Seifallah Ben Hassine (Jihadi Militant, Tunisia)

AT LARGE

Full name: Seifallah Ben Hassine
Pseudonym: Abu Iyadh al-Tunisi
Alternatives: Seif Allah Ben Houcine, Abu Yadh
Location: Libya
Affiliation: Partisans of Shari’a in Tunisia [AST], formerly Tunisian Combat Group [GCT]

Seifallah Ben Hassine (°1965) is a high-profile jihadi from the Tunisian town of Menzel Bourguiba. Drawn to Islamism as a teenager, he joined the Movement of the Islamic Tendency [MTI; Mouvement de la Tendance Islamique] in the 1980s.¹ To escape arrest, Hassine fled to Morocco where he studied law. Due to his continued Islamist activism, he was soon forced to flee again.² Hassine traveled to London in 1994 and requested asylum in the United Kingdom.³ In Britain, he met with infamous jihadis such as Omar Othman [aka Abu Qatada al-Filistini] and Zubeir el-Haïri.⁴ Hassine was expelled from the country a few years later after he had called for violence.⁵

Hassine subsequently moved to Afghanistan via Pakistan.⁶ In the late 1990s, he received military training at camps operated by al-Qa’ida and developed deep ties to the group’s most senior leaders.⁷ Hassine met Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri on a few occasions.⁸ He also grew close to Jordanian jihadi Ahmed al-Khalayleh [aka Abu Musab al-Zarqawi].⁹ Al-Qa’ida eventually tasked him with running a guesthouse for the group’s Tunisian fighters in the city of Jalalabad.¹⁰

In early 2000, Hassine and associate Tarek Maâroufi established the Tunisian Combat Group [GCT; Groupe Combattant Tunisien].¹¹ As head of the GCT, he helped plan and execute the September 2001 assassination of Northern Alliance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud.¹² Following the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks, Hassine took part in efforts to resist the offensive of the American army and the Northern Alliance against the jihadis in Afghanistan. He reportedly fought in the ranks of al-Qa’ida’s forces during the November 2001 battles at Tora Bora, in the Nangarhar province.¹³ Following the jihadis’ defeat, Hassine fled to Pakistan from where he traveled onwards to Turkey. Hassine stayed in the country for more than a year.¹⁴ Turkish security forces arrested him in 2003 and he was extradited to Tunisia shortly afterwards.¹⁵

The Tunisian authorities put Hassine on trial and a court convicted him to 43 years in prison for high treason and involvement in terrorism.¹⁶ During his incarceration, Hassine preached to his fellow prisoners and attracted followers among the inmates.¹⁷ He got acquainted with jihadis who had been imprisoned for their role in the 2002 attack on a synagogue on Djerba. Hassine furthermore met with jailed members of the Soldiers of Asad Ibn al-Furat [JAIF; Jund al-Asad Ibn al-Furat].¹⁸

Even though Hassine had served only eight years of his prison sentence, he was freed by the interim authorities following the 2011 Tunisian Revolution.¹⁹ Upon his release, Hassine settled in a Tunis’ suburb and immediately started meeting with radical Salafi elements. He traveled to Oman in a failed bid to seek funding for his proselytism efforts.²⁰ In April 2011, Hassine and his followers established the Partisans of Shari’a in Tunisia [AST; Ansar Achariaâ].²¹ He served as the main figurehead for the movement. The AST attracted thousands of supporters. Within a year, it had grown into a mass movement with branches throughout Tunisia. Hassine gained notoriety by giving fiery speeches at rallies that were attended by large numbers of devoted followers. As the AST grew, it also became bolder and Hassine’s associates started advocating jihad in places such as Libya and Syria.

In September 2012, Hassine and the AST organized a protest rally outside the American embassy in Tunis. Riots erupted and supporters of the movement attacked the diplomatic compound. Hassine was considered to be one of the instigators of the attack and the Tunisian authorities issued an arrest warrant for him.²² Although he went into hiding, Hassine continued to make appearances to his followers.²³ Over the course of the next months, he managed to evade arrest on at least four occasions.²⁴ Around the same time, Hassine helped set up the AST’s covert armed wing and assisted in preparations for the February 2013 assassination of socialist politician Chokri Belaïd.²⁵

Hassine eventually fled to Libya in May 2013.²⁶ From that country, he reportedly started planning attacks against Western targets in Tunisia.²⁷ Hassine also linked up with jihadi elements based in Libya. By the end of 2013, he had developed close ties to members of the Benghazi-based Partisans of Shari’a of Libya [ASL; Ansar al-Shari’a ya-Libya] and the Base Organization in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM; Tanzim al-Qa’ida fi-Bilad al-Maghreb al-Islami].²⁸ Hassine furthermore became associated with infamous Algerian jihadi Mokhtar Belmokhtar.²⁹ He also maintained contacts with Egyptian and Moroccan jihadis.³⁰ In response to his activities, the American government officially designated Hassine as an international terrorist in January 2014.³¹

In 2014, Hassine was caught up in the conflict between al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh; Dawlat al-Islamiya fi-Iraq wal-Sham]. In January, he pleaded with both sides to cease hostilities and cooperate.³² In June 2014, Hassine congratulated the DaIISh on its battlefield successes and again advocated collaboration among jihadi forces.³³ He was also reported to have tried to mediate between the two sides. It was rumored that Hassine made several trips to Syria and Yemen to meet with representatives of the groups.³⁴ Although many of his followers eventually joined the DaIISh, Hassine remained loyal to al-Qa’ida. Between 2014 and 2016, he was allegedly sheltered by the al-Qa’ida-linked Consultative Council of Bengazhi’s Revolutionaries [MSTB; Majlis Shura Thawar Benghazi].³⁵

Over time, Hassine became increasingly reclusive. There is little to no information on his current activities or whereabouts. In March 2016, unsubstantiated press reports purported that Hassine and his associates were plotting chemical attacks in Tunisia.³⁶ He is thought to have fled to the south of Libya following the loss of territory held by jihadi forces in the Cyrenaica region in the summer of 2016.³⁷

There have been several false reports of his death or capture in recent years. He was wrongly reported to have been apprehended in December 2013 and February 2014.³⁸ Hassine was also falsely said to have been killed in American air strikes in June 2014 and June 2015.³⁹ In February 2016, he was again mistakenly reported to have died in an American air strike in Libya.⁴⁰ Libyan security forces wrongly thought to have killed Hassine in a gun battle on Jan. 23, 2017.⁴¹

In the meanwhile, a Tunisian court has sentenced Hassine to death on Oct. 08, 2016 for his involvement in the May 2014 attack on the residence of the then interior minister.⁴²

References[+]

References
↑1	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑2	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑3	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑4	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; Telegraph – “Tunisia attack: Gunman’s links to Britain“, by Camilla Turner (Jun. 30, 2015), link; Telegraph – “Senior Tunisian jihadist and Osama Bin Laden associate killed by US strike in Libya“, by Richard Spencer (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑5	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link.
↑6	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; New York Times – “Jihadist from Tunisia died in strike in Libya, US official says“, by Carlotta Gall & Eric Schmitt (Jul. 02, 2015), link; Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑7	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; New York Times – “Jihadist from Tunisia died in strike in Libya, US official says“, by Carlotta Gall & Eric Schmitt (Jul. 02, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑8	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑9	Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑10	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link.
↑11	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Libre Belgique – “Abou Iyadh, une vieille connaissance de la Belgique“, by Christophe Lamfalussy (Dec. 01, 2012), link.
↑12	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link & Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link.
↑13	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link & Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link.
↑14	Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link; Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑15	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link; Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑16	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑17	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑18	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link.
↑19	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link; Telegraph – “Senior Tunisian jihadist and Osama Bin Laden associate killed by US strike in Libya“, by Richard Spencer (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh: L’illustre inconnu” (Sep. 18, 2012), link.
↑20	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link.
↑21	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link.
↑22	DAHMANI, Frida – “Abou Iyadh l’ennemi public numéro un“, on: Jeune Afrique (Oct. 01, 2012), link; Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link; Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link; Matin d’Algérie – “Le salafiste Abou Iyadh recherché par la police” (Sep. 21, 2012), link & Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link.
↑23	African Manager – “Cavale d’Abou Iyadh de septembre 2012 à mai 2013: de Raoued, au centre de la capitale puis vers la Libye” (Mar. 31, 2014), link.
↑24	GREENBERG, Nathaniel – “The rise and fall of Abu Iyadh: Reported death leaves questions unanswered“, on: Jadaliya (Jul. 13, 2015), link & African Manager – “Abou Iyadh échappe à 4 tentatives d’arrestation” (Jun. 11, 2013), link.
↑25	Jawhara FM – “Ali Kalthoum: L’assassinat de Chokri Belaid a été planifié chez Abou Iyadh” (Oct. 23, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Le domicile d’Abou Iyadh: Epicentre de l’assassinat de Belaid” (Mar. 29, 2014), link.
↑26	African Manager – “Cavale d’Abou Iyadh de septembre 2012 à mai 2013: de Raoued, au centre de la capitale puis vers la Libye” (Mar. 31, 2014), link.
↑27	Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh en réunions secrètes dans le désert libyen et risques d’attentats” (Oct. 10, 2013), link.
↑28	Jawhara FM – “Abou Iyadh aurait pris part à une réunion secrète d’Ansar Chariâa-Aqmi à Benghazi” (Dec. 15, 2013), link.
↑29	Agence France-Presse – “Tunisian Abu Iyadh reported dead in Libya is Qaeda veteran” (Jul. 04, 2015), link; Kapitalis – “Info ou intox: Abou Iyadh tué dans un raid américain en Libye” (Jul. 02, 2015), link; Réalités – “Abou Iyadh et Mokhtar Belmokhtar seraient très actifs en Libye“, by Imene Boudali (Jun. 02, 2015), link; Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh en réunions secrètes dans le désert libyen et risques d’attentats” (Oct. 10, 2013), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Regain d’activités d’Abou Iyadh et Belmokhtar en Libye” (Jun. 02, 2015), link.
↑30	Jawhara FM – “Abou Iyadh aurait pris part à une réunion secrète d’Ansar Chariâa-Aqmi à Benghazi” (Dec. 15, 2013), link.
↑31	African Manager – “Les USA classent Ansar Charia organisation terroriste et Abou Iyadh terroriste mondial” (Jan. 10, 2014), link & Huffington Post Maghreb – “Le Tunisien Abou Iyadh vétéran d’Al-Qaïda qui aurait été tué en Libye” (Jul. 03, 2015), link.
↑32	Jawhara FM – “Abou Iyadh appelle Daech et le front Al Nosra au self-contrôle” (Jan. 15, 2014), link.
↑33	Jawhara FM – “Abou Iyadh félicite les insurgés de Daech, les qualifiant de conquérants” (Jun. 15, 2014), link.
↑34	Kapitalis – “Abou Iyadh annoncé mort par les médias libyens” (Jan. 23, 2017), link & Tunisie Numerique – “1500 djihasistes tunisiens entraînés en Libye par Abou Iyad, selon Badra Gaaloul” (Apr. 05, 2015), link.
↑35	Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh serait vivant et se trouverait actuellement à Benghazi en Libye” (Jan. 22, 2017), link.
↑36	Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh préparerait des attentats aux armes chimiques en Tunisie” (Mar. 29, 2016), link.
↑37	Tunisie Numerique – “L’armée libyenne avertit les tunisiens: Abou Iyadh toujours en vie” (Jan. 13, 2017), link & Webdo – “Le mystère plane toujours d’Abou Iyadh” (Jan. 25, 2017), link.
↑38	Long War Journal – “Ansar al Sharia Tunisia denies emir was captured by US forces in Libya“, by Bill Roggio (Dec. 30, 2013), link & Mosaïque FM – “Abou Iyadh capturé par une milice libyenne?” (Feb. 25, 2014), link.
↑39	Jawhara FM – “Aucune preuve sur l’assassinat d’Abou Iyadh en Libye” (Aug. 05, 2015), link; Kapitalis – “Info ou intox: Abou Iyadh tué dans un raid américain en Libye” (Jul. 02, 2015), link; Nouvel Observateur – “Abou Iyadh, lieutenant de Ben Laden et ennemi nº1 à Tunis“, by Céline Lussato (Jul. 03, 2015), link; Radio Télévision Luxembourg – “Le chef jihadiste Abou Iyadh a-t-il été tué en Libye?” (Jul. 03, 2015), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Abou Iyadh mort en Libye” (Jul. 02, 2015), link.
↑40	Direct Info – “Abou Iyadh serait parmi les morts de Sabratha” (Feb. 20, 2016), link; Tunisie Numerique – “Décès d’Abou Iyadh dans le raid américain à Sabratha” (Feb. 20, 2016), link & Webdo – “Abou Iyadh est à Benghazi, selon le porte-parole d’Ansar Chariaa” (Jan. 23, 2017), link.
↑41	Espace Manager – “Al-Hadath TV libyenne publie la photo du cadavre d’Abou Iyadh” (Jan. 23, 2017), link; Jawhara FM – “Une source sécuritaire libyenne dément la mort d’Abou Iyadh” (Jan. 24, 2017), link; Kapitalis – “Annoncé mort par les médias, Abou Iyadh serait encore en vie” (Jan. 24, 2017), link & Tunisie Numerique – “Tests ADN: Le terroriste tué près de Benghazi n’est pas Abou Iyadh” (Jan. 24, 2017), link.
↑42	African Manager – “Abou Iyadh condamné à mort par pendaison” (Oct. 03, 2016), link & Webdo – “Abou Iyadh condamnée à mort” (Oct. 03, 2016), link.

Seifallah Ben Hassine (Jihadi Militant, Tunisia)

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