Musk, Gates And Nadella On Al-Qaeda's Hit List As Terror Group Calls For 'Open-Source Jihad' In Support Of Palestine: Report

The propaganda machinery of the terrorist group al-Qaeda has issued threats to murder US business tycoons Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Satya Nadella to destabilise American economy over Washington's position on Israel-Hamas conflict.

Messages posted in chat rooms affiliated with al-Qaeda revealed that the pan-Islamic terrorist organization has encouraged its supporters to target flights run by US, UK, and French airlines, India Today reported.

The airlines mentioned in the list include American Airlines, Continental, Delta, British Airways, Air France, and Air France-KLM.

Al-Malahem, the media arm of the terror group, stated that the US and its allies have become targets due to their backing of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, which has allegedly resulted in over 20,000 deaths in the enclave.

In a video recording, the group issued a call for "open-source jihad" in support of Palestine, and provided a detailed manual on how to construct "simple yet advanced" concealed explosives using everyday "kitchen materials" for “aspiring mujahideen globally”.

The report indicates that figures such as Musk, Gates, and the former US Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, who is Jewish, are targets for terrorists due to their significant impact on the US economy and stock market. Furthermore, it was noted that they have shown support for Jewish communities.

The video showcased an old short speech by Gates during his time at Microsoft to encourage al-Qaeda sympathisers to target Indian-origin Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft Corporation, along with former CEO Steve Ballmer.

The video was published by al-Qaeda’s media arm al Malahem Media on December 31 as a way to “restore the State of Palestine”.

The video accused the "American war machine" for causing destruction in the Islamic world and urged American, British, French, and European Muslims to seek retribution.

The "open source jihad" initiative by Al-Qaeda is strategically planned to attract Muslims using radical literature. Its aim is to motivate them to become lone-wolf attackers by equipping them with the fundamental training required to produce explosives.

The term ‘open source jihad” is believed to have been coined by al Malahem in its English magazine for the first time in July 2010.

The propaganda video also showcased a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and global leaders, such as US President Joe Biden. It further alleged a conspiracy by the Western world in the so-called "war on Islam".

In the past, terror outfits like the Islamic State have provided online training and tutorials to their operatives with a motive to avoid hurdles associated with acquiring explosive materials – a strategy that resulted in some high-profile lone-wolf attacks.

Al-Qaeda’s video cited the example of its suicide bomber, Abdullah Hassan al-Asiri, who targeted Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister of the Interior, Muhammad bin Nayef. It also mentioned another attempted attack on a Delta aircraft by Umar Al Faruq, also known as the “Underwear Bomber”.