Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- His anguish apparent, the father of Anwar al-Awlaki told CNN that his son is not a member of al Qaeda and is not hiding out with terrorists in southern Yemen.
"I am now afraid of what they will do with my son, he's not Osama Bin Laden, they want to make something out of him that he's not," said Dr. Nasser al-Awlaki, the father of American-born Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
As recently as Sunday, Yemeni officials including provincial governor Al Hasan al-Ahmadi claimed that al-Awlaki was hiding out in the southern mountains of Yemen with al Qaeda.
"He's dead wrong. What do you expect my son to do? There are missiles raining down on the village. He has to hide. But he is not hiding with al Qaeda; our tribe is protecting him right now," insisted al-Awlaki's father in an exclusive interview with CNN.
"My son is (a) wanted man, he's cornered, that's the problem I am facing," al-Awlaki said.
The al-Awlaki family comes from the large and powerful Awalek tribe of southern Yemen. It has many connections to the government of Yemen, including the country's prime minister, who is a relative of the al-Awlaki family.
Recently, Yemeni officials have also claimed that Anwar al-Awlaki had contact with Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab during his stay in Yemen in late 2009. When asked if his son met with the man charged with trying to blow up a U.S.-bound plane on Christmas day, al-Awlaki's father said it's not likely.
"I have no idea but I don't believe it," he said.
But the United States has independent intelligence verifying that AbdulMutallab met with al-Awlaki somewhere in southern Yemen before the Christmas Day bombing attempt, according to a U.S. security official with knowledge of the intelligence.
Even if al-Awlaki is hiding out with his tribe in the mountains of southern Yemen, the official added, authorities have no doubt that he is a member of al Qaeda and is now one of the top five or six operatives in Yemen for the terrorist organization.
The official said al-Awlaki's transformation from inspirational leader to operational recruiter for al Qaeda was first picked up in the early part of 2009.
This official also noted that the United States believes he is still involved in trying to recruit more bombers to launch attacks.
His father, the elder al-Awlaki, is an accomplished academic and had held several positions within the Yemeni government, including minister of agriculture. He first went to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in the late '60s, and his son Anwar was born there in 1971.
Al-Awlaki says he is doing what he can to coax his son out of hiding, but does not want to jeopardize his son's life.
"I will do my best to convince my son to do this (surrender), to come back but they are not giving me time, they want to kill my son. How can the American government kill one of their own citizens? This is a legal issue that needs to be answered," he said.
"If they give me time I can have some contact with my son but the problem is they are not giving me time," he said.
Al-Awlaki acknowledged his son has espoused some controversial views but all of them, he said, would be protected by freedom of speech provisions in the American Constitution. He denied his son has done anything to encourage terrorists to commit violent acts.
"He is a preacher, you cannot tie Anwar to acts of terrorism," said al-Awlaki.
Al-Awlaki's name surfaced in November when U.S. officials revealed he and Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan -- the U.S. Army psychiatrist accused of fatally shooting 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5 -- had exchanged e-mails. The intercepted e-mails between the two, officials said, had not not set off alarm bells.
The cleric recently told Al Jazeera's Arabic-language Web site that he met Hasan nine years ago while serving as an imam at a mosque in the Washington, D.C., area. He said he lauded the Fort Hood attack because it was aimed at troops, whom he accused of fighting an unjust war against Islam.
"It is a military target inside America and there is no dispute over that," Anwar al-Awlaki said. "Also, these military personnel are not ordinary; they were trained and ready to fight and kill oppressed Muslims, and commit crimes in Afghanistan."
When asked why his son would praise Hasan, Nasser al-Awlaki said he did not agree with his son's views.
"I don't think that's right what he said about Major Hasan's actions, but my son has been very upset by the violence against Muslims," said al-Awlaki.
Al-Awlaki does concede his son's views did seem more radical after he spent time in a Yemeni prison from 2006 to 2007 for suspected ties to terrorism. He was released for lack of evidence.
"They put him in jail for 18 months and I detected a change after he got out of prison, he began to get away from the mainstream," al-Awlaki said.
The father also warned that the aggressive hunt for his son and al Qaeda operatives in Yemen using missile strikes will only serve to recruit more members to the organization.
"I don't want those American cowboys to destroy Yemen," said al-Awlaki before conceding that the hunt for al Qaeda in Yemen is now a global concern.
"He has been wrongly accused, it's unbelievable. He lived his life in America, he's an all-American boy. My son would love to go back to America, he used to have a good life in America. Now he's hiding in the mountains, he doesn't even have safe water to drink," al-Awlaki said. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/...her/index.html
They won't rest until they rid this Ummah of its scholars and scientists
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِؤُواْ نُورَ اللّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ {32} [Pickthal 9:32] Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
Am not that surprised... Hafizahullah
" Its sometimes better people don't get to know you..
Cuz the more they know you, the less they understand & accept you..
Alone is better, what say " - SRK
Al-Awlaki said he supported the Christmas attack, but it would have been better if the target was a U.S. military target or plane.
"I support what Umar Farouk did after seeing my brothers in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan being killed," he was quoted as saying. "If it was a military plane or a U.S. military target it would have been better...(but) the American people have participated in all the crimes of their government."
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
I thought Muslims didn't have nationalities?
And I would've thought he could go anywhere, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait. There's tonnes of countries out there.
They shouldn't have nationalities, and they shouldn't be ruled by oppressors, but the reality differs.
I love how you mention Egypt too, perhaps Egypt should start by letting palis in for medical care food and water before extending itself to an enemy of its beloved allies.
I am pretty sure any of the other countries would only be too glad to give him up.
anyway I am really not looking forward to your comments on this thread, or you addressing him as 'this guy' if you can't show respect to scholars of whom I guarantee you know nothing of, then don't add to fuel to the fire with unnecessary comments!
all the best
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Um yeah, I'll make dua that he changes his mind and doesn't wish death upon me
Umm. Can you validate this by lectures or speeches or letter from Al Awlaki himself and not the folks targeting him? Also, whatever happened to freedom of speech? I see more killing action from the folks targeting him for a sentence he allegedly made. Being angry over injustice isn't the same as committing acts of injustice!
It isn't OK to bomb entire villages for a comment someone made or aid the enemy to wipe poor civilians the Muslim world over..
sob7an Allah..
Last edited by جوري; 02-04-2010 at 05:15 PM.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
It's a quote from an interview he did with al Jazeera.
It was not clear when the interview took place or whether it took place in person. The journalist, one of the few said to have direct contacts with al-Awlaki, previously interviewed the cleric after the Fort Hood shooting.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by UmmSqueakster
It's a quote from an interview he did with al Jazeera.
And even if it took place and wasn't hearsay to justify this endless tyranny, you think for a comment it is OK to rain bombs on people or even target him?
give me a break..
let's not be hypocrites. Go to Daniel Pipes or Spencer sites calling for hatred and death against Muslims around the clock, I don't see any secret intelligence targeting them for that, if anything they're is applauded for it!
sob7an Allah!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
And for a comment you think it is OK to rain bombs on people or even target him?
give me a break..
let's not be hypocrites. Go to Daniel Pipes or Spencer sites calling for hatred and death against Muslims around the clock, I don't see any secret intelligence targeting them for that, if anything they're is applauded for it!
sob7an Allah!
You are putting words in my mouth. Did I ever say he should be killed? I simply said I'll be making dua that he changes his mind about wishing me, my husband, my friends, my parents and my siblings (who btw were flying on christmas day through detroit) dead.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by UmmSqueakster
You are putting words in my mouth. Did I ever say he should be killed? I simply said I'll be making dua that he changes his mind about wishing me, my husband, my friends, my parents and my siblings (who btw were flying on christmas day through detroit) dead.
He doesn't wish death upon Muslims umm squeaster. And the people of fort crap were military personnel not civilians and he isn't responsible for their death under either circumstance or those flying over Detroit, I am not seeing a connection!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
He doesn't wish death upon Muslims umm squeaster. And the people of fort crap were military personnel not civilians and he isn't responsible for their death under either circumstance!
assalamu alaikum,
He wished death on americans by saying that it is ok to target civilians. I am an american. Therefore, he wishes death on me.
Narrated Anas (ra): The Prophet (saws) said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Apostle! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." (Bukhari)
Should I make dua that Imam Anwar continues to do something unislamic in making civilians legitimate targets? Or rather, should I make dua that he changes his mind?
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by UmmSqueakster
assalamu alaikum,
He wished death on americans by saying that it is ok to target civilians. I am an american. Therefore, he wishes death on me.
Narrated Anas (ra): The Prophet (saws) said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Apostle! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." (Bukhari)
Should I make dua that Imam Anwar continues to do something unislamic in making civilians legitimate targets? Or rather, should I make dua that he changes his mind?
You are free to believe as you please Umm. I don't see any oppression in words you can't validate as having been said by him. And sob7an Allah, there is no oppression in dropping bombs on poor villagers half way around the world but there is in speaking up against it!
Truly a sign of the end!
I call upon those Muslims who are familiar with his work, lectures and his person, to at least keep them in their du3a if they can't offer support in any other form. And such is the purpose of this thread.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
They shouldn't have nationalities, and they shouldn't be ruled by oppressors, but the reality differs.
I love how you mention Egypt too, perhaps Egypt should start by letting palis in for medical care food and water before extending itself to an enemy of its beloved allies.
I am pretty sure any of the other countries would only be too glad to give him up.
anyway I am really not looking forward to your comments on this thread, or you addressing him as 'this guy' if you can't show respect to scholars of whom I guarantee you know nothing of, then don't add to fuel to the fire with unnecessary comments!
all the best
Well I don't know the man! Sorry for not showing respect to him, but he is a mere human being after all! Why not post a link to a reputable website that regards information on his life? I came to this website to be educated, so educate me.
Truly a sign of the end!
Is there any a piece of news that you don't attribute to a sign of 'the end'?
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
Well I don't know the man! Sorry for not showing respect to him, but he is a mere human being after all! Why not post a link to a reputable website that regards information on his life? I came to this website to be educated, so educate me.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
You are free to believe as you please Umm. I don't see any oppression in words you can't validate as having been said by him. And sob7an Allah, there is no oppression in dropping bombs on poor villagers half way around the world but there is in speaking up against it!
Truly a sign of the end!
Why does it always have to be either/or? Can't we speak against the wrong done to muslims, and the wrongs done by muslims? Isn't it wrong that he said it was ok to kill innocent people on an airplane? And if it's wrong, then why can't I say so?
I call upon those Muslims who are familiar with his work, lectures and his person, to at least keep them in their du3a if they can't offer support in any other form. And such is the purpose of this thread.
People should be aware of the totality of his works and words, including those that say it's ok to kill innocent civilians. If he continued to do lectures like those about there hereafter and the life of the Prophet (saws) without wishing me dead, I'd be thrilled.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by UmmSqueakster
Why does it always have to be either/or? Can't we speak against the wrong done to muslims, and the wrongs done by muslims? Isn't it wrong that he said it was ok to kill innocent people on an airplane? And if it's wrong, then why can't I say so?
Like I said sister, you are free to think and believe as you please. It is either or, because you are casting doubt upon a Muslim through hearsay!
People should be aware of the totality of his works and words, including those that say it's ok to kill innocent civilians. If he continued to do lectures like those about there hereafter and the life of the Prophet (saws) without wishing me dead, I'd be thrilled.
From where I am standing, I don't think you familiar at all with his person or his lectures, we have jumped from alleged to a conviction in a matter of seconds, sob7an Allah.. whatever the case, I really don't like to have frays with Muslims, so again, I think you are free to think of him as you please..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts. Sign Up
They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
Hide
Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks