William Jefferson

Who was William Jefferson?

William Jefferson was an American librarian and United Nations employee who was killed while serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jefferson was found shot to death near Banovići, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His killing was originally described as a criminal act, connected with robbing him of his valuables. American counter-terrorism officials were later to imply it was an act of terrorism.

Jefferson was from Camden, New Jersey.

Jefferson started working for the U.N. in its Dag Hammarskjöld Library in 1982. In 1992 he volunteered to serve on overseas U.N. missions, first serving in Somalia. Joe Sills, a U.N. spokesmen stated:

A week later the New York Times reported: "United Nations officials strongly suspect that he was killed by the mujahedeen, who may have mistaken him for a British citizen."

Jefferson was a Librarian at the U.N., who volunteered take leave to serve in Bosnia.

American counter-terrorism officials were later to class the killing as a terrorist attack. Saudi Arabian Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair is alleged to have played a role in his killing. When he was captured Zuhair was said to have had Jefferson's watch in his possession.