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| Qaeda Branch’s Twitter Posts Appear to Show U.S. Hostage Before His Death | Qaeda Branch’s Twitter Posts Appear to Show U.S. Hostage Before His Death |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A branch of Al Qaeda has posted a series of photographs on Twitter that appear to show Warren Weinstein, an American aid worker, in the months before he was killed in a United States drone strike while being held hostage in northwestern Pakistan. | |
| Among the images are photographs that purport to show Mr. Weinstein praying, accompanied by a description stating that he had converted to Islam during his four years in Al Qaeda’s hands. Another showed his body wrapped in a white shroud, suggesting he had been buried in the Muslim tradition. | Among the images are photographs that purport to show Mr. Weinstein praying, accompanied by a description stating that he had converted to Islam during his four years in Al Qaeda’s hands. Another showed his body wrapped in a white shroud, suggesting he had been buried in the Muslim tradition. |
| In response to an email seeking comment, Mr. Weinstein’s daughter Alisa said she and her mother were aware of the photographs. She said the family would not comment further. | In response to an email seeking comment, Mr. Weinstein’s daughter Alisa said she and her mother were aware of the photographs. She said the family would not comment further. |
| United States officials said they could not immediately authenticate the photos. They added that the Qaeda affiliate was seeking to use the images as propaganda. | United States officials said they could not immediately authenticate the photos. They added that the Qaeda affiliate was seeking to use the images as propaganda. |
| Numerous Western hostages held by Al Qaeda and its rival offshoot, the Islamic State, have converted while in captivity. Several of those who were later released describe doing so under duress, or to try to secure better treatment. | Numerous Western hostages held by Al Qaeda and its rival offshoot, the Islamic State, have converted while in captivity. Several of those who were later released describe doing so under duress, or to try to secure better treatment. |
| The images were posted on Twitter on Thursday by Usama Mahmoud, the spokesman of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, according to a description provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist propaganda. The first two photographs show Mr. Weinstein folding his arms across his chest, and bending forward with his hands on his knees, the first two steps of the traditional Muslim prayer. Another image is a close-up of Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian aid worker who was held along with Mr. Weinstein. The final image purports to show Mr. Weinstein’s body, his ashen face framed by a white shroud. | The images were posted on Twitter on Thursday by Usama Mahmoud, the spokesman of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, according to a description provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks extremist propaganda. The first two photographs show Mr. Weinstein folding his arms across his chest, and bending forward with his hands on his knees, the first two steps of the traditional Muslim prayer. Another image is a close-up of Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian aid worker who was held along with Mr. Weinstein. The final image purports to show Mr. Weinstein’s body, his ashen face framed by a white shroud. |
| In April, the White House confirmed that an American drone strike in Pakistan in January had accidentally killed Mr. Weinstein, 73, and Mr. Lo Porto, 37, along with Ahmed Farouq, the deputy leader of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. | In April, the White House confirmed that an American drone strike in Pakistan in January had accidentally killed Mr. Weinstein, 73, and Mr. Lo Porto, 37, along with Ahmed Farouq, the deputy leader of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. |
| Posts on the Qaeda official’s Twitter account said that Mr. Lo Porto had adopted the name Mohammed upon his conversion. Mr. Weinstein was said to have taken the name Ishaq. | Posts on the Qaeda official’s Twitter account said that Mr. Lo Porto had adopted the name Mohammed upon his conversion. Mr. Weinstein was said to have taken the name Ishaq. |
| “After Warren Weinstein converted to Islam, those mujahedeen who imprisoned him became his protectors and started calling him uncle out of respect,” said a statement released by the Qaeda branch. | “After Warren Weinstein converted to Islam, those mujahedeen who imprisoned him became his protectors and started calling him uncle out of respect,” said a statement released by the Qaeda branch. |
| “Uncle Ishaq converted to Islam at the beginning of 2013 and dedicated himself to the pursuit of knowledge,” it continued. “Despite his old age, Uncle Ishaq proved himself to be a hard-working student of Islam. The mujahedeen present in the center regarded him as a beloved elder and always came forward to serve him. Uncle never missed his prayers and fasting.” | “Uncle Ishaq converted to Islam at the beginning of 2013 and dedicated himself to the pursuit of knowledge,” it continued. “Despite his old age, Uncle Ishaq proved himself to be a hard-working student of Islam. The mujahedeen present in the center regarded him as a beloved elder and always came forward to serve him. Uncle never missed his prayers and fasting.” |
| The account goes on to say that Mr. Weinstein’s conversion to Islam had been guided “by the lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki, the manners of the fighters, and research into the Quran, and that he wished to be exchanged in a prisoner swap for Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui,” according to the transcript provided by SITE. | The account goes on to say that Mr. Weinstein’s conversion to Islam had been guided “by the lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki, the manners of the fighters, and research into the Quran, and that he wished to be exchanged in a prisoner swap for Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui,” according to the transcript provided by SITE. |
| Ms. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is serving an 86-year prison sentence in the United States for the attempted murder of American personnel in Afghanistan. | Ms. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is serving an 86-year prison sentence in the United States for the attempted murder of American personnel in Afghanistan. |
| Her lengthy imprisonment, combined with unsubstantiated claims by her family that she had been raped in detention, have turned her into a symbol for jihadists. Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have made demands for her release a frequent point of negotiations, including in emails to the families of James Foley, Steven J. Sotloff and Peter Kassig, all of whom were beheaded by the Islamic State last year in Syria. | Her lengthy imprisonment, combined with unsubstantiated claims by her family that she had been raped in detention, have turned her into a symbol for jihadists. Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have made demands for her release a frequent point of negotiations, including in emails to the families of James Foley, Steven J. Sotloff and Peter Kassig, all of whom were beheaded by the Islamic State last year in Syria. |
| The State Department and the National Security Agency did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. | The State Department and the National Security Agency did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. |