--- title: Ibrahim al-Asiri, al-Qaeda Bomb Maker, Killed 2 Years Ago: WH description: Ibrahim al-Asiri, a senior al-Qaeda bomb maker, was killed two years ago in a U.S. operation in Yemen, the White House announced Thursday. canonical: https://time.com/5697222/white-house-al-qaeda-bomb-maker/ author: Madeleine Carlisle article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-10-10T20:49:59.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-24T07:32:06.275Z article:section: Politics og:title: Al-Qaeda Bomb Maker Once Dubbed 'World's Most Dangerous Terrorist' Was Killed 2 Years Ago: White House og:description: The news comes as Trump is under pressure for his decision to retreat in N. Syria og:url: https://time.com/5697222/white-house-al-qaeda-bomb-maker/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38b391efb0bb5ebe/698a0424929fad0e1fbf50c0/ibrahim-al-asiri.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: FILES-US-ATTACK-QAEDA-ASIRI-POLITICS og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Al-Qaeda Bomb Maker Once Dubbed 'World's Most Dangerous Terrorist' Was Killed 2 Years Ago: White House twitter:description: The news comes as Trump is under pressure for his decision to retreat in N. Syria twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt38b391efb0bb5ebe/698a0424929fad0e1fbf50c0/ibrahim-al-asiri.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Al-Qaeda Bomb Maker Once Dubbed 'World's Most Dangerous Terrorist' Was Killed 2 Years Ago, White House Says  by [Madeleine Carlisle](https://time.com/author/madeleine-carlisle/)  ## Madeleine Carlisle Oct 10, 2019 8:49 PM UTC  This handout photo released by the Yemeni Interior Ministry in April 2009 shows suspected Yemen-based Saudi al-Qaeda Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. The White House announced Thursday that he was killed two years ago in a United States operation in Yemen. This handout photo released by the Yemeni Interior Ministry in April 2009 shows suspected Yemen-based Saudi al-Qaeda Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. The White House announced Thursday that he was killed two years ago in a United States operation in Yemen.YEMENI INTERIOR MINISTRY/AFP/Getty Images  by [Madeleine Carlisle](https://time.com/author/madeleine-carlisle/)  ## Madeleine Carlisle Oct 10, 2019 8:49 PM UTC [Ibrahim al-Asiri](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2148173-2,00.html), a senior al-Qaeda bomb maker and terrorist coordinator, was killed two years ago in a United States operation in Yemen, the White House announced on Thursday. Al-Asiri had been in hiding in Yemen for years and was the repeated target of U.S. drone strikes. The U.S. mistakenly believed they had killed him in a 2011 strike. They later targeted a man they believed was al-Asiri in a May 2012 strike, but he turned out to be another al-Qaeda leader. As [TIME wrote in 2013](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,2148173,00.html), the Obama administration believed al-Asiri was “the most dangerous terrorist in the world.” He was connected to the failed “[underwear bomb](http://swampland.time.com/2011/10/17/will-the-underwear-bomber%E2%80%99s-plea-unblock-the-gitmo-trial-logjam/)” aboard a U.S.-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009, and allegedly built bombs that nearly detonated within two Chicago-bound international cargo planes in 2010\. Al-Asiri also allegedly planned to blow up a U.S. airliner in 2012 around the anniversary of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death, but was stopped when the member chosen for the suicide mission turned out to be a double agent for the U.S. Per the White House statement, Al-Asiri also built a device used in an assassination attempt of the former Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. “Al-Asiri’s death significantly handicapped al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula,” the statement reads. “The United States will continue to hunt down terrorists like al-Asiri until they no longer pose a threat to our great Nation.” The reveal comes at a moment when the Trump administration [faces pressure](https://time.com/5694605/trumps-retreat-syria-cost-lives/) for their recent announcement to withdraw troops from Northern Syria, putting Kurdish forces — key U.S. allies in the fight against ISIS — at increased danger of attacks from Turkey. The Kurds, part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, control facilities holding about 11,000 ISIS detainees. If the Kurds abandon the detention camps to fight the Turkish military, [thousands of ISIS operatives could escape](https://time.com/5696294/trump-pentagon-have-no-contingency-plan-for-isis-jailbreakers-as-turkey-attacks-u-s-allies-in-syria/), U.S. officials worry. President Donald Trump has [faced criticism](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to-pull-troops-from-northern-syria-as-turkey-readies-offensive/2019/10/07/a965e466-e8b3-11e9-bafb-da248f8d5734%5Fstory.html) from members of his own party in Congress for his decision to withdraw troops from Syria’s border with Turkey. South Carolina Sen. [Lindsey Graham](https://time.com/tag/lindsey-graham/), usually a staunch defender of the President, called the move “a major blunder” that “cuts against sound military and geopolitical advice.” Senate Majority Leader [Mitch McConnell](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/5567755/mitch-mcconnell/) warned that “a precipitous withdrawal” of troops would benefit Russia, Iran and Syrian President [Bashar al-Assad](https://time.com/5595411/syria-bashar-assad-sam-dagher/), and increase the risk that the Islamic State would “regroup.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5697222/white-house-al-qaeda-bomb-maker/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5697222/white-house-al-qaeda-bomb-maker/"},"headline":"Al-Qaeda Bomb Maker Once Dubbed 'World's Most Dangerous Terrorist' Was Killed 2 Years Ago, White House Says","datePublished":"2019-10-10T20:49:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T07:32:06.275Z","description":"The news comes as Trump is under pressure for his decision to retreat in N. 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