Jamaican cleric inspired Times Square bomber

Linked to UK deportee Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal

JamaicaObserver.com

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

FAISAL Shazad the Pakistani-American man accused of attempting the failed Times Square bombing has told United States authorities that he was inspired to act by Jamaican Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal and Anwar al-Awlaki — an American-born imam who has been linked to an al-Qaida group in Yemen.

National Public Radio reported that Shahzad, who made his first court appearance yesterday faces five felony charges. He was arrested on May 3 in New York while trying to leave the country by plane.

Al Faisal has been linked to two of the men who blew up trains in Britain in 2005. He was a mentor to a Jamaican convert, Germaine Lindsay, who died in that 2005 suicide bombing. He has also been linked to a terrorism training camp in Oregon, USA several years ago.

He was an imam at the Brixton Mosque in London when Richard Reid, the shoe bomber — also of Jamaican parentage — worshipped there. Zacharias Moussaoui, the 20th hijacker in the September 11 attacks, was also a follower of his.

Al Faisal was sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for calling for the killing of Jews, Americans and Hindus in one of his CD lectures. After serving more than four years, he was deported to Jamaica.

Last year he slipped out of the country and ended up in Africa and was deported back here from Kenya earlier this year for allegedly trying to recruit people there for violent Jihad.

He has been placed on an international terrorist watch list as counter-terrorism operatives say his is a powerful voice in the violent Jihadi movement who seem to inspire Muslims to violence.

Jamaican police say they have been keeping a close watch on the activities of the controversial Muslim cleric, who is banned from preaching here.

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COMMENTS (21)

howie J
5/19/2010

He had already given various reasons for his motives, none of which had anything to do with influences outside of Pakistan. He mentioned that he was upset about his friends getting killed by CIA missile strikes. He gave another reason about having personal crisis in his life and he said that he was coerced and acted out of feared for the life of his family in Pakistan. This was when his memory was still fresh.
We will hopefully hear thru’ what medium this Jamaican was able to influence him.

Antonette W.
5/19/2010

Just what JA needs; one more problem to worry about. I think police have to do more than physically watch this man. Do they realize that the internet is a powerful tool for these people? Jamaicans can do so much good but a few bad apples make us look so bad. One Jamaican man (Richard Reid) has now made it necessary for every traveller to remove shoes at the security checkpoints!

Anancy Bedward
5/19/2010

I wonder if Al Faisal had inspired youths that went on to become good doctors, scholars, statesmen etc his Jamaican heritage would be emphasised as it is now in these reports. I am not making excuses for him but he cut his cloth in "modern, cultured and civilised" England not Jamaica!!
.
It was England that provided the environment that inspired him to become a spiritual and intellectual Jihadist not Jamaica!!

Anthony Johnson
5/19/2010

I wonder if Bruce can beg U.S. fe tek dis ya man yah. Im not even fe end up inna jamaican prison because every one of de prisoner dem might a turn terrorist. Dis man is sick. We need fe drive this crazy baldhead out of town. Dis Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal lick him head. Head no good.

K G
5/19/2010

Christian fundamentalism is but a step away from Islamic fundamentalism. Beware Jamaica. The seeds of religious intolerance has been planted, God forbid if these Christian nut cases in Jamaica decide to become Muslim fundamentalist.

John John
5/19/2010

Why is this wanna be muslim allowed to roam free in Jamaica?
The garbage he is spreading will have severe repercussions for all Jamaicans.
Don't believe me? Go ask any law abiding muslim.
When they travel, they are inspected upside down.
If we allow this wanna be to spread his garbage in Jamaica, and God forbid, some idiot follows his directions and it is traced back to Jamaica, then ALL JAMAICANS BETTER BE PREPARED TO HAVE THEIR MOST INNER PRIVATE BODY PARTS SEARCHED AROUND THE WORLD when they travel.
Either,
Imprison this wanna be muslim garbage
or
deport him to Maddens Funeral home.

Wilfred Gray
5/19/2010

`Nicholas, have n ofears,we are christians country.
The same one let out of jail ,where they have them in guantanomo Bay, and send him outdeh, fi smears us.
we are christians and rastafari people,,
no sah, not muslims, we respect others, but we not into changing from what we are and grow up as, christians soljas
christians.
rastafaris, a bible too, temples..SOLOMONIC, ORTHODOX.
lets teach them..
why england never keep in jail as long him to al quaeda..he is als against Jamaica...why Obama nuh extradite him and put him a guantanomo..we really like Bush.
we nuh muslims and dem `man `sometimes wear, things weh look like forcks, that we are not into either.

TEDDY JONES
5/19/2010

@Thomas Mc. Did the Americans tell the brits to imprison him and then deport him? Was it the Americans who told Kenya to stop him from preaching? I am very aware of the propoganda that comes from many first world countries but must we paint everything with the same brush? How did he get to leave Jamaica without the authorities knowing about it? If he is alleged to be involved in those things isn't it only fair that in the interest of public safety that at least our local law enforcers need to be a bit more vigilant... but then again thats perhaps quite a stretch to ask or expect of them, when there is so much bungling and mishandling of the home grown terrorism.

Nicolas Henry
5/19/2010

Just when we thought it couln't get worst. WOW, soon no country will accept Jamaicans.

Thomas MacDermoth
5/19/2010

Anyone ever wonder why America is the only country that issues these news report on all these people.
If all our source of news is the US, we are not as smart or as infomed as we think we are.
Get another new source and attemtpt to free your mind...

tina chambers
5/19/2010

Bwoy..Jamaicans, Jamaicans..if a egg we in a di RED!!!!

Claude Ingram
5/19/2010

Pack your bags my “yute”. Looks like you are going to get your US Visa.

tatiana chin
5/19/2010

Why doesn't he blow himself up since he wants to reach the promise land...instead of sending his followers. He is a damn coward if you ask me. These people pump up these naive souls who are looking for leadership yet still they are still here. If the world is so bad and full of evil people; then get the hell out!!!

Hotta Fire
5/19/2010

See it deh now all jamaican muslim inspiring terrorists. But US can deal wid him, we need to deal decisively wid our homegrown terrorist that fire bomb young jamaicans car and go abroad and commint over 1400 murders. Bruce you must go, the longer you take the hotta fire going burn. Go look fi Aristide or gwaan a zimbabwe go wuk pon kalonji farm wid dudus.

Chris Thompson
5/19/2010

@John Smith. I share the same view, just wondering why the heck we need to get involved in terrorist activities. For all I care this man should get life in prison but I guess they don't have enough grounds to charge him in Jamaica. With everything that is happening, we don't need this!

Susan C
5/19/2010

Apparently this guy has to link the Jamaican Cleric seeing that he was deported from the African countries and has been quiet ever since.

Brad Kerr
5/19/2010

Can we extradite this man to Saudi Arbia before he starts to corupt the minds of young under privilleged men in Jamaica. If he is allowed to take root in Ja , if you think we have problems now then wait. Just a thought.. get him out.

Paul Lewis
5/19/2010

Tell this to those that say D.J's words cant do anything...if that is all you know then it is schooling. Messages are powerful and the receivers can act on them....so those sending them should act responsibly.

Hombrina Sanchez
5/19/2010

really now. dont you guys get the message. if this is terrorism then you maybe need to hire inspector clouseau.

Droula Don
5/19/2010

I dont even know what to say about this. These people are just crazy!!!!

John Smith
5/19/2010

Everyting, everyweh, wi deh deh... Has its good sides in the likes of Bolt et al. Then you have these people... Why don't they just go to some isolated spot and blow themselves up, putting them and everyone else out of their misery?

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Jamaican cleric inspired Times Square bomber