‘A Lack of Understanding’Until now, Mr. Muhaysini, a 31-year-old Saudi-born cleric who said he was calling from Syria, had not been the type to contact Western publications. When asked, he acknowledged having contacted Ayman al-Zawahri, the global chief of Al Qaeda. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyAfter he was listed by the Treasury Department, Mr. Muhaysini contacted The Times via an intermediary. Among the signs that Mr. Joscelyn says point to Mr. Muhaysini’s allegiance to Al Qaeda is the fact that he tried to play a mediating role after the Islamic State began clashing with Al Qaeda in Syria. “We consider this be to be a play out of Al Qaeda’s playbook,” he said.

Source: New York Times November 17, 2016 18:02 UTC