Ibn al-Khattab: The Emir Of The Mujahid In Chechnya

Samir Saleh Abdullah, otherwise known as Ibn al-Khattab, was a former emir of the Arab Mujahideen in two Chechen wars and who led numerous battalions against Russian forces and acted as an intermediary financier between foreign Muslim funding sources and the local fighters. Mansour Al-Suwailem, the eldest brother to Samir, states that the name Ibn al-Khattab is derived from Samir’s appreciation for Umar Ibn al-Khattab (Umar) one of the earliest companion’s of the Prophet Muhammad in the Quran. Ibm Khattab is also said to have links to Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, as there are reports that some members of the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks have travelled to Chechnya such as Khalid al-Mihdhar, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Zacarias Moussaoui. Ibm Khattab died on March 20th 2002 following exposure to a poisoned letter delivered via a courier who had been recruited by Russia's Federal Security Service.