On Tuesday, al-Qaeda's Yemen division announced Ibrahim al-Rubaish was killed by a drone strike over the weekend, according to a report by the Associated Press. Al-Rubaish, originally from Saudi Arabia, was a high ranking cleric within the terrorist organization.
Al-Rubaish was held in Guantanamo Bay until 2006 after being captured in Pakistan in 2001. Pakistani authorities transferred him to United States officials, who then moved him to the high security facility, according to the Long War Journal. After Guantanamo, al-Rubaish was sent to what Long War describes as a "Saudi rehabilitation program for jihadists." He escaped and traveled to Yemen.
A $5 million bounty was placed on al-Rubaish's head after it became clear he had rejoined a terrorist organization.
It is unclear if al-Rubaish was the target of the drone strike. Neither the Yemen nor United States governments commented publicly on the matter.
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