Abu Zubaydah (a.k.a. Mohammed Hussein Zein-al-Abideen) (b. 1973) is a Palestinian member of Al Qaeda, who was the "director of external affairs", responsible for recruitment and terrorist activities outside Afghanistan.[1][2] Zubaydah, while based in Peshawar, was also responsible for communications between Bin Laden and other top Al Qaeda officials, and terrorist cells around the world.[2]
Zubaydah was born in 1973, and travelled as a teenager to Afghanistan.[2]
In Peshawar, Zubaydah acted as gatekeeper for the Afghan training camps operated by Mr. bin Laden and his allies. Intelligence officials have been told that leaders of cells around the world would contact him to request training in Afghanistan for cell members. These people would then travel to Peshawar and meet Mr. Zubaydah, who would decide whether they would be given training and in which camps, according to these reports.[2]
Zubaydah was suspected of playing a key role in a terrorist plot that was aimed an American hotel and three tourist sites in Jordan that are popular with Israeli and Western tourists.[2] Zubaydah was in contact with Khader Abu Hosher, a leader of the Jordan cell, as well as Ressam who was involved in the 2000 millennium bomb plot.[2]
Zubaydah has been detained and held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.[3]