adam gadahn

American Al Qaeda terrorist Adam Gadahn, aka 'Azzam the American', arrested in Pakistan

Adam Gadhan, the treasonous Californian Al Qaeda leader who has long been on Washington's Most Wanted list, was nabbed in Pakistan Sunday - a huge victory in the battle against the terror network.

After some confusion in the intial reports, the Associated Press quoted Pakistani officials confirming the arrest of Osama bin Laden's mouthpiece.

The Dawn, Karachi's English-language newspaper, broke the news with a photo of a man being taken away with a bag on his head.

Gadahn was bagged just hours after releasing a new internet video urging American Muslims to go on shooting sprees like Maj. Nidal Hasan's at Fort Hood last year.

He is the first American to be charged with treason since World War II.

If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

The arrest was the latest in a series of successes in the new partnership between Pakistan's once-balky intelligence services and the CIA.

Known in Al Qaeda videos as "Azzam the American" or Azzam al-Amereeki, Gadahn was born in Oregon to a Jewish family.

His hippie father converted to Christianity before his son was born, changing the family name from Pearlman to Gadahn.

Adam Gadhan was homeschooled in southern California. He converted to Islam at 17 and moved to Pakistan in 1998 at 20.

Intelligence officials say he joined up with al Qaeda after 9/11 and attended terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.

By 2004, he was a senior Al Qaeda operative and became bin Laden's top propagandist, appearing in numerous internet videos calling for the destruction of America.

Charged with treason in 2006, he is believed to report directly to bin Laden's right-hand man, Ayman al Zawahri.

There was a $1 million reward on his head but he proved elusive, avoiding several major attempts to capture him.