Al-Qaeda encourages lone wolf attacks against U.S. super-rich including Bill Gates and Warren Buffet as it publishes a ‘kill list’ on anniversary of September 11 

  • Al-Qaeda published a list naming U.S. economic leaders as attack targets
  • Michael Bloomberg, Koch brothers and internet guru Larry Ellison named
  • List of suggested targets was published in propaganda magazine 'Inspire'
  • Message of the list is clear - to end the 'revival of the American Economy'

By Imogen Calderwood For Mailonline

Published: 07:16 EST, 10 September 2015 | Updated: 09:05 EST, 10 September 2015

Al-Qaeda’s extremist magazine has published a 'kill list' of U.S. super-rich as targets for lone-wolf terrorist attacks, including Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

The terror group’s drive to inspire a series of attacks on America’s economic leaders comes in the lead up to the 14th anniversary of the 2001 World Trade Center attack.

Others on the list, published by propaganda magazine Inspire, include Michael Bloomberg, industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch, internet guru Larry Ellison and casino boss Sheldon Adelson.

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Bill Gates is featured on al-Qaeda's hit list of U.S. economic leaders
Warren Buffet is featured on al-Qaeda's hit list of U.S. economic leaders

Hit list: Al-Qaeda's hit list of U.S. economic leaders includes both Bill Gates (left) and Warren Buffet (right)

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke was also named, although not his successor Janet Yellen, as was Jim Walton, one of the heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune.

The list was illustrated was gruesome blood-spattered photos of several of the leaders, next to a dripping gun, according to NBC News.

Although several of the names on the list were mis-spelled, the message was clear: to terminate the ‘revival of the American Economy’.

The targets are told that they will be removed from the list only if they withdraw their money from American banks as well as denouncing support for Israel.

Anniversary: The terror group published its 'kill list' of American targets in the lead up to the anniversary of its September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center

Anniversary: The terror group published its 'kill list' of American targets in the lead up to the anniversary of its September 11 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center

Larry Ellison is featured on al-Qaeda's hit list of U.S. economic leaders
Sheldon Adelson is featured on al-Qaeda's hit list of U.S. economic leaders

Economic leaders: Larry Ellison (left) and Sheldon Adelson (right) are also included on the list, which aims to put an end to the 'revival of the American Economy'

Evan Kohlmann of Flashpoint Intelligence, an NBC News counterterrorism analyst, said that much of the magazine’s content is ‘somewhat aspirational’.

But he added: ‘There is compelling evidence from the Boston Marathon bombings and other various thwarted terror plots that homegrown jihadists have specifically looked to the magazine for guidance on what targets to attack – and have taken that advice quite literally.’

The magazine, which is published online by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was once edited by the feared American-raised jihadi Samir Khan, who was killed in a 2011 drone attack.

It shows a new interest in lone-wolf attacks for al-Qaeda, which now appears to be learning lessons from the terror group ISIS. 

 

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