Awlaki, Anwar al (1971–)

An Islamic preacher who morphed from a mainstream American Muslim into one of al Qaeda's most public personalities and influential voices, Anwar al Awlaki has come to rank among America's most wanted terrorists. He has been directly linked to multiple terrorist plots in the United States and the United Kingdom, and, thanks to the Internet, his numerous sermons and propaganda videos have allowed him to spread his message around the world.

Awlaki is an American citizen. Born to Yemeni parents in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 1971, he spent the early years of his life in the United States before his family moved back to Yemen. Over the next 11 years, the young Awlaki gained the requisite cultural experience and tools that would later help him bridge American and Arab culture.

In 1991, Awlaki returned to the United States on an education grant from the Yemeni government in order to attend college at Colorado State University. While pursuing a bachelors of science degree in civil engineering, he became active within the Muslim student association on campus. In 1994 he began preaching for the Denver Islamic Society, which he did for two years before deciding to leave Colorado and move to San Diego, California, where he began working on a graduate degree in educational leadership at San Diego State University.

While in San Diego, Awlaki assumed the role of imam at a local mosque, Masjid Ar-Ribat al Islami. It was in that role that he reportedly came into contact with two of the future 9/11 hijackers, Nawaf al Hazmi and Khalid al Mihdhar. Some reports suggest that Awlaki's relationship to the hijackers grew very close in 2000. However, although the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating Awlaki's ties to terrorism as early as June 1999, they did not find sufficient incriminating evidence to take action against him.

After spending four years in San Diego, al Awlaki decided to leave in 2000, eventually settling in the Washington, D.C., metro area in January 2001. He became imam at the Dar al Hijrah mosque, located in Falls Church, Virginia, and also served as a Muslim chaplain at George Washington University. Before the 9/11 attacks, al Awlaki came into contact with another al Qaeda operative and 9/11 hijacker, Hani Hanjour. Both Hanjour and Hamzi attended Awlaki's sermons.

In the weeks after the 9/11 attacks, the FBI reportedly conducted eight interviews with [Page 80]Awlaki, but they acquired no further incriminating information on any possible connection between him and al Qaeda. Nonetheless, feeling increased pressure from law enforcement, Awlaki moved to the United Kingdom in 2002, where he established a dedicated following of young British Muslims. It was during this time that he rose to prominence within the Western Islamic world. His easygoing style, colloquial use of English, and the accessible content of his lectures made him popular with diverse audiences, in spite of his lack of extensive formal religious training. British Muslims who attended his talks during this time have commented on how exciting it was for them to hear an American with his rhetorical skills.

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