Radicalization
Abdulmutallab in contact with jihadists since 2007, fostered worldwide network of contacts while in London
British police are focusing on Abdulmutallab’s time at University College London (UCL). In an examination of emails and texts, they have found him to be in contact with jihadists across the globe since 2007. Abdulmutallab’s examined emails fantasized about jihad: “I won’t go into too much details about me [sic] fantasy but basically they are…
Guesswork on Abdulmutallab’s potential radicalization in London
From December 25, 2009, there has been ample news coverage in the UK on the attempted terrorist attack on a flight to Detroit, as the alleged bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had formerly been a student at University College in London. News reports try to uncover whether Abdulmutallab had always held fundamentalist views or whether he…
Abdulmutallab and Hasan linked to Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, full body scanners go unused at Nigerian airports
Abdulmutallab is believed to have met with al-Qaida operatives in a house used by extremist Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. He has also been linked to Major Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter. Yemeni’s deputy prime minister believes the cleric is alive, although Obama officials believed he was killed December 24 on an air strike on a…
Abdulmutallab’s time in Yemen: was Arabic course a cover?
Abdulmutallab is said to have spend six months in Yemen, but officials at the San’a Institute for the Arabic Language claim he was only enrolled during the month of Ramadan which began in late August. One of his teachers said Abdulmutallab spent the last 10 days of Ramadan in a mosque, attending the 20-hour course…
Abdulmutallab’s radicalization began in Togo, continued on in London, but solidified in Yemen
According to authorities, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s radicalization began during his days in private school in Togo, and continued on during his time in London. But the crucial point in his radicalization process occurred on his trip to Yemen earlier this year to study Arabic for six months at the Institute for the Arabic Language. Students…