Al-Zawahiri named head of al-Qaeda

Man described as “the brains behind bin Laden” had been group’s second-in-command for several years.

Ayman al-Zawahiri

Al-Qaeda has appointed Ayman al-Zawahiri as its new leader following the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Egyptian-born al-Zawahiri went into hiding after a US-led coalition overthrew the Taliban in 2001.

He has often been called “the brains behind bin Laden” and has been the group’s second-in-command for several years.

Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith reports.

Source: Al Jazeera