al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is the name of the organized group of terrorists associated with al-Qaeda that operate within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Although Saudi Arabia is the home of al-Qaeda's founder Usama bin Laden, the organization ceased to be based there after bin Laden moved to Sudan and then Afghanistan.  The precise relationships between this group and the larger network of al-Qaeda terrorists operating within the Kingdom remain unclear, although it is believed that they operate independently from the al-Qaeda central command, which remains in Afghanistan.  The group has been suspected by both U.S. and Saudi authorities as being behind the al-Qaeda-linked <a href="/prototype/incident.asp?id=19304">beheading of American contractor Paul Johnson</a>.<br /><p><br />The group was formerly led by Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, aka Abu Hajar, who was killed in a shootout with Saudi security forces in summer 2004 during a raid connected to the Paul Johnson investigation.

Experts believe that the death of al-Muqrin is a significant step toward the defeat of al-Qaeda within Saudi Arabia.  They warn, however, that even though many of the original "Afghani" mujahideen within Saudi Arabia are no longer active terrorists, the organization is continuing to gain support from lower-class, unemployed Saudis.  The group also is rumored to have gained the support of some members of the Saudi Arabian security forces.<br /><p><br />In early April 2005, Saudi security forces entered into a large armed battle with al-Qaeda militants in the city of ar-Rass, a city known as a center of Islamic fundamentalist activity.  As of April 5th, official sources indicated that 10 militants had been killed in the battle and ensuing standoff.  Saudi media reported that among the dead was group leader Saud bin-Hammoud al-Otaibi. <P><br /><br />The group has had a slew of leaders over the past few years as many prominent key figures in the organization have been killed or captured by Saudi security forces as part of a crackdown on terrorism.