Back عمر بكري محمد Arabic Omar Bakri Mohammed German عمر بکری محمد Persian Omar Bakri Muhammad French Omar Bakri Mohammad NB
Omar Bakri Muhammad | |
|---|---|
| Born | Omar Bakri Fostock 1958 (age 65–66) |
| Education | Al-Azhar University Umm al-Qura University Islamic University of Madinah |
| Known for | Founder of Al-Muhajiroun |
| Movement | Muslim Brotherhood Hizb ut-Tahrir Al-Muhajiroun |
| Children | 7 |
Omar Bakri Muhammad (Arabic: عمر بکری محمد; born Omar Bakri Fostock; 1958) is a Syrian Islamist militant leader born in Aleppo. He was instrumental in developing Hizb ut-Tahrir in the United Kingdom before leaving the group and heading to another Islamist organisation, Al-Muhajiroun, until its disbandment in 2004.
For several years, Bakri was one of the highest-profile Islamists based in London and was frequently quoted and interviewed in the UK media. In December 2004 he vowed that Muslims would give the West "a 9/11, day after day after day", if Western governments did not change their policies.[1] He has been described as "closely linked to al-Qaeda"[2]—having released prepared statements from Osama bin Laden after the 1998 United States embassy bombings[3]—but also as the "Tottenham Ayatollah", "little more than a loudmouth", and "a figure of fun".[4]
In 2005, following the 7 July 2005 London bombings, The Sunday Times reported that "a dozen members" of his group Al-Muhajiroun "have taken part in suicide bombings or have become close to Al-Qaeda and its support network".[4] Shortly after, Bakri left the UK, where he had sheltered for 20 years, for Lebanon. While there, he was informed by the Home Office that he would not be allowed back into the UK.[5]
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said on 12 November 2010 that Bakri was among 54 people sentenced by a military court to life in prison with hard labour after being accused of acts of terrorism.[6] After the decision, Bakri told reporters, he would "not spend one day in prison", and said, "I will not hand myself in to any court. I do not believe in the law in Britain as in Lebanon." On 14 November 2010, he was arrested by the Lebanese police and was transferred to Beirut.[7] In October 2014, Bakri was sentenced to six years in prison with hard labour by a Lebanese court. He was released from prison on 29 March 2023.
- ^ Sciolino, Elaine; Don Van Natta Jr (10 July 2005), "For a Decade, London Thrived as a Busy Crossroads of Terror", The New York Times, retrieved 12 December 2009
- ^ Al-Qaeda now, CNN, 27 May 2002, archived from the original on 5 January 2008, retrieved 12 December 2009
- ^ Ronson 2002, p. 61
- ^ a b Nick Fielding. "Terror links of the Tottenham Ayatollah: Nick Fielding reveals the influence of a preacher once seen as a mere loudmouth". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011.
- ^ Britain bars freed cleric Bakri, CNN, 21 July 2006, archived from the original on 5 January 2008
- ^ Bloomberg News (13 November 2010). "Muslim cleric given life term in absentia". The Washington Post. p. A6.
- ^ "Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad arrested in Lebanon". The BBC. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
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