Anwar al-Awlaki (also spelled Aulaqi; Arabic: أنور العولقي Anwar al-‘Awlaqī; born April 22, 1971 in Las Cruces, New Mexico) is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Yemen, and of Yemeni descent.[9] He is an Islamic lecturer, spiritual leader, and former imam who has purportedly inspired Islamic terrorists against the West and, according to U.S. government officials, also become “operational” as a senior talent recruiter, motivator, and participant in planning and training "for al-Qaeda and all of its franchises".[3][7][10][11][12][13] The U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence warned that al-Awlaki "is extraordinarily dangerous, committed to carrying out deadly attacks on Americans and others worldwide".[6] With a blog, a Facebook page, and many YouTube videos, he has been described as the "bin Laden of the Internet".[14][15]
Al-Awlaki's sermons were attended by three of the 9/11 hijackers. He reportedly met privately with at least two of them in San Diego, and one moved from there to Falls Church, Virginia, as al-Awlaki moved.[16][17] Investigators suspect al-Awlaki may have known about the 9/11 attacks in advance.[16] In 2009, unnamed U.S. officials said he was promoted to the rank of "regional commander" within al-Qaeda.[4][18]
His sermons were also attended by accused Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. 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]."[19][20] After the Fort Hood shooting, al-Awlaki praised Hasan's actions.[21][22] In addition, "Christmas Day bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab said al-Awlaki was one of his al-Qaeda trainers, meeting with him and involved in planning or preparing the attack, and provided religious justification for it, according to unnamed U.S. intelligence officials.[23][24][25] In March 2010, al‑Awlaki said in a videotape delivered to CNN that jihad against America was binding upon himself and every other able Muslim.[26][27]
U.S. President Barack Obama approved the targeted killing of al-Awlaki by April 2010, making al-Awlaki the first U.S. citizen ever placed on the CIA target list. That required the consent of the U.S. National Security Council, and officials said it was appropriate for an individual who posed an imminent danger to national security.[28][29][30][31] In May 2010, Faisal Shahzad, who pleaded guilty to the 2010 Times Square car bombing attempt, told interrogators he was "inspired by" al-Awlaki, and sources said Shahzad had made contact with al-Awlaki over the internet.[32][33][34] Representative Jane Harman called him "terrorist number one", and Investor's Business Daily called him "the world's most dangerous man".[35][36] In July 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department added him to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, and the UN added him to its list of individuals associated with al-Qaeda.[5][37] In August 2010, al-Awlaki's father initiated a lawsuit against the U.S. government with the ACLU, challenging its order to kill Al-Awlaki.[38] Al-Awlaki is believed to be in hiding in Yemen.
source wikipedia
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