Farman Shinwari named Al-Qaeda chief in Pakistan

Ashrafuddin Pirzada

LANDIKOTAL: Al-Qaeda has named Farman Ali Shinwari as its head in Pakistan,
sources told this correspondent on Sunday.

Reliable sources based in Waziristan Agency told The News that a statement
had been issued by the top Al-Qaeda leadership, saying that Farman Ali
Shinwari has been chosen as their head in Pakistan. Local officials also
confirmed the recent development.

The statement issued by the Al-Qaeda’s Dawa Wing said that after long
consultations and approval of top Al-Qaeda leadership Farman Ali Shinwari
was selected.

The statement further said that reason of his selection was his close
affiliation with Badar Mansoor, his knowledge about the Fata and many other
factors.

Farman Ali Shinwari, 30, was very close to Badar Mansoor, the former
Al-Qaeda head killed in a drone attack in Waziristan on February 9, 2011.

He was married about three years ago and has two children, the sources
said.

The statement also mentioned all the names of Al-Qaeda leaders, right from
Badar Mansoor to top leaders including Osama bin Laden. It was said that
their men have sacrificed their lives for the sake of Islam. However, the
sources said that Pakistani militants’ leadership was not involved in the
decision but they only ratified it.

Farman Ali belongs to Khugakhel sub-tribe of Shinwaris based in Landikotal
tehsil of Khyber Agency, and has five brothers. He got B.Ss degree in
Chemistry and Biology from Landikotal Degree College a few years ago and
did master’s in International Relations from the University of Peshawar in
first division.

All of Farman’s brothers are affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) and other militant groups. His elder brother Hazrat Nabi Shinwari,
alias Tamanchy Mula, was also a theology teacher in government-run school  in
Landikotal. He was leading TTP in Khyber Agency in 2005 and also used to
send militants to Kashmir and Afghanistan. He has also remained the head of
Harkatul Mujahideen and nowadays leading TTP in Waziristan

Farman Ali Shinwari is fluent in English language and is also computer
literate. He served as a teacher in different private schools in Landikotal
teaching chemistry and biology for several years.

His other brother Hazrat Ali, known as Abu Mas’ab, is leading the TTP group
called Abdullah Azaam Brigade.

In the year 2008 when the security forces started action against militants
and outlaws in Landikotal, all the family members of Farman Ali escaped
from there and went to Waziristan. The forces later demolished their house
in Khgakhel village in Landikotal and arrested several members of the
family.

The other brothers of Farman Ali Shinwari are Rehmat Nabi, Matiullah and
Raziullah, and all the three have taken part in Kashmir Jihadi movement
under the Harkatul Ansar and later joined the TTP.

The new Al-Qaeda head is a good speaker on Jihad issues.

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