“Ayman al-Zawahiri has been appointed the new leader of al Qaeda, according to a statement posted on several jihadist websites.
Al-Zawahiri has played a defining role in al Qaeda for more than a decade as Osama bin Laden’s deputy. Even before the announcement, he had been widely regarded as the organization’s de facto leader.”
Source: Jihadist websites: Al-Zawahiri appointed al Qaeda’s new leader – CNN.com