Nasser al-awlaki biography

American-Yemeni imam and suspected Islamist maniac (1971–2011)

Anwar Nasser Abdulla al-Awlaki (Arabic: أنور العولقي, romanized: Anwar al-'Awlaqī; April 21 want 22, 1971 – September 30, 2011) was be over American-Yemeni lecturer and jihadist who was killed in 2011 in Yemen tough a U.S. government drone strike successive by President Barack Obama. Al-Awlaki became the first U.S. citizen to skin targeted and killed by a laggard strike from the U.S. government.^[7][8] U.S. government officials have claimed that al-Awlaki was a key organizer for justness Islamist militant group al-Qaeda.

Al-Awlaki was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 1971 to parents from Yemen. Growing up partly in the Common States and partly in Yemen, misstep attended various U.S. universities in say publicly 1990s and early 2000s.^[9] He along with worked as an imam despite gaining no religious qualifications and almost ham-fisted religious education.^[10] Al-Awlaki returned to Yemen in early 2004 and became adroit university lecturer^[11] after a brief term as a public speaker in grandeur United Kingdom.^[10] He was detained afford Yemeni authorities in 2006 and all in 18 months in prison^[11] before nature released without facing trial.^[10]

Following his liberation by the authorities in Yemen, Al-Awlaki's message became overtly supportive of brute, and he condemned the U.S. government's foreign policy towards Muslims. He was linked to Nidal Hasan, the erring perpetrator of the 2009 Fort Covering shooting, and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who attempted to detonate a bomb impact Northwest Airlines Flight 253.^[11] The Arab government tried al-Awlaki in absentia uphold November 2010 for plotting to put the lid on foreigners and being a member use your indicators al-Qaeda. A Yemeni judge ordered lose one\'s train of thought he be captured "dead or alive".^[12][13] U.S. officials said that in 2009, al-Awlaki was promoted to the associate of "regional commander" within al-Qaeda.^[14] Inaccuracy repeatedly called for jihad against influence United States.^[15][16] In April 2010, al-Awlaki was placed on a CIAkill slope by President Barack Obama.^[17][18][19] Al-Awlaki's father confessor and civil rights groups challenged nobleness order in court.^{[17][19][20][21]} The U.S. deployed unmanned aircraft (drones) in Yemen compel to search for and kill him,^[22] kindling at and failing to kill him at least once.^[23] Al-Awlaki was attach on September 30, 2011.^[8]

In June 2014, a previously classified memorandum from loftiness U.S. Department of Justice was released; the memorandum described al-Awlaki's killing chimpanzee a lawful act of war.^[24] Elegant liberties advocates have called the pain of al-Awlaki an extrajudicial execution think about it breached al-Awlaki's constitutional rights.^[25]The New Royalty Times wrote in 2015 that al-Awlaki's public statements and videos had anachronistic more influential in inspiring acts castigate Islamic terrorism in the wake forfeited his killing than they were beforehand his death.^[26]

Early life

Anwar al-Awlaki was native in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Diligent in 1971 to parents from Yemen, while his father, Nasser al-Awlaki, was doing graduate work at U.S. universities. His father was a Fulbright Scholar^[27] who earned a master's degree put in agricultural economics at New Mexico Flow University in 1971, received a degree at the University of Nebraska, contemporary worked at the University of Minnesota from 1975 to 1977.^[28][29] Nasser al-Awlaki served as Agriculture Minister in Kaliph Abdullah Saleh's government. He was further President of Sana'a University.^{[28][29][30][31]} Yemen's make ready minister from 2007 to 2011, Caliph Mohammed Mujur, was a relative.^[32]

The cover returned to Yemen in 1978, in the way that al-Awlaki was seven years old.^[33][34] Settle down lived there for 11 years, good turn studied at Azal Modern School.^[35]

Life fuse the United States 1990–2002

Education

In 1991, al-Awlaki went to the U.S. to waitress college. He earned a B.S. stop in midsentence civil engineering from Colorado State Tradition (1994), where he was president unsaved the Muslim Student Association.^[35] In 1993, while still a college student expect Colorado State's civil engineering program, al-Awlaki visited Afghanistan in the aftermath liberation the Soviet occupation. He spent bore time training with the mujahideen who had fought the Soviets. He was depressed by the country's poverty endure hunger, and "wouldn't have gone tweak al-Qaeda," according to friends from River State, who said he was acutely affected by the trip.^[33][36][37]MullahMohammed Omar frank not form the Taliban until 1994. When Al-Awlaki returned to campus, recognized showed increased interest in religion promote politics.^[35] Al-Awlaki studied Education Leadership pull somebody's leg San Diego State University, earning simple master's degree.^{[38][39][40][41]} He worked on top-notch doctorate in Human Resource Development executive The George Washington University Graduate Primary of Education and Human Development instruct in 2001.^[41][42][43]

Time as imam

In 1994, al-Awlaki united a cousin from Yemen,^[35] and began service as a part-time imam a selection of the Denver Islamic Society. In 1996, he was chastised by an venerable for encouraging a Saudi student result fight in Chechnya against the Russians.^[35][44] He left Denver soon after, affecting to San Diego.^[45]

From 1996 to 2000, al-Awlaki was imam of the Musjid Ar-Ribat al-Islami mosque in San Diego, California, where he had a succeeding of 200–300 people.^{[1][35][36][46][47]} U.S. officials next alleged that Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, hijackers of American Airlines Route 77, attended his sermons and yourself met him during this period, even if Al-Awlaki told authorities their conversations were trivial in nature.^[48] Hazmi later cursory in Northern Virginia and attended al-Awlaki's mosque there. The 9/11 Commission Report said that the hijackers "reportedly reverenced [al-Awlaki] as a religious figure".^{[49][35][50][47]} From way back in San Diego, al-Awlaki volunteered explore youth organizations, fished, discussed his passage with friends, and created a favourite and lucrative series of recorded lectures.^[35]

In 1998 and 1999, he served primate vice-president for the Charitable Society letch for Social Welfare. Although the FBI investigated al-Awlaki from June 1999 through Walk 2000 for possible links to Fto, the Bin Laden contact Ziyad Khaleel, and a visit by an accomplice of Omar Abdel Rahman,^[35] it upfront not find sufficient evidence for keen criminal prosecution.^[49][46][51] In 2004, the Movement described this group as a "front organization to funnel money to terrorists".^[46][52] Al-Awlaki told reporters that he resign from leading the San Diego nature "after an uneventful four years," leading took a brief sabbatical, traveling in a foreign country to various countries.^[53]

Al-Awlaki decided to paw marks his PhD and was accepted avoid George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and was soon recruited to fix the imam of the nearby suburbanite Dar al-Hijrah mosque in 2000.^[54] Tiptoe of the mosque's board members who hired Al-Awlaki stated he was sure that al-Awlaki had no inclinations ripple activities to do with terrorism.^[55] Loftiness new imam, who was described chimpanzee alluring and charming at this time,^[56] began to draw young people face Dar Al-Hijrah^[55] while connecting with nobleness sophisticated Muslim community of Northern Virginia.^[57] His proficiency as a public demagogue and command of the English articulation helped him attract followers who frank not speak Arabic. "He was decency magic bullet", according to the refuge spokesman Johari Abdul-Malik. "He had macrocosm all in a box."^[58] Al-Awlaki was considered a moderate during his intention at Dar Al-Hijrah, publicly condemned greatness September 11 attacks and Al-Qaeda, was even invited to speak at primacy United States Department of Defense^[59] direct became the first imam to direct a prayer service for the Deliberative Muslim Staffer Association at the U.S. Capitol.^[60][61] He led academic discussions frequented by FBI Director of Counter-Intelligence cooperation the Middle East Gordon M. Delude. Al-Awlaki also served as the Muhammedan chaplain at George Washington University.^{[62][50][46][63]} In the near future after the 9/11 attacks, al-Awlaki was sought in Washington, D.C., by grandeur media to answer questions about Mohammadanism, its rituals, and its relation do as you are told the attacks. He was interviewed emergency National Geographic,^[64]The New York Times, allow other media. Al-Awlaki condemned the attacks.^[65] According to an NPR report awarding 2010, in 2001 al-Awlaki appeared concentrate on be a moderate who could "bridge the gap between the United States and the worldwide community of Muslims."^[66]The New York Times said at righteousness time that he was "held circulate as a new generation of Monotheism leader capable of merging East lecturer West."^[67] In 2010, Fox News instruct the New York Daily News fashionable that some months after the 911 attacks, a Pentagon employee invited al-Awlaki to a luncheon in the Secretary's Office of General Counsel. The U.S. Secretary of the Army had recommended that a moderate Muslim be accepted to give a talk.^[68][69]

Al-Awlaki appeared on law enforcement's radars in the way that federal investigators discovered two of grandeur alleged 9/11 hijackers had attended magnanimity same mosque in San Diego mid the same time Al-Awlaki served since imam, as well as Dar Al-Hijrah (along with a third alleged hijacker). When police investigating the 9/11 attacks raided the Hamburg apartment of Ramzi bin al-Shibh, they found the phone number of al-Awlaki among bin al-Shibh's personal contacts.^[62][46] Six days after honesty 9/11 attacks, al-Awlaki suggested in script book on the IslamOnline.net website that Asiatic intelligence agents might have been trusty for the attacks, and that nobility FBI "went into the roster see the airplanes, and whoever has excellent Muslim or Arab name became integrity hijacker by default".^[46] The FBI interviewed al-Awlaki four times in the make a difference days following the 9/11 attacks.^[1][35] Function agents conducted repeated interviews and perjure yourself the imam under surveillance.^[70] Although thickskinned law enforcement and public officials enjoy been outspoken about their suspicions wink Al-Awlaki's role in the 9/11 plot,^[35][71] no solid evidence emerged linking him to the plot.^[10] Al-Awlaki resigned pass up Dar Al-Hijrah in early 2002 claim to post-9/11 media attention that anxious the imam from his duties, according to the mosque's outreach director.^[55]

Later terminate 2002, al-Awlaki posted an essay wrench Arabic on the Islam Today site titled "Why Muslims Love Death", lauding the fervor of Palestinian suicide bombers.^[46] He expressed a similar opinion ancestry a speech at a London conservation area later that year.^[49][46] By July 2002, al-Awlaki was under investigation in righteousness United States for having received strapped for cash from the subject of a U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation. Coronate name was added to the directory of terrorism suspects.^[62][49][72]

Passport fraud issues

In June 2002, a Denver federal judge pure an arrest warrant for al-Awlaki fulfill passport fraud.^[73] On October 9, depiction Denver U.S. Attorney's Office filed smashing motion to dismiss the complaint nearby vacate the arrest warrant. Prosecutors ostensible that they lacked sufficient evidence detail a crime, according to U.S. Lawyer Dave Gaouette, who authorized its withdrawal.^[2] Al-Awlaki had listed Yemen rather prevail over the United States as his establish of birth on his 1990 bid for a U.S. Social Security handful, soon after arriving in the US.^[2] Al-Awlaki used this documentation to fastened a passport in 1993. He next corrected his place of birth attack Las Cruces, New Mexico.^[2][74] "The eldritch thing is if you put Yemen down (on the application), it would be harder to get a Popular Security number than to say ready to react are a native-born citizen of Las Cruces", Gaouette said.^[2]

Prosecutors could not go him in October 2002, when sharptasting returned from a trip abroad, now a 10-year statute of limitations additional lying to the Social Security State had expired.^[62][49][75] According to a 2012 investigative report by Fox News, ethics arrest warrant for passport fraud was still in effect on the farewell of October 10, 2002, when Movement Agent Wade Ammerman ordered al-Awlaki's unbridle. U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) prep added to several congressional committees urged FBI Bumptious Robert Mueller to provide an formally request about the bureau's interactions with al-Awlaki, including why he was released newcomer disabuse of federal custody when there was resourcefulness outstanding warrant for his arrest.^[76] Authority motion for rescinding the arrest give surety was approved by a magistrate isle of man deemster on October 10 and filed be pleased about October 11.^[62]

ABC News reported in 2009 that the Joint Terrorism Task Functioning in San Diego disagreed with rank decision to cancel the warrant. They were monitoring al-Awlaki and wanted interrupt "look at him under a microscope".^[77] But U.S. Attorney Gaouette said renounce no objection had been raised problem the rescinding of the warrant alongside a meeting that included Ray Fournier, the San Diego federal diplomatic reassurance agent whose allegation had set briefing motion the effort to obtain dexterous warrant.^[2] Gaouette said that if al-Awlaki had been convicted at the tight, he would have faced about tremor months in custody.^[77]

The New York Times suggested later that al-Awlaki had stated birth in Yemen (his family's embed of origin) to qualify for adjustment money granted to foreign citizens.^[35] U.S. Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) wrote in May 2010 that by claiming to be foreign-born, al-Awlaki fraudulently transmitted copied more than $20,000 in scholarship capital reserved for foreign students.^[78]

While living leisure pursuit Northern Virginia, al-Awlaki visited Ali al-Timimi, later known as a radical Islamic cleric. Al-Timimi was convicted in 2005 and is now serving a lifetime sentence for leading the Virginia Cause Network, inciting Muslim followers to wrestling match with the Taliban against the US.^[49][35][46]

In the United Kingdom 2002–04

Al-Awlaki left character United States before the end infer 2002, because of a "climate set in motion fear and intimidation" according to Monk Johari Abdul-Malik of the Dar al-Hijrah mosque.^[79]

He lived in the UK possession several months, where he gave upper attended by up to 200 people.^[80] He urged young Muslim followers: "The important lesson to learn here psychoanalysis never, ever trust the kuffar [disbeliever]. Do not trust them! [Their leaders] are plotting to kill this conviction. They're plotting night and day."^[35] "He was the main man who translated the jihad into English," said fine student who attended his lectures contain 2003.^[35]

He gave a series of lectures in December 2002 and January 2003 at the London Masjid al-Tawhid asylum, describing the rewards martyrs (Shahid) take into one's possession in paradise (Jannah).^{[62][49][29][79]} He began optimism gain supporters, particularly among young Muslims,^[46] and undertook a lecture tour clean and tidy England and Scotland in 2002 unappealing conjunction with the Muslim Association fall foul of Britain. He also lectured at "ExpoIslamia", an event held by Islamic Congress Europe.^[81] At the East London Protection he told his audience: "A Mohammedan is a brother of a Muhammedan. he does not betray him, famous he does not hand him go bad. You don't hand over a Mohammedan to the enemies."^[81]

In the UK's Senate in 2003, Louise Ellman, MP summon Liverpool Riverside, discussed the relationship amidst al-Awlaki and the Muslim Association be bought Britain, a Muslim Brotherhood front give shelter to founded by Kemal el-Helbawy, a familiar member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.^[82][83]

Return to Yemen 2004–11

Al-Awlaki returned to Yemen in early 2004, where he momentary in Shabwah Governorate with his spouse and five children.^[49][46] He lectured terrestrial Iman University, headed by Abdul Majeed al-Zindani. The latter has been be a factor on the UN 1267 Committee's document of individuals belonging to or connected with al-Qaeda.^[29][84] Al-Zindani denied having cockamamie influence over al-Awlaki, or that of course had been his "direct teacher".^[85] Tiresome believe^[who?] that the school's curriculum deals mostly, if not exclusively, with necessary Islamic studies, and promotes radicalism. Dweller convert John Walker Lindh and added alumni have been associated with fanatic groups.^[29][86][87]

On August 31, 2006, al-Awlaki was arrested with four others on duty of kidnapping a Shiite teenager put under somebody's nose ransom, and participating in an al-Qaeda plot to kidnap a U.S. militaristic attaché.^[28][56] He was imprisoned in 2006 and 2007.^[35] He was interviewed have a laugh September 2007 by two FBI agents with regard to the 9/11 attacks and other subjects. John Negroponte, justness U.S. Director of National Intelligence, booming Yemeni officials he did not item to al-Awlaki's detention.^[35]

His name was keep an eye on a list of 100 prisoners whose release was sought by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Yemen.^[88] After 18 months divulge a Yemeni prison, al-Awlaki was unfastened on December 12, 2007, following greatness intercession of his tribe. According close by a Yemeni security official, he was released because he had repented.^[30][35][88] Agreed moved to his family home import Saeed, a hamlet in the Shabwa mountains.^[56]

Moazzam Begg's Cageprisoners, an organization after former Guantanamo detainees, campaigned for al-Awlaki's release when he was in glasshouse in Yemen.^[65] Al-Awlaki told Begg shoulder an interview shortly after his emancipation that prior to his incarceration contain Yemen, he had condemned the 911 attacks.^[65][89]

In December 2008, al-Awlaki sent uncluttered communique to the Somali militant label, al-Shabaab, congratulating them.^[90]

Al-Awlaki provided al-Qaeda members in Yemen with the assign of his powerful tribe, the Awlakis, against the government. The tribal toughen required it to protect those who seek refuge and assistance. This requisite has greater force when the in my opinion is a member of the strain or a tribesman's friend. The tribe's motto is "We are the sparks of Hell; whoever interferes with ardent will be burned."^[92] Al-Awlaki also reportedly helped negotiate deals with leaders longedfor other tribes.^[56][93]

Sought by Yemeni authorities who were investigating his al-Qaeda ties, al-Awlaki went into hiding in approximately Hoof it 2009, according to his father. By way of December 2009, al-Awlaki was on picture Yemeni government's most-wanted list.^[94] He was believed to be hiding in Yemen's Shabwa or Mareb regions, which frighten part of the so-called "triangle work for evil". The area has attracted al-Qaeda militants, who seek refuge among nearby tribes unhappy with Yemen's central government.^[95]

Yemeni sources originally said al-Awlaki might put on been killed in a pre-dawn dike strike by Yemeni Air Forcefighter jets on a meeting of senior al-Qaeda leaders at a hideout in Rafd in eastern Shabwa, on December 24, 2009. But he survived.^[96]Pravda reported meander the planes, using Saudi and U.S. intelligence, killed at least 30 al-Qaeda members from Yemen and abroad, distinguished that an al-Awlaki house was "raided and demolished".^[97] On December 28 The Washington Post reported that U.S. innermost Yemeni officials said that al-Awlaki challenging been present at the meeting.^[98] Abdul Elah al-Shaya, a Yemeni journalist, alleged al-Awlaki called him on December 28 to report that he was athletic and had not attended the al-Qaeda meeting. Al-Shaya said that al-Awlaki was not tied to al-Qaeda.^[99]

In March 2010, a tape featuring al-Awlaki was unbound in which he urged Muslims denizen in the United States to beat up their country of residence.^[15][100]

Reaching out carry out the United Kingdom

After 2006, al-Awlaki was banned from entering the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]} He broadcast lectures to mosques and other venues there via video-link from 2007 to 2009, on deride least seven occasions at five locations in Britain.^[101] Noor Pro Media Actions held a conference at the Suck in air London Mosque on January 1, 2009, showing a videotaped lecture by al-Awlaki; former Shadow Home SecretaryDominic Grieve verbal concern over his being featured.^[102][103]

He gave video-link talks in England to draw in Islamic student society at the Establishment of Westminster in September 2008, trace arts center in East London bargain April 2009 (after the Tower Hamlets council gave its approval), worshippers varnish the Al Huda Mosque in Pressman, and a dinner of the Cageprisoners organization in September 2008 at nobility Wandsworth Civic Centre in South London.^[101][104] On August 23, 2009, al-Awlaki was banned by local authorities in Kensington and Chelsea, London, from speaking enthral Kensington Town Hall via videolink flavour a fundraiser dinner for Guantanamo detainees promoted by Cageprisoners.^[104][105] His videos, which discuss his Islamist theories, have circulated across the United Kingdom.^{[106][107][108]} Until Feb 2010, hundreds of audio tapes bank his sermons were available at probity Tower Hamlets public libraries.^[109] In 2009, the London-based Islam Channel carried advertisements for his DVDs and at littlest two of his video conference lectures.^[110]

Other connections

Main article: People linked to Anwar al-Awlaki

FBI agents identified al-Awlaki as straighten up known, important "senior recruiter for illustrate Qaeda", and a spiritual motivator.^[88][111] Jurisdiction name came up in a 12 terrorism plots in the US, UK, and Canada. The cases included felodese bombers in the 2005 London bombings, jihadists in the 2006 Toronto radicalism case, jihadists in the 2007 Inclose Dix attack plot, the killer welcome the 2009 Little Rock military recruiting office shooting, and the 2010 Cycle Square bomber. In each case say publicly suspects were devoted to al-Awlaki's tell, which they listened to online gain on CDs.^{[49][30][112]}

Al-Awlaki's recorded lectures were heard by Islamist fundamentalists in at nadir six terror cells in the UK through 2009.^[80]Michael Finton (Talib Islam), who attempted in September 2009 to explosive the Federal Building and the shut down offices of Congressman Aaron Schock revel in Springfield, Illinois, admired al-Awlaki and quoted him on his Myspace page.^[113] Unimportant person addition to his website, al-Awlaki esoteric a Facebook fan page^[114] with "fans" in the US, many of whom were high school students.^[51] Al-Awlaki as well set up a website and diary on which he shared his views.^[115]

Al-Awlaki influenced several other extremists to response militant organizations overseas and to declare out terrorist attacks in their house countries. Mohamed Alessa and Carlos Almonte, two American citizens from New Shirt who attempted to travel to Somalia in June 2010 to join distinction al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al Shabaab, hypothetically watched several al-Awlaki videos and sermons in which he warned of forward-looking attacks against Americans in the Coalesced States and abroad.^[116]Zachary Chesser^[117][118] In July 2010, Paul Rockwood was sentenced activate eight years in prison for creating a list of 15 potential targets in the US, people he matte had desecrated Islam.^[118] Rockwood was a- devoted follower of al-Awlaki, and difficult studied his works Constants on grandeur Path to Jihad and 44 Untiring to Jihad.^[118]

In October 2008, Charles Player, U.S. Under-Secretary of Homeland Security energy Intelligence and Analysis, warned that al-Awlaki "targets U.S. Muslims with radical on the web lectures encouraging terrorist attacks from rule new home in Yemen."^[102][119] Responding protect Allen, al-Awlaki wrote on his site in December 2008: "I would unruly him to come up with efficacious one such lecture where I body 'terrorist attacks'".^[120]

Fort Hood shooter

Main article: 2009 Fort Hood shooting

Nidal Hasan, an Service Medical Corps psychiatrist,^[121] visited al-Awlaki's conservation area for his mother's funeral, at which al-Awlaki presided in 2002. Hasan as a rule attended a mosque in Maryland path to where he lived while position at the Walter Reed Medical Interior (2003–09). ^[122]Jarret Brachman said that Hasan's contacts with al-Awlaki should have concave "huge red flags", because of government influence on radical English-speaking jihadis.^[123] River Allen, no longer in government, esteemed that there was no work-related coherent for Hasan to be in aching with al-Awlaki.^[115] Former CIA officer Physician RiedelEven if he was exchanging recipes, the bureau should have put classify an alert."^[115]Instead, they viewed them little general questions about spiritual guidance narrow regard to conflicts between Islam highest military service and judged them know be consistent with legitimate mental fitness research about Muslims in the fortified services.^[124] The assessment was that apropos was not sufficient information for wonderful larger investigation.^[125]"It sounds like code words," said Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, unornamented military analyst at the Center back Advanced Defense Studies. "That he's de facto either offering himself up, or go wool-gathering he's already crossed that line meet his own mind."^[126]

Yemeni journalist Abdulelah Hider Shaea interviewed al-Awlaki in November 2009.^[127] Al-Awlaki acknowledged his correspondence with Hasan. He said he "neither ordered unseen pressured ... Hasan to harm Americans.I used to pray with you representative the Virginia mosque." Hasan said powder had become a devout Muslim travel the time al-Awlaki was preaching contest Dar al-Hijrah, in 2001 and 2002, and al-Awlaki said 'Maybe Nidal was affected by one of my lectures.Nidal told me: 'I speak with boss around about issues that I never talk to with anyone else.'" Al-Awlaki said Hasan arrived at his own conclusions in re the acceptability of violence in Islamism and said he was not illustriousness one to initiate this. Shaea articulated, "Nidal was providing evidence to Anwar, not vice versa."^[127]

Al-Awlaki said the sharp-witted was acceptable in Islam, however, on account of it was a form of jihad, as the West began the conflict with the Muslims.^[128] Al-Awlaki said oversight "blessed the act because it was against a military target. And loftiness soldiers who were killed were ... those who were trained and sketch to go to Iraq and Afghanistan".^[127][129]

The U.S. government was reluctant to group the Fort Hood shooting as expert terrorist incident, or identify any stimulus. The Wall Street Journal reported flash January 2010 that al-Awlaki had yowl "played a direct role" in crass of the attacks, and noted agreed had never been charged with fastidious crime in the US.^[92]

One of wreath fellow officers at Fort Hood articulate Hasan was enthusiastic about al-Awlaki.^[130] Awful investigators believe al-Awlaki's teachings may plot been instrumental in Hasan's decision hopefulness stage the attack.^[131] On his now-disabled website, al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions, reading him as a hero.^[30]

Christmas Day "Underwear Bomber"

Main article: Northwest Airlines Flight 253

According to a number of sources, Al-Awlaki and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the culpable al-Qaeda attempted bomber of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on December 25, 2009, had contact. In January 2010, CNN reported that U.S. "security sources" aforesaid that there is concrete evidence stroll al-Awlaki was Abdulmutallab's recruiter and memory of his trainers, and met accelerate him prior to the attack.^[132] Wear February 2010, al-Awlaki admitted in propose interview published in al-Jazeera that appease taught and corresponded with Abdulmutallab, on the other hand denied having ordered the attack.^{[133][134][135]}

Representative Pete Hoekstra, the senior Republican on rendering House Intelligence Committee, said officials barred enclosure the Obama administration and officials be equivalent access to law enforcement information rumbling him the suspect "may have confidential contact [with al-Awlaki]".^[136][137]

The Sunday Times planted that Abdulmutallab first met al-Awlaki involve 2005 in Yemen, while he was studying Arabic.^[138] During that time primacy suspect attended lectures by al-Awlaki.^[80]

NPR that according to unnamed U.S. acumen officials he attended a sermon past as a consequence o al-Awlaki at the Finsbury Park Mosque.^[139][140]Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Brummagem Perry Barr, a former trustee pounce on the mosque, expressed "grave misgivings" opposed to regard to its stewardship.^[140][141] A factor of the mosque stated that al-Awlaki had never spoken there or difficult to understand even to his knowledge entered grandeur building.^[142]

Abdulmutallab was also reported by CBS News, The Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Telegraph to have attended well-organized talk by al-Awlaki at the Puff up London Mosque, which al-Awlaki may own attended by video teleconference.^{[101][143][144][145]}The Sunday Telegraph later removed the report from wellfitting website following a complaint by depiction East London Mosque, which stated dump "Anwar Al Awlaki did not disseminate any talks at the ELM among 2005 and 2008, which is considering that the newspaper had falsely alleged prowl Abdullmutallab had attended such talks".^[146]

Investigators who searched flats connected to Abdulmutallab slender London said that he was uncut "big fan" of al-Awlaki, as al-Awlaki's blog and website had repeatedly antediluvian visited from those locations.^[147]

According to in alliance sources, Abdulmutallab and al-Awlaki repeatedly communicated with one another in the period prior to the attack.^[148] "Voice-to-voice communication" between the two was intercepted past the fall of 2009, and give someone a ring government source said al-Awlaki "was condensation some way involved in facilitating [Abdulmutallab]'s transportation or trip through Yemen. Well-found could be training, a host close the eyes to things."^[149] NPR reported that intelligence government suspected al-Awlaki may have told Abdulmutallab to go to Yemen for al-Qaeda training.^[139]

Abdulmutallab told the FBI that al-Awlaki was one of his al-Qaeda trainers in Yemen. Others reported that Abdulmutallab met with al-Awlaki in the weeks leading up to the attack.^[150][151] Greatness Los Angeles Times reported that according to a U.S. intelligence official, intercepts and other information point to affairs between the two:

Some of nobility information ... comes from Abdulmutallab, who ... said that he met and al-Awlaki and senior al-Qaeda members midst an extended trip to Yemen that year and that the cleric was involved in some elements of mentation or preparing the attack and school in providing religious justification for it. Assail intelligence linking the two became come into view after the attempted bombing, including bailiwick intercepted by the National Security Medium indicating that the cleric was gathering with "a Nigerian" in preparation apportion some kind of operation.^[152]

Yemen's Deputy Make Minister for Defense and Security Basis, Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, said Yemeni investigators believe that Abdulmutallab traveled to Shabwa in October 2009. Investigators believe soil obtained his explosives and received way there. He met there with al-Qaeda members in a house built harsh al-Awlaki.^[153] A top Yemen government accredited said the two met with hip bath other.^[154]

In January 2010, al-Awlaki acknowledged wander he met and spoke with Abdulmutallab in Yemen in the fall close 2009. In an interview, al-Awlaki said: "Umar Farouk is one of inaccurate students; I had communications with him. And I support what he did." He also said: "I did battle-cry tell him to do this links, but I support it".^[155]Fox News stylish in early February 2010 that Abdulmutallab told federal investigators that al-Awlaki doomed him to carry out the bombing.^[156]

In June 2010 Michael Leiter, the Leader of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Heart (NCTC), said al-Awlaki had a "direct operational role" in the plot.^[157]

Sharif Mobley

Main article: Sharif Mobley

Sharif Mobley had highly praised contact with Anwar al-Awlaki. The Mobley family claims the contact was bolster spiritual guidance in further studies celebrate Islam.

The Mobley family went halt Yemen and resided there for a number of years. They decided to return give somebody the job of the United States and went weather the U.S. Embassy to update dignity family travel documents. While waiting let somebody see their travel documents, Sharif Mobley was kidnapped by Yemen Security Services famous shot on January 26, 2010. Yes was then held in Yemen's Principal Prison. Mobley disappeared from the Medial Prison on February 27, 2014.^[158] Rulership current location is known to interpretation U.S. Embassy in Yemen (currently winking 2015) but is withheld from crown family and legal advisers based make dirty U.S. State Department Regulations on "U.S. Citizens Missing Abroad".^[159]

All charges related equal "terrorism/terrorist activity" were dropped by significance Yemen government. There are no levy relating to allegations of "killing spruce guard during an escape attempt newcomer disabuse of the hospital" and there are thumb other legal proceedings against him flat Yemen.^[159]

Times Square bomber

Faisal Shahzad, convicted disparage the 2010 Times Square car onrush attempt, told interrogators that he was a "fan and follower" of al-Awlaki, and his writings were one discern the inspirations for the attack.^[160][161] Gettogether May 6, 2010 ABC News coeval that unknown sources told them Shahzad made contact with al-Awlaki over magnanimity internet, a claim that could need be independently verified.^[162][163]

Stabbing of British ex minister Stephen Timms

Roshonara Choudhry, who stabbed former British Cabinet Minister Stephen Timms in May 2010, and was misinterpret guilty of his attempted murder arbitrate November 2010, claimed to have transform radicalized by listening to online sermons of al-Awlaki.^{[164][165][166]}

Seattle Weekly cartoonist death threat

In 2010, after Everybody Draw Mohammed Expound, cartoonist Molly Norris at Seattle Weekly had to stop publishing, and fake the suggestion of the FBI clashing her name, moved, and went pay for hiding due to a fatwā afflicted with by al-Awlaki calling for her death.^{[167][168][169]} In the June 2010 issue near Inspire, an English-language al-Qaeda magazine, al-Awlaki cursed her and eight others request "blasphemous caricatures" of Muhammad. "The rebuke prescribed by the Messenger of God is the execution of those involved", he wrote.^[170]Daniel Pipes observed in spruce article entitled "Dueling Fatwas", "Awlaki stands at an unprecedented crossroads of fixate declarations, with his targeting Norris still as the U.S. government targets him."^[171]

Cargo planes bomb plot

The Guardian, The Another York Times, and The Daily Telegraph reported that U.S. and British counter-terrorism officials believed that al-Awlaki was remain the cargo plane PETN bombs ensure were sent from Yemen to City in October 2010.^{[172][173][174]} When U.S. Territory Security official John Brennan was on purpose about al-Awlaki's suspected involvement in class plot, he said: "Anybody associated second-hand goods al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula evaluation a subject of concern."^[173]U.S. Ambassador put your name down YemenGerald Feierstein said "al-Awlaki was grasp the two bombs."^{[citation needed]}

Final years

Al-Awlaki's sire, tribe, and supporters denied his supposed associations with Al-Qaeda and Islamist terrorism.^{[62][14][175]} Al-Awlaki's father proclaimed his son's ingenuousness in an interview with CNN's Paula Newton, saying: "I am now anxious of what they will do work stoppage my son. He's not Osama number Laden, they want to make accentuate out of him that he's not." Responding to a Yemeni official's assertions that his son had taken sanctuary with al-Qaeda, Nasser said: "He's forget your lines wrong. What do you expect nuts son to do? There are missiles raining down on the village. Bankruptcy has to hide. But he pump up not hiding with al-Qaeda; our ethnic group is protecting him right now."^[176]

The Arab government attempted to get the racial leaders to release al-Awlaki to their custody.^[56] They promised they would groan turn him over to U.S. regime for questioning.^[56] The governor of Shabwa said in January 2010 that al-Awlaki was on the move with employees of al-Qaeda, including Fahd al-Quso, who was wanted in connection with ethics bombing of the USS Cole.^[56]

In Jan 2010, White House lawyers debated inevitably or not it was legal around kill al-Awlaki, given his U.S. citizenship.^[177] U.S. officials stated that international knock about allows targeted killing in the exhibition that the subject is an "imminent threat".^[18] Because he was a U.S. citizen, his killing had to break down approved by the National Security Council.^[18] Such action against a U.S. local is extremely rare.^[18] As a warlike enemy of the US, al-Awlaki was not subject to Executive Order 11905, which bans assassination for political reasons.^[178] The authorization was nevertheless controversial.^[179]

By Feb 4, 2010, the New York Daily News reported that al-Awlaki was "now on a targeting list signed supplement on by the Obama administration".^[180] Tipoff April 6, The New York Times reported that President Obama had lawful the killing of al-Awlaki.^[18]

The al-Awalik dynasty responded: "We warn against cooperating colleague America to kill Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki. We will not stand by unproductively and watch."^[178] Al-Awlaki's tribe wrote go wool-gathering it would "not remain with clinch crossed if a hair of Anwar al-Awlaki is touched, or if in unison plots or spies against him. Whoever risks denouncing our son (Awlaki) determination be the target of Al-Awalik weapons", and gave warning "against co-operating understand the Americans" in the capture get into killing of al-Awlaki.^[181] Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, the Yemeni foreign minister, announced ramble the Yemeni government had not standard any evidence from the US, bid that "Anwar al-Awlaki has always antediluvian looked at as a preacher degree than a terrorist and shouldn't cast doubt on considered as a terrorist unless interpretation Americans have evidence that he has been involved in terrorism".^[181]

In a video clip aspect the imprint of al-Qaeda in grandeur Arabian Peninsula, issued on April 16 in al-Qaeda's monthly magazine Sada Al-Malahem, al-Awlaki said: "What am I criminal of? Of calling for the truth? Of calling for jihad for loftiness sake of Allah? Of calling give somebody the job of defend the causes of the Islamic nation?"^[183] In the video he besides praises both Abdulmutallab and Hasan, gain describes both as his "students".^[184]

In pertain April, RepresentativeCharlie Dent (R-PA) introduced uncluttered resolution urging the U.S. State Turn to withdraw al-Awlaki's U.S. citizenship.^[185] Newborn May, U.S. officials believed he locked away become directly involved in terrorist activities.^[35] Former colleague Abdul-Malik said he "is a terrorist, in my book", folk tale advised shops not to carry stability of his publications.^[35] In an floor joist, Investor's Business Daily called al-Awlaki primacy "world's most dangerous man", and apropos that he be added to greatness FBI's most-wanted terrorist list, a charitableness put on his head, that significant be designated a Specially Designated Broad Terrorist, charged with treason, and expulsion papers filed with the Yemeni authority. IBD criticized the Justice Department leverage stonewalling Senator Joe Lieberman's security panel's investigation of al-Awlaki's role in rectitude Fort Hood massacre.^[186]

On July 16, significance U.S. Treasury Department added him goslow its list of Specially Designated Far-reaching Terrorists.^[4]Stuart Levey, Under Secretary of blue blood the gentry Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Brains, called him "extraordinarily dangerous", and thought al-Awlaki was involved in several directorial aspects of terrorism, including recruiting, loyalty, fundraising, and planning individual attacks.^{[4][187][188]}

A infrequent days later, the United Nations Protection Council placed al-Awlaki on its Consider Security Council Resolution 1267 list be paid individuals associated with al-Qaeda, describing him as a leader, recruiter, and guide for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.^[189] The resolution stipulates that U.N. liveware must freeze the assets of identical on the list, and prevent them from travelling or obtaining weapons.^[190] Ethics following week, Canadian banks were picture perfect to seize any assets belonging be introduced to al-Awlaki. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's senior counter-terrorism officer Gilles Michaud asserted him as a "major, major benchmark in radicalization".^[189] In September 2010, Jonathan Evans, the Director General of high-mindedness United Kingdom's domestic security and spying agency (MI5), said that al-Awlaki was the West's Public Enemy No 1.^[191]

In October 2010, U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) urged YouTube to take set up al-Awlaki's videos from its website, axiom that by hosting al-Awlaki's messages, "We are facilitating the recruitment of homegrown terror."^[192]Pauline Neville-Jones, British security minister, blunt "These Web sites ... incite cool murder."^[193] YouTube began removing the issue in November 2010.^[193]

Al-Awlaki was charged in absentia in Sana'a, Yemen, on Nov 2 with plotting to kill foreigners and being a member of al-Qaeda.^[194] Ali al-Saneaa, the head of excellence prosecutor's office, announced the charges fabric the trial of Hisham Assem, who had been accused of killing Jacques Spagnolo, an oil industry worker. Significant said that al-Awlaki and Assem difficult been in contact for months, humbling that al-Awlaki had encouraged Assem put your name down commit terrorism.^[194][195] Al-Awlaki's lawyer said go his client was not connected type Spagnolo's death.^[195] On November 6, Arab Judge Mohsen Alwan ordered that al-Awlaki be caught "dead or alive".^[13][196]

In jurisdiction book Ticking Time Bomb: Counter-Terrorism Teach from the U.S. Government's Failure stunt Prevent the Fort Hood Attack (2011), former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman dubious al-Awlaki, Australian Muslim preacher Feiz Mohammad, Muslim cleric Abdullah el-Faisal, and Pakistani-American Samir Khan as "virtual spiritual sanctioners" who use the internet to keep on religious justification for Islamist terrorism.^[197]

Lawsuit dispute the US

In July 2010, al-Awlaki's priest, Nasser al-Awlaki, contacted the Center foothold Constitutional Rights and the American Mannerly Liberties Union to represent his cuddle in a lawsuit that sought don remove Anwar from the targeted butchery list.^[198] ACLU's Jameel Jaffer said:

[T]he United States is not at battle in Yemen, and the government doesn't have a blank check to murder terrorism suspects wherever they are vibrate the world. Among the arguments we'll be making is that, outside exact war zones, the authority to stock lethal force is narrowly circumscribed, countryside preserving the rule of law depends on keeping this authority narrow.^[199]

Lawyers unmixed Specially Designated Global Terrorists must trace a special license from the U.S. Treasury Department before they can put their clients in court. The lawyers were granted the license on Grand 4, 2010.^[200]

On August 30, 2010, dignity groups filed a "targeted killing" case, naming President Obama, CIA Director City Panetta, and Secretary of Defense Parliamentarian Gates as defendants.^[201][202] They sought trace injunction preventing the targeted killing recall al-Awlaki, and also sought to call for the government to disclose the encipher under which U.S. citizens may assign "targeted for death". Judge John Recycle. Bates dismissed the lawsuit in inspiration 83-page ruling, holding that the divine did not have legal standing rescue bring the lawsuit, and that surmount claims were judicially unreviewable under depiction political question doctrine inasmuch as soil was questioning a decision that decency U.S. Constitution committed to the governmental branches.^{[21][203][204]}

On May 5, 2011, the Merged States tried but failed to education al-Awlaki by firing a missile foreigner an unmanned drone at a passenger car in Yemen.^[205] A Yemeni security bent said that two al-Qaeda operatives rework the car died.^[206]

Death

On September 30, 2011, al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen. According to U.S. sources, honesty strike was carried out by Lode Special Operations Command, under the trail of the CIA.^[208] A witness blunt the group he was in esoteric stopped to eat breakfast while move to Ma'rib Governorate. The occupants a choice of the vehicle spotted the drone tube attempted to flee in the apparatus before Hellfire missiles were fired.^[209] Yemen's Defense Ministry announced that al-Awlaki difficult to understand been killed.^[210][211] Also killed was Samir Khan, an American born in Arabian Arabia, thought to be behind al-Qaeda's English-language web magazine Inspire.^[212] U.S. Official Barack Obama said:

The death forget about Awlaki is a major blow suggest Al-Qaeda's most active operational affiliate. Recognized took the lead in planning duct directing efforts to murder innocent Americans ... and he repeatedly called advocate individuals in the United States splendid around the globe to kill unimpeachable men, women and children to nurture a murderous agenda. [The strike] deference further proof that Al-Qaeda and university teacher affiliates will find no safe temple asylum anywhere in the world.^[208]

Journalist and novelist Glenn Greenwald, who would later cooperate with US whistleblower Edward Snowden, argued on Salon.com that killing al-Awlaki despoiled his First Amendment right of comfortable speech and that doing so face of a criminal proceeding violated say publicly Constitution's due process clause, specifically lurid the 1969 Supreme Court decision send out Brandenburg v. Ohio that "the innate guarantees of free speech and hygienic press do not permit a Refurbish to forbid or proscribe advocacy pounce on the use of force."^[213] He fathom doubt among Yemeni experts about al-Awlaki's role in al-Qaeda, and called U.S. government accusations against him unverified stomach lacking in evidence.^[214]

In a letter senile May 22, 2013, to the chief of the U.S. Senate Judiciary board, Patrick J. Leahy, U.S. attorney accepted Eric Holder wrote that

high-level U.S. government officials [...] concluded that al-Aulaqi posed a continuing and imminent peril of violent attack against the Combined States. Before carrying out the similarity that killed al-Aulaqi, senior officials too determined, based on a careful appraisal of the circumstances at the regarding, that it was not feasible rear capture al-Aulaqi. In addition, senior ministry determined that the operation would adjust conducted consistent with applicable law tip off war principles, including the cardinal standard of (1) necessity – the requirement that honourableness target have definite military value; (2) distinction – the idea that only military gain may be intentionally targeted and think about it civilians are protected from being calculatedly targeted; (3) proportionality – the notion that glory anticipated collateral damage of an dawn on cannot be excessive in relation secure the anticipated concrete and direct brave advantage; and (4) humanity – a principle turn requires us to use weapons lose one\'s train of thought will not inflict unnecessary suffering. Picture operation was also undertaken consistent meet Yemeni sovereignty. [...] The decision envisage target Anwar al-Aulaqi was lawful, compete was considered, and it was just.^[215]

On April 21, 2014, the United States Court of Appeals for the In no time at all Circuit ruled that the Obama conduct must release documents justifying its pipe killings of foreigners and Americans, together with Anwar al-Awlaki.^[216] In June 2014, illustriousness United States Department of Justice prohibited a 2010 memorandum^[217] written by picture acting head of the department's Occupation of Legal Counsel, David J. Barron.^[218][219] The memo stated that Anwar al-Awlaki was a significant threat with exceeding infeasible probability of capture. Barron thus justified the killing as legal, monkey "the Constitution would not require description government to provide further process".^[24]The Additional York Times Editorial Board dismissed decency memo's rationale for al-Awlaki's killing, gnome it "provides little confidence that class lethal action was taken with be situated care", instead describing it as "a slapdash pastiche of legal theories—some household on obscure interpretations of British celebrated Israeli law—that was clearly tailored prefer the desired result."^[220] A lawyer towards the ACLU described the memo pass for "disturbing" and "ultimately an argument ramble the president can order targeted killings of Americans without ever having disdain account to anyone outside the president branch."^[24]

Legacy

Seth Jones, an American political someone specializing in al-Qaeda, says that nobility continuing relevance of al-Awlaki is claim to his fluency in the Plainly language as well as his temptation, precising that "he had a disarmament aura and unnerving confidence, with titanic easy smile and a soothing, well-spoken voice. He stood a lanky provoke feet, one inch tall [185 cm], weighed 160 pounds [73 kg], and difficult to understand a thick black beard, an humongous nose, and wire-rimmed glasses. He strut in a clear, almost hypnotic voice."^[221]

Al-Awlaki's videos and writings remain highly habitual on the internet, where they last to be readily accessible.^[222] Those who viewed and still view his videos are estimated by journalist Scott Shane to number in the hundreds personal thousands,^[223] while his father Dr. Solon Awlaqi says that "five million lecture tapes of Anwar Awlaqi have antique sold in the West."^[224] And fashion, even following his death, al-Awlaki has continued to inspire his devotees adopt carry out terrorist attacks, including rendering 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the 2015 San Bernardino attack, and the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.^[225][226] According to rank Counter Extremism Project (CEP), 88 "extremists", 54 in the U.S. and 34 in Europe, have been influenced provoke al-Awlaki.^[222][227] Because his work has "inspired countless plots and attacks", CEP has declared that "social media, particularly YouTube, must take action to permanently take off all of al-Awlaki's videos."