Misplaced Pages

Anwar al-Awlaki

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AnomieBOT (talk | contribs) at 15:14, 24 December 2009 (Rescuing orphaned refs ("wanted" from rev 333817239; "inf" from rev 333817239)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 15:14, 24 December 2009 by AnomieBOT (talk | contribs) (Rescuing orphaned refs ("wanted" from rev 333817239; "inf" from rev 333817239))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Please feel free to improve this article (but edits without reliable references may be removed) or discuss changes on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Anwar al-Awlaki
BornAnwar Nasser Abdulla Aulaqi
b. (1971-04-22) April 22, 1971 (age 53)
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Occupationlecturer/former Imam
EmployerIman University
Known foraccused of being senior Al-Qaeda recruiter and motivator linked to various terrorists
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)

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) is a Muslim lecturer, spiritual leader, and former imam who has been accused of being a senior Al-Qaeda recruiter and motivator linked to various terrorists.

He has been reported to have been killed in a Yemeni air strike that took place in late December, 2009.

Originally trained as a civil engineer, al-Awlaki later became an imam. He is currently associated with Iman University in Yemen. According to the ABC News he "earned a master's degree in educational leadership from San Diego State University, and worked on a Ph.D. in human resource development at George Washington University." Students of the university have allegedly been linked to assassinations, and it is headed by Abdul Majeed al-Zindani, who has been designated by the US and UN as associated with terrorism and Al-Qaeda.

Al-Awlaki's sermons were attended by three of the 9/11 hijackers, as well as by accused Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. In addition, US 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. Directly after the Fort Hood shooting, al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions on his website, and then again a few days later in an interview.

Al-Awlaki is currently being sought by authorities in Yemen with regard to a new investigation into his possible Al-Qaeda ties. The authorities have not been able to locate him since approximately March 2009.

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.

The family returned to Yemen in 1978, where al-Awlaki lived for 11 years. His father served as Agriculture Minister and as president of Sanaa University.

Al-Awlaki returned to Colorado in 1991 to attend college, and 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. His Islamic education consists of a few intermittent months with various scholars, and reading works by several prominent Islamic scholars.

Current location

Yemeni authorities are now trying to locate al-Awlaki, who according to his father disappeared approximately March 2009. He is believed to be hiding in Yemen's 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).

On 24th December 2009 reports, quoting Yemeni sources, said al-Awlaki may have been killed in an air strike on a meeting of Al-Qaeda militants and leaders in the mountains of Shabwa province, Yemen. However this report not yet confirmed.

ABC News reported the dead included: Nasser al-Wahayshi, Saeed al-Shehri, and "Anwar al-Awlaki".

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. 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.

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.

  • Numerous lectures have been posted to YouTube on various channels such as this and this
  • 44 Ways to Support Jihad—Essay (January 2009)—asserts that all Muslims must participate in Jihad in person, by funding it, or by writing. All Muslims must remain physically fit and train with firearms to be ready for the battlefield.
  • Lectures on the book Constants on the Path of Jihad by Yousef Al-Ayyiri—concerns leaderless Jihad.
  • The Battle of Hearts and Minds
  • The Dust Will Never Settle Down
  • Dreams & Interpretations
  • The Hereafter—16 CDs—Al Basheer Productions—describes the women, mansions, and pleasures of paradise.
  • Life of Muhammad:Makkan Period—16 CDs—Al Basheer Productions
  • Life of Muhammad:Medinan Period—Lecture in 2 Parts—18 CDs—Al Basheer Productions
  • Lives of the Prophets (AS)—16 CDs—Al Basheer Productions
  • Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (RA): His Life & Times—15 CDs—Al Basheer Productions
  • Umar ibn al-Khattāb (RA):His Life & Times—18 CDs—Al Basheer Productions
  • 25 Promises from Allah to the Believer—2 CDs—Noor Productions
  • Companions of the Ditch & Lessons from the Life of Musa (AS)—2 CDs—Noor Productions
  • Remembrance of Allah & the Greatest Ayah—2 CDs—Noor Productions
  • Stories from Hadith—4 CDs—Center for Islamic Information and Education ("CIIE")
  • Hellfire & The Day of Judgment—CD—CIIE
  • Quest for Truth: The Story of Salman Al-Farsi (RA)—CD—CIIE
  • Trials & Lessons for Muslim Minorities—CD—CIIE
  • Young Ayesha (RA) & Mothers of the Believers (RA)—CD—CIIE
  • Understanding the Quran—CD—CIIE
  • Lessons from the Companions (RA) Living as a Minority'—CD—CIIE
  • Virtues of the Sahabah—video lecture series promoted by the al-Wasatiyyah Foundation

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. ^ "Imam in Fort Hood case born in New Mexico". United Press International. November 11, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  3. ^ Cardona, Felisa (December 3, 2009). "U.S. attorney defends dropping radical cleric's case in 2002". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  4. ^ 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)
  5. Shephard, Michelle (October 18, 2009). "The powerful online voice of jihad". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. 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
  8. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8429370.stm
  9. ^ Jake Tapper (2009-12-24). "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 2009-12-24.
  10. 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
  11. Meyer, Josh (November 9, 2009). "Fort Hood shooting suspect's ties to mosque investigated". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  12. ^ Raghavan, Sudarsan (December 10, 2009). "Cleric linked to Fort Hood attack grew more radicalized in Yemen". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  13. Shane, Scott; Born in U.S., a Radical Cleric Inspires Terror; New York Times, November 18, 2009, last accessed November 20, 2009.
  14. Schmidt, Susan; Imam From Va. Mosque Now Thought to Have Aided Al-Qaeda; the Washington Post, February 27, 2008, last accessed November 20, 2009.
  15. 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
  16. "Colo. feds look at Fort Hood connection to cleric", Associated Press, December 2, 2009, accessed December 7, 2009
  17. Rooney, Katie, "George Washington U. ex-student tied to 9/11 hijackers in report," University Wire, September 7, 2005, accessed December 8, 2009
  18. ^ The NEFA Foundation (February 5, 2009). "Anwar al Awlaki: Pro Al-Qaida Ideologue with Influence in the West" (PDF). Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  19. 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
  20. "Anwar al-Awlaki Dead: Man Connected to Major Nidal Hasan Eliminated" Newsbizarre, December 24, 2009, accessed December 24, 2009
  21. "Profile: Anwar al-Awlaki," November 24, 2009

External links

Categories: