Former Al-Qaeda leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, once arrested by the US, to visit New York weeks after 9/11 as Syrian Interim President

Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former founder of the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, is scheduled to visit New York City just two weeks after the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The visit, timed with the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, will be hosted by the Middle East Institute (MEI), where al-Sharaa will participate in a high-profile dialogue with Charles Lister, the director of MEI’s Syria Initiative.

Al-Sharaa, known under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, played a pivotal role in leading rebel factions through the Syrian civil war, including associations with jihadist groups. Since his rise to interim presidency in early 2025, he has overseen Syria’s transitional government following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024.

He was captured by US forces in 2006 while planting explosives and subsequently imprisoned for over five years in several detention centers, including Abu Ghraib, Camp Bucca, Camp Cropper, and Camp Taji.


The United States rescinded a $10 million bounty on al-Sharaa in 2024.

The visit is historic, marking the first Syrian presidential participation at the UN General Assembly since 1967. It represents an attempt to re-engage Syria diplomatically after years of isolation. Al-Sharaa is expected to address the UN on Syria’s political future, regional diplomacy, and plans for stabilization and rebuilding.

However, the visit has ignited sharp controversy. Social media is filled with criticism highlighting al-Sharaa’s extremist past and voicing concerns over Charles Lister’s role as host. Controversy around Charles Lister arises primarily from his role in classifying certain rebel factions allied with al-Qaeda as "moderate rebels." Critics argue this classification was used by Western intelligence agencies like the CIA, Pentagon, and MI6 to justify arming these rebel groups during the Syrian civil war, a decision that has been widely debated due to the complicated and sometimes blurred allegiances on the ground.

Lister is the author of the critically acclaimed book, "The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency," published by Oxford University Press in 2016, which has been described by the New York Times as “indispensable.” His research encompasses detailed profiles of ISIS, al-Nusra Front, and other rebel groups in Syria, based in part on extensive ground-level interviews.

Western governments such as the US and UK have historically struggled with the complexities of Syria's opposition and jihadist groups, complicating diplomatic engagement. While al-Sharaa’s government seeks broader international acceptance, critics warn of unresolved extremist associations that cast a shadow over attempts at normalization.

The Middle East Institute frames the engagement as vital for dialogue and understanding Syria’s evolving political landscape. Al-Sharaa’s upcoming address and discussions with international leaders, reportedly including a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump, underscore the high stakes and nuanced realities of Syria’s reentry into global diplomacy.

The visit coincides with a sensitive symbolic timing near the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, coordinated by al-Qaeda, amplifying the scrutiny from various political and civil society quarters.