In this photo released by the Saudi Royal Palace, US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Pic credit: AP)
Less than a week after US President Donald Trump met Syria’s newly elected President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorist, a controversial 2021 video of al-Sharaa has resurfaced online, reigniting outrage.In the now-viral clip from a rare interview with US broadcaster PBS, al-Sharaa, then known by his jihadist alias Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani, openly expressed joy over the 9/11 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.The interview aired as part of Frontline’s June 1, 2021 episode titled “The Jihadist.” When asked about his personal reaction to the September 11 attacks, al-Sharaa said, “Anyone who lived in the Islamic or Arab world at the time of 9/11, and said he wasn't happy about it, would be lying.”
The comments, unearthed and widely circulated across social media platforms, have drawn sharp condemnation, with some calling the statement “disgraceful” and “an insult to every innocent life lost in the attack.”Trump’s meeting sparks fresh debateThe video’s resurgence follows Trump’s highly publicised meeting with al-Sharaa during his Middle East visit last week. Describing the former terrorist-turned-head of state as a “young, attractive, and tough guy” with a “very strong past,” Trump praised al-Sharaa for showing promise and declared that he had a “real shot at doing a good job” leading Syria.In a dramatic move, Trump also announced the lifting of all US sanctions on Syria, imposed since 1979, in what he described as a “reward” for the Syrian people and their new leadership.
The development has triggered heated debate in Washington and beyond, with critics accusing Trump of legitimizing a figure once listed by both the US and the United Nations as a global terrorist. Al-Sharaa had a $10 million bounty on his head until as recently as December.
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