The NEFA Foundation has released a new Backgrounder by NEFA Senior Analyst Madeleine Gruen titled, "Abdullah al-Faisal: Extremist Ideologue with Influence in the West." Al-Faisal is an extremist ideologue based in Jamaica who reaches supporters worldwide via the Internet, and through extensive international travel, particularly to Africa.
Al-Faisal formerly resided in the UK, and was of such sufficient concern there that he was arrested for inciting murder. In addition to inspiring many young Western Muslims to travel abroad for training or to participate in violent jihad, al-Faisal has been credited with providing spiritual mentorship to men connected with terrorist acts and major plots, including 7/7 London transit bombers Mohammed Sidique Khan and Germaine Lindsay, and James Ujaama, an American who conspired to establish a jihad training camp in Bly, Oregon.
In 2003, al-Faisal became the first person in 100 years to be found guilty in British court of soliciting murder under section four of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, on the basis that he "encouraged others to murder persons unknown." He was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was released in May 2007 after serving only four years, and was extradited, after release, back to his native Jamaica. Since his release, al-Faisal has resumed preaching the same brand of extremist Islam that had precipitated his arrest and landed him in prison.
---------------------------
The NEFA team is comprised of experienced investigators, researchers, analysts, and partners in the U.S. and abroad who have access to a worldwide network of sources and information. The multi-lingual team has decades of experience in investigating terrorism and terrorist financing, global communications, and cyber-terrorism.
