Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of the Syrian Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, sits for a February 2021 interview with FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith in Idlib province, Syria.
Over most of two decades, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani's life has been a roadmap of Islamist militancy in Iraq and Syria. He joined the fight against U.S. forces in Iraq and was jailed by the Americans. He became a commander within the group known as the Islamic State of Iraq. He founded an Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria and then broke with Al Qaeda and ISI, striking out with his own group to oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The United States has labeled him a terrorist since 2013 and offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Today, Jolani is the leader of the most dominant force in opposition-held Syrian territory. From his base in the northwestern corner of the country, he and his organization have fought against Assad's forces, Assad's Russian and Iranian allies, and Jolani's own former allies in ISIS and Al Qaeda.
In his first interview with an American journalist, Jolani told FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith that his role in fighting Assad and ISIS, and in controlling an area with millions of displaced Syrians who could potentially become refugees,
reflected common interests with the United States and the West.
Jolani told Smith that his group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, posed no threat to the United States, and the government should remove him from its list of designated terrorists.
"First and foremost, this region does not represent a threat to the security of Europe and America," Jolani told Smith. "This region is not a staging ground for executing foreign jihad."
Comment: Is this change in policy a Biden administration 'bait and switch' or a 'make it up as they go'? Neither are acceptable given there seems to be no frugality on this administration's projected spending.