Imad Fayez Mugniyah (Arabic: عماد فايز مغنية; born December 7, 1962) is a senior member of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. He is alternatively described as the head of its security section, a senior intelligence official and as a founder of the organization. Sometimes described as a "master terrorist",^[1] Mugniyah has been implicated in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy, and U.S. Marine and French peacekeeping barracks, which killed over 350, as well as the 1992 bombings of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires and the kidnapping of dozens of foreigners in Lebanon in the 1980s. Arabic redirects here. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ...

Limited information is known about him. He uses the alias of Hajj. Mugniyah is included in the European Union's list^[2] of wanted terrorists.^[3][4] This article is about the Islamic tradition. ...

Biography

Imad Mugniyah

According to his Lebanese passport application, Mughniyah was born in Tayr Dibba, a poor village in southern Lebanon. CIA South Group records state that he lived in Ayn Al-Dilbah; a ghetto in South Beirut.^[5] His father was a vegetable seller and during the civil war, his house was on the Green Line. Picture of Imad Mugniyah from his FBI wanted poster File links The following pages link to this file: Imad Mugniyah Categories: FBI images ... Picture of Imad Mugniyah from his FBI wanted poster File links The following pages link to this file: Imad Mugniyah Categories: FBI images ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ... The Green Line was a line of demarcation in Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990: it served to separate the Muslim Lebanese in West Beirut from the Christian Lebanese in East Beirut. ...

Little is known about his adolescence as he did not attract the attention of analysts until 1976 when he joined Yasir Arafat's Force 17. His role at that time was as a sniper, targeting Christians across the Green Line. At some point he spent a year at the American University of Beirut. Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ... Force 17 is an elite VIP terror unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. ... For other uses, see Sniper (disambiguation). ... The American University of Beirut (AUB; Arabic: ) is a private, independent, non-sectarian university in Beirut, Lebanon. ...

Mugniyah has been implicated in many of terrorist attacks in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily American and Israeli targets. These include the April 18, 1983 bombing of the United States embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed 63 people including 17 Americans. He was later blamed for the October 23, 1983 simultaneous truck bombings against the French paratroopers and US Marine barracks (see: Marine Barracks Bombing). The attacks killed 58 French soldiers and 241 Marines. Almost a year later on September 20, 1984, he attacked the US embassy annex building. The United States indicted him for the June 14, 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, which resulted in the death of U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem. He was also linked to numerous kidnappings of Westerners in Beirut through the 1980s, most notably that of Terry Anderson. Some of these individuals were later killed such as U.S. Army Col William Francis Buckley. The remainder were released at various times until the last one, Terry Anderson was released in 1991. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... The April 18, 1983, suicide bombing of the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon was the deadliest attack on a US displomatic mission to that time, and is seen by some as marking the beginning of anti-US attacks by Islamic groups. ... There is also a drinking game alternately refered to as Beirut or Beer Pong. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ... The 1983 barracks bombing was a major terrorist incident during the Lebanese Civil War. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... See also Airport security D. B. Cooper Categories: Pages needing attention | Law stubs | Terrorism ... Two hijackers in the cockpit with Captain Testrake TWA Flight 847 was an international Trans World Airlines flight which was hijacked by the Organization for the Oppressed of the Earth, a group with alleged links to Hezbollah, on Friday morning, June 14, 1985, while flying from Athens, Greece to Rome... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Robert Dean Stethem (November 17, 1961 – June 15, 1985) was a United States Navy diver and steelworker second class. ... Terry A. Anderson (b. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... William Francis Buckley (May 30, 1928 – June 3, 1985) was a U.S. Army officer and intelligence agency operative. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

He has been described as "tall, slender, well-dressed and handsome ... penetrating eyes," speaking some English but better French.^[6]

Relationships to al Qaeda and other organizations

Mugniyah has been accused of being an ally of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda. According to the testimony of Ali Mohamed, he arranged security for a meeting between Mugniyah and al-Qaeda operatives in 1993. This connection has led some to believe he was also behind the 1996 attack on the Khobar Towers complex, which resulted in the deaths of 19 American service members, 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassies in East Africa and the USS Cole bombing in 2000. Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Ali Abdul Saoud Mohamed, also known as Ali Mohammed (b. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Khobar Towers is part of an Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia housing complex near Dhahran. ... Aftermath at the Nairobi embassy. ... The USS Cole bombing was a suicide bombing attack against the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored in the Yemeni port of Aden. ...

Some foreign policy experts, including conservative Michael Ledeen, have claimed that Mughniyah has had a strong working relationship with Al Qaeda and Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, especially in recent years with the invasion of Iraq ^{[citation needed]}. However, most experts speculate that Zarqawi's intense hatred towards Shia Islam, which Mughniyah belongs to, would have prevented such an alliance. Michael Ledeen (born August 1, 1941) is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. ... Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in one of eight photos from Rewards for Justice, all undated. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

He has also been linked to Palestinian actions, such as the Karine A incident in 2002, where the Palestinian Authority was accused of importing fifty tons of weapons. He was previously a member of Force 17, an armed branch of the Fatah movement charged with providing security for Yasser Arafat and other prominent PLO officials. The term Palestinian has other usages, for which see definitions of Palestinian. ... The Karin A (also Karine A) was a 4,000 ton freighter intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on January 3, 2002 carrying a wide variety of weapons. ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... Force 17 is an elite VIP terror unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. ... Fatah (Arabic: ); a reverse acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (literally: Palestinian National Liberation Movement) is a major secular Palestinian political party and the largest organization in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a generally secular multi-party confederation. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic Munazzamat al-Tahrir Filastiniyyah منظمة تحرير فلسطينية ) is a political and paramilitary organization of Palestinian Arabs dedicated to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to consist of the...

In mid-February 1997, the pro-Israeli South Lebanese Army radio station reported that Iran's intelligence service dispatched Mughniyah to Lebanon to directly supervise the reorganization of Hezbollah's security apparatus concerned with Palestinian affairs in Lebanon and to work as a security liaison between Hezbollah and Iranian intelligence. Mughniyah also reportedly controls Hezbollah's security apparatus, the Special Operations Command, which handles intelligence and conducts overseas terrorist acts. Although he uses Hezbollah as a cover, he reports to the Iranians.^[7] The South Lebanon Army (SLA), also South Lebanese Army, (Arabic: ‎; transliterated: Jaysh Lubnān al-Janūbiyy. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ...

The EU lists him as "Senior Intelligence Officer of Hezbollah".^[8]

Actions of law enforcement

Various law enforcement agencies have attempted to capture Mugniyah. The United States tried to secure his capture in France in 1986, but were thwarted by French refusal to detain him. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ...

The United States tried to detain him several times afterwards, the first being a 1995 attempt to detain him as the plane he was traveling on was supposed to stop in Saudi Arabia. However Saudi officials refused to allow the plane to land and he was not captured. The next year US military personnel planned to seize him off a ship in Doha, Qatar, but the operation was called off. This plan, dubbed Operation RETURN OX, was carried out by ships and Sailors of Amphibious Squadron Three (USS Tarawa, USS Duluth, USS Rushmore), Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Navy SEALS assigned to the U. S. Fifth Fleet. The operation was underway, but was canceled at the last minute when it was not verified that Mughniyah was actually on board the Pakistani ship. Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Doha (Arabic: الدوحة;, Ad-Dawhah) (population 370,000) is the capital of Qatar, located on the Persian Gulf. ...

On October 10, 2001 Mugniyah appeared on the initial list of the FBI's top 22 Most Wanted Terrorists, which was released to the public by President Bush, with a reward of up to $5 million offered for information leading to his arrest.^[9] This reward remains outstanding.^[10][11] is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Banner used by the FBI since inception on October 10, 2001 as the main title for the web site pages of both the group of wanted terrorists, and also on the wanted poster of each terrorist fugitive. ...

The Israeli government has also made several alleged attempts to assassinate Mugniyah. His brother Faud Mugniyah was killed in a 1994 Beirut car bombing. (Another brother, Jihad, was killed in a car-bombing assassination attempt on the life of Hezbollah founder Sheikh Fadlallah in 1985, this one rumored to be the work of the CIA via the South Lebanese Army.) Faud Mugniyah was the brother of senior Hizbullah member Imad Mugniyah. ... Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Husayn Fadl-Allāh (Arabic: محمد حسين فضل الله ) (born 16 November 1935) is a leading Lebanese Shii Muslim cleric. ... This article is about the year. ...

In 1999, the Argentinean government issued an arrest warrant for Mugniyah for his involvement in the 1994 AMIA culture center bombing. This article is about the year. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... The AMIA Bombing was an attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association, or AMIA) building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, that killed 85 people. ...

Mugniyah has been formally charged by Argentina with participating in the March 17, 1992 bombings of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, which killed 29 and the AMIA cultural building in July 1994, killing 86 people. He has been accused of orchestrating the 2000 abductions of three Israeli soldiers in the southern part of Lebanon and kidnapping of Israeli businessman Elchanan Tenenbaum, and the more recent attack on Israel, killing 8 soldiers and abducting two. is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... The Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires was a bomb attack against Israels embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 17, 1992. ... For other uses, see Buenos Aires (disambiguation). ... The AMIA Bombing was an attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association, or AMIA) building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, that killed 85 people. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Elchanan Tenenbaum, (born August 12, 1946) is a retired colonel in the Israel Defense Force. ...

According to Robert Baer, . “Mugniyah is probably the most intelligent, most capable operative we’ve ever run across, including the KGB or anybody else. He enters by one door, exits by another, changes his cars daily, never makes appointments on a telephone, never is predictable. He only uses people that are related to him that he can trust. He doesn’t just recruit people. He is the master terrorist, the grail that we have been after since 1983."[[1]]

Recent articles by the Counter-terrorisim Blog, and by The New Yorker Magazine^[12][13], suggest that Imad Mugniyah recently attended a meeting between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mugniyah was there representing Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to the same articles, Mugniyah has been informed that he is currently at the top of a US Military and CIA assassination list. For this reason he is said to avoid certain areas of Beirut for fear of being killed by CIA SAD paramilitary operatives, or US Special Operations Hunter/Killer teams. For other uses, see New Yorker. ... Mahmoud Ahmadinejad[1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Dr Bashar al-Assad (Arabic: , ) (born 11 September 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary of the Baath Party, and the son of former President Hafez al-Assad. ... For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation). ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Special forces or special operations forces is a term used to describe relatively small military units raised and trained for reconnaissance, unconventional warfare and special operations. ...

References

Robert Baer, also known as Bob Baer (born July 1, 1952), is an author and former case officer at the CIA. Reared in Aspen, Colorado, Robert Baer aspired to become a professional skier. ...

External links

• Rewards for Justice Site
• Mugniyah profile at FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
• "Hizbullah Terrorism in Argentina" (a Federation of American Scientist editorial of the Free Europe Radio service
• In The Party Of God: Hezbollah sets up operations in South America and the United States
• In The Party Of God: Are Terrorists In Lebanon Preparing For A Larger War
• Mind of Mugniyeh
• "Deadly infiltrator's trail" ("Washington Times" commentary)
• "U.S. renews bid to catch Beirut bombing suspect" (CNN, 10/10/01)
• 60 Minutes II article about Mugniyah and an attempted seizure of him back in 1996
• 1/2002 article by the British newspaper Telegraph linking him the Karine A incident
• PBS Frontline website for its show on the Hizbullah
• Another Frontline website- interview with a former CIA officer about Mugniyah
• Michael Ledeen on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
• [2]-Mugniyah engineered the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers which sparked the current fighting