NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania – The family of Abu Hafs al-Mauritani, who was a senior adviser to Al Qaeda, confirmed that he was released from prison over the weekend.
Sidi Ould Walid said his brother was released after renouncing his ties to the terror network and condemning the Sept. 11 attacks. Hafs refused to be interviewed or to be filmed as he left the prison on Saturday.
On militant forums on Monday, jihadists exchanged congratulations over the release. Hafs was an adviser to Osama Bin Laden who helped form the modern Al Qaeda by merging bin Laden's operation with Ayman al-Zawahiri's Islamic Jihad.
He spent years in custody in Iran before being extradited to Mauritania in April. Walid says his brother was interrogated multiple times and his release indicates he is no longer seen as a threat.
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