1. Ayman al-Zawahiri

Despite the whittling away by drone attacks of "al Qaeda central" in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the group's leader remains vocal and active in trying to harness the disparate affiliates that claim the al Qaeda name.

Source: al Qaeda leader urged affiliate to 'do something'

Terrorists spreading ideology on Twitter

2. Nasir al Wuhayshi

For someone thought to be about 36 years old, Wuhayshi's terror resume is already extensive. Once bin Laden's private secretary in Afghanistan, he returned to his native Yemen and ended up in jail. But not for long: He and several other al Qaeda operatives dug their way out in 2006. He went on to to help found al Qaeda in Yemen, and began launching attacks on Yemeni security services and foreign tourists, as well as directing an ambitious attack against the U.S. Embassy in Yemen.


3. Ibrahim al-Asiri

Not a household name, but one that provokes plenty of anxiety among Western intelligence agencies. Al-Asiri, a 31-year-old Saudi, is AQAP's master bomb-maker, as expert as he is ruthless. He is widely thought to have designed the "underwear" bomb that nearly brought down a U.S. airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, as well as the ingenious printer bombs sent as freight from Sanaa, Yemen, and destined for the United States before being intercepted thanks to a Saudi tip-off. The bombs were so well hidden that at first British police were unable to find one device even after isolating the printer.

Most dangerous terrorist in the world: al Qaeda's master bomb-maker



4. Ahmed Abdi Godane

Godane, aka Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, became the leader of the Somali group Al-Shabaab at the end of 2008. Traditionally, Al-Shabaab has been focused on bringing Islamic rule to Somalia, and as such has attracted dozens of ethnic Somalis (and a few Western coverts) from the United States and Europe. But Godane appears to be refocusing the group on terrorist attacks beyond Somalia, against the east African states that are supporting the Somali government -- especially Uganda and Kenya -- and against Western interests in east Africa.


5. Moktar Belmoktar

Since then, Belmoktar's fighters have launched attacks on a military academy and French uranium mine in Niger in May, despite losing much of their freedom of movement after the French intervention in Mali in January.

Belmoktar is unusual in combining jihadist credentials with a lucrative business in smuggling and kidnapping. He is often called "Mr. Marlboro" because of his illicit cigarette trafficking, and is thought to have amassed millions of dollars through ransoms for westerners kidnapped in Mali.

Reward offered by the U.S. government: up to $5 million for information leading to his location.

6. Abu Muhammad al-Julani

While Belmoktar might have been on the fringes of a "most dangerous terrorist list" a year ago, Abu Muhammad al-Julani would not have been anywhere near it. But as Syria has descended into a state of civil war, al-Julani's group -- the al-Nusra Front -- has emerged as one of the most effective rebel factions. Formed in January 2012, it is a jihadist group with perhaps 10,000 fighters, many of them battle-hardened in Iraq. It has specialized in suicide bombings and IED attacks against regime forces, and its success has attracted hundreds of fighters from other rebel groups.


7. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

One factor that may influence the growth and potency of al-Nusra is its relationship with fellow jihadists in Iraq. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was publicly at odds with al Julani over the regional pecking order earlier this year, asserting that al-Nusra was part of his group, a claim swiftly rejected by al Julani. Western intelligence would like nothing more than dissent between these two groups. Close cooperation between them across the long Syrian-Iraqi border -- the goal of al-Zawahiri -- is the nightmare scenario.

On the battlefield in Syria, cooperation between the two groups appears to be continuing, especially in towns like Deir Izzor in eastern Syria.


Reward offered by U.S. government, which lists him as Abu Du'a: up to $10 million for information leading to his location.

8. Sirajuddin Haqqani

Shifting from the Middle East to the Afghan-Pakistan border regions, several groups are positioning themselves for the exit of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan next year. Among the most dangerous is the Haqqani Network, responsible for some of the deadly attacks in Kabul in recent years. A 2008 coordinated suicide bomb attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul left six dead. Another strike in June 2011 killed 12 at the InterContinental Hotel.

Reward offered by U.S. government for information leading to Haqqani's location: up to $5 million

9. Abubakar Shekau

Shekau's inclusion recognizes the growing tide of Islamist militancy in West Africa. For the last four years, he has led Boko Haram, a Salafist group in northern Nigeria that has begun cooperating with other groups as far away as Mali.

Opinion: Should U.S. fear Boko Haram?

But its main focus remains churches and other Christian targets, the police and the moderate Muslim establishment in northern Nigeria. Just last month, suspected Boko Haram fighters broke into a college in Yobe state and murdered more than 40 students as they slept.

In 2010, Shekau warned that the group would attack Western interests and the following year it carried out its first suicide bombing -- against U.N. offices in the capital, Abuja -- killing at least 23 people. The group has also kidnapped and killed several Western hostages. While Bokko Haram is not an affiliate of al Qaeda, Shekau has made clear his sympathy for the group's goals. The United States made him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in June 2012.

Nigeria's peace 'the peace of a graveyard'

Two caveats here: there are conflicting reports that Shekau was killed in an August raid by Nigerian special forces. But a video that appeared weeks later purported to show he was still alive. And Boko Haram's leadership structure is opaque at best; it's unclear how much control Shekau himself exerts over its fighters.

John Campbell, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, wrote last month that so far "Boko Haram has shown little interest in the world outside of Nigeria and the Sahel. But the situation in Nigeria is dynamic, and it is possible that closer ties will develop between al-Qaeda and elements of Boko Haram."

"Boko Haram" means "Western education is forbidden" and reflects the group's utter rejection of modernity and Western influences.

"Hostile to democracy, modern science, and Western education as non-Islamic, it is highly diffuse," Campbell said of the group. "For some adherents, religious, even apocalyptic, themes appear to be paramount."

Reward offered by the U.S. government: up to $7 million for his location.

10. Doku Umarov

Doku Umarov leads the Caucasus Emirate (CE), a Chechen group dedicated to bringing Islamic rule to much of southern Russia.

The U.S. State Department named Umarov a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2010, and said subsequently he was "encouraging followers to commit violent acts against CE's declared enemies, which include the United States as well as Israel, Russia, and the United Kingdom."


Reward offered by the U.S. government for information on his location: up to $5 million.

Al ar muslims!

Bad leaders are bigger terrorists.

nigeria became destroyed by the useless "leaders" that caused and resulted in terror in the country.

You have a point there! Bad leaders!!!

All Muslims. No christian, no pagan, no atheist, all Muslims.
Its not a coincidence.

Below are 10 of the worst examples of non- Islamic terrorism that have occurred in the United States in the last 30 years.

1. Wisconsin Sikh Temple massacre, Aug. 5, 2012


2.The murder of Dr. George Tiller, May 31, 2009.

3. Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church shooting, July 27, 2008 .

4. The murder of Dr. John Britton, July 29, 1994 .

5. The Centennial Olympic Park bombing, July
6. The murder of Barnett Slepian byJames Charles Kopp, Oct. 23, 1998.



7. Planned Parenthood bombing, Brookline, Massachusetts, 1994 .
8. Suicide attack on IRS building in Austin, Texas, Feb. 18, 2010
9.the murder of Alan berg June 18,1984


10. Timothy McVeigh

Below are 10 of the worst examples of non- Islamic terrorism that have occurred in the United States in the last 30 years.

1. Wisconsin Sikh Temple massacre, Aug. 5, 2012


2.The murder of Dr. George Tiller, May 31, 2009.

3. Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church shooting, July 27, 2008 .

4. The murder of Dr. John Britton, July 29, 1994 .

5. The Centennial Olympic Park bombing, July
6. The murder of Barnett Slepian byJames Charles Kopp, Oct. 23, 1998.



7. Planned Parenthood bombing, Brookline, Massachusetts, 1994 .
8. Suicide attack on IRS building in Austin, Texas, Feb. 18, 2010
9.the murder of Alan berg June 18,1984


10. Timothy McVeigh