Ali Maychou was a U.S.-and U.N.-designated radical imam and senior leader in Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliated group in Mali. A Moroccan, Maychou joined al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in 2012 before co-founding JNIM with Iyad Ag Ghaly and masterminding its expansion in the Sahel in March of 2017.“In Central Mali, Civilian Populations Are Caught Between Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, November 2018, https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/fidh_centre-of-mali_population-sized-between-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism_727_en_november2018.pdf. Maychou along with his brother, Youssef Maychou, led a network that recruited and sent Moroccan fighters to northern Mali via Libya.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou. It was reported that Maychou was killed by French forces in an operation in Mali on October 9, 2019.“France claims death of top jihadist leader in Mali,” France 24, November 5, 2019, https://www.france24.com/en/20191105-france-claims-death-of-top-jihadist-leader-in-mali.

In May 2012, Ali Maychou joined the ranks of al-Mourabitoun, headed by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, and became a member of its religious police. In October 2012, he went to Timbuktu, at that time under the control of AQIM. He provided theological training to around 60 fighters, who were placed under the orders of Djamel Akkacha (a.k.a. Yahia Abou el Hammam).“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

After Operation Serval in 2014—a French military offensive to rout armed rebels and Islamist militants from Mali’s northern territories“France in Mali: A year of hunting jihadists in West Africa,” France 24, Janaury 11, 2014, https://www.france24.com/en/20140111-france-mali-military-intervention-operation-serval-anniversary-timeline.—Maychou took refuge in Ajdabiya, where he worked to establish contacts between AQIM and Libyan radical groups.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou. Maychou then served as the main media personality of AQIM in the Sahel. He made multiple statements, published by Al-Andalus, the media agency of AQIM. On January 20, 2017, Ali Maychou claimed, in an audio message, responsibility for the attack perpetrated on January 18, 2017 inside the camp of the MOC (Mécanisme Opérationnel de Coordination) in Gao which led to the death of over 50 people.“Al-Qaeda affiliate claims Mali car bomb attack in Gao,” BBC News, January 18, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38663693. The camp hosts elements of the Malian Armed Forces and members of the Platform and Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) who take part in mixed patrols, as put forward by the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

On March 1, 2017, Maychou appeared alongside Ag Ghaly, Yahya Abou Al Hamem of AQIM, Abu Hassan al-Ansari of Al-Mourabitoune, and Amadou Kouffa of the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), to announce the merger of their jihadist groups into a single movement, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam Wal-Mouslimin (JNIM).“In Central Mali, Civilian Populations Are Caught Between Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, November 2018, https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/fidh_centre-of-mali_population-sized-between-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism_727_en_november2018.pdf.

On July 16, 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in concert with the Department of State, designated Bah Ag Moussa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.“Terrorist Designation of Ali Maychou,” U.S. Department of State, July 16, 2019, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-ali-maychou/. On August 14, 2019, the United Nations ISIL (Da’esh) and al Qaeda Sanctions Committee imposed sanctions against Bah Ag Moussa pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of resolution 2368 (2017) as being associated with ISIL or Al-Qaida and otherwise supporting the groups’ acts or activities.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

On November 5, 2019, Florence Parly, France’s Minister for the Armed Forces, announced that French forces killed Ali Maychou in an operation inside Mali in early October. No other details are reported regarding the specifics of Maychou’s death.“France claims death of top jihadist leader in Mali,” France 24, November 5, 2019, https://www.france24.com/en/20191105-france-claims-death-of-top-jihadist-leader-in-mali.

Abu Walaa is a radical Islamic preacher based in Hildensheim, Germany. He preached at the Deutschsprachiger Islamkreis Hildesheim eV (DIK) mosque from its founding in 2012 until his arrest in 2016. The mosque has since been shut down. Walaa’s lectures were popularized through online videos released through Facebook.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html; “Trial of German 'IS Leader' Begins,” Gulf, September 27, 2017, https://www.gulf-times.com/story/565273/Trial-of-German-IS-leader-begins. Walaa claimed to be teaching an “authentic understanding of Islam” through his online speeches, videos, and texts.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html. He became known as “preacher without a face,” as he hid his face from the camera during his viral teachings. The Facebook page where Walaa posted his sermons had more than 25,000 followers at its peak around 2015 to 2016.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html.

Walaa arrived in Germany in 2001 as a teenager from Iraq.“Germany Puts on Trial 'Abu Walaa,' Radical Preacher and Accused IS Recruiter,” Deutsche Welle, September 26, 2017, https://www.dw.com/en/germany-puts-on-trial-abu-walaa-radical-preacher-and-accused-is-recruiter/a-40684714. He originally lived in the town of Tönisvorst in Germany’s northwestern state of North Rhine-Westphalia before setting up his proselytizing base in Hildesheim in Lower Saxony state.“Germany Puts on Trial 'Abu Walaa,' Radical Preacher and Accused IS Recruiter,” Deutsche Welle, September 26, 2017, https://www.dw.com/en/germany-puts-on-trial-abu-walaa-radical-preacher-and-accused-is-recruiter/a-40684714.

Walaa is believed to be the head of an Islamic group focused on recruiting young Muslims in Germany to fight for ISIS.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html. Walaa’s official Facebook page contained tacit references to jihad violence. “The Arabs fight us with their religion and they call it terrorism,” says one post, with an altered picture of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and other American politicians.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html. Walaa was also active on al-manhaj.de, an online Quranic instruction website which is closely tied to the Hildesheim mosque.Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/. He also ran a YouTube channel and app called AbuWalaa which was supported on both Android and iOS devices.Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/. Walaa’s content also appeared on the social media accounts of ISIS members and supporters.>Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/.

Walaa’s main base for his proselytization was the DIK mosque in Hildesheim, where he preached regularly on Fridays.Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/. The mosque’s attendance rates for Friday prayers were regularly around 350 people, with German intelligence officials estimating as many as 10 percent of attendees were radicalized so that “they were willing to use violence.”Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/.

In November 2016, German federal prosecutors arrested Walaa and five other men in the small northern city of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony.Jack Moore, “ISIS’s Leader in Germany, the ‘preacher without a Face,’ Charged with Terrorism Offenses,” Newsweek, July 20, 2017, https://www.newsweek.com/isis-leader-germany-preacher-without-face-charged-over-jihadi-recruitment-ring-639796. The men were arrested for being part of a “national Salafist-jihadi network,” which supported ISIS, and for funding terrorism.Lizzie Dearden, “German Terror Network Sending Isis Fighters to Syria Arrested,” Independent, November 08, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-supporters-terror-cell-germany-hildesheim-saxony-nord-rhein-westphalia-abu-walaa-five-arrested-a7405171.html. The indictment claimed Walaa had direct contact with ISIS leadership circles, and he could face up to ten years in prison for the charges.“Germany Puts on Trial ‘Abu Walaa,’ Radical Preacher and Accused IS Recruiter,” Deutsche Welle, September 26, 2017, https://www.dw.com/en/germany-puts-on-trial-abu-walaa-radical-preacher-and-accused-is-recruiter/a-40684714. CNN reported that 19 Germans who successfully joined ISIS, and seven others who attempted to travel, had ties to the network of which Walaa was the central figure.Paul Cruickshank, “A Look inside the Abu Walaa ISIS Recruiting Network,” CNN, December 29, 2016, https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/22/world/isis-abu-walaa-investigation/index.html; Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,”  CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/. Similar to Khalid Zerkani’s ISIS recruiting network in Belgium, Walaa raised money for jihad travel through fraudulent loans and robberies.Paul Cruickshank, “A Look inside the Abu Walaa ISIS Recruiting Network,” CNN, December 29, 2016, https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/22/world/isis-abu-walaa-investigation/index.html.

According to investigators, Abu Walaa’s network had a clear hierarchy. Hasan Celenk, a 51-year-old Turkish-Kurdish preacher, and Boban Simeonovic, a Serbian and German national who had converted to Islam, were appointed as regional leaders. Walaa was in charge of the federal level operations of a “nationwide network of salafi-jihadi indoctrinators, which are closely interlinked and act in a work sharing manner.”Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/. Investigators have said that Walaa alleged that he was the only person in Germany authorized by ISIS to issue fatwas (religious decree).Georg Heil, “The Berlin Attack and the ‘Abu Walaa’ Islamic State Recruitment Network,” CTC Sentinel, February 2017, pp. 1-11, https://ctc.usma.edu/february-2017/.

Walaa is also thought to have connections with Anis Amri, the Tunisian asylum seeker who carried out a terrorist attack in Berlin in December 2016. Amri hijacked a truck, driving it into the Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people.“Germany Puts on Trial ‘Abu Walaa,’ Radical Preacher and Accused IS Recruiter,” Deutsche Welle, September 26, 2017, https://www.dw.com/en/germany-puts-on-trial-abu-walaa-radical-preacher-and-accused-is-recruiter/a-40684714.

The trial of Walaa began in September 2017, with the proceedings due to occur over the course of 29 days through January 2018.“Germany Puts on Trial ‘Abu Walaa,’ Radical Preacher and Accused IS Recruiter,” Deutsche Welle, September 26, 2017, https://www.dw.com/en/germany-puts-on-trial-abu-walaa-radical-preacher-and-accused-is-recruiter/a-40684714. On February 24, 2021, the Higher Regional Court in Celle sentenced Walaa to 10-and-a-half years in prison for his role in planning an attack in Germany and collecting funds and fighters for ISIS. Walaa allegedly recruited seven individuals who eventually traveled to the Middle East where they fought alongside ISIS. Additionally, two of Walaa’s recruits reportedly killed more than 150 Iraqi soldiers in suicide bombings.Martin Schlicht, “German court sentences Islamic State recruiter,” Reuters, February 24, 2021, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-security-trial-walaa/german-court-sentences-islamic-state-recruiter-idUSKBN2AO1A4?il=0.

Maulana Sami ul-Haq was a Pakistani senator and religious scholar. He led the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) as well as its splinter group JUI-S and was the chancellor of the Darul Uloom Haqqania Islamic seminary until his death in 2018.Associated Press, “Pakistan's 'father of the Taliban' killed in knife attack,” Guardian (London), November 2, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pakistan-maulana-samiul-haq-father-of-the-taliban-cleric-killed-in-knife-attack; William Dalrymple, “Inside the Madness,” New York Review of Books, December 1, 2005, https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2005/12/01/inside-the-madrasas/. Haq is known as “the father of the Taliban” due to the high number of Afghan and Pakistani Taliban leaders who studied at his seminary.Associated Press, “Pakistan's 'father of the Taliban' killed in knife attack,” Guardian (London), November 2, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pakistan-maulana-samiul-haq-father-of-the-taliban-cleric-killed-in-knife-attack. In a 2005 interview, Haq claimed that his school would regularly provide the Taliban with fighters as needed.William Dalrymple, “Inside the Madness,” New York Review of Books, December 1, 2005, https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2005/12/01/inside-the-madrasas/. Haq served as a member of Pakistani President Muhammad Zia ul-Haq’s Majlis al-Shura from 1981 to 1985, before serving two terms in the country’s Senate, where he was known for pushing legislation enforcing sharia.International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf; “Maulana Sami-ul-Haq,” Senate of Pakistan, 2010, http://www.senate.gov.pk/en/profile.php?uid=755. On November 2, 2018, Haq was killed in a knife attack in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.“Pakistan's 'father of the Taliban' killed in knife attack,” Guardian (London), November 2, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pakistan-maulana-samiul-haq-father-of-the-taliban-cleric-killed-in-knife-attack.

Several of the Taliban’s and Haqqani Network’s top leaders studied under Haq at Darul Uloom Haqqania, an Islamic religious seminary located in Akora Khattak, Pakistan, which is often simply referred to as Haqqania. Mullah Muhammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban, as well as Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor, another former emir of the Taliban, studied at Haqqania before leaving for Afghanistan to fight the Soviet Union in 1989.Maria Golovnina and Sheree Sardar, “Pakistani 'Father of Taliban' keeps watch over loyal disciples,” Reuters, September 15, 2013, https://news.yahoo.com/pakistani-father-taliban-keeps-watch-over-loyal-disciples-084932017.html; Rob Crilly and Ali M Latifi “Who is 'new Taliban leader' Mullah Akhtar Mansoor?,” Telegraph, July 30, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/11773559/Who-is-new-Taliban-leader-Mullah-Akhtar-Mansoor.html. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the current leader of the Haqqani Network and son of its deceased founder, also reportedly studied under Haq.“Pakistan's 'father of the Taliban' killed in knife attack,” Guardian (London), November 2, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pakistan-maulana-samiul-haq-father-of-the-taliban-cleric-killed-in-knife-attack. The current commander of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, Asim Umar, was another student under Haq.Asim Tanveer and Maria Golovnina, “Al Qaeda's shadowy new 'emir' in South Asia handed tough job,” Reuters, September 9, 2014, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southasia-alqaeda-insight/al-qaedas-shadowy-new-emir-in-south-asia-handed-tough-job-idUSKBN0H42DN20140909.

Haqqania is considered one of the largest and most respected Islamic seminaries in South Asia, with approximately 4,000 students.Maria Golovnina and Sheree Sardar, “Pakistani 'Father of Taliban' keeps watch over loyal disciples,” Reuters, September 15, 2013, https://news.yahoo.com/pakistani-father-taliban-keeps-watch-over-loyal-disciples-084932017.html. Haq’s seminary teaches a hardline curriculum based on the Deobandi school of Sunni Islam. The Taliban and other extremist groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan subscribe to this fundamentalist sect of the religion.Maria Golovnina and Sheree Sardar, “Pakistani 'Father of Taliban' keeps watch over loyal disciples,” Reuters, September 15, 2013, https://news.yahoo.com/pakistani-father-taliban-keeps-watch-over-loyal-disciples-084932017.html. Haqqania became the source of much of the Taliban’s power and strength in the 1990s as the group was able to heavily draw on recruits and leaders at the seminary. Haq maintained an openly pro-Taliban stance during this time as chancellor, praising the Taliban’s founder and in 2013, stating “Give [the Taliban] just one year and they will make the whole of Afghanistan happy.”Maria Golovnina and Sheree Sardar, “Pakistani 'Father of Taliban' keeps watch over loyal disciples,” Reuters, September 15, 2013, https://news.yahoo.com/pakistani-father-taliban-keeps-watch-over-loyal-disciples-084932017.html. Nonetheless, he is believed to have had the support of the Pakistani security forces.Maria Golovnina and Sheree Sardar, “Pakistani 'Father of Taliban' keeps watch over loyal disciples,” Reuters, September 15, 2013, https://news.yahoo.com/pakistani-father-taliban-keeps-watch-over-loyal-disciples-084932017.html.

Haq was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in 1985 and re-elected in 1991. During his first term in office, Haq was considered a key supporter of the 1991 Shariat Bill.“Maulana Sami-ul-Haq,” Senate of Pakistan, 2010, http://www.senate.gov.pk/en/profile.php?uid=755. The bill declared sharia as the supreme law of Pakistan and made provisions for the “Islamization” of the education, economic, media, and social sectors.“ENFORCEMENT OF SHARI’AH ACT. 1991,” Pakistan Legislation, http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/legislation/1991/actXof1991.html; “Act No X of 1991,” The Gazette of Pakistan, June 18, 1991, http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1335242059_665.pdf. Prior to Haq’s election to the Senate, the founder of the political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Maulana Mohammad Abdullah Darkhawsti, appointed Haq as the party’s emir.International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf. Following the party’s split in the mid-1980s, Haq led a faction known as JUI-S.International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf. The JUI-S supported jihad in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and since the ouster of the Taliban from Kabul in 2001.Taha Siddiqui, “Difa-e-Pakistan Part 1/2: Jihadis itch for resurgence,” Tribune Express, February 11, 2012, https://tribune.com.pk/story/334777/difa-e-pakistan-part-12-jihadis-itch-for-resurgence/; International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf. According to the International Crisis Group, the JUI-S maintains close ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf.

As leader of JUI-S, Haq played a central role in passing anti-Ahmadi legislation in the 1980s. Ahmadiyya is an Islamic messianic movement with more than two million followers living in Pakistan.“Pakistan: The situation of Ahmadis, including legal status and political, education and employment rights; societal attitudes toward Ahmadis (2006 - Nov. 2008),” UNHCR, December 4, 2008, https://www.refworld.org/docid/49913b5f2c.html; International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf. Under Haq’s direction, Pakistan passed Ordinance XX in 1984, which bars Ahmadis from identifying themselves Muslims, practicing any aspects of the Islamic faith, and from using any Islamic texts in their prayers.International Crisis Group, Islamic Parties In Pakistan, Asia Report N°216, December 12, 2011, https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/216%20Islamic%20Parties%20in%20Pakistan.pdf; “Government of Pakistan — Law for Ahmadis,” Gazette of Pakistan, April 26, 1984, http://www.thepersecution.org/50years/paklaw.html.

Haq was assassinated in his home in a knife attack on November 2, 2018. His murder was condemned by Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, the latter of which had spoken highly of Haq while campaigning during the 2018 general election. The provincial government where Haqqania is located also donated $2.5 million to the seminary in February 2018.“Pakistan's 'father of the Taliban' killed in knife attack,” Guardian (London), November 2, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pakistan-maulana-samiul-haq-father-of-the-taliban-cleric-killed-in-knife-attack; Fred Bezhan, “'University Of Jihad' Gets Public Funds Even As Pakistan Fights Extremism,” Radio Free Europe, March 11, 2018, https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-jihad-university-haqqania-government-funding-haq-taliban-omar/29092748.html.

Ali Charaf Damache, a dual Algerian and Irish citizen, is a convicted Islamist extremist and the ringleader of a terrorist cell that conspired to conduct attacks throughout Europe—in particular, the murder of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Change of Plea Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3759.pdf; John Mooney, “Ali Charaf Damache: how did this jihadist end up in Ireland?” The Times (UK), November 4, 2018, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ali-charaf-damache-how-did-this-jihadist-end-up-in-ireland-5crg7sc0b. Damache was responsible for recruiting, organizing, and leading the terrorist conspiracy. Among those with whom Damache conspired were Mohammad Hassan Khalid, Jamie Paulin Ramirez, and Colleen LaRose. Damache was arrested in Spain in 2015, and extradited to the United States for criminal prosecution.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Change of Plea Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3759.pdf. On October 30, 2018, he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists.“Algerian Terrorist is Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment,” United States Department of Justice, October 30, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/algerian-terrorist-sentenced-15-years-imprisonment.

According to U.S. court documents, Damache was a meticulous planner, actively recruiting supporters online who could fill specific roles in his terrorist cell.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Sentencing Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3851.pdf. Between 2008 and 2011, he recruited several men and women from Europe and the United States, who were willing to commit terrorist acts themselves or possessed legitimate passports enabling them to travel to and around Europe in support of terrorist acts. He also coordinated explosives training with an al-Qaeda expert in South Asia.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Change of Plea Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3759.pdf.

In 2009, Damache lured U.S. citizen Colleen LaRose (a.k.a. Jihad Jane) from Philadelphia to join him in Ireland, promising to teach her how to live as a Muslim wife and support others in violent jihad. However, she soon became disillusioned by his inability to execute on his actions and permitted the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to purchase her return flight to the United States.John Shiffman, “U.S. judge sets plea change for Algerian who recruited 'Jihad Jane'” Business Insider, July 19, 2018, https://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-judge-sets-plea-change-for-algerian-who-recruited-jihad-jane-2018-7. Damache also persuaded Jamie Paulin Ramirez (a.k.a. Jihad Jamie), a single mother from Colorado, to marry him and move to Ireland. While there, Damache trained her 6-year-old son in the ways of violent jihad, and Ramirez had videotaped the boy discussing his desire to shoot kuffars (non-believers).“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Sentencing Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3851.pdf; Jeremy Roebuck, “Al-Qaeda operative who recruited Montco’s ‘Jihad Jane’ pleads guilty, agrees to 15 years in prison,” The Inquirer, July 23, 2018, https://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/ali-charaf-damache-al-qaeda-operative-jihad-jane-colleen-larose-guilty-plea-20180723.html. She later told FBI investigators that she believes Damache misled her and used her as a sex slave.John Mooney, “Ali Charaf Damache: how did this jihadist end up in Ireland?” The Times (UK), November 4, 2018, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ali-charaf-damache-how-did-this-jihadist-end-up-in-ireland-5crg7sc0b.

Additionally, Damache directed the recruiting efforts of Mohammad Hassan Khalid (a.k.a. Abdul Ba’aree’Abd Al-Rahman Al-Hassan Al-Afghani Al-Junoobi W’at-Emiratee), a teenager from Pakistan who moved to the United States with his parents. Together, Damache and Khalid enlisted supporters to their cause and worked to assemble a terrorist cell, which was planning to train with al-Qaeda and execute attacks in the West. Khalid was also responsible for translating and posting extremist content online to incite others to violent jihad.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Sentencing Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3851.pdf.

In 2014, the three co-conspirators—LaRose, Ramirez, and Khalid—were convicted in a U.S. federal court for terrorism charges and sentenced to ten, eight, and five years in prison, respectively. Much of the evidence was based on online chatroom messages that the FBI intercepted.“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Sentencing Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3851.pdf.

Meanwhile in 2011, U.S. authorities charged Damache for “devising and organizing a violent-jihad organization consisting of men and women from Europe and the United States, and requested his extradition from Ireland.”“United States of America v. Ali Charaf Damache – Government’s Sentencing Memorandum,” United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, October 23, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3851.pdf. Irish courts, however, refused this request twice. In 2012, the Irish Supreme Court ruled that Damache’s arrest warrant was unconstitutional due to an administrative and legislative error. In 2015, the High Court denied his extradition on grounds that he may be subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment if imprisoned in the United States.John Mooney, “Ali Charaf Damache: how did this jihadist end up in Ireland?” The Times (UK), November 4, 2018, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ali-charaf-damache-how-did-this-jihadist-end-up-in-ireland-5crg7sc0b.

In December 2015, Damache traveled to Spain to reportedly further his plan to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has been targeted by jihadists for his 2007 cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad. Damache was arrested in Barcelona and subsequently extradited to the United States for criminal prosecution.John Mooney, “Ali Charaf Damache: how did this jihadist end up in Ireland?” The Times (UK), November 4, 2018, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ali-charaf-damache-how-did-this-jihadist-end-up-in-ireland-5crg7sc0b. He pled guilty to conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on October 30, 2018. He will be repatriated to either Ireland or Algeria after serving his sentence.“Algerian Man Is Sentenced To 15 Years’ Imprisonment For Conspiring With Pennsylvania Woman And Others To Provide Material Support To Terrorists,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 30, 2018, https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/3852.pdf.

Rakhmat Akilov is the perpetrator of the April 7, 2017 vehicle attack in Stockholm, Sweden, that killed five people and injured 14 others.“Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106. Akilov, an Uzbek native, had been wanted by Swedish authorities only because he failed to depart the country after his application for asylum was rejected.“Stockholm truck attack: Who is Rakhmat Akilov?” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39552691. Unknown to authorities, he consumed ISIS propaganda online, encouraged fellow Uzbeks to join ISIS, and swore allegiance to the group before carrying out the attack in Stockholm.Sewell Chan, “Suspect in Stockholm Attack was an ISIS recruit, Uzbek Official Says,” New York Times, April 14, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/world/europe/stockholm-attack-isis-rakhmat-akilov.html; “Stockholm truck attack: Who is Rakhmat Akilov?” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39552691; “Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106. In June 2018, Akilov was convicted of multiple counts of of terror-related murder, attempted murder, and endangering the life of others. He was given a lifetime prison sentence––which in Sweden equates to about 18 years––and was also sentenced to be banned from Sweden for life after he completes his prison sentence there.“Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106.

Akilov, an Uzbek native and construction worker, traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, in 2014, where he submitted an application for asylum. While there, he reportedly communicated with ISIS recruiters and even became a recruiter himself, encouraging fellow Uzbeks to travel abroad to join ISIS. According to Uzbek foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, Akilov “repeatedly sent propagandist videos to his relatives and other contacts in Uzbekistan, trying to induce them to commit acts of violence against representatives of public authority, leadership, and law enforcement of Uzbekistan.”Sewell Chan, “Suspect in Stockholm Attack was an ISIS recruit, Uzbek Official Says,” New York Times, April 14, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/world/europe/stockholm-attack-isis-rakhmat-akilov.html. In December 2016, Akilov’s application for asylum was rejected, and he was given four weeks to depart the country.“Stockholm truck attack: Who is Rakhmat Akilov?” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39552691; “Stockholm lorry attacker Rakhman Akilov jailed for life,” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44399293. However, he did not depart and was consequently put on an official wanted list in February 2017.“Stockholm truck attack: Who is Rakhmat Akilov?” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39552691.

On April 7, 2017, Akilov hijacked a truck and drove it into crowd of shoppers and into a department store in central Stockholm, killing five people and injuring 14 others.Sewell Chan, “Suspect in Stockholm Attack was an ISIS recruit, Uzbek Official Says,” New York Times, April 14, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/world/europe/stockholm-attack-isis-rakhmat-akilov.html; “Stockholm lorry attacker Rakhman Akilov jailed for life,” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44399293; “Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106. Additionally, in what authorities suspected may have been a failed suicide bombing attempt, a bomb made of gas canisters and small metal objects also exploded in the truck but only inflicted damage on the vehicle.Associated Press, “Uzbek man charged with terrorism in Stockholm truck attack,” Canadian Broadcasting Company, January 30, 2018, http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/stockholm-truck-attack-uzbek-charge-1.4509964. Akilov fled the scene via the subway but was arrested by authorities hours later in a northern suburb of Stockholm. He quickly confessed to carrying out the attack.“Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106; “Stockholm lorry attacker Rakhman Akilov jailed for life,” BBC News, June 7, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44399293.

A subsequent investigation found photos of downtown Stockholm on Akilov’s cell phone, and a memory card with ISIS propaganda, including execution videos, that had been in his possession.Associated Press, “Uzbek man charged with terrorism in Stockholm truck attack,” Canadian Broadcasting Company, January 30, 2018, http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/stockholm-truck-attack-uzbek-charge-1.4509964. Authorities also discovered that Akilov had communicated with others about his intended activities over social media, and had sworn allegiance to ISIS on April 6, 2017, the day before the attack.“Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106.

In January 2018, Akilov was charged with attempted murder, terror-related murder, and endangering the lives of others.Associated Press, “Uzbek man charged with terrorism in Stockholm truck attack,” Canadian Broadcasting Company, January 30, 2018, http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/stockholm-truck-attack-uzbek-charge-1.4509964. Uzbekistan also charged him with involving minors in antisocial behavior, distributing materials that pose a threat to public security, and participation in a prohibited group, though he was ultimately prosecuted in Sweden.Sewell Chan, “Suspect in Stockholm Attack was an ISIS recruit, Uzbek Official Says,” New York Times, April 14, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/world/europe/stockholm-attack-isis-rakhmat-akilov.html. On June 7, 2018, he was found guilty of five counts of terror-related murder, 119 counts of attempted murder, and 24 counts of endangering the life of others. Akilov was given a lifetime prison sentence, which is the heaviest penalty in Sweden and equates to about 18 years. He was also sentenced to be banned from Sweden for life after he completes his prison sentence there.“Stockholm truck attack: Rakhmat Akilov convicted of terror-related murder, gets life term,” Australian Broadcasting Company, June 7, 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-07/stockholm-truck-attack-suspect-gets-life-sentence/9847106.

Hicham Nmer Khanafer is an “active and influential” Hezbollah fundraiser and recruiter responsible for the group’s activities in The Gambia, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Khanafer, who holds a Lebanese passport, has allegedly hosted weekly meetings for Hezbollah supporters at his home in The Gambia, as well as weekly fundraising and recruiting drives for the group at a local mosque. Khanafer was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in June 2013.“Treasury Sanctions Hizbollah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx. Khanafer was one of four Hezbollah fundraisers in West Africa who raised “millions of dollars” for the group, according to David S. Cohen, the then-U.S. Treasury undersecretary in charge of sanctions.Rick Gladstone, “U.S. Blacklists Fund-Raisers for Hezbollah,” New York Times, June 11, 2013, https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/world/middleeast/us-hits-hezbollah-with-new-sanctions.html.

Zaher Jabarin is a senior leader of Hamas, and currently serves as the group’s top financial officer.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/. Jabarin was a convicted terrorist held in Israeli custody until 2011, when he was released as part of a prisoner exchange deal for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Following his release, he resettled in Turkey and rejoined Hamas as a senior leader.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/. He served as a senior military commander for Hamas, working with deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri to promote terrorist operations in the West Bank.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/; Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html. In 2012, Jabarin gave an interview to the Hamas-affiliated Al Quds TV about the group’s efforts to indoctrinate youth to become suicide bombers.“Zaher Jabarin, Hamas military commander, Talks About Indoctrination to Jihad,” YouTube video, posted January 20, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX4X07o56OA. In August 2017, he represented Hamas in a delegation meeting with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran.Dov Lieber, “Hamas said to meet with Iranian Revolution Guards in Tehran,” Times of Israel, August 8, 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-said-to-meet-with-iranian-revolutionary-guards-in-tehran/.

As the top financial manager for Hamas, Jabarin has recruited individuals to facilitate money laundering operations for the group in Turkey.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/; Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html. Two of these individuals, Turkish national Cemil Tekeli and Arab Israeli citizen Durgham Jabarin (no relation), were arrested in Israel in January 2018.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/; Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html; Anna Ahronheim, “Arab-Israeli, Turkish citizen arrested for aiding Hamas,” Jerusalem Post, February 12, 2018, http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Arab-Israeli-Turkish-citizen-arrested-for-aiding-Hamas-542411. An investigation revealed that Zaher Jabarin had recruited Tekeli to help Hamas members set up businesses, acquire visas, and obtain commercial property in Turkey.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/. One of these Hamas members, another former Israeli prisoner named Salameh Mar’i, became Zaher Jabarin’s chief aide.Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html.

Zaher Jabarin and Mar’i both guided the financial activities of Durgham Jabarin, who was arrested three weeks after Tekeli.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/; Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html. They reportedly disguised their contact as commercial activity for a Hamas-owned company called IMES.Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html. Upon his arrest, authorities found that Durgham Jabarin was planning to transfer 91,000 euros to the West Bank, which were reportedly intended to be used to fund Hamas’s military infrastructure.Judah Ari Gross, “Shin Bet accuses Turkey of allowing Hamas to raise, launder money,” Times of Israel, February 12, 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-man-turkish-citizen-arrested-for-helping-to-fund-hamas/; Yoav Zitun, “Turkish law lecturer aided Hamas, deported from Israel,” Ynet News, February 12, 2018, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5109465,00.html. According to Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, “investigation findings have revealed wide-ranging Hamas activity in money laundering in Turkey on instruction from Zaher Jabarin.”“Hamas Operations in Turkey,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, February 12, 2018, http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-operations-in-Turkey-12-February-20180212-53.aspx.

Gula Khan Hamidi is a U.S.-designated representative and facilitator for the Haqqani network, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The U.S. government accuses Hamidi of operating his own “facilitation network,” and since at least 2013, has worked to facilitate funds, communications, and travel for members and associates of the terror group. Additionally, Hamidi has facilitated the travel of other extremists, including associates of al-Qaeda and the Tahrik-e Taliban (TTP).“Treasury Sanctions Taliban and Haqqani Network Financiers and Facilitators,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 25, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0265.

According to the Treasury Department, Hamidi has transferred funds on behalf of the Haqqani network on multiple occasions, such as a 2013 transfer of $21,000 to a senior Haqqani leader. He also organized the transfer of funds to German members of the Haqqani network in Pakistan in early 2014, and “likely” helped the group transfer funds to a Pakistan-based Uzbek extremist that July.“Treasury Sanctions Taliban and Haqqani Network Financiers and Facilitators,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 25, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0265.

The U.S. government also accuses Hamidi of facilitating travel and communications for Haqqani network members. In 2013, Hamidi worked with two senior Haqqani network leaders––including Nasiruddin Haqqani, the son of the group’s founder, Jalaluddin Haqqani––to facilitate the travel of an associate to Turkey. The following year, he also facilitated the travel of an Uzbek member of the group and his associates between Pakistan and Turkey. Hamidi also facilitated communications between Haqqani network officials and their contacts in Syria in 2014 and 2015. Also in 2014, Hamidi served as an “honored representative” of the group in meetings with Syrian extremist group leaders in Syria.“Treasury Sanctions Taliban and Haqqani Network Financiers and Facilitators,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 25, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0265.

Additionally, Hamidi has worked to smuggle and coordinate the travel of individuals across Europe and Asia, including foreign fighters and members of other extremist groups. For example, in 2013, Hamidi facilitated the travel of two groups of foreign fighters from Turkey to Pakistan. In 2014, he facilitated the travel of al-Qaeda and TTP associates to Turkey. In 2017, Hamidi coordinated the smuggling of an Afghan national from Turkey to Syria, and of other individuals from Afghanistan to Europe. According to the U.S. Treasury, he has worked to smuggle individuals from Afghanistan to Syria, and from Turkey into Europe.“Treasury Sanctions Taliban and Haqqani Network Financiers and Facilitators,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 25, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0265.

On January 25, 2018, the U.S. Treasury designated Hamidi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.“Counter Terrorism Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 25, 2018, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20180125.aspx.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani is a Tanzanian convicted for conspiracy in the August 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.Chris McGreal, “Guantánamo detainee Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani cleared of 284 terror charges,” Guardian (London), November 17, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/18/guantanamo-detainee-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. Ghailani assisted in the transport and acquisition of explosives and other materials used in the bombings. After the bombings, he spent time in Afghanistan working at an al-Qaeda training camp, serving as Osama bin Laden’s personal bodyguard and cook, and forging documents for al-Qaeda members. After his 2004 capture in Pakistan, Ghailani was transferred to U.S. custody and imprisoned at Guantanamo in 2006.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. In his 2010 federal trial, Ghailani was convicted of a single charge of conspiracy to destroy government buildings and property, but acquitted of 284 other charges, including multiple counts of murder.Chris McGreal, “Guantánamo detainee Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani cleared of 284 terror charges,” Guardian (London), November 17, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/18/guantanamo-detainee-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. He was sentenced to life in prison.Benjamin Weiser, “Ex-Detainee Gets Life Sentence in Embassy Blasts,” New York Times, January 25, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/nyregion/26ghailani.html; David Ariosto, “Guantanamo detainee sentenced to life in prison for Africa bombings,” CNN, January 25, 2011, http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/25/new.york.guantanamo.sentencing/index.html.

Originally from the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania, Ghailani dropped out of school in 1996. He then moved to Dar es Salaam and worked as a courier, transporting goods within Tanzania and abroad including to Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. Around the end of 1997 or the beginning of 1998, Ghailani traveled to Arusha, Tanzania, to pick up soap to transport back to Dar es Salaam. When he arrived, al-Qaeda leader Usama al-Kini told him that the packages were not of soap but of TNT. Ghailani made multiple trips to transport the explosives to Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, Kenya. The explosives were used in the August 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani.

On August 6, 1998––the day before the U.S. Embassy bombings––Ghailani left Kenya to travel to Afghanistan via Pakistan. Before he left, he helped to obtain additional materials used in the bombings, including gas cylinders and a vehicle. He was also reportedly present when al-Qaeda member Abd al-Rahman al-Muhajir asked to see the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Ghailani later stated that by the time of his departure, he had deduced that there would be a suicide truck bomb attack against the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. On August 7, two nearly simultaneous vehicle bombs detonated at the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, killing 224 people and wounding more than 5,000 others in an attack claimed by al-Qaeda.“1998 US Embassies in Africa Bombings Fast Facts,” CNN, August 9, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/06/world/africa/africa-embassy-bombings-fast-facts/index.html. On December 16, 1998, a federal court in New York indicted Ghailani for conspiracy in the bombings.“Accused East Africa Embassy Bomber Held at Guantanamo Bay To Be Prosecuted in U.S. Federal Court,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 21, 2009, https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nys/pressreleases/May09/ghailaniprosecutionpr.pdf.

Ghailani spent five months from late 1998 to early 1999 undergoing military training at the al-Faruq militant camp in Afghanistan. After he was sent into combat on the front lines in Kabul for a year, he returned to al-Faruq and worked as an instructor there for three or four months, teaching basic training skills such as use of light weaponry and explosives. He then moved to Kandahar, where he served as a bodyguard and personal cook for Osama bin Laden until 2001. Later that year, Ghailani received training in document forgery. Until 2004, he worked in Pakistan with senior al-Qaeda members including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ammar al-Baluchi arranging travel and forging documents for jihadists returning from Afghanistan to their home countries.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani.

In October 2001, Ghailani was designated as a terrorist by the United States and United Nations, and listed as number eight on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list.“‘Most wanted terrorists’ list released,” CNN, October 10, 2001, http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/10/inv.mostwanted.list/; “Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 12, 2001, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20011012.aspx; “Security Council Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee Adds Names of Two Individuals to Its Consolidated List,” United Nations Security Council, October 21, 2010, http://www.un.org/press/en/2010/sc10066.doc.htm. On July 24, 2004, Ghailani was captured after a 14-hour gun battle with Pakistani authorities.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani; Benjamin Weiser, “Ex-Detainee Gets Life Sentence in Embassy Blasts,” New York Times, January 25, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/nyregion/26ghailani.html. The following month, he handed over to U.S. custody. Upon his capture, he was found to be in possession of jihadist propaganda materials and software applications such as Photoshop that he used to forge documents.“The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. Ghailani was held and interrogated at CIA black sites for two years before he was transferred to custody at Guantanamo on September 4, 2006.Benjamin Weiser, “Secret C.I.A. Jails an Issue in Terror Case,” New York Times, July 1, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/nyregion/02detainee.html; “The Guantanamo Docket: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: JFT – GTMO Assessment,” New York Times, accessed December 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/guantanamo/detainees/10012-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani.

In a March 2007 hearing, Ghailani admitted that he delivered explosives, but claimed that he did not have prior knowledge of the attacks. He also apologized to the U.S. government and families of the victims. In June 2009, Ghailani was transferred to New York to face trial in federal court. He pled not guilty to charges of involvement in the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings, which totaled to 286.“Guantanamo detainee denies guilt,” BBC News, June 9, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8091013.stm. Ghailani’s trial began on October 12, 2010.Basil Katz, “First Guantanamo detainee criminal trial begins in NY,” Reuters, October 12, 2010, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-security-guantanamo-ghailani/first-guantanamo-detainee-criminal-trial-begins-in-ny-idUSTRE69B6IO20101012.

On November 17, 2010, Ghailani was convicted of a single charge of conspiracy to destroy government buildings and property. He was acquitted of 284 other charges, including many more serious murder and conspiracy charges.Chris McGreal, “Guantánamo detainee Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani cleared of 284 terror charges,” Guardian (London), November 17, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/18/guantanamo-detainee-ahmed-khalfan-ghailani. On January 25, 2011, he was sentenced to life in prison.Benjamin Weiser, “Ex-Detainee Gets Life Sentence in Embassy Blasts,” New York Times, January 25, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/nyregion/26ghailani.html; David Ariosto, “Guantanamo detainee sentenced to life in prison for Africa bombings,” CNN, January 25, 2011, http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/25/new.york.guantanamo.sentencing/index.html. He was transferred to the nation’s highest security prison––the Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado––to carry out his sentence.Benjamin Weiser, “Heightened Security for a Former Detainee,” New York Times, June 9, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/nyregion/ghailani-ex-guantanamo-detainee-is-moved-to-supermax.html.

Ahmed Abu Khattala is a Libyan militia leader convicted of conspiracy in the 2012 attacks on U.S. government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans.Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html. Khattala was taken to the United States for prosecution after he was captured in June 2014.Charlie Savage and Adam Goldman, “At Trial, a Focus on the Facts, Not the Politics, of Benghazi,” New York Times, October 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/us/politics/benghazi-trial-ahmed-abu-khattala.html. He underwent a seven-week trial beginning in October 2017. On November 28, he was convicted of four charges related to terrorism and sentenced to life in prison, but was acquitted of fourteen other charges, including multiple counts of murder. Khattala was the first person to be charged and prosecuted for involvement in the Benghazi attacks.Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html.

Khattala grew up in the neighborhood of el-Leithi in Benghazi, Libya. Never having completed high school, he worked as a constructor contractor. He was reportedly arrested for his Islamist extremism and spent many years of his adult life imprisoned in Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s Abu Salim prison in Tripoli.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi; “US seizes Benghazi raid ‘ringleader’ Ahmed Abu Khattala,” BBC News, June 18, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27893831. In an interview with the New York Times, Khattala admitted that he espoused anti-Western and pro-al-Qaeda views, although he denied any direct links to the terror group.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi.

During the 2011 uprising against Colonel Gaddafi’s regime, Khattala formed his own small militia of about two dozen members called Obeida Ibn Al Jarra and helped to defend the rebel-held city of Ajdabiya.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi; “US seizes Benghazi raid ‘ringleader’ Ahmed Abu Khattala,” BBC News, June 18, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27893831. Khattala worked with other Islamist militias in Benghazi and gained substantial fame after he was suspected of taking part in the July 2011 capture and murder of General Abdul Fattah Younes, the main commander of the rebel movement against Gaddafi who was suspected of being anti-Islamist. In the subsequent year, however, Khattala stopped cooperating with other Islamist militias that supported the Western-backed provisional government in Libya, instead choosing to maintain his hardline anti-democratic and anti-Western views.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi.

On the night of September 11, 2012, armed militants stormed a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, then set it on fire. U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and State Department employee Sean Smith were killed in the blaze. Before dawn the next morning, militants launched a second attack on a nearby CIA base with mortars and small-arms fire. Two CIA security contractors, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty, were killed in a mortar strike.Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html; Spencer S. Hsu and Ann E. Marimow, “Accused Benghazi ringleader convicted on terrorism charges in 2012 attacks that killed U.S. ambassador,” Washington Post, November 28, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/accused-benghazi-ringleader-convicted-of-terrorism-charges-in-2012-attacks-that-killed-us-ambassador/2017/11/28/39fca3b8-ca37-11e7-aa96-54417592cf72_story.html. Khattala’s exact role in the attacks remains unclear. According to witnesses, including a Benghazi official, he was present at the scene of the first attack on the U.S. consulate, taking reports from fighters and giving them orders. According to a New York Times report, he instructed one fighter to “flatten” the remains of the compound.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi. He appeared on an internal surveillance video around 11:30 P.M., although this was after the attack was over.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi; Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html. Later that night, Khattala reportedly appeared to be preparing fighters for a second attack––presumably the attack on the CIA compound.David D. Kirkpatrick, “A Deadly Mix in Benghazi,” New York Times, December 28, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi.

In July 2013, U.S. officials filed charges under seal against Khattala in connection with the Benghazi attack.Pete Williams and Richard Esposito, “US charges Libyan with role in deadly attack on Benghazi consulate,” NBC News, August 6, 2013, http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/06/19898418-us-charges-libyan-with-role-in-deadly-attack-on-benghazi-consulate?lite. Khattala remained in Benghazi until the U.S. military launched an operation to capture him in June 2014. He was lured to the Libyan coastline, where he was ambushed by members of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force and the FBI’s hostage rescue team. Khattala was carrying a firearm and was able to violently resist capture for several minutes before he was subdued and restrained. Khattala was then taken to a detention facility on a U.S. warship, where he was interrogated.Charlie Savage and Adam Goldman, “At Trial, a Focus on the Facts, Not the Politics, of Benghazi,” New York Times, October 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/us/politics/benghazi-trial-ahmed-abu-khattala.html.

In January 2014, the U.S. Department of State designated Khattala as a terrorist, naming him a “senior leader” of Ansar al-Sharia in Libya.Karen DeYoung et al., “U.S. captured Benghazi suspect in secret raid,” Washington Post, June 17, 2014, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-captured-benghazi-suspect-in-secret-raid/2014/06/17/7ef8746e-f5cf-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html. However, Khattala denied his involvement with the militant group.Mary Fitzgerald, “A Conversation with Abu Khattala,” New Yorker, June 18, 2014, http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/06/abu-khattala-before-his-capture.html. Khattala was indicted with additional charges in June and October of 2014, some of which carried the possibility of the death penalty.Karen DeYoung et al., “U.S. captured Benghazi suspect in secret raid,” Washington Post, June 17, 2014, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-captured-benghazi-suspect-in-secret-raid/2014/06/17/7ef8746e-f5cf-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html; “Ahmed Abu Khatallah Indicted on Additional Charges for September 2012 Attack in Benghazi, Libya,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 14, 2014, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/ahmed-abu-khatallah-indicted-additional-charges-september-2012-attack-benghazi-libya. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in October. Khattala also filed a motion requesting a court order to return to Libya and asking to forgo the death penalty on the basis that his seizure and interrogation by American authorities was unlawful. His request was denied by a federal judge in February 2016.Spencer S. Hsu, “Judge denies Benghazi suspect’s bid to be returned to Libya, spared U.S. death penalty,” Washington Post, February 2, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/judge-denies-benghazi-suspects-bid-to-be-returned-to-libya-spared-us-death-penalty/2016/02/02/716a6600-ca11-11e5-ae11-57b6aeab993f_story.html.

Khattala’s trial took place in a federal court in Washington, D.C., beginning on October 2, 2017.Charlie Savage and Adam Goldman, “At Trial, a Focus on the Facts, Not the Politics, of Benghazi,” New York Times, October 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/us/politics/benghazi-trial-ahmed-abu-khattala.html. Khattala’s role in the Benghazi attacks was heavily debated during the trial. Relying on Khattala’s alleged cell phone records and testimonies from three Libyan witnesses, prosecutors argued that he planned, organized, and directed the attacks, and that the attackers were fighters from his militia. The defense argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove that he directed the attacks, and also doubted the credibility of the witnesses’ testimony, given that the United States had paid them to be informants.Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html.

On November 11, 2017, Khattala was convicted on four counts relating to terrorism: providing material support for terrorism, conspiring to do so, destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy, and carrying a semiautomatic firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to life in prison. However, he was acquitted of 14 other charges, including multiple counts of murder. The jury reportedly concluded that no evidence existed that Khattala himself fired shots or set fires during the attack, and remained unconvinced that Khattala held any responsibility for the second attack on the CIA base.Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage, “Libyan Convicted of Terrorism in Benghazi Attacks but Acquitted of Murder,” New York Times, November 28, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/benghazi-attacks-trial-verdict-khattala.html.