RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 20 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia has already replaced slain leader Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin with Saleh al-Oufi, the Islamist Web site Voice of Jihad said Sunday.
CNN reported al-Oufi, a former prison guard, is on Saudi Arabia's list of its 26 most wanted terrorists.
Saudi security sources told CNN al-Oufi lacks some of the operational experience of al-Muqrin, who was killed Friday in a gun battle with Saudi security officers after the beheading of American hostage Paul Johnson Jr.
The al-Qaida cell has claimed responsibility for Johnson's June 12 kidnapping. Al-Qaida threatened to kill him unless the Saudis release al-Qaida prisoners and told Westerners to leave the kingdom.
Saturday, the Saudi Al-Qaida cell reportedly vowed to continue its "jihad," or holy war, because it has promised God it will do so.
