Age, Biography, and Wiki
Saif al-Adel was born on April 11, 1963, in Egypt. He is a former Egyptian special forces officer who transitioned into a career in terrorism, becoming a key figure in al-Qaeda. Al-Adel gained prominence for his opposition to the 9/11 attacks and his role in managing al-Qaeda's operations from Iran.
| Occupation | Criminals |
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| Date of Birth | 11 April 1963 |
| Age | 62 Years |
| Birth Place | Monufia Governorate, United Arab Republic (modern-day Egypt) |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | Egypt |
Height, Weight & Measurements
There is no publicly available information regarding Saif al-Adel's physical measurements, such as height and weight.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Details about Saif al-Adel's personal relationships or family life are not publicly disclosed.
Several months before the 1998 embassy bombings, al-Adel was helping Osama bin Laden move his followers from Najim Jihad to Tarnak Farms. The group had begrudgingly agreed to care for the troublesome Canadian 16-year-old, Abdurahman Khadr, since his father was away and his mother couldn't control his drinking, smoking and violent outbursts. However, while they were in Kabul, bin Laden asked Adel to take Abdurahman to the bus station and send him back to his family's home.
In early November 2001, the Taliban government announced they were bestowing official Afghan citizenship on Adel, as well as Bin Laden, Zawahiri, Mohammed Atef, and Shaykh Asim Abdulrahman. During the American bombardment of Kandahar, Adel was present and witnessed the deaths of Abu-Ali al-Yafi'i and his wife, Abu-Usamah al-Ta'zi with his wife and two children, the wife of Rayyan al-Ta'zi, the wife of Abu-Usamah al-Kini, and the wife of Al-Barra al-Hijazi who was arrested in Morocco before the Casablanca bombings.
After Adel was told by Abu Ali al-Suri that the American aircraft had machinegunned women leaving the city on the road to Banjway, Adel said that he would send aid. A convoy of 4–6 Corolla Fielders set out to Banjway, followed closely by American helicopters. The Americans attacked the lead vehicle, killing Abu-Ali al-Yafi'i, his wife, four women, and two children, and the second vehicle, killing Suraqah al-Yamani and Hamzah al-Suri. Abu-Ali al-Maliki quickly veered off the road with the third vehicle, turning off his headlights, and drove into the mountains, escaping the attack.
"Sayf al-Adel is a senior Al-Qaeda military commander with a long-term relationship with Osama bin Laden. Sayf al-Adel's role in the organization has been as a trainer, military leader, and key member of Osama bin Laden's security detail. The diary of Sayf al-Adel was recovered during a raid in Saudi Arabia in 2004. The diary details the Detainee's involvement in the 11 September 2001 terrorist plot and subsequent attack."
| Parents | |
| Husband | Asma |
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Net Worth and Salary
The exact net worth of Saif al-Adel is difficult to determine due to the clandestine nature of his activities. However, he is one of the most wanted terrorists, with a $10 million bounty on his head by the U.S. government. His financial situation is likely influenced by his involvement in terrorist activities and support from various groups.
Career, Business, and Investments
Saif al-Adel's career is marked by his involvement in terrorist organizations. He began with the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and later became a key figure in al-Qaeda. Following Ayman al-Zawahiri's death, al-Adel emerged as the de facto leader, managing operations from Iran. There is no information available regarding conventional business or investments.
Social Network
Saif al-Adel's activities are highly secretive, and he does not have a publicly known social media presence.
Until 2012, there was much dispute over al-Adel's real name and identity. According to the University of Exeter professor Omar Ashour, the FBI's previous information on al-Adel had confused the biographies of two different members of al-Qaeda; 'Mohamed Salah al-Din al-Halim Zaidan ' and 'Muhammad Ibrahim al-Makkawi '. Ashour states that imagery of al-Adel in FBI "Most Wanted List" depicts Zaidan and asserts that, like Makkawi, Zaidan was also a colonel of the Egyptian military. As of present, most intelligence agencies and analysts today confirm that al-Adel's real identity is that of Zaidan's. Makkawi was arrested by the Egyptian police on 29 February 2012 upon arrival at Cairo Airport from Pakistan. During interrogation, Makkawi denied that he was al-Adel and claimed that he had splintered his affiliation with the organization in 1989. By the time of his arrest, Makkawi had been married in Pakistan and had a family there, and was reportedly distressed to see his name being promoted under the image of Saif al-Adel. An Egyptian lawyer asserted that Makkawi was an Egyptian military officer who was arrested in the 1980s over ties to jihadist organizations. He later escaped to Afghanistan and became a member of al-Qaeda. However, the lawyer also claimed that Makkawi was a different person from Saif al-Adel and had severed ties with al-Qaeda long ago. The real al-Adel, currently based in Iran, was a supervisor of Bin Laden's personal security and has been described as an "experienced professional soldier" within the jihadist movement. Noman Benotman, a former leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, stated that he had met both Makkawi and al-Adel. Some analysts believe that al-Adel may have once used Makkawi's name as an alias.
On 16 March 2016, a Twitter account affiliated with al-Qaeda implicated al-Adel as having been sent to aid against the Russian intervention in the Syrian Civil War. A similar report also placed al-Adel as having been sent to Syria as an emissary on behalf of al-Qaeda emir Ayman al-Zawahiri. However, Long War Journal reported that al-Adel is still residing in Iran.
Education
The specifics of Saif al-Adel's educational background are not well-documented. His involvement in military and terrorist activities began early in his career.
In September 2024, a book was released online called "Free Reading of 33 Strategies of War", a commentary on the book of the same name by Robert Greene. For the first time, publishing under his real name Muhammad Salah al-Din Zaydan, he outlines a radical new strategy for Al-Qaeda and global Jihad. This strategy seems to support a moving away from traditional old-school Jihadi thinking and especially from Sunni-centric focus and seeks to be flexible and build relationships with other Jihadi groups and nation states friendly to their ultimate goal, the destruction of the West. It has since been published on Amazon.
Conclusion
Saif al-Adel's life is characterized by his military background and his rise to prominence within al-Qaeda. His financial status is largely unknown due to the clandestine nature of his activities. Despite the challenges in determining his exact net worth, his influence as a leader in al-Qaeda remains significant.
