Ibn al-Khattab
Saudi Arabian militant
Died when: 32 years 340 days (395 months)Star Sign: Aries
Samir Saleh Abdullah Al Suwailim (Arabic: سامر صالح عبد الله السويلم; 14 April 1963 or 1969 – 20 March 2002), more commonly known as Ibn al-Khattab or Emir Khattab (also transliterated as Amir Khattab and Ameer Khattab, meaning Commander Khattab, or Leader Khattab), was a Saudi born mujahid emir, well known for his participation in the First and Second Chechen Wars.
The origins and real identity of Khattab remained a mystery to most until after his death, when his brother gave an interview to the press.
He died on 20 March 2002 following exposure to a poisoned letter delivered via a courier who had been recruited by Russia's Federal Security Service.
For , scholar of militant Islam, his continued relevance is due to the fact that he was the internationalist Salafi jihadi fighter par excellence, being born in Saudi Arabia but fighting in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Dagestan, and finally in Chechnya, and he was able to speak, besides Arabic: Russian, English, Farsi, Pashto, and Kurdish, his charisma attracting fighters from different ethnic groups, while also being a pioneer of jihadi media, especially when it came to using videos for propaganda.