Ayman al-Zawahiri, long-time leader of al-Qaeda, died on July 31, 2022 at the age of 71. A physician by training, al-Zawahiri rose to worldwide notoriety as a leader in the Islamist jihadist movement, and notably succeeding Osama bin Laden as the leader of al-Qaeda in 2011. During his time with al-Qaeda, al-Zawahiri was an outspoken advocate for the use of terrorism to achieve political objectives, both within the Middle East and abroad. His significant contributions to militant operations in the latter part of the twentieth century included the 1998 US embassy bombings in East Africa, as well as the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. Born June 19, 1951, al-Zawahiri spent much of his career in Egypt, and as a student was deeply involved in Islamist politics and lived under the rule of the former President Hosni Mubarak during the 1970s and 1980s. Al-Zawahiri eventually escaped arrest and fled the country in the mid-90's, eventually being indicted on terrorism charges in 1999. Al-Zawahiri will be remembered as a principal architect of modern-day Islamist terrorism and a figurehead for al-Qaeda. Outspoken to the end, he remained a powerful influence in the eyes of many regardless of his consistent presence as a designated international terrorist. His legacy and the impact he had on the world will remain for many years.