Al Qaeda
200 Articles
The Bells of September
This September 11th, I traveled with my little boy down the tree-lined beauty of Savannah to Reynolds Square where, amidst the draped Spanish Moss, historic Christ Church rang…
The Administration’s Theory for How the 2001 AUMF Could Apply to ISIS
Senator Tim Kaine, in a statement on Monday, marked out the position that expanded military operations against ISIS are not covered by Congress’s 2001 authorization for use of…
Is al-Qaeda in Iraq?
As an analyst in the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, I spent four years as one of the agency’s leading experts on al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq. Thus, the debate on Just Security…
The President’s Speech, Al Qaeda and the Legal Challenge of the Future
One of the most striking features of President Obama’s 28 May 2014 commencement address at West Point was its “turning the page” theme. The speech sought to look at the major…
Are AQAP Domestic Insurgents in Yemen Covered by the AUMF?
According to Dan Klaidman’s excellent book, President Obama and John Brennan drew a red line in 2011: The United States would target members of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula…
Ongoing “Drone Strikes” in Yemen Raise Four Questions
From Saturday to Monday morning, the US has reportedly been carrying out a series of air strikes in Yemen, delivering multiple blows to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).…
GTMO Case to Watch in the Supreme Court [UPDATED]
The Supreme Court has relisted for conference three times a pending Guantánamo habeas petition, Hussain v. Obama, No. 13-638. The Court will consider the case for the fourth…
The Abu Ghaith Trial: How U.S. terrorism prosecutions are supposed to happen
Today’s conviction on all counts in the trial of Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law is the best response yet to critics like Senators Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham who claim…
Jury Reaches a Verdict in Abu Ghaith Trial
Breaking news this morning is that the jury has reached a verdict in the criminal trail of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, convicting Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law and trusted advisor…
Conspiracy – A Quick Historical Survey
As the trial of Mr. Sulaiman Abu Gaith, the son-in-law of Osama bin Laden continues in New York in the United States District Court, we take this opportunity to provide a brief…
Crime, Sentencing and the War on Terror: Further Thoughts on the Al Darbi Plea
Last month, Ahmed Muhammed Haza al Darbi became the sixth Guantanamo detainee to plead guilty to war crimes before a military commission. The U.S. has accused al Darbi of various…
Nils Melzer on Whether U.S. Citizen Abdullah al-Shami is a Lawful Military Target
The Obama Administration is reportedly evaluating whether a lethal operation against a US citizen in Pakistan is legally permissible. Last Friday an important story by Mark Mazzetti…