Killing of ‘treasonous’ US man a blow for al-Qaeda

The killing of an American who directed al-Qaeda’s media campaign from his Pakistani hideout is likely to be a big blow for the militants, especially as they wage a propaganda war with Islamic State.

Adam Gadahn, who faced treason charges in the US, was killed early this year in a strike on an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan, near the Afghan border.

“He was highly important. He was the man on their media front line,” said Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani author and expert on the Taliban and al-Qaeda.