Rahman, Omar Abdel (1939–)

Blind cleric Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, said to be an icon of Islamic terrorists, is serving a life sentence in the United States for inciting and masterminding the terror ring that carried out the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City. Investigators in the bombing case charged that Rahman preached anti-Western sermons, calling the United States “the greatest enemy of Islam,” that incited his followers and offered guidance as the bombers chose their targets. U.S. officials have said that Rahman is continuing to plot and inspire acts of terror while behind bars.

Born in Egypt, Rahman was the spiritual leader of the Gama'a al-Islamiyya, Egypt's largest terrorist organization. The Gama'a seeks to overthrow the Egyptian government and replace it with an Islamic theocracy. As Gama'a grew, Rahman himself became an internationally known symbol of opposition to the Egyptian secular authorities. When ...