He is thought to have travelled to Saudi Arabia and purchased a small boat and then a truck and trailer to transport it.

Al-Badawi twice escaped from Yemeni prison, once after his death sentence was issued, and was being sought as an FBI Most Wanted Terrorist fugitive.

He was killed by an American drone strike by a kinetic Hellfire variant with pop-up blades on 1 January 2019, that was conducted in Ma'rib Governorate, Yemen.

[4][5][6] Al-Badawi was one of the Cole defendants who had previously escaped from Yemeni custody during a prisoner transfer in April 2003, but he was later recaptured in March 2004.

Following his surrender, Yemeni authorities released him in return for a pledge not to engage in any violent or al-Qaeda-related activity, despite a $5 million reward for his capture.