U.S.-born Islamist terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, killed by a U.S. strike in Yemen on Friday, 30 Sep 2011 was a notorious and outspoken figure within al-Qaida, and a leader of the terrorist network's wing in Yemen.
The Obama administration targeted Awlaki for his role in orchestrating terrorism aimed at the United States. He had become more prominent since the death in May of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
Awlaki, whose group in Yemen is al-Qaida's branch in the Arabian Peninsula, was believed to have been the target of a U.S. drone attack in May that killed two terrorists in Yemen. He also escaped an air attack that killed 30 people last year.
Awlaki was born in New Mexico in 1971 to Yemeni parents and was fluent in Arabic and English.
He served as an "imam" at several U.S. mosques, including one in the western city of San Diego from 1996 to 2000, where he had 200-300 followers and was frequented by two terrorists who later were involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. He was arrested in August 1996 and April 1997 for soliciting prostitutes in San Diego, paid a total of $650 in fines, did 12 hours of "community service," and 3 years probabation as a result.
In 1998 & 1999 he served as the Vice-President of Charitable Society of Social Welfare, a front group that funnelled money to Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda.
After he left the mosque in San Diego, he embarked on an international trip and settled in Falls Church, VA in January 2001, where two of the 9/11 hi-jackers visited him at the mosque he led and he met Major Nidal Hassan, who later killed many Soldiers at Ft Hood, TX. Simultaneously, he worked at George Washington University as an imam. Awlaki also acted as an adviser to U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hassan, a psychiatrist who carried out a 2009 shooting that left 13 people dead at FT Hood, Texas.
In his opening line to Awlaki, Hassan said: "Do you remember me? I used to pray with you at the Virginia mosque." Hasan said he had become a "devout Muslim" while al-Awlaki preached at Dar al-Hijrah, in 2001 and 2002. Awlaki condemned the Obama Administration for trying to call Hassan's acts of terrorism at Ft Hood, a "lone wolf."
"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" al-Awaki "Raw Data: 'Partial Transcript of Radical Cleric's Tape'". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/18/raw-data-partial-transcript-radical-clerics-tape/.
Post 9/11, he was interviewed by the New York Times, National Geographic, and other MSM, as a "moderate" expert. In 2002, he led prayers in the Capital Building, on behalf of CAIR and the Congressional Staff Members Association. Shortly after he was observed transporting prostitutes across state lines, he fled the country and later that year spoke in London, praising Paki suicide bombers.
He continued with a series of lectures in December 2002 and January 2003 at the London Masjid al-Tawhid mosque, gaining a following of 200 - 300. Later he was a "distinguished guest" speaker at the U.K.'s Federation of Student Islamic Societies' (FOSIS) annual dinner in 2003.
He was a featured speaker of a campaign by the Muslim Association of Britain. He also lectured for the Islamic Forum Europe (IFE), based at the East London Mosque,as well as at an event at the East London Mosque
After Awlaki traveled to Yemen, he became an Internet sensation with a loyal following, including many islamists around the world who listened to recordings of his preachings. He lived in Shabwa, Yemen with his cousin/wife and kids from 2004-2011, lecturing at Imam University, broken up only by an 18 month stint in jail for kidnapping Shi'a and plotting to kidnapping an American. He was released when he repented and pledged to quit being a terrorist.
In spite of his American background, Awlaki was a vocal critic of America, and he motivated others to commit violence against U.S. interests. In a speech in November 2010, he told his followers they should feel free to kill Americans anywhere, at any time, without any need to consult with anyone beforehand. Awlaki said Muslims in contact with Americans face an “us or them” situation.
Awlaki was wanted by both the U.S. and Yemen for his alleged role in several terrorist attacks.
Authorities note he helped Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian who attempted to blow up a passenger jet approaching the U.S. city of Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009. Al-Awlaki admitted to being the mentor and penpal of the underwear bomber.
Yemeni authorities charged Awlaki with “inciting violence against foreigners” for the 2010 killing of a French oil industry worker in Yemen. In 2010, he issued death warrants for 8 international cartoonists, including a Seattle, WA cartoonist, Molly Norris, of Seattle Weekly magazine.
Following 9/11 al-Awlaki was consulted by both the FBI and the Pentagon to increase understanding of Islam, as a "moderate." He was educated in US Colleges, using scholarships of more than $20,000 paid for by the US Government based on his claim to be a foreigner, using a Yemeni passport.
The ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights filed lawsuits in US Courts to have al-Awlaki protected from actions on the battlefield, including the ACLU's Jameel Jafeer.
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