Abu Izzadeen

Abu Izzadeen (Arabic: ابو عز الدين‎, Abū ‘Izz ad-Dīn, born Trevor Brooks, 18 April 1975), is a British spokesman for Al Ghurabaa, a British Muslim organisation banned under the Terrorism Act 2006 for the glorification of terrorism.[1] He was convicted on charges of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas on 17 April 2008,[2] and sentenced to four and a half years in jail. He was released in May 2009,[3] after serving three and a half years, including time on remand.

Personal background

Abu Izzadeen is a British citizen born on 18 April 1975 in Hackney, east London, to a family originally from Jamaica. Brooks converted to Islam the day before he turned 18, on 17 April 1993, changing his name to Omar, but preferring to be called Abu Izadeen. He is fluent in Arabic.[4][5]

He trained and worked for a while as an electrician. He and his Arab-born wife Mokhtaria were married in 1998. They have three children.[5][6][7]

Political activities

Abu Izzadeen met Omar Bakri Muhammed and Abu Hamza al-Masri at Finsbury Park Mosque in the 1990s; this is when he is thought to have been radicalized.[6]

He visited Pakistan in 2001, before the September 11 attacks, as part of Al-Muhajiroun; he claims he went there to give a series of lectures. He also claimed to have attended terror training camps in Afghanistan.[5][6]

He described the 7/7 suicide bombers in London as "completely praiseworthy".[8]

On the eve of the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, he was filmed preaching to a group of Muslims in Birmingham mocking and laughing at those who believe in the war on terror and who feel a need to resist Islamic terrorism. He also mocked the courage of journalists who were captured by insurgents.[9]

He has openly stated that he wishes to die as a suicide bomber.[10]

On 20 September 2006, Abu Izadeen and Anjem Choudary disrupted Home Secretary John Reid's first public meeting with Muslims since his appointment. He called Reid an "enemy" of Islam.[11] John Humphrys interviewed Izzadeen on the 22 September 2006 edition of BBC Radio 4's Today programme. In a heated discussion Abu Izadeen stated that his aim was to bring about Sharia law in the UK and that this should be achieved without following the democratic process but rather "in accordance to the Islamic methodology".[12]

Arrests

February 2007

British police arrested Abu Izadeen on charges of inciting terrorism on 2 August 2007. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the arrest is related to an "on-going inquiry," involving a speech Abu Izadeen gave in the West Midlands area in 2006, which predates the 20 September 2006 incident.[13][14]

April 2007

He was arrested again in a pre-dawn police raid on 24 April 2007 under the Terrorism Act 2000 "in connection with inciting others to commit acts of terrorism overseas and terrorist fundraising". [15]

April 2008

On 17 April 2008 Izzadeen was among six men convicted at Kingston Crown Court of supporting terrorism, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of encouraging terrorism.[16] He was subsequently jailed for four and a half years.

November 2015

On 14 November 2015, Izzadeen and Sulayman Keeler were detained by Hungarian police at Lőkösháza, Hungary on a train heading to Bucharest, Romania, because they were not able to identify themselves.[17][18][19][20] During the time of their detention, on 17 November 2015, a European Arrest Warrant appeared in the Schengen Information System against both individuals. The two men did not inform the British authorities about leaving the UK despite the court decision ordering them to do so.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Terror treason charge considered BBC News
  2. ↑ Six guilty of terrorism support BBC News
  3. ↑ Radical preacher released early BBC News
  4. ↑ debate on Newsnight about Abu Izzadeen and extremism Youtube
  5. 1 2 3 Al Shafey, Mohammed (2006-05-09). "The UK's New Face of Radicalism". Asharq Alawsat. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  6. 1 2 3 "Wanted: three more wives for Islamist heckler". The Daily Mail (London). 2006-09-26. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
  7. ↑ "The electrician who turned into a radical". The Telegraph. 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
  8. ↑ Reborn extremist sect had key role in London protest Guardian Unlimited
  9. ↑ Smug British Terrorist mocks victims of 9/11, 7/7, etc Youtube
  10. ↑ Inside the sect that loves terror Times Online
  11. ↑ Reid heckled during Muslim speech BBC News
  12. ↑ BBC interview with Abu Izzadeen BBC Radio 4
  13. ↑ Reid Heckler Arrested Sky News
  14. ↑ "UK police arrest outspoken Muslim". CNN World (Cable News Network). 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  15. ↑ http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070424/tuk-britain-attacks-arrests-a7ad41d_1.html
  16. ↑ "Six guilty of terrorism support". BBC. 2008-04-17.
  17. ↑ http://444.hu/2015/11/18/jol-ismert-brit-iszlamista-hitszonokot-fogtak-lokoshazanal
  18. ↑ http://444.hu/2015/11/18/terrorfinanszirozasert-elitelt-angolokat-fogtak-lokoshazanal
  19. ↑ http://www.police.hu/hirek-es-informaciok/legfrissebb-hireink/hatarrendeszet/a-terrorizmus-segitoi-announcement
  20. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/us-hungary-britain-arrest-idUSKCN0T719R20151118
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