assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki

assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki
Name	Assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki
Date	September 30, 2011
Location	Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen
Type	Drone strike
Target	Anwar al-Awlaki
Result	Death of Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan

Assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki was a targeted killing operation conducted by the United States on September 30, 2011, in Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen. The operation resulted in the death of Anwar al-Awlaki, a senior leader of the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and Samir Khan, a United States citizen and editor of the Inspire (magazine). The assassination was carried out by a CIA-operated MQ-9 Reaper drone, with the support of the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and the Yemeni Air Force. The operation was authorized by Barack Obama, the President of the United States at the time, and was part of the War on Terror.

Background

The assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki was part of a broader campaign by the United States to disrupt and dismantle Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The US Department of State had designated AQAP as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2010, and the United Nations Security Council had imposed sanctions on the group under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267. The US Department of Justice had also charged Anwar al-Awlaki with supporting Al-Qaeda and providing material support to the organization. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had been monitoring Anwar al-Awlaki's activities for several years, and the US Congress had authorized the use of military force against Al-Qaeda and its affiliates under the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).

Early Life and Radicalization of Anwar al-Awlaki

Anwar al-Awlaki was born in 1971 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Yemeni parents. He grew up in Yemen and later moved to the United States to attend college, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University. Anwar al-Awlaki became increasingly radicalized in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and he began to associate with Al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. He later moved to Yemen and became a senior leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), where he played a key role in planning and executing terrorist attacks, including the 2009 Christmas Day bomb plot and the 2010 cargo planes bomb plot. Anwar al-Awlaki was also a prominent figure in the Al-Qaeda propaganda machine, and he published several articles and videos, including the Inspire (magazine), which was edited by Samir Khan.

Assassination

The assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki was carried out on September 30, 2011, by a CIA-operated MQ-9 Reaper drone, which fired several Hellfire missiles at a vehicle carrying Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan in Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen. The operation was supported by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and the Yemeni Air Force, and it was authorized by Barack Obama, the President of the United States at the time. The assassination was part of a broader campaign by the United States to disrupt and dismantle Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The US Department of State and the US Department of Defense had been monitoring Anwar al-Awlaki's activities for several years, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had been working closely with the Yemeni government to track his movements.

Legality and Controversy

The assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki raised several legal and constitutional questions, including the use of lethal force against a United States citizen without due process. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) challenged the assassination in court, arguing that it violated the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The US Department of Justice argued that the assassination was lawful under the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and the War Powers Resolution, and that Anwar al-Awlaki posed a significant threat to national security. The US Congress later held hearings on the assassination, and the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Committee examined the legal and constitutional implications of the operation. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions also criticized the assassination, arguing that it violated international law and the Geneva Conventions.

Aftermath and Reactions

The assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki was widely condemned by Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Taliban. The Yemeni government also faced criticism for its role in the operation, and the Yemeni parliament later called for an investigation into the assassination. The US government faced criticism from some US Congress members, including Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, who argued that the assassination was unconstitutional and violated the US Constitution. The European Union and the United Nations also expressed concerns about the assassination, and the European Parliament later passed a resolution condemning the use of drones in counter-terrorism operations. The Russian government and the Chinese government also criticized the assassination, arguing that it violated international law and the Sovereignty of Yemen.

Investigation and Responsibility

The investigation into the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki was conducted by the US Department of Justice and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The investigation found that the assassination was lawful and that Anwar al-Awlaki posed a significant threat to national security. The US Congress later held hearings on the assassination, and the Senate Intelligence Committee and the House Intelligence Committee examined the intelligence and evidence used to justify the operation. The US government also faced criticism for its use of drones in counter-terrorism operations, and the US Department of State and the US Department of Defense later developed new guidelines for the use of drones in military operations. The Yemeni government also faced criticism for its role in the operation, and the Yemeni parliament later called for an investigation into the assassination.

Category:Assassinations