The death of al-Qaeda’s leader may not halt a jihadist resurgence

AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI died many times in the decades that he tormented America as chief organiser and ideologue of al-Qaeda, the group that hijacked four airliners and flew them into buildings in New York and Washington on September 11th 2001. Every time he was reported dead—killed by an air strike or disease—he reappeared in a video or audio recording. On August 1st President Joe Biden announced that America’s long hunt for Mr Zawahiri had succeeded. In the early hours of July 31st in central Kabul, a CIA drone fired two Hellfire missiles, killing him as he stood on the balcony of a safe house.

“This terrorist leader is no more. People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer,” declared Mr Biden in a televised address from the White House, where he was isolating after a relapse of covid-19. He added: “We make it clear again tonight that no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide—if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out.”