SUCCESSOR

New al Qaeda Leader Chosen: Report

Egyptian Saif al-Adel could be divisive for group.

Al Qaeda has chosen Egyptian Saif al-Adel as its interim leader in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death, said a source who has scoured jihadist forums and has personal communication with al Qaeda leaders. The source is Noman Benotman, who once headed the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group that at one point was aligned with al Qaeda. Benotman said al-Adel’s selection could cause a rift within the terrorist organization, as many Saudi and Yemeni members believe the group’s leader should come from the Arabian Peninsula as bin Laden did. Others said al-Adel lacks bin Laden’s star power as a leader. Another challenge for the terrorist: The intelligence gathered at bin Laden’s Pakistan compound, which has provided the U.S. with troves of valuable information about the organization.