Yasser Khodair (Jihadi Militant, Egypt)

• Full name: Yasser Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Khodair
• Pseudonym: N/a
• Alternatives: N/a
• Location: Egypt
• Affiliation: fmr Reinforcements of Egypt [AM], fmr Partisans of Shari’a in the Land of Egypt [ASAK]

Yasser Khodair (°1987) is a jihadi from the Egyptian governorate of Beni Suef. He comes from a family of Muslim Brotherhood supporters, but turned to Salafism while studying engineering.¹ In 2010, Khodair made a failed in a bid to join jihadi forces in Afghanistan.²

Following the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Khodair devoted himself to the cause of jihad in Egypt. He joined the Partisans of the Holy House [ABaM; Ansar Bait al-Maqdis] in 2012.³ Khodair was trained in bomb making and met with several senior ABaM leaders, including Tawfiq Freij Ziada and Mohammed Afifi.⁴ In the summer of 2013, Sayed Morsi invited him to join the Partisans of Shari’a in the Land of Egypt [ASAK; Ansar al-Shari’a fi-Ard al-Kinana].⁵ Khodair linked up with the ASAK’s wing in Beni Suef.⁶ He imparted his bomb-making expertise to other members of the outfit.⁷

After the Egyptian authorities had begun clamping down on the ASAK in March 2014, Khodair linked up with the Reinforcements of Egypt [AM; Ajnad Misr].⁸ He made several of the explosive devices used in the AM’s attacks. Khodair also planted several of the bombs. He was linked to at least six AM operations.⁹ On Apr. 15, 2014, bystanders caught Khodair following a failed bomb attack in the Dokki suburb of Giza.¹⁰ He was the first AM operative to be captured.

Following his arrest, Khodair was brought to trial in two separate court cases. He was unruly during the proceedings. In October 2016, he was given a two-year prison sentence for having insulted judges.¹¹ In December 2017, Khodair was sentenced to death for his role in the AM.¹² On Oct. 14, 2018, another Egyptian court handed him a life sentence for his involvement with the ASAK.¹³