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In the feature article of the sixth issue of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's (AQAP) English-language magazine, Inspire, released July 19, 2011, U.S.-born jihadi Samir Khan commemorates Osama bin Laden and promises that the Muslims will avenge his death.
In the article, titled "Sadness, Contentment, and Aspiration," Khan describes the mixed emotions of sorrow and contentment that struck him and his fellow mujahideen when they heard the news of bin Laden's death, explaining that the contentment derived from their belief that he had attained martyrdom. He extols bin Laden for his pioneering role in spearheading the jihad against the secular rulers of Muslim countries and in declaring open war against the U.S. Khan also praises bin Laden for having set an example for other Muslims by leaving his comfortable life to wage jihad in Afghanistan. It should be noted that Khan addresses the circumstances of bin Laden's assassination, denying that he was killed while in his bed. This apology reflects AQAP's ongoing attempt to reconcile with the fact that bin Laden did not die in the battlefields but in the compound where he was living, surrounded by his wives.
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