MLM: "Decoding Ustadh Usama Mahmoud—The Shadowy and Uncrowned Leader of AQIS"

Following the death of al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent’s (AQIS) founding leader Asim Umar and several of his associates in September 2019 in Afghanistan, it was believed that the youngest franchise of the international terrorist organization would be in disarray. However, the jihadist franchise seems to have grown in strength, at least in its virtual jihad and dawa (proselytizing) campaigns. In the months following Umar’s death, the long-serving scholar spokesman, Ustadh Usama Mahmoud (a.k.a. Osama Mahmood), has risen to prominence in AQIS. A Pakistani-born Islamic cleric and teacher, Usama Mahmoud is believed to have replaced the slain Asim Umar (a.k.a. Sanaul Haq) as the leader of AQIS. Although Mahmoud has been serving as AQIS's spokesperson since 2014, he has been referred to as the al-Qaeda franchise’s central leader in recent press releases.

For Complete Article (Subscription), Read, "Decoding Ustadh Usama Mahmoud—The Shadowy and Uncrowned Leader of AQIS," ​Militant Leadership Monitor, (Jamestown Foundation),  VOL. XI (4), APRIL  2020.