Jump to content

Anwar al-Awlaki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Hourick (talk | contribs) at 18:50, 9 April 2010 (→‎In the US; 1991–2002). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Anwar al-Awlaki
Born
Anwar Nasser Abdulla Aulaqi

(1971-04-22) April 22, 1971 (age 53)[1][2][3]
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Alma materColorado State University;
San Diego State University;
The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development
Occupation(s)lecturer
former Imam
Alleged Al-Qaeda Regional Commander[4]
EmployerIman University
Known foraccused of being senior Al-Qaeda recruiter and motivator linked to various terrorists
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[5]

Anwar al-Awlaki (also spelled Aulaqi; Arabic: أنور العولقي Anwar al-‘Awlaqī; born (1971-04-22) April 22, 1971 (age 53) in Las Cruces, New Mexico)[3][5][6][7] is an American Muslim lecturer, spiritual leader, and former imam reputed to be a senior talent recruiter and motivator "for al-Qaeda and all of its franchises."[8][9] In 2009, he reportedly was promoted to the rank of regional commander within al-Qaeda.[4][10] With a blog and a Facebook page, he has been described as the "bin Laden of the internet."[11] He denies he is involved with al-Qaeda.[12][13]

Al-Awlaki's sermons in San Diego were attended in 2000 by two of the 9/11 hijackers, with whom he also met privately.[14][15] Shortly after he moved from San Diego to Virginia in 2001, one of the hijackers from San Diego soon appeared at his Virginia mosque, along with a third of the hijackers.[14][15] Investigators believe al-Awlaki knew about the 9/11 attacks in advance.[14][15]

His sermons were also attended by the accused Fort Hood shooter, Nidal Malik Hasan.[16] In addition, U.S. intelligence intercepted at least 18 emails between Hasan and al-Awlaki from December 2008 to June 2009, including one in which Hasan wrote: "I can't wait to join you [in the afterlife]."[17] After the killing of 13 people in the Fort Hood shooting, al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions.[18][19]

According to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspect in the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 al-Qaeda terrorist attack on Christmas Day 2009, al-Awlaki was his recruiter, and one of his trainers.[20][21][22] Yemeni authorities, searching for al-Awlaki because of his suspected connection to al-Qaeda, have been unable to locate him since March 2009. By early 2010, according to an anonymous U.S. official al-Awlaki was "working actively to kill Americans", and President Obama authorized his targeted killing.[23][24][22]

Early life

His parents are from Yemen. Al-Awlaki's father, Nasser al-Aulaqi, earned his master's degree in agricultural economics at New Mexico State University (1971), received a doctorate at the University of Nebraska, and worked at the University of Minnesota from 1975 to 1977.[7][25]

The family returned to Yemen in 1978,[2] where al-Awlaki lived for 11 years. His father served as Agriculture Minister and as president of Sanaa University.[7][25][26] Yemen's Prime Minister since March 2007, Ali Mohammed Mujur, is a relative of al-Awlaki.[27]

Al-Awlaki returned to Colorado in 1991 to attend college. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University (1994), which he attended on a foreign student visa and Yemeni government scholarship, and an M.A. in Education Leadership from San Diego State University. He also worked on a Doctorate degree in Human Resource Development at George Washington University Graduate School of Education & Human Development from January to December 2001.[5][25][28][29][30][31][32]

His Islamic education consists of a few intermittent months with various scholars, and reading works by several prominent Islamic scholars.[33] Puzzled Muslim scholars say that other than the fact that he speaks English and can therefore reach a large non-Arabic-speaking audience, they don't understand his popularity as he lacks formal Islamic training or study.[34] Douglas Murray, executive director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, a think tank that studies British radicalization, says bluntly: "They will routinely describe Awlaki as a vital and highly respected scholar, [while he] is actually an al-Qaida-affiliate nut case."[34]

Ideology

Al-Awlaki has been accused by a number of sources of Islamic fundamentalism and encouraging terrorism.[26][29][35][36] According to Harry Helms and an independent Yemeni political analyst who insisted on anonymity, al-Awlaki is an adherent of the Wahhabi fundamentalist sect of Islam.[35][36] Helms also said his sermons were extremely anti-Israel and pro-jihad.[35] Salafi observers of his public statements say that al-Awlaki was initially a more "moderate" Muslim Brotherhood preacher, but when the U.S. began its post-9/11 "war on terror" he appeared to develop animosity towards the U.S. around 2003, and became a proponent of the Takfiri and Jihadi trends of thought, while still retaining Qutbism.[37][37]

He is often noted for targeting young U.S.-based Muslims with his lectures. Terrorism consultant Evan Kohlmann calls al-Awlaki "one of the principal jihadi luminaries for would-be homegrown terrorists. His fluency with English, his unabashed advocacy of jihad and mujahideen organizations, and his Web-savvy approach are a powerful combination." He calls al-Awlaki's lecture "Constants on the Path of Jihad", which he says was based on a similar document written by al-Qaeda's founder, the "virtual bible for lone-wolf Muslim extremists."[38]

Al-Awlaki said: "I lived in the U.S. for 21 years. America was my home. I was a preacher of Islam involved in non-violent Islamic activism. However, with the American invasion of Iraq and continued U.S. aggression against Muslims, I could not reconcile between living in the U.S. and being a Muslim."[39]

Later life, and connections to terrorism

In the US; 1991–2002

Al-Awlaki served as Imam of the Denver Islamic Society from 1994–96. He then served as Imam of the Masjid Ar-Ribat al-Islami mosque in San Diego, California, from 1996–2000.[29][40][15][5]

Al-Awlaki was arrested in San Diego in August 1996 and in April 1997 for soliciting prostitutes.[26][41][14][42] In the first instance, he plead guilty to a lesser charge on condition of entering an AIDS education program and paying $400 in fines and restitution.[42] The second time, he pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute, and was sentenced to three years' probation, fined $240, and ordered to perform 12 days of community service.[42]

In 1998 and 1999, he served as Vice President for the Charitable Society for Social Welfare (CSSW) in San Diego, founded by Abdul Majeed al-Zindani.[29] During a terrorism trial, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Brian Murphy testified that CSSW was a “front organization to funnel money to terrorists,” and US federal prosecutors have described it as being used to support Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda.[29][43] The FBI investigated al-Awlaki beginning in June 1999 through March 2000 for possible fundraising for Hamas, links to al-Qaeda, and a visit in early 2000 by a close associate of "the blind sheik" Omar Abdel Rahman (now in prison for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center attack). The FBI's interest was also triggered by the fact that he had been contacted by a possible "procurement agent" for bin Laden, Ziyad Khaleel.[29][28] But it was unable to unearth sufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution.[5][29][33][35][14][15]

File:NAlhazmi.JPG
9/11 hijacker
Nawaf al-Hazmi, for whom he was reportedly spiritual advisor in both San Diego and Falls Church; investigators believe al-Awlaki knew about the 9/11 attacks in advance
9/11 hijacker
Khalid al-Mihdhar, for whom he was reportedly spiritual advisor in San Diego

Planning for the 9/11 attack and USS Cole bombing was discussed at the Kuala Lumpur al-Qaeda Summit. Among the planners were two of the 9/11 hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 which hit the Pentagon, (Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Khalid Almihdhar). They then traveled to San Diego, where witnesses told the FBI they had a close relationship with Awlaki in 2000 where he served as their spiritual advisor, and they were frequently visited by pilot Hani Hanjour.[29][14][44] The 9/11 Commission Report indicated that the hijackers also "reportedly respected [him] as a religious figure."[28] Authorities say the two hijackers regularly attended the mosque he led in San Diego, and al-Awlaki had many closed-door meetings with them, which led investigators to believe al-Awlaki knew about the 9/11 attacks in advance.[14][15]

On June 10, 2000, Mihdhar left San Diego to visit his wife in Yemen at the house which was also used as a communications hub for Al Queda.[45][46][47] Yemeni Prime Minister Abdul Karim al-Iryani reported that Mihdhar had been one of the key planners of the USS Cole bombing who was in Yemen during the attack.[48]

Awlaki told reporters that he resigned from the leadership of the San Diego mosque "after an uneventful four years". He took a brief sabbatical and a trip overseas to "various countries". Al-Awlaki sought a larger mosque near where he could finish work his doctorate degree in human resource development. [28][49] In January 2001, he became the spiritual leader of the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in the Falls Church metropolitan Washington, DC, area, and was also the Muslim Chaplain at George Washington University.[5][29][28][50] Esam Omeish hired al-Awlaki to be the mosque's imam.[51][52] Omeish would later state his belief Awlaki had no connections to terrorism, and was asked to resign from a commission after the governor heard his comments calling for jihad and praising Palestinians for giving up their lives for Allah.

Fluent in English, known for giving eloquent talks on Islam, and with a mandate to attract young non-Arabic speakers, al-Awlaki "was the magic bullet," according to mosque spokesman Johari Abdul-Malik; "he had everything all in a box."[53] "He had an allure. He was charming."[54]

Shortly after this his sermons were attended by two of the 9/11 hijackers (Al-Hazmi again, and Hani Hanjour; which the 9/11 Commission Report concluded "may not have been coincidental"), and by Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan.[36][14][15][55] Furthermore, when police raided the Hamburg, Germany, apartment of Ramzi Binalshibh (the "20th hijacker") while investigating the 9/11 attacks, his telephone number was found among Binalshibh's personal contact information.[5][29][56] "In my view, he is more than a coincidental figure," said House Intelligence Committee member Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA).[42]

Hani Hanjour, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar had met Awlawki or attended his sermons and were on Flight 77 as it crashed into the Pentagon.

Writing on the IslamOnline.net website six days after the 9/11 attacks, Awlaki suggested that Israeli intelligence agents might have been responsible for the attacks, and that the FBI "went into the roster of the airplanes and whoever has a Muslim or Arab name became the hijacker by default."[29]

The FBI then conducted extensive investigations of al-Awlaki, and he was observed crossing state lines with prostitutes in the D.C. area.[29][14] To arrest him, the FBI considered invoking the little-used Mann Act, a federal law that prohibits the inter-state transport of women for "immoral purposes."[57] But before investigators could detain him, al-Awlaki left for Yemen in March 2002.[29][14]

Weeks later he posted an essay in Arabic titled "Why Muslims Love Death" on the Islam Today website, praising the Palestinian suicide bombers' fervor, and months later at a lecture in a London mosque that was recorded on videotape he lauded them in English.[29][14] By July 2002, he was under investigation because he had been sent money by the subject of an investigation by a U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force (Joint Terrorism Task Forces are FBI-led, multi-agency teams made up of FBI agents, other federal investigators—including those from the Department of Defense—and state and local law enforcement officers). His name was placed on an early version of what is now the federal terror watch list.[5][14][58]

In October 2002, a Denver federal judge signed off on an arrest warrant for al-Awlaki for passport fraud. But just days later, on October 9, the Denver U.S. Attorney's Office rescinded it.[5][14] The prosecutors withdrew the warrant because they ultimately felt they lacked evidence that al-Awlaki had committed a crime, according to U.S. Attorney Dave Gaouette, who authorized its withdrawal.[3] While al-Awlaki had listed Yemen as his place of birth (which the prosecutors believed was false) on his original application for a U.S. social security number in June 1990, which he then used to obtain a passport in November 1993, he later changed his place of birth information to Las Cruces, New Mexico.[3][59] Prosecutors could not charge him for his initial lie, because a 10-year statute of limitations on lying to the Social Security Administration had expired.[60] "The bizarre thing is if you put Yemen down (on the application), it would be harder to get a Social Security number than to say you are a native-born citizen of Las Cruces," Gaouette said.[3] As a result of the withdrawal of the warrant, agents were unable to arrest him when he returned to John F. Kennedy International Airport in the U.S. on October 10, 2002—the following day.[5][14] ABC News reported that the decision to cancel the arrest warrant outraged members of a Joint Terrorism Task Force in San Diego who were monitoring al-Awlaki and wanted to "look at him under a microscope". But Gaouette said there was no objection to the warrant being rescinded during a meeting attended by Ray Fournier, the San Diego federal diplomatic security agent whose allegation had set in motion the effort to obtain a warrant.[3] Gaouette opined that if al-Awlaki had been convicted, he would have faced about 6 months in custody.[61]

Al-Awlaki then returned briefly to Northern Virginia, where he visited radical Islamic cleric Ali al-Timimi, and asked him about recruiting young Muslims for "violent jihad." Al-Timimi is now serving a life sentence for leading what would be called the Virginia Jihad Network, inciting followers to fight with the Taliban against the U.S.[29][14]

In the United Kingdom; 2002–04

Al-Awlaki left the U.S. before the end of 2002, because of a "climate of fear and intimidation" according to Imam Johari Abdul-Malik of the Dar al-Hijrah mosque. Moving to the UK, he gave a series of lectures in December 2002 and January 2003 at the London Masjid at-Tawhid mosque, describing the rewards martyrs receive in paradise, and developing a following among ultraconservative young Muslims.[5][25][29][14][62] He was also a "distinguished guest" speaker at the U.K.’s Federation of Student Islamic Societies’ annual dinner in 2003.[63]

He spent several months in Britain in 2003, giving talks to up to 200 youths.[64] In Britain's Parliament in 2003, Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside, discussed a relationship between al-Awlaki and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), a Muslim Brotherhood front organization founded by Kemal el-Helbawy, a senior member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.[65]

In Yemen; 2004–present

Al-Awlaki returned to Yemen in early 2004, and lived in his ancestral village in the southern province of Shabwa with his wife and five children.[29][14] He lectured at Iman University, headed by Abdul Majeed al-Zindani, who in 2004 was designated a terrorist associated with al-Qaeda by both the U.S. and the United Nations.[25][29] Some believe that the school's curriculum deals mostly, if not exclusively, with radical Islamic studies, and that it is an incubator of radicalism.[25][66] Students are suspected of having assassinated three American missionaries, and "the number two leader for the Yemeni Socialist Party", Jarallah Omar.[67] John Walker Lindh, now serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with his participation in Afghanistan's Taliban army, is a former student of the university.[25][29] Al-Zindani, however, denied having any influence over al-Awlaki, or that he had been his "direct teacher."[68]

On August 31, 2006, al-Awlaki was arrested with a group of five Yemenis by Yemeni authorities. He claims it was with regard to a "secret police investigation" over "tribal issues", but it has been reported to relate to charges of kidnapping a Shiite teenager for ransom, and involvement in an al-Qaeda plot to kidnap a U.S. military attaché.[7][14][54] Al-Awlaki blames the U.S. for pressuring the Yemeni authorities to arrest him, and says that in approximately September 2007 he was interviewed by FBI agents with regard to the 9/11 attacks and other subjects. Gregory Johnsen, a Yemen expert, noted that his name was on a list of 100 prisoners whose release was sought by al-Qaida-linked militants in Yemen.[36] After 18 months in a Yemeni prison, he was finally released on December 12, 2007, following the intercession of his tribe, and—according to a Yemeni security official—because he said he repented.[26][36][54][69] He reportedly moved to his family home in Saeed, a tiny hamlet in the Shabwa mountains.[54]

In December 2008, he sent a communique to the Somalian terrorist group Al-Shabaab, congratulating them. He thanked them for "giving us a living example of how we as Muslims should proceed to change our situation. The ballot has failed us, but the bullet has not". In conclusion, he wrote: "if my circumstances would have allowed, I would not have hesitated in joining you and being a soldier in your ranks".[70]

"He's the most dangerous man in Yemen. He's intelligent, sophisticated, Internet-savvy, and very charismatic. He can sell anything to anyone, and right now he's selling jihad."[71]

— Yemeni official familiar with counterterrorism operations

He provides al-Qaeda members in Yemen with the protection of his powerful tribe, the Awlakis, against the government. The tribal code requires it to protect those who seek refuge and assistance, and this is an even greater imperative where the person is a member of the tribe, or a tribesman's friend. The tribe's motto is "We are the sparks of Hell; whomever interferes with us will be burned."[72] Al-Awlaki has also reportedly helped negotiate deals with other tribal leaders".[54][73]

Sought now by Yemeni authorities with regard to a new investigation into his al-Qaeda ties, the authorities have been unable to locate al-Awlaki, who according to his father disappeared approximately March 2009. By December 2009, al-Awlaki was on the Yemen government's most-wanted list.[74] He was believed to be hiding in Yemen's rugged Shabwa or Mareb regions, which are part of the so-called "triangle of evil" (known as such because it attracts al-Qaeda militants seeking refuge among local tribes that are unhappy with Yemen's central government).[56]

Reports quoting Yemeni sources originally said al-Awlaki might have been killed in a pre-dawn air strike by Yemeni Air Force fighter jets on a meeting of senior al-Qaeda leaders at a hideout in Rafd, a remote mountain valley in eastern Shabwa, on December 24, 2009. But the working assumption now is that he survived.[75] Pravda reported that the planes, using Saudi Arabian and U.S. intelligence aid, killed at least 30 al-Qaeda members from Yemen and abroad, and that an al-Awlaki house was "raided and demolished". ABC News reported the dead might include Naser Abdel Karim al-Wahishi (the region's al-Qaeda leader), Saeed al-Shehri (the region's No. 2 al-Qaeda leader), and al-Awlaki.[76] On December 28 The Washington Post reported that anonymous U.S. and Yemeni officials said that al-Awlaki was at the al-Qaeda meeting, but his fate was still unknown.[77]

Al-Awlaki's relatives did not believe he was among those killed, however.[78] And according to Abdul Elah al-Shaya, a Yemeni journalist, the former imam called him on December 28, 2009, and said that the claims of his death by the Yemeni government were "lies," and that he was well. The journalist said that al-Awlaki told him that he had been home at the time of the bombing, and did not attend the al-Qaeda meeting. Al-Shaya insisted that al-Awlaki is not tied to al-Qaeda, and declined to comment as to whether al-Awlaki had told him about any contacts he may have had with Abdulmutallab. According to Gregory Johnsen, a Yemeni expert at Princeton University, the journalist is generally reliable.[79] Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs also said he believed al-Awlaki is alive.[80]

In March, 2010, a video featuring al-Awlaki was released in which he urged Muslims residing in the U.S. to turn against and attack their country of residence. In the video he stated:

To the Muslims in America, I have this to say: How can your conscience allow you to live in peaceful coexistence with a nation that is responsible for the tyranny and crimes committed against your own brothers and sisters? I eventually came to the conclusion that jihad (holy struggle) against America is binding upon myself just as it is binding upon every other able Muslim.[39]

Reaching out to the United Kingdom

Despite being banned from entering England in 2006, al-Awlaki spoke on at least seven occasions at five different venues around Britain via video-link in 2007–09.[81] He gave a number of video-link lectures at the East London Mosque during this period. In one instance, the mosque provoked the outrage of The Daily Telegraph by hosting a video-teleconference by al-Awlaki in 2008, and former Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve expressed concern over al-Awlaki's involvement.[82] On New Year's Day 2009, the mosque played a pre-recorded video lecture by al-Awlaki, with a poster depicting New York in flames.[83][84]

He also gave video-link talks in England to an Islamic student society at the University of Westminster in September 2008, an arts center in East London in April 2009 (after the Tower Hamlets council gave its approval), worshippers at the Al Huda Mosque in Bradford, and a dinner of the Cageprisoners organization in September 2008 at the Wandsworth Civic Centre in South London (at which he said: "We should make jihad for our brothers").[81][85][86] On August 23, 2009, al-Awlaki was banned by local authorities in Kensington and Chelsea, London, from speaking at Kensington Town Hall via videolink to a fundraiser dinner for Guantanamo detainees promoted by Cageprisoners.[87][88] His videos, which discuss his Islamist theories, have also circulated in England, and until February 2010 hundreds of audio tapes of his sermons were available at the Tower Hamlets public libraries.[89][90][91][92]

Other connections

Charles E. Allen, former U.S. Undersecretary for Homeland Security, who in 2008 publicly warned that al-Awlaki was targeting Muslims with radical online lectures encouraging terrorist attacks.

FBI agents have identified al-Awlaki as a known, important "senior recruiter for al Qaeda", and a spiritual motivator.[36][93]

Al-Awlaki's name came up in nearly a dozen terrorism cases recently in the U.S., UK, and Canada. The cases included suicide bombers in the 2005 London bombings, radical Islamic terrorists in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case, and radical Islamic terrorists in the 2007 Fort Dix attack plot. In each case the suspects were devoted to al-Awlaki's message, which they listened to on laptops, audio clips, and CDs.[26][14][94]

Al-Awlaki’s recorded lectures were also an inspiration to Islamist fundamentalists who comprised at least six terror cells in the UK through 2009.[64] Michael Finton (Talib Islam), who attempted on September 24, 2009, to bomb the Federal Building and the adjacent offices of Congressman Aaron Schock in Springfield, Illinois, with one ton of explosives, admired al-Awlaki and quoted him on his Myspace page.[95] In addition to his website, al-Awlaki had a Facebook fan page, with a substantial percentage of "fans" from the U.S., many of whom were high school students.[33]

In October 2008, Charles Allen, US Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis, warned that al-Awlaki "targets US Muslims with radical online lectures encouraging terrorist attacks from his new home in Yemen."[96][97] Responding to Allen and quoting him, Al-Awlaki wrote on his website in December 2008: "I would challenge him to come up with just one such lecture where I encourage 'terrorist attacks'".[98]

Nidal Malik Hasan

Fort Hood suspect
Nidal Malik Hasan

Fort Hood shootings suspect Nidal Malik Hasan was investigated by the FBI after intelligence agencies intercepted at least 18 emails between him and al-Awlaki between December 2008 and June 2009.[99] Even before the contents of the emails were revealed, terrorism expert Jarret Brachman said that Hasan's contacts with al-Awlaki should have raised "huge red flags". According to Brachman, al-Awlaki is a major influence on radical English-speaking jihadis internationally.[100]

In one of the emails, Hasan wrote al-Awlaki: "I can't wait to join you" in the afterlife. "It sounds like code words," said Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, a military analyst at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. "That he's actually either offering himself up, or that he's already crossed that line in his own mind." Hasan also asked al-Awlaki when jihad is appropriate, and whether it is permissible if innocents are killed in a suicide attack.[101] In the months before the attacks, Hasan increased his contacts with al-Awlaki to discuss how to transfer funds abroad without coming to the attention of law authorities.[99]

A DC-based Joint Terrorism Task Force operating under the FBI was notified of the emails, and the information was reviewed by one of its Defense Criminal Investigative Service personnel. Army employees were informed of the emails, but they didn't perceive any terrorist threat in Hasan's questions. Instead, they viewed them as general questions about spiritual guidance with regard to conflicts between Islam and military service, and judged them to be consistent with legitimate mental health research about Muslims in the armed services.[102] The assessment was that there was not sufficient information for a larger investigation.[103] Despite two Defense Department investigators on two joint task forces reviewing Hasan's e-mails, Defense Department higher-ups said they were not notified of the investigations before the shootings.[104] ABC News reported that another government said that Hasan also had contact with other people being tracked by the FBI, who have not been publicly identified.[105]

Charles Allen, no longer in government, said: "I find it difficult to understand why an Army major would be in repeated contact with an Islamic extremist like Anwar al-Awlaki, who preaches a hateful ideology directed at inciting violence against the United States and the West... It is hard to see how repeated contact would in any legitimate way further his research as a psychiatrist."[106] And former CIA officer Bruce Riedel opined: "E-mailing a known al-Qaeda sympathizer should have set off alarm bells. Even if he was exchanging recipes, the bureau should have put out an alert."[106]

Al-Awlaki had set up a website, with a blog on which he shared his views.[106] On December 11, 2008, he condemned any Muslim who seeks a religious decree "that would allow him to serve in the armies of the disbelievers and fight against his brothers."[106] The NEFA Foundation noted that on December 23, 2008, six days after he said Hasan first e-mailed him, al-Awlaki wrote on his blog: "The bullets of the fighters of Afghanistan and Iraq are a reflection of the feelings of the Muslims towards America".[107]

In "44 Ways to Support Jihad," another sermon posted on his blog in February 2009, al-Awlaki encouraged others to "fight jihad", and explained how to give money to the mujahideen or their families after they've died. Al-Awlaki's sermon also encouraged others to conduct weapons training, and raise children "on the love of Jihad."[108] Also that month, he wrote: "I pray that Allah destroys America and all its allies."[106] He wrote as well: "We will implement the rule of Allah on Earth by the tip of the sword, whether the masses like it or not."[106] On July 14, he criticized armies of Muslim countries that assist the U.S. military, saying, "the blame should be placed on the soldier who is willing to follow orders ... who sells his religion for a few dollars."[106] In a sermon on his blog on July 15, 2009, entitled "Fighting Against Government Armies in the Muslim World," al-Awlaki wrote, "Blessed are those who fight against [American soldiers], and blessed are those shuhada [martyrs] who are killed by them."[108][109]

A fellow Muslim officer at Fort Hood said Hasan's eyes "lit up" when gushing about al-Awlaki's teachings.[110] ABC News reported that it is believed that al-Awlaki either inspired or instructed Hasan to commit the Fort Hood shootings.[111]

After the Fort Hood shooting, on his now temporarily inoperable website (apparently because some web hosting companies took it down),[26] al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions:[18]

Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people.... Any decent Muslim cannot live, understanding properly his duties towards his Creator and his fellow Muslims, and yet serve as a US soldier. The U.S. is leading the war against terrorism which in reality is a war against Islam. Its army is directly invading two Muslim countries and indirectly occupying the rest through its stooges.
Nidal opened fire on soldiers who were on their way to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. How can there be any dispute about the virtue of what he has done? In fact the only way a Muslim could Islamically justify serving as a soldier in the US army is if his intention is to follow the footsteps of men like Nidal.
The heroic act of brother Nidal also shows the dilemma of the Muslim American community. Increasingly they are being cornered into taking stances that would either make them betray Islam or betray their nation. Many amongst them are choosing the former. The Muslim organizations in America came out in a pitiful chorus condemning Nidal’s operation.
The fact that fighting against the US army is an Islamic duty today cannot be disputed. No scholar with a grain of Islamic knowledge can defy the clear cut proofs that Muslims today have the right—rather the duty—to fight against American tyranny. Nidal has killed soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in order to kill Muslims. The American Muslims who condemned his actions have committed treason against the Muslim Ummah and have fallen into hypocrisy....
May Allah grant our brother Nidal patience, perseverance, and steadfastness, and we ask Allah to accept from him his great heroic act. Ameen.[112][113]

Yemeni journalist Abdulelah Hider Shaea interviewed al-Awlaki in November 2009.[16] Al-Awlaki acknowledged his correspondence with Hasan. He said he "neither ordered nor pressured ... Hasan to harm Americans". Al-Awlaki said Hasan first e-mailed him December 17, 2008, introducing himself by writing: "Do you remember me? I used to pray with you at the Virginia mosque." Hasan said he had become a devout Muslim around the time al-Awlaki was preaching at Dar al-Hijrah, in 2001 and 2002, and al-Awlaki said 'Maybe Nidal was affected by one of my lectures.'" He added: "It was clear from his e-mails that Nidal trusted me. Nidal told me: 'I speak with you about issues that I never speak with anyone else.'" Al-Awlaki said Hasan arrived at his own conclusions regarding the acceptability of violence in Islam, and said he was not the one to initiate this. Shaea summarized their relationship by saying, "Nidal was providing evidence to Anwar, not vice versa."[16]

Asked whether Hasan mentioned Fort Hood as a target in his e-mails, Shaea declined to comment. However, al-Awlaki said the shooting was acceptable in Islam because it was a form of jihad, as the West began the hostilities with the Muslims. The cleric also denounced what he described as contradictory behavior by Muslims who condemned Hasan's actions and "let him down."[114] Referring to the post on his blog praising the shootings after they occurred, al-Awlaki said he "blessed the act because it was against a military target. And the soldiers who were killed were not normal soldiers, but those who were trained and prepared to go to Iraq and Afghanistan".[16]

Al-Awlaki released a tape in March 2010, in which he said, in part:

To the American people ... Obama has promised that his administration will be one of transparency but he has not fulfilled his promise. His administration tried to portray the operation of brother Nidal Hasan as an individual act of violence from an estranged individual. The administration practiced to control on the leak of information concerning the operation in order to cushion the reaction of the American public.
Until this moment the administration is refusing to release the e-mails exchanged between myself and Nidal. And after the operation of our brother Umar Farouk the initial comments coming from the administration were looking the same – another attempt at covering up the truth. But Al Qaeda cut off Obama from deceiving the world again by issuing their statement claiming responsibility for the operation.[115]

Northwest Airlines Flight 253 bomber

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 suspected bomber

Al-Awlaki and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspected al-Qaeda attempted bomber of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on December 25, 2009, had contacts according to a number of sources. There is concrete evidence that al-Awlaki was Abdulmutallab's recruiter and one of his trainers, and met with him prior to the attack.[116] In February 2010, al-Awlaki admitted in an interview, published in Arabic by al-Jazeera, that he taught and corresponded with Abdulmutallab, but denied having ordered the attack.[117][118][119]

Representative Pete Hoekstra, the senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said anonymous officials in the Obama administration and officials with access to law enforcement information told him the suspect "had contact [with al-Awlaki].... The question we'll have to raise is was this imam in Yemen influential enough to get some people to attack the U.S. again."[120][121][122] Hoekstra added: "The belief is this is a stronger connection with al-Awlaki" than Hasan had.[123][124][125]

The Sunday Times established that Abdulmutallab first met al-Awlaki in 2005 in Yemen, while he was studying Arabic.[126] During that time the suspect attended lectures by al-Awlaki.[64]

The two are also "thought to have met" in London, according to The Daily Mail.[127] He attended a sermon by al-Awalki at the Finsbury Park Mosque.[34] Evidence collected during searches of flats connected to Abdulmutallab in London indicated that he was a "big fan" of al-Awlaki, as web traffic showed he followed al-Awlaki's blog and website.[128] Abdulmutallab was at a talk by al-Awlaki at the East London Mosque, which al-Awlaki may have attended by video teleconference, according to CBS News and The Daily Telegraph.[81][129]

The suspect was "on American security watch-lists because of his links with ... al-Awlaki", according to University of Oxford historian, and professor of international relations, Mark Almond.[130]

The two were communicating in the months before the bombing attempt, reported CBS News, and sources said that at a minimum al-Awlaki was providing spiritual support.[8] According to federal sources, over the year prior to the attack, Abdulmutallab intensified electronic communications with al-Awlaki.[131] "Voice-to-voice communication" between the two was intercepted during the fall of 2009, and one government source said al-Awlaki "was in some way involved in facilitating [Abdulmutallab]'s transportation or trip through Yemen. It could be training, a host of things."[132] Anonymous intelligence officials suspect al-Awlaki may have directed Abdulmutallab to Yemen for al-Qaeda training.[34]

Abdulmutallab told the FBI that al-Awlaki was one of his al-Qaeda trainers in remote camps in Yemen. And there were confirming "informed reports" that Abdulmutallab met with al-Awlaki during his final weeks of training and indoctrination prior to the attack.[133][134] According to an anonyomous U.S. intelligence official, intercepts and other information point to connections between the two:

Some of the information ... comes from Abdulmutallab, who ... said that he met with al-Awlaki and senior al-Qaeda members during an extended trip to Yemen this year, and that the cleric was involved in some elements of planning or preparing the attack and in providing religious justification for it. Other intelligence linking the two became apparent after the attempted bombing, including communications intercepted by the National Security Agency indicating that the cleric was meeting with "a Nigerian" in preparation for some kind of operation.[135]

Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs, Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, said Yemeni investigators believe that in October 2009 the suspect traveled to Shabwa. There, he met with al-Qaeda members in a house built by al-Awlaki and used by al-Awlaki to hold theological sessions, and Abdulmutallab was trained there and equipped there with his explosives.[136] Al-Alimi also said he believed al-Awlaki is alive.[80] And Abdul Elah al-Shaya, a Yemeni journalist, said a healthy al-Awlaki called him on December 28 and said that the Yemeni government's claims as to his death were "lies". Shaya is generally reliable, according to Gregory Johnsen, a Yemeni expert at Princeton University.[79]

In January 2010, al-Awlaki acknowledged that he met and spoke with Abdulmutallab in Yemen in the fall of 2009. In an interview, al-Awlaki said: "Umar Farouk is one of my students; I had communications with him. And I support what he did." He also said: "I did not tell him to do this operation, but I support it," adding that he was proud of Abdulmutallab. Separately, al-Awlaki asked Yemen’s conservative religious scholars to call for the killing of American military and intelligence officials who assist Yemen’s counter-terrorism program.[137] Fox reported in early February 2010 that Abdulmutallab told federal investigators that al-Awlaki directed him to carry out the bombing.[138]

Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg's Cageprisoners organization campaigned for al-Awlaki when he was in prison in Yemen.[139] Shortly after his release, Begg obtained an exclusive telephone interview with him.[139] According to Begg prior to his capture, al-Awlaki had condemned the September 11 attacks.[139] Begg attributed his alleged radicalization to possible maltreatment by Americans, when he was in Yemeni custody.[139]

In his March 2010 tape, al-Awlaki also said:

To the American people ... nine years after 9/11, nine years of spending, and nine years of beefing up security you are still unsafe even in the holiest and most sacred of days to you, Christmas Day....
Our brother Umar Farouk has succeeded in breaking through the security systems that have cost the U.S. government alone over 40 billion dollars since 9/11.[115]

Sharif Mobley

Alleged al-Qaeda member Sharif Mobley, who was arrested in March 2010 in Yemen and allegedly then killing a guard during an escape attempt, left his home in New Jersey to seek out al-Awlaki, hoping that al-Awlaki would become his al Qaeda mentor, according to anonymous senior U.S. security officials.[140] He was in contact with al-Awlaki, according to anonymous officials from the U.S. and Yemen.[141] Asked about Mobley's apparent links to al-Awlaki, a Yemeni embassy spokesman in Washington, D.C., said he was not surprised, because Al-Awlaki "is a fixture in jihad 101."[142]

Current status

Al-Awlaki's father, Nasser, proclaimed his son's innocence in an interview with CNN's Paula Newton, saying: "I am now afraid of what they will do with my son. He's not Osama bin Laden, they want to make something out of him that he's not." As to his son's whereabouts, responding to a Yemeni officials' claims that he was hiding in in the southern mountains of Yemen with al-Qaeda to elude the manhunt for him, Nasser said: "He's dead wrong. What do you expect my son to do? There are missiles raining down on the village. He has to hide. But he is not hiding with al-Qaeda; our tribe is protecting him right now." The Awlaq tribe is large and powerful, with a number of connections to the Yemeni government. "He has been wrongly accused, it's unbelievable. He lived his life in America; he's an all-American boy", said his father.[143]

The Yemeni government negotiated with tribal leaders, trying to convince them to hand al-Awlaki over.[54] Reportedly, Yemeni authorities offered guarantees they would not turn al-Awlaki over to the U.S. or let it question him if he surrenders.[54] Shabwa's governor, Ali al-Ahmadi, said in January 2010 that al-Awlaki was on the move with a group of al-Qaida elements from Shabwa, including Fahd Mohammed Ahmed al-Quso, who is wanted in connection with the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 American sailors off the coast of Yemen.[54]

Meanwhile, in January 2010 White House lawyers reportedly considered the legality of proposed attempts to kill al-Awlaki, since he is an American citizen; opportunities to do so "may have been missed" because of legal questions surrounding such an attack.[144] But on February 4, 2010, The New York Daily News reported that al-Awlaki "is now on a targeting list signed off on by the Obama administration."[145]

"Terrorist No. 1, in terms of threat against us.”[23]

— Representative Jane Harman, (D-CA), Chairwoman of House Subcommittee on Homeland Security

By early 2010, according to an anonymous U.S. official al-Awlaki was "working actively to kill Americans".[22] On April 6, The New York Times also reported that President Obama had authorized the targeted killing of al-Awlaki.[23] The CIA and the U.S. military both maintain lists of terrorists linked to al-Qaeda and its affiliates who are approved for capture or killing.[23] Because he is American, his inclusion on those lists was approved by the National Security Council.[23] U.S. officials said it is extremely rare, if not unprecedented, for an American to be approved for targeted killing.[23]

International law allows the use of lethal force against people who pose an imminent threat to a country, and U.S. officials said that was the standard used in adding names to the target list.[23] In addition, Congress approved the use of military force against al-Qaeda after 9/11.[23] People on the target list are considered military enemies of the U.S., and therefore not subject to a ban on political assassinations approved by former President Gerald Ford.[23]

Works

The Nine Eleven Finding Answers Foundation says Al-Awlaki's ability to write and speak in straight-forward English enables him to be a key player in inciting English-speaking Muslims to commit terrorist acts.[33] As al-Awlaki himself wrote in 44 Ways to Support Jihad:

Most of the Jihad literature is available only in Arabic and publishers are not willing to take the risk of translating it. The only ones who are spending the time and money translating Jihad literature are the Western intelligence services ... and too bad, they would not be willing to share it with you.[33]

Written works

  • 44 Ways to Support Jihad—Essay (January 2009)—Writes: "The hatred of kuffar [those who reject Islam] is a central element of our military creed," and asserts that all Muslims must participate in Jihad in person, by funding it, or by writing. Says all Muslims must remain physically fit, and train with firearms "to be ready for the battlefield."[33][146]
  • Al-Awlaki has also written for Jihad Recollections, an English language online publication published by Al-Fursan Media, an apparent collaboration of online terrorist sympathizers.[108]
  • Allah is Preparing Us for Victory – short book (2009).[147]

Lectures

References

  1. ^ Murphy, Dan (November 10, 2009). "Fort Hood shooting: Was Nidal Malik Hasan inspired by militant cleric?". Christian Science Monitor. Boston. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Imam in Fort Hood case born in New Mexico". United Press International. November 11, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cardona, Felisa (December 3, 2009). "U.S. attorney defends dropping radical cleric's case in 2002". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 7, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Raghavan, Sudarsan, and Shear, Michael D., "U.S.-aided attack in Yemen thought to have killed Aulaqi, 2 al-Qaeda leaders", The Washington Post, December 25, 2009, accessed December 25, 2009
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Sperry, Paul E. "Infiltration: how Muslim spies and subversives have penetrated Washington". Thomas Nelson Inc., ISBN 1595550038, 9781595550033. Retrieved December 1, 2009. {{cite news}}: Text "date2005" ignored (help)
  6. ^ Shephard, Michelle (October 18, 2009). "The powerful online voice of jihad". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 13, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |newspaper= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d Sharpe, Tom (November 14, 2009). "Radical imam traces roots to New Mexico; Militant Islam cleric's father graduated from NMSU". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Orr, Bob, "Al-Awlaki May Be Al Qaeda Recruiter," CBS News, December 30, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009
  9. ^ Meek, James Gordon, "Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan 'is a hero': Imam who preached to 9/11 hijackers in Va. praises attack," New York Daily News, November 9, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009
  10. ^ "Obama orders US-born cleric to be shot on sight - Americas, World". The Independent. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  11. ^ "The anatomy of a suicide bomber," The National, January 2, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010
  12. ^ ""Awlaki: I'm Alive"". Abcnews.go.com. December 31, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  13. ^ "U.S.-aided attack in Yemen thought to have killed Aulaqi, 2 al-Qaeda leaders". washingtonpost.com. December 24, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Rhee, Joseph (November 30, 2009). "How Anwar Awlaki Got Away; U.S. Attorney's Decision to Cancel Arrest Warrant "Shocked" Terrorism Investigators". ABC News. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Thornton, Kelly (July 25, 2003). "Chance to Foil 9/11 Plot Lost Here, Report Finds" (PDF). San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  16. ^ a b c d "Raghavan, Sudarsan, "Cleric says he was confidant to Hasan," ''Washington Post'', November 16, 2009, accessed November 16, 2009". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  17. ^ "Major Hasan's E-Mail: 'I Can't Wait to Join You' in Afterlife - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. November 19, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  18. ^ a b Esposito, Richard, Cole, Matthew, and Ross, Brian, "Officials: U.S. Army Told of Hasan's Contacts with al Qaeda; Army Major in Fort Hood Massacre Used 'Electronic Means' to Connect with Terrorists," ABC News, November 9, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009
  19. ^ Meyer, Josh (November 9, 2009). "Fort Hood shooting suspect's ties to mosque investigated". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  20. ^ Did Abdulmutallab Talk to Radical Cleric?; CBS News World, December 29, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  21. ^ Bennett, Chuck, "Ft. Hood link in 'crotch' case", The New York Post, January 3, 2010, accessed January 21, 2010
  22. ^ a b c "Muslim cleric Aulaqi is 1st U.S. citizen on list of those CIA is allowed to kill". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i "U.S. Approves Targeted Killing of American Cleric", April 6, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  24. ^ Leonard, Tom (April 7, 2010). "Barack Obama orders killing of US cleric Anwar al-Awlaki". {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  25. ^ a b c d e f g Raghavan, Sudarsan (December 10, 2009). "Cleric linked to Fort Hood attack grew more radicalized in Yemen". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  26. ^ a b c d e f Shane, Scott; Born in U.S., a Radical Cleric Inspires Terror, The New York Times, November 18, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
  27. ^ Newton, Paula, "Al-Awlaki's father asks Obama to end manhunt," CNN, February 2, 2010, accessed February 2, 2010
  28. ^ a b c d e National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (2004). "Nine/eleven Commission report, final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States". W. W. Norton & Company. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Schmidt, Susan; Imam From Va. Mosque Now Thought to Have Aided Al-Qaeda; The Washington Post, February 27, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
  30. ^ "Crummy, Karen E., "Warrant withdrawn in 2002 for radical cleric who praised Fort Hood suspect", ''The Denver Post'', December 1, 2009, accessed December 1, 2009". Denverpost.com. November 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  31. ^ "Colo. feds look at Fort Hood connection to cleric", [[Associated Press][dead link]], December 2, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2009].
  32. ^ "Rooney, Katie, "George Washington U. ex-student tied to 9/11 hijackers in report," ''University Wire'', September 7, 2005, accessed December 8, 2009". Highbeam.com. September 7, 2005. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g The NEFA Foundation (February 5, 2009). "Anwar al Awlaki: Pro Al-Qaida Ideologue with Influence in the West" (PDF). Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  34. ^ a b c d Temple-Raston, Dina. "Officials: Cleric Had Role In Christmas Bomb Attempt". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  35. ^ a b c d Helms, Harry, 40 Lingering Questions About The 9/11 Attacks, p. 55, ISBN 1438295308. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
  36. ^ a b c d e f Allam, Hannah (November 22, 2009). "Is imam a terror recruiter or just an incendiary preacher?". Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 23, 2009. Cite error: The named reference "rec" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  37. ^ a b "A Critique of the Methodology of Anwar al-Awlaki" (PDF).
  38. ^ "Meyer, Josh, "Fort Hood shooting suspect's ties to mosque investigated," ''Los Angeles Times'', November 9, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009". Latimes.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  39. ^ a b "Yemen Preacher Urges Jihad on United States: Tape". Reuters. March 18, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  40. ^ Ghosh, Bobby, "Deadly Connections," Time, January 13, 2010, accessed January 17, 2010
  41. ^ Chitra Ragavan (June 13, 2004). "The imam's very curious story". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  42. ^ a b c d Shannon, Elaine; Burger, Timothy J.; Calabresi, Massimo (August 9, 2003). "FBI Sets Up Shop in Yemen". Time. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  43. ^ Hays, Tom, "FBI Eyes NYC ‘Charity’ in Terror Probe," Associated Press, February 26, 2004, accessed November 11, 2009
  44. ^ "Eckert, Toby, and Stern, Marcus, "9/11 investigators baffled FBI cleared 3 ex-San Diegans", ''The San Diego Union'', September 11, 2003, November 30, 2009". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. September 11, 2003. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  45. ^ Nova: The Spy Factory television show
  46. ^ 9/11 and Terror Travel, p. 11
  47. ^ Substitution for the Testimony of KSM at the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui
  48. ^ Smith (2005), p. 60
  49. ^ "Cantlupe, Joe, and Wilkie, Dana, "Muslim leader criticizes arrests; Cleric knew 2 men from S.D. mosque," ''The San Diego Union – Tribune'', October 1, 2001, accessed January 25, 2010". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. October 1, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |+Cleric+knew+2+men+from+S.D.+mosque&pqatl= ignored (help)
  50. ^ Imam Anwar Al Awlaki – A Leader in Need; Cageprisoners, November 8, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  51. ^ ""The Great Al-Qaeda 'Patriot'", Assyrian International News Agency, April 9, 2007, accessed January 24, 2010". Aina.org. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  52. ^ Muslim Mafia, p. 257, P. David Gaubatz, Paul Sperry, WND Books, 2009, ISBN-10: 1935071106, ISBN-13: 978-1935071105, accessed January 24, 2010
  53. ^ "Murphy, Caryle, "Facing New Realities as Islamic Americans," ''Washington Post'', September 12, 2004, accessed December 9, 2009". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  54. ^ a b c d e f g h Keath, Lee; Al-Haj, Ahmed (January 19, 2010). "Tribe in Yemen protecting US cleric". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  55. ^ Sherwell, Philip, and Spillius, Alex, "Fort Hood shooting: Texas army killer linked to September 11 terrorists; Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshiped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001," Daily Telegraph, November 7, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009
  56. ^ a b Al-Haj, Ahmed, and Abu-Nasr, Donna, "US imam who communicated with Fort Hood suspect wanted in Yemen on terror suspicions," Associated Press, November 11, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009
  57. ^ "Rhee, Joseph, and Shcone, Mark, "How Anwar Awlaki Got Away; U.S. Attorney's Decision to Cancel Arrest Warrant "Shocked" Terrorism Investigators," ''ABC News'', November 30, 2009, accessed January 21, 2010". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  58. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 3 Comments (November 10, 2009). "Joscelyn, Thomas, "The Federal Bureau of Non-Investigation; Retracing A Trail Of Evidence That The FBI Ignored Prior To Ft. Hood," ''CBS News'', November 10, 2009, accessed December 9, 2009". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  59. ^ "Warrant for Arrest of Anwar Nasser Aulaqi," NEFA Foundation, accessed December 15, 2009
  60. ^ Wyatt, Kristen, "Evidence blocked arrest of imam with Fort Hood tie," [[Houston Chronicle][dead link]], December 2, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2009].
  61. ^ "Evidence blocked arrest of imam with Fort Hood tie", Associated Press, December 3, 2009, accessed December 4, 2009
  62. ^ Massimo Calabresi, Timothy J. Burger and Elaine Shannon "Why Did The Imam Befriend Hijackers?", Time, August 4, 2003, accessed December 9, 2009
  63. ^ "Gross, Tom, "London universities, safer than Waziristan for would-be bombers," ''The National Post'', January 18, 2010, accessed January 18, 2010". Network.nationalpost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  64. ^ a b c Newell, Claire; Lamb, Christina; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; Gourlay, Chris; Dowling, Kevin; Tobin, Dominic (January 3, 2010). "Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab: one boy's journey to jihad". The Sunday Times. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  65. ^ Morgan, Adrian; Exclusive: Who is Anwar al-Awlaki?, FamiySecurityMatters.org, November 10, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  66. ^ Glenn R. Simpson, "Terror Probe Follows the Money," The Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2004. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  67. ^ Office of Public Affairs, "United States Designates bin Laden Loyalist," U.S. Department of the Treasury, JS-1190, February 24, 2004, accessed November 12, 2009
  68. ^ "Yemen cleric Zindani warns against 'foreign occupation'". BBC News. January 11, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  69. ^ ""U.S. preacher says backs failed plane bombing: report", Reuters, February 3, 2010, accessed February 3, 2010". Reuters.com. February 3, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  70. ^ ""Anwar al-Awlaki, "Salutations to Al-Shabaab of Somalia," [[The NEFA Foundation]], December 21, 2008, accessed January 2, 2010" (PDF). Retrieved January 24, 2010. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  71. ^ Coker, Margaret, "Yemen Ties Alleged Attacker to al Qaeda and U.S.-Born Cleric ," Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2010, accessed February 4, 2010
  72. ^ Coker, Margaret (January 15, 2010). "Coker, Margaret, and Levinson, Charles, "Yemen in Talks for Surrender of Cleric; Government Negotiates With Tribe Sheltering U.S.-Born Imam; Official Threatens More Military Efforts to Catch Suspect," ''The Wall Street Journal'', January 15, 2010, accessed January 21, 2010". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  73. ^ Erlanger, Steven, "Instability bred Yemen terror," The New York Times, January 3, 2010, accessed January 3, 2010
  74. ^ Soltis, Andy (December 25, 2009). "Soltis, Andy, "'fort hood' imam blown up: yemen", ''The New York Post'', December 25, 2009, accessed December 25, 2009". Nypost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  75. ^ ""Anwar al-Awlaki Dead: Man Connected to Major Nidal Hasan Eliminated" ''Newsbizarre'', December 24, 2009, accessed December 24, 2009". Newsbizarre.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  76. ^ Jake Tapper (December 24, 2009). "Sources: Air Strike in Yemen May Have Killed Imam Who Inspired Fort Hood Shooter, Two Top Al Qaeda Officials". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2009.
  77. ^ "Raghavan, Sudarsan, "Al-Qaeda group in Yemen gaining prominence", ''The Washington Post'', December 28, 2009, accessed December 28, 2009". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  78. ^ "Cleric Linked to Fort Hood Possibly Killed by Yemen Forces", Pravda, December 24, 2009, accessed December 24, 2009
  79. ^ a b Isikoff, Michael, "Exclusive: Yemeni Journalist Says Awlaki Alive, Well, Defiant", Newsweek, posted and accessed December 29, 2009
  80. ^ a b ""Yemen eyes Abdulmutallab-cleric link", ''UPI'', December 31, 2009, accessed January 1, 2009". Upi.com. December 31, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  81. ^ a b c Sawer, Patrick; Barrett, David (January 2, 2010). "Detroit bomber's mentor continues to influence British mosques and universities". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Cite error: The named reference "dt" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  82. ^ "Raynor, Gordon, "Muslim groups 'linked to September 11 hijackers spark fury over conference': A Muslim group has provoked outrage after inviting an extremist linked to the 9/11 hijackers to speak at a conference which is being promoted with a picture of New York in flames," ''The Daily Telegraph'', December 27, 2008, accessed November 12, 2009". Telegraph.co.uk. December 27, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  83. ^ "Sengupta, Kim, and Usborne, David "Nigerian in aircraft attack linked to London mosque", ''The Independent'', December 28, 2009, accessed December 28, 2009". Independent.co.uk. December 28, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  84. ^ Allen, Vanessa, and Williams, David, "Hunt for terror cell behind Christmas Day suicide attack as Home Secretary reveals jet bomber 'did not act alone'", The Daily Mail, December 28, 2009, accessed December 28, 2009
  85. ^ O'Neill, Sean, "Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had links with London campaign group", The Times, January 4, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  86. ^ "Jeory, Ted, "Library Ban on Sermons of Hate," ''The Daily Express'', January 10, 2010, accessed January 9, 2010". Express.co.uk. January 10, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  87. ^ Doward, Jamie (August 23, 2009). "Islamist preacher banned from addressing fundraiser". The Observer. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
  88. ^ O'Neill, Sean, "Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had links with London campaign group," The Times, January 4, 2010, accessed January 3, 2010[dead link]
  89. ^ Doward, Jamie. "Airports raise global safety levels after terror attack on US jet is foiled; Police search London address as bomber suspect is revealed to have links to al-Qaida", The Guardian, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  90. ^ Spencer, Richard. "Detroit terror attack: Yemen is the true home of Al-Qaeda; The Detroit airline bomb plot was planned in the land of bin Laden's ancestors", The Daily Telegraph, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  91. ^ Spillius, Alex. "Al-Qaeda warned of imminent bomb attack", The Telegraph, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  92. ^ "Gilligan, Andrew, "Radicals with hands on the levers of power: the takeover of Tower Hamlets", ''The Daily Telegraph'', February 28, 2010, accessed March 13, 2010". Telegraph.co.uk. February 28, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  93. ^ "Chucmach, Megan, and Ross, Brian, "Al Qaeda Recruiter New Focus in Fort Hood Killings Investigation Army Major Nidal Hasan Was In Contact With Imam Anwar Awlaki, Officials Say," ''ABC News'', November 10, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009". Abcnews.go.com. November 10, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  94. ^ Sherwell, Philip (November 23, 2009). "Shewell, Philip, and "Fort Hood shooting: radical Islamic preacher also inspired July 7 bombers; The Islamic preacher who gave email advice to Major Nidal Hasan, the gunman in the Fort Hood massacre, also inspired the July 7 bombers and a number of other British terrorists", ''The Telegraph'', November 23, 2009, accessed November 23, 2009". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  95. ^ Gruen, Madeleine, "Attempt to Attack the Paul Findley Federal Building in Springfield, Illinois," p. 4, The NEFA Foundation, December 2009, accessed December 18, 2009
  96. ^ "Rayner, Gordon, "Muslim groups 'linked to September 11 hijackers spark fury over conference'; A Muslim group has provoked outrage after inviting an extremist linked to the 9/11 hijackers to speak at a conference which is being promoted with a picture of New York in flames," ''The Daily Telegraph'', December 27, 2008, accessed November 14, 2009". Telegraph.co.uk. December 27, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  97. ^ "Keynote Address at GEOINT Conference by Charles E. Allen, Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis /Chief Intelligence Officer," Department of Homeland Security, Release Date: October 28, 2008, accessed November 14, 2009
  98. ^ "Anwar al-Awlaki: 'Lies of the Telegraph,'" The NEFA Foundation, December 27, 2008, accessed January 9, 2010
  99. ^ a b Hess, Pamela (November 21, 2009). "Levin: More e-mails from Ft. Hood suspect possible". Associated Press. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  100. ^ Brachman, Jarret, and host Norris, Michelle, "All Things Considered: Expert Discusses Ties Between Hasan, Radical Imam, NPR, November 10, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009
  101. ^ "Ross, Brian, and Schwartz, Rhonda, "Major Hasan's E-Mail: 'I Can't Wait to Join You' in Afterlife; American Official Says Accused Shooter Asked Radical Cleric When Is Jihad Appropriate?," ''ABC News'', November 19, 2009, accessed November 19, 2009". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  102. ^ "FBI reassessing past look at Fort Hood suspect". Associated Press. November 10, 2009.
  103. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 259 Comments (November 11, 2009). ""Hasan's Ties Spark Government Blame Game," ''CBS News'', November 11, 2009, accessed January 21, 2010". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  104. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 259 Comments (November 11, 2009). "Hasan's Ties Spark Government Blame Game". CBS News. Retrieved April 9, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  105. ^ Click here to post a comment (November 13, 2009). "Extremist or crazy? Or both? Two theories emerge of what led to Fort Hood rampage - St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  106. ^ a b c d e f g Egerton, Brooks (November 29, 2009). "Imam's e-mails to Fort Hood suspect Hasan tame compared to online rhetoric". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  107. ^ Kates, Brian, "Radical imam Anwar al-Aulaqi: Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan 'trusted' me, but I didn't spark rampage," The New York Daily News, November 16, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
  108. ^ a b c "Profile: Anwar al-Awlaki," ADL, November 24, 2009, accessed January 21, 2010
  109. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 19 Comments (November 18, 2009). "Hsu, Spencer S., "Hasan Epitomizes U.S. "Self-Radicalizing"; Accused Fort Hood Gunman Had Ties to Radical Cleric But Imam's Rhetoric on Web Fell Short of Triggering Legal Action", ''The Washington Post'', November 18, 2009, accessed December 9, 2009". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  110. ^ "Sacks, Ethan, "Who is Anwar al-Awlaki? Imam contacted by Fort Hood gunman Nidal Malik Hasan has long radical past," ''New York Daily News'', November 11, 2009, accessed December 10, 2009". Nydailynews.com. November 11, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  111. ^ "Former Falls Church Imam Reportedly on CIA Hit List | ABC 7 News". Wjla.com. February 8, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  112. ^ ""American Muslim Cleric Praises Fort Hood Shooter," ADL, November 11, 2009, accessed January 21, 2010". Adl.org. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  113. ^ "Anwar al-Awlaki: 'Nidal Hassan Did the Right Thing,'" The NEFA Foundation, November 9, 2009, accessed December 16, 2009
  114. ^ "Imam Al Awlaki Says He Did Not Pressure Accused Fort Hood Gunman Nidal Hasan", The Huffington Post, November 16, 2009, retrieved November 16, 2009
  115. ^ a b "RAW DATA: "Partial Transcript of Radical Cleric's Tape", Fox News, March 18, 2010, accessed March 21, 2010". Foxnews.com. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  116. ^ "Wednesday's intriguing people – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs". News.blogs.cnn.com. March 29, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  117. ^ "US cleric: Accused plane bomber was my student", The Washington Post[dead link]
  118. ^ ""Yemeni American cleric Aulaqi confirms contact with Nigerian suspect"". Washingtonpost.com. February 6, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  119. ^ "Law official: Airline bomb suspect flips on cleric", The Washington Post[dead link]
  120. ^ Allen, Nick. "Detroit: British student in al-Qaeda airline bomb attempt" The Telegraph, December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  121. ^ Esposito, Richard; and Ross, Brian. "Officials: Only A Failed Detonator Saved Northwest Flight; Screening Machines May Need to Be Replaced; Al Qaeda Aware of 'Achilles heel'", ABC News, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  122. ^ Preddy, Melissa, "Nigerian with 'Al Qaeda ties' tries to blow up US jet" AFP, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  123. ^ "Terrorist Attempt on Detroit-Bound Plane Puts Airports on Alert" Business Week, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  124. ^ Warrick, Joby; and Nakashima, Ellen. "Family of airplane suspect had raised concerns about him", The Washington Post, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  125. ^ "Nigerian man charged in Christmas airliner attack", Austin American-Statesman, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  126. ^ Leppard, David (January 3, 2010). "MI5 knew of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's UK extremist links". The Sunday Times. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  127. ^ Richard Pendlebury (January 2, 2010). "Pendlebury, Richard, "How a middle-class Nigerian boy was seduced by Al Qaeda into trying to blow up a transatlantic jet," ''The Daily Mail'', January 2, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  128. ^ Herridge, Catherine. "Investigators Recover SIM Cards During Searches of Homes Tied to Abdulmutallab", Fox News, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  129. ^ "Did Abdulmutallab Meet Radical Cleric?; American-Born Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki Already Linked to Fort Hood Suspect Hasan and Several 9/11 Attackers", CBS News, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  130. ^ Almond, Mark (December 27, 2009). "Al Qaeda terror plot that was born in Africa". The Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  131. ^ Johnson, Carrie; DeYoung, Johnson; DeYoung, Karen; and Kornblut, Anne E. "Obama vows to repair intelligence gaps behind Detroit airplane incident", The Washington Post, December 30, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
  132. ^ "DeYoung, Karen, "Obama to get report on intelligence failures in Abdulmutallab case," ''The Washington Post'', December 31, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  133. ^ Hilder, James, "Double life of 'gifted and polite' terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab", The Times, January 1, 2010, accessed January 1, 2010[dead link]
  134. ^ O'Neil, Sean. "Our false sense of security should end here: al-Qaeda never went away", The Times, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  135. ^ Meyer, Josh (December 31, 2009). "Meyer, Josh, "U.S.-born cleric linked to airline bombing plot; FBI and intelligence officials say Anwar al Awlaki, a cleric in Yemen with a popular jihadist website and ties to Sept. 11 hijackers, may have had a role in the attempted bombing," ''Los Angeles Times'', December 31, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009". Latimes.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  136. ^ "Raghavan, Sudarsan, "Yemen links accused jet bomber, radical cleric," ''St. Petersburg Times'', January 1, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010". Tampabay.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  137. ^ Worth, Robert F. (February 8, 2010). "Worth, Robert F., "Cleric in Yemen Admits Meeting Airliner Plot Suspect, Journalist Says," ''The New York Times'', January 31, 2010, accessed January 31, 2010". Nytimes.com. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  138. ^ "Christmas Bomb Suspect Says Radical Imam Told Him to Bomb Jet, Source Says". Fox. February 4, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  139. ^ a b c d Moazzam Begg (January 14, 2010). "Cageprisoners and the Great Underpants Conspiracy". Cageprisoners. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  140. ^ By Paula Newton, CNN. "Newton, Paula, "Purported al-Awlaki message calls for jihad against U.S. ", ''CNN'', March 17, 2010, accessed March 18, 2010". Cnn.com. Retrieved April 7, 2010. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  141. ^ Shane, Scott. "Arrest Stokes Concerns About Radicalized Muslims". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  142. ^ "Ryan, Jason, and Pierre, Thomas, "N.J. Terror Suspect Sharif Mobley Tied to Radical Yemeni Cleric Anwar al-Awlaki; Sources Tie Nuke Plant Worker to Yemeni Cleric Called 'a Fixture of Jihad 101'", ''ABC'', March 12, 2010, accessed March 13, 2010". Abcnews.go.com. March 12, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  143. ^ Newton, Paula. Al-Awlaki's father: My son is 'not Osama bin Laden', CNN, published and retrieved January 10, 2010
  144. ^ "Cole, Matthew, Esposito, Richard, and Ross, Brian, "U.S. Mulls Legality of Killing American al Qaeda 'Turncoat'; Opportunities to "Take Out" Radical Cleric Anwar Awlaki In Yemen 'May Have Been Missed'", ''ABC News'', January 25, 2010, accessed January 25, 2010". Abcnews.go.com. January 25, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  145. ^ Meek, James Gordon, "Experts: Al Qaeda in Yemen may send American jihadis, recruited by Anwar al-Awlaki, to attack U.S.", The New York Daily News, February 4, 2010, accessed February 4, 2010
  146. ^ Sawer, Patrick (January 2, 2010). "Sawer, Patrick, and Barrett, David, "Detroit bomber's mentor continues to influence British mosques and universities," ''The Daily Telegraph'', January 2, 2010, accessed January 3, 2010". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  147. ^ Al-Awlaqi, Anwar. ""Allah Is Preparing Us for Victory", short book, includes other collected writings by Al-Awlaki, published between 2004–09". Retrieved April 6, 2010.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anwar_al-Awlaki&oldid=354996277"