What is Al Qaeda of the Arabian Penisula?

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Sulaiman Abu Ghaith appears in this still image taken from an undated video address. Abu Ghaith, one of Osama bin Laden's sons-in-law and a former spokesman for al-Qaeda, is on trial in New York.

The arm Al Qaeda of Arabian Penisula claimed responsibility for the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo last week in Paris. What is it?

As Parisians rushed Wednesday morning to buy the "survivors" issue of Charlie Hebdo following last week's terrorist attack on the magazine's offices.

Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the incident that killed 12 people there

The satirical Charlie Hebdo often published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammed.

And today a top official with the arm that calls itself Al Qaeda in the Arabian Pennisula released a video that said the attack was in "revenge of the prophet."

So what is the division of Al Qaeda?

Andy Liepman, senior policy analyst with the RAND Corporation.

He previously served as Principal Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and worked, also, with the CIA.