Abu Sufian bin Qumu
Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 26, 1959 Derna, Libya |
| Occupation | Islamist militant commander |
| Known for | Leadership of Ansar al-Sharia in Derna; former Guantanamo detainee |
Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu (, born 26 June 1959) is a Libyan national who was subjected to extrajudicial detention at the United States' Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba. Joint Task Force Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts have indicated his birthplace as Derna, Libya.
On 28 September 2007, Bin Qumu was repatriated to Libya. During the 2011 Libyan civil war, he commanded a faction of fighters based in Derna. Following the conflict, he assumed leadership of the Derna chapter of Ansar al-Sharia, an Islamist militant organization.
Prior history
According to a 2005 WikiLeaks dossier, Bin Qumu served as a tank operator in the Libyan military before receiving training at Bin Laden's Torkham Camp in Afghanistan. He reportedly engaged in combat against Soviet forces there and subsequently worked as a truck driver for one of Bin Laden's enterprises in Sudan. In 1998, he affiliated himself with both the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Taliban, and was identified as a probable member of Al Qaeda and the African Extremist Network.
Repatriation and release
Bin Qumu returned to Libya on 28 September 2007 and was said to have been freed from Abu Salim prison in 2010 following a political prisoner amnesty.
Libyan Civil War
During the 2011 civil war in Libya, Bin Qumu led Ansar al-Sharia’s militia based in Derna. He has been linked to the September 2012 assault on the US Consulate in Benghazi, which resulted in the deaths of four American diplomats, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. While initial statements from some US officials denied his leadership involvement, subsequent reports have confirmed his probable participation.
On 10 January 2014, the U.S. Department of State officially designated Bin Qumu as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Al Arabiya reported on 17 June 2018 that Bin Qumu was apprehended when Libyan government forces seized Ansar al-Sharia’s final stronghold in Derna; by that time, he was no longer considered a significant figure within the group.