday in an airstrike in the northeastern province of Mareb, the Yemeni government announced.

5 soldiers, 8 militants killed in Yemen checkpoint attackupdated: Sat Apr 14 2012 15:39:00

Five troops and eight militants were killed in Yemen's business capital of Aden when suspected al Qaeda militants attacked a security checkpoint Saturday, three security officials told CNN.

28 al Qaeda killed, Yemen saysupdated: Fri Apr 13 2012 22:29:00

Twenty-eight suspected members of al-Qaeda were killed Friday in the city of Lord, in Yemen's Abyan province, in military operations, state media reported.

Al Qaeda offshoot claims responsibility for deadly Yemen attackupdated: Tue Apr 10 2012 11:52:00

At least eight soldiers died and five others were injured when suspected Islamist militants attacked a military post in Yemen's eastern Mareb province early Tuesday, three security officials and a Defense Ministry official told CNN.

Militants, troops die in al Qaeda attack in Yemenupdated: Mon Apr 09 2012 11:30:00

Al Qaeda militants seized control of a military base and two checkpoints during raids in southern Yemen on Monday in which at least 30 people died, security officials and residents said.

Yemen pours troops into battle with al Qaedaupdated: Fri Apr 06 2012 01:29:00

Yemen has poured thousands of troops into a battle with al Qaeda fighters in two southern provinces amid new airstrikes that killed a dozen of the militants Thursday, security officials said.

Security officials: Militants target gas pipeline after airstrikes kill 6 in Yemen updated: Sat Mar 31 2012 04:56:00

Suspected U.S. drones targeted militant hideouts in southern Yemen, killing six people and injuring five others, security officials said Saturday.

Al Qaeda leader calls for Afghans to rise up against Western troopsupdated: Fri Mar 23 2012 04:06:00

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri calls on Afghans to rise up against Western troops -- especially American forces -- in their country and back the Taliban, according to a recent audio message posted on jihadist web forums Wednesday.

French attacks could inspire next generation of terrorists: Expertupdated: Thu Mar 22 2012 07:38:00

"Lone wolves" who plot to carry out small-scale attacks on soft targets, like those in which seven people have been killed in France, could be the future of terrorism, a security expert has warned.

Al Qaeda claims it killed American in Yemenupdated: Tue Mar 20 2012 15:02:00

Gunmen fatally shot an American teacher in the Yemeni province of Taiz on Sunday, two defense ministry officials said.

4 killed in suicide attack in Yemenupdated: Wed Mar 14 2012 04:49:00

Four soldiers in Yemen were killed and seven others injured Tuesday morning when a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint in the province of al-Baitha, two security officials said.

Al Qaeda group threatens Yemeni troop executionsupdated: Fri Mar 09 2012 22:39:00

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is threatening to kill the 73 Yemeni troops it is holding hostage if the government does not release al Qaeda prisoners.

Reconstructing al Qaeda's printer bombupdated: Fri Mar 09 2012 05:40:00

CNN investigates the al Qaeda printer bomb plot and the potential damage the bomb could have caused.

Al Qaeda announces death of Yemeni commander, terror monitoring group saysupdated: Fri Mar 09 2012 05:40:00

Al Qaeda announced the death of a regional commander in Yemen, whom the group described as one of "its sheikhs of jihad and support," according to an online terror monitoring group.

Huge death toll doubles in Yemen 'slaughter'updated: Tue Mar 06 2012 17:32:00

The death toll from a sophisticated attack by Islamic extremists against soldiers in Yemen jumped to 184 Tuesday, three Yemeni officials told CNN.

Suicide bombers attack Yemeni military campupdated: Sat Mar 03 2012 09:30:00

Suicide bombers targeted a Yemeni military camp southeast of the capital Saturday, killing a soldier and a civilian and wounding eight others, a top Republican Guard official said.

Al Qaeda claims responsibility for deadly Yemen attackupdated: Wed Feb 29 2012 14:05:00

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula announced its responsibility for the presidential palace attack last Saturday in Yemen's southern province of Hadramout.

Sr. Al Qaeda militant allegedly arrestedupdated: Wed Feb 29 2012 12:55:00

Peter Bergen, national security analyst, explains Saif al-Adel's background and how he was reportedly arrested in Egypt.

Egypt says man seized at airport not al Qaeda leaderupdated: Wed Feb 29 2012 10:11:00

Investigators in Egypt said a man they seized Wednesday is a wanted for terror-related crimes, but he is not Saif al-Adel, a notorious leader in the al Qaeda terror network.

In new policy, not all al Qaeda suspects to be handed over to military updated: Tue Feb 28 2012 23:24:00

The Obama administration on Tuesday evening issued rules that allow the president to limit the instances in which foreign citizens suspected of links to al Qaeda must be handed over to the military for trial.

How safe is the cargo on passenger flights?updated: Sun Feb 19 2012 13:00:00

The call came into the London Metropolitan Police bomb squad in the early hours of the morning. Isolated at the East Midlands airport in central England was a UPS package dispatched from Yemen, containing a laser printer that Saudi intelligence believed had been converted into a bomb.

Christmas Day bomber sentenced to life in prisonupdated: Fri Feb 17 2012 07:47:00

The man who smuggled a bomb in his underwear aboard a commercial airliner on Christmas Day in 2009 has been sentenced to life in prison, months after he pleaded guilty for his role in what officials later determined was an al Qaeda plot.

Al Qaeda executes 3 in Yemen, witnesses sayupdated: Sun Feb 12 2012 18:46:00

Death sentences were carried out Sunday by al Qaeda members against three people after al Qaeda-run courts convicted them of spying for the Yemeni government, the United States and Saudi Arabia, according to numerous sources and eyewitnesses.

Al-Shabaab joining al Qaeda, monitor group saysupdated: Fri Feb 10 2012 01:07:00

Somalia's Al-Shabaab rebel movement has tightened its ties to the al Qaeda terror network, with its leader pledging loyalty to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Yemen offers dialogue with al Qaedaupdated: Sun Feb 05 2012 13:50:00

Yemen'shighest military authority Sunday announced its willingness to open channels of dialogue with al Qaeda in hopes of reaching a long-term cease-fire agreement.

Yemeni officials: 9 killed in air strikes in area linked to al Qaedaupdated: Tue Jan 31 2012 17:12:00

Three suspected air strikes hit militant targets in southern Yemen Monday night and Tuesday morning, killing at least nine people believed to be linked to al Qaeda, Yemeni security officials said.

Intelligence report cites strides, threatsupdated: Tue Jan 31 2012 10:50:00

The al Qaeda terror network is weakening and the embattled Afghan government is making modest strides, but cyber security threats are on the rise and Iranian nuclear aspirations remain a major peril.

Source: Al Qaeda leader sends veteran jihadists to establish presence in Libya updated: Fri Dec 30 2011 05:28:00

Al Qaeda's leadership has sent experienced jihadists to Libya in an effort to build a fighting force there, according to a Libyan source briefed by Western counter-terrorism officials.

Yemenis capture six al Qaeda operativesupdated: Tue Dec 13 2011 11:54:00

Six al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula operatives -- including one high-value target -- were captured by Yemeni security forces, the country's embassy in the United States said Tuesday.

Al Qaeda leader claims responsibility for capture of Americanupdated: Fri Dec 02 2011 02:37:00

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has claimed responsibility for the capture in August of a 70-year-old U.S. citizen in Pakistan, according to a number of radical websites known for carrying militants' messages.

Suspected al Qaeda militants killed in Yemen clashes, officials sayupdated: Thu Dec 01 2011 05:22:00

At least 11 suspected al Qaeda militants were killed in Yemen's southern province of Abyan in clashes that erupted Tuesday night and continued for at least 14 hours, according to officials and local residents.

Al Qaeda leader appears in new videoupdated: Tue Nov 15 2011 16:26:00

A half-hour video featuring the leader of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was posted Tuesday on a radical Islamist website.

Al Qaeda's spokesman killedupdated: Wed Oct 19 2011 14:11:00

CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the killing of a radical cleric who inspired al Qaeda followers by preaching in English.

Al Qaeda loses its English-language inspirationupdated: Fri Sep 30 2011 20:41:00

Earlier this week, al Qaeda issued the seventh issue of Inspire, a glossy English-language online magazine that emerged as a mouthpiece for the preaching of now-dead American-Yemeni terrorist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

A rundown of the 'dirty dozens' in the war on terrorupdated: Fri Sep 30 2011 15:50:00

Ten years after the devastating attacks on America, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently said the United States is "within reach of strategically defeating al-Qaeda."

American-born radical cleric understood the Westupdated: Fri Sep 30 2011 11:44:00

Born and educated in the United States, how did Anwar al-Awlaki, a charismatic Muslim cleric, go from "all-American boy" to a terrorist spokesman and recruiter for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula?

Public face of al Qaeda killedupdated: Fri Sep 30 2011 11:44:00

The U.S. confirms American-born Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki is dead. CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom reports.

Is Nigeria the newest domain for al Qaeda?updated: Fri Sep 23 2011 16:55:00

A deadly bombing in Abuja has launched a little-known Islamic extremist group onto the terrorism radar, raising U.S. officials' concern about the spread of the influence of al Qaeda.

Suspected al Qaeda operative is released, but must check inupdated: Fri Sep 23 2011 06:52:00

A Cuban man arrested in Spain this week for alleged ties to al Qaeda was released Friday on provisional liberty, but must report daily to police, a National Court spokeswoman told CNN.

Spain arrests suspected al Qaeda operativeupdated: Tue Sep 20 2011 14:43:00

Spanish Civil Guards have arrested a Cuban man on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca on suspicion of belonging to Al Qaeda, the Interior Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

U.S. says its embassy in Algiers receives 'threat information'updated: Fri Sep 16 2011 13:11:00

The U.S. Embassy in Algeria has received "threat information," the State Department said Friday, noting that al Qaeda and its affiliates continue to pose a "significant terrorist threat."

Al Qaeda figure reported killed in Pakistanupdated: Thu Sep 15 2011 13:34:00

U.S. officials reported the death of an al Qaeda figure identified as the terrorist network's chief of operations in Pakistan, the latest in what they called a series of significant blows to the terrorist network.

New al Qaeda leader releases message to mark 9/11updated: Tue Sep 13 2011 20:23:00

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has apparently released a new message to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, in which he praises the Arab Spring as a "devastating blow" to the United States.

Intelligence chiefs say al Qaeda is weaker, but still a threatupdated: Tue Sep 13 2011 17:37:00

Al Qaeda is weakened but remains a significant threat to the United States, the nation's top intelligence officials told a congressional committee Tuesday.

9/11 widow recalls last conversationupdated: Fri Sep 09 2011 10:18:00

Lyzbeth Glick Best recalls her final conversation with her husband, who helped overtake the 9/11 hijackers on Flight 93.

FBI bulletin warns of al Qaeda threat over 9/11 anniversaryupdated: Fri Sep 09 2011 10:18:00

U.S. intelligence officials have warned that al Qaeda may be planning an attack targeting either New York City or Washington around the time of 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Top al Qaeda leader arrested in Pakistanupdated: Tue Sep 06 2011 02:14:00

The Pakistani intelligence service has arrested a senior al Qaeda leader who sought to attack targets in the United States, Europe and Australia, the Pakistani military said Monday.

Minutes after Flight 93 crashedupdated: Mon Sep 05 2011 07:18:00

Newly-released video shows smoke rising minutes after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11.

Yemen Interior Ministry: 300 al Qaeda fighters killed since Mayupdated: Thu Sep 01 2011 06:55:00

Clashes between al Qaeda fighters and government troops since May in southern Yemen have killed 300 militants, the country's Interior Ministry said Thursday.

Bin Laden's key deputy seen as very hard to replace for al Qaedaupdated: Sun Aug 28 2011 15:33:00

The death of al Qaeda's No. 2, Atiyah Abdul Rahman in Pakistan, is a hammer blow to the terrorist organization.

U.S. official: Al Qaeda's No. 2 has been killedupdated: Sat Aug 27 2011 15:48:00

Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Atiya Abdul Rahman, has been killed in Pakistan, a U.S. official said Saturday.

Seven troops killed in al Qaeda attack in Yemen, official saysupdated: Sat Aug 27 2011 14:16:00

Seven government troops were killed and six others injured on Friday in fierce clashes with suspected al Qaeda militants in Yemen's southern Abyan province.

Source: Dozens killed in south Yemen fightingupdated: Wed Aug 24 2011 23:03:00

At least 29 people have been killed and 62 injured from both sides in Yemen's Abyan province as clashes entered a new phase, a senior security source in Abyan said Wednesday.

8 troops killed in attack in south Yemenupdated: Tue Aug 23 2011 23:09:00

Eight government troops were killed and at least 28 soldiers were injured in Abyan province when suspected al Qaeda militants attacked the governmental military base for Brigade 211 in Dofas district, a security official in the district confirmed.

Al Qaeda seizes town in southern Yemen, residents sayupdated: Thu Aug 18 2011 10:57:00

Residents of a town in southern Yemen say it has been seized by Islamists connected to al Qaeda.

Officials: Egypt to target al Qaeda cells said to be training in Sinaiupdated: Fri Aug 12 2011 03:50:00

Egyptian military and intelligence officials say they are preparing to launch an operation against al Qaeda cells that have recently been established in the restive Sinai peninsula.

Al Qaeda on the brink of collapse?updated: Fri Jul 29 2011 04:09:00

CNN's Reza Sayah responds to a Washington Post report that government agencies believe al Qaeda is no longer a threat.

New al Qaeda leader slams Syrian president, praises protestersupdated: Fri Jul 29 2011 04:09:00

The new head of al Qaeda describes Syria's president as "the leader of criminal gangs, the protector of traitors," and applauds anti-government protesters seeking to topple him, in a video that appeared on extremist websites this week.

Wanted al Qaeda leader killed in Yemenupdated: Thu Jul 21 2011 05:45:00

An Al Qaeda leader who was on the Yemeni government's wanted list was killed in clashes with the army, the country's defense ministry said Wednesday.

Officials: Militants kill 10 Yemeni soldiersupdated: Thu Jul 07 2011 06:00:00

Militants gunned down 10 soldiers at a military checkpoint in southwestern Yemen, authorities said Thursday.

Al Qaeda gaining in Yemenupdated: Thu Jul 07 2011 06:00:00

CNN's Nic Robertson reports from Aden on the human cost of al Qaeda's advances in Yemen.

Mauritanian military attacks al Qaeda groupupdated: Wed Jul 06 2011 00:02:00

The Mauritanian army responded to an attack Tuesday by a terrorist group aligned with al Qaeda by mounting a counterattack in northeastern Mauritania that killed about 20 members of the group and captured nine others, military sources told CNN.

35 Yemeni soldiers killed in clashes with militants, officials sayupdated: Fri Jul 01 2011 11:10:00

Government soldiers retook on Thursday the Wahda Stadium on the outskirts of the southern town of Zinjibar after a day of fighting clashes against suspected al Qaeda militants, security officials in Zinjibar said.

Yemen reports killing 5 al Qaeda membersupdated: Wed Jun 29 2011 07:59:00

Five al Qaeda members were killed and seven others were wounded Monday in clashes with the Yemeni army in Abyan province, the state-run SABA news agency reported.

Official: Mauritanian, Mali troops attack alleged al Qaeda base campupdated: Sun Jun 26 2011 22:17:00

Mauritanian special forces joined troops from Mali in launching an offensive targeting what they called an al Qaeda base camp, Mauritanian army officials said Sunday.

Report: Two confess to helping al Qaeda inmates escape in Yemenupdated: Sun Jun 26 2011 12:55:00

Two prisoners have confessed to digging a tunnel that led to the escape of 63 inmates last week, Yemen's state-run SABA news agency reported Sunday.

Obama: 'Al Qaeda is under more pressure than at any time since 9/11'updated: Thu Jun 23 2011 04:13:00

Information collected by U.S. commandos following a raid that resulted in the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden shows the terror group is under enormous strain, President Barack Obama said in a nationally televised address.

Suspected al Qaeda militants escape from Yemeni jailupdated: Wed Jun 22 2011 20:11:00

Dozens of suspected al Qaeda militants escaped Wednesday from a jail in the Yemeni city of Mukalla, a senior security official said.

Somali militants vow allegiance to new al Qaeda chiefupdated: Sun Jun 19 2011 11:00:00

The Somali militant group al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al Qaeda, has endorsed the takeover of Ayman al-Zawahiri to head al Qaeda after U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden last month, according to an al-Shabaab spokesman.

Al Qaeda names new leaderupdated: Thu Jun 16 2011 16:48:00

Ayman al-Zawahiri will replace Osama bin Laden as the new leader of al Qaeda. CNN's Nic Robertson reports.

U.S. counterterrorism official: Zawahiri now leader of al Qaedaupdated: Thu Jun 16 2011 12:46:00

A U.S. counterterrorism official said Thursday the United States believes Ayman al-Zawahiri is now the leader of al Qaeda.

Top al Qaeda operative dead in Somaliaupdated: Mon Jun 13 2011 10:10:00

A top al Qaeda operative in Africa, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, was killed at a Somali checkpoint, according to officials.

Another day of clashes, angry protests in Yemenupdated: Sat Jun 11 2011 14:35:00

Deadly fighting between Yemeni government forces and al Qaeda erupted in a restive southern province on Saturday.

Top al Qaeda leader reportedly killedupdated: Mon Jun 06 2011 18:00:00

CNN's Phil Black reports on how the reported death of al Qaeda's Illyas Kashmiri might affect the terrorist group.

U.S.: Al Qaeda has interest in strikes on energy infrastructureupdated: Fri May 20 2011 16:19:00

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have warned police across the United States that al Qaeda has a "continuing interest" in attacking oil and natural gas targets, a department spokesman said Friday.

Al Qaeda appoints caretaker leaderupdated: Fri May 20 2011 11:41:00

CNN's Dan Rivers assesses the possible appointment of a new caretaker leader of al Qaeda.

Q&A: al Qaeda's power struggleupdated: Fri May 20 2011 11:41:00

A former Egyptian army lieutenant and long-time Islamist Saif al Adel has been appointed the interim leader of al Qaeda, according to former jihadist Noman Benotman.

Pakistan announces arrest of senior al Qaeda militantupdated: Tue May 17 2011 13:48:00

A senior al Qaeda operative has been arrested by security agencies in Karachi, the Pakistani military said in a statement Tuesday.

2008: Kenya's forgotten al Qaeda victimsupdated: Mon May 16 2011 13:41:00

In 1998, al Qaeda bombed the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Victims weren't compensated. CNN's David McKenzie reports.

Al Qaeda in Yemen kills 5 soldiers, official saysupdated: Fri May 13 2011 14:11:00

Suspected members of al Qaeda's Yemen wing ambushed an army vehicle on Friday and killed at least five soldiers, a government official told CNN.

Al Qaeda group denies bombing Morocco cafe, report saysupdated: Sat May 07 2011 14:55:00

A North African Al Qaeda group is denying responsibility for last month's bombing of a popular cafe in Morocco's south central tourist city of Marrakech, which killed 16 people and injured 21, according to a report Saturday.

Al Qaeda threats, terror plans surfaceupdated: Fri May 06 2011 17:31:00

Al Qaeda warnings against the United States emerged Friday as the materials taken from Osama bin Laden's compound continued to yield a trove of intelligence, including details about a possible attack on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Fake bin Laden photos circulate onlineupdated: Fri May 06 2011 13:14:00

Anderson Cooper takes a closer look at two fake photos of Osama bin Laden and breaks down how they were constructed.

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