Trigger Warning: The article mentions details about terror attacks, violence and death.
It’s been 24 years since the infamous 9/11 terror attacks took place. The horrific terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001, killed nearly 2,977 people (not counting the 19 hijackers). The attacks that blew up the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York were carried out by an Islamist terrorist group, Al Qaeda, led by one of the most wanted terrorists, Osama bin Laden.
While bin Laden was hunted down and killed by the U.S. Army after a rigorous cat-and-mouse chase on May 2, 2011, in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the hatred these terrorist groups had for America remained. Even though hunting down Bin Laden felt like a long-overdue victory not only for America but also for the world, the lives lost and the grief of their families still linger today.
As per The New York Times, horror seems to have returned yet again as Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has called for the assassination of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several top U.S. officials in a recently released propaganda.
Awlaki urged Muslims in the United States to “take revenge” for the administration’s support of Israel, sources confirmed. As per information obtained by the outlet, the newly appointed leader of the Yemen-based terrorist group said, “Do not consult anyone about killing infidel Americans,” al-Awlaki declared in the video titled “Inciting the Believers.”
Al-Qaeda leader, Sa’ad Bin Atef Al-Awlaki, called for American Muslims to wage Jihad and also the assassination of American officials, including President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Elon musk among others pic.twitter.com/YZ5WZTX3uu
— Bob (@Shariakill) June 10, 2025
He directed his followers to target “Trump and his vice president, his advisors, and all those involved in finance, administration, and technology.” Those reportedly named were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and even Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“Go after them, their families, and anyone tied to the White House,” al-Awlaki said, referencing the ongoing conflict in Gaza as justification for the threats. “There are no red lines.”
In the 34-minute sick clip, Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki also urged strikes on all Jews. “Do not leave a single safe place for Jews, just as they have not left any homes or shelters for the Palestinians”, he said. “Even hospitals are being bombed over the heads of the sick and wounded and the heads of the women, children, and the elderly. “Take revenge,” he added.
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The AQAP has continued to threaten the U.S. and its allies, especially Israel and Saudi Arabia. Even Joe Biden and the previous administrations have responded to their threats and slammed them. Meanwhile, Awlaki, who took over the most wanted terrorist group in March 2024 (it was founded by Osama Bin Laden in 2009), has a $6 million bounty placed on him by the U.S. State Department.
This group has previously been linked to some infamous attacks around the globe. The 2009 attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day was followed by the November 2015 attacks on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris. At least 130 people were killed and more than 350 were injured in these horrible attacks. (via Britannica).
In addition, the AQAP group has a beef against Western culture and claims to expel the concept of Western ethics. This utterly dangerous group has top-notch technical capabilities (bomb-making skills). It carries out public attacks without guilt or remorse.
Rooted in establishing a robust form of Islamic governance, these threats aren’t just a mere warning but a major cause of concern that brings us to the question: Will terrorism ever be over? Or is peace just a word found in pages of old political textbooks, taught to kids in school?
There’s no right or wrong answer to any of this; all we know is any powerful country that can condemn terrorists and attacks should not hesitate to retaliate, which is a basic instinct; there’s zero tolerance for terrorism in America and most countries in the world.
