Haitham Sabah Shaker Mohammed al-Badri (Arabic: هيثم صباح شاكر محمد البدري, died 2 August 2007) was a commander of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in Salahuddin Province[1] who reportedly masterminded the 2006 al-Askari mosque bombing which substantially damaged the Shiite mosque and set off a wave of retaliatory violence by the Shiites against other Muslims.

Haitham al-Badri
Birth nameHaitham Sabah Shaker Mohammed al-Badri
Bornunknown
likely Samarra (origin of the al-Badri clan and his principal area of operations)
Died(2007-08-02)2 August 2007
Samarra, Salahuddin Governorate, Iraq
Allegiance Baathist Iraq (until 2003)

Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna
(2003–2004)
Al-Qaeda (2004–2007)

Islamic State of Iraq
(2006–2007)
Service / branchRepublican Guard (Iraq) (until 2003)
Military of al-Qaeda in Iraq (2004–2006)
Military of the Islamic State (2006–2007)
RankWarrant Officer (until 2003)
Commander (Al-Qaeda in Iraq)
(2004–2006)
Commander (Islamic State of Iraq)
(2006–2007)
Battles / warsIraq War (2003–2007) 

He was a former Iraqi government official under Saddam Hussein while other sources state he was a warrant officer in the Republican Guard; and following the US-led invasion in 2003, joined Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna before becoming a member of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.[2] Badri was killed in a US airstrike east of Samarra on 2 August 2007.[3][4]

He was a distant relative of future Islamic State leader Ibrahim al-Badri al-Samarrai (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi), being the son of one of al-Baghdadi's cousins.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Fernando Reinares, Bruce Hoffman (28 October 2014). The Evolution of the Global Terrorist Threat: From 9/11 to Osama bin Laden's Death. Columbia University Press. p. 437. ISBN 9780231537438.
  2. ^ Jihadologist (22 February 2021). "Ex baathists who joined ISIS or their predecessors (update)". Reddit. r/syriancivilwar. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Iraqi Led Bombing of Shiite Shrine, Official Says". The New York Times. 28 June 2006.
  4. ^ "Al Qaeda No. 2 in Iraq Captured". Los Angeles Times. 4 September 2006.
  5. ^ Jihadologist (22 February 2021). "Ex baathists who joined ISIS or their predecessors (update)". Reddit. r/syriancivilwar. Retrieved 6 June 2021.