Adam Serwer writes at Mother Jones about KSM’s recent facial hair makeover. He grew a beard, but how did he get his hands on henna with which to dye it a ginger-red? Visiting friends? Home-brewed stain from materials inside the camp? No one knows, or if the camp guards do, it’s a national security secret. Snip:
As for why KSM dyed his beard? Former State Department counterterrorism adviser Will McCants says that KSM is probably trying to emphasize his commitment to Islam. KSM grew his long, flowing beard only after he was imprisoned at Guantanamo—previous photographs show him with a trim beard or a thick mustache.
“KSM is following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, who recommended dyeing a grey beard red,” McCants says, calling it “a sign of devotion, particularly after looking like Ron Jeremy all those years.” But how did KSM go from the porn-star look to more of a Gimli? Apparently, it would damage national security if we knew.
PHOTOS: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who claims to have organized the 9/11 attacks, shown at left in a Red Cross photo taken at Guantanamo Bay, and at right in a snapshot by US forces shortly after his 2003 capture.