Muhanad Mahmoud Al Farekh (born 1985) is an American citizen who was convicted of terrorism-related offenses in 2017.[2][3][4] Al-Farekh joined al Qaeda and attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan.[5]
Muhanad Mahmoud Al Farekh | |
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Born | 1985 (age 38–39) |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Abdullah al-Shami |
Known for | convicted of material support of terrorism |
Criminal charge | material support of terrorism |
Criminal penalty | 45 years imprisonment |
Criminal status | Incarcerated at ADX Florence supermax prison in Fremont County, Colorado. |
He started serving al Qaeda in 2007, until his capture by Pakistani security officials in 2014.[2] He was returned to the US, stood trial, and convicted in 2017. He was charged with material support of terrorism for a planning role in a 2009 attack on Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost. Al-Farekh's fingerprints were among those found on packing tape used in the vehicle-born improvised explosive devices used in the attack.
Zarein Ahmedzay, convicted in 2010, testified he had helped train Al-Farekh.[2]
Although he was born in Texas he spent most of his childhood in Dubai.[2] He is reported to have been radicalized by recordings of Anwar al-Awlaki's sermons, while attending University in Manitoba, Canada.[6]
Al Farekh moved to Winnipeg, in 2003, to live with his grandmother and uncle, to prepare to attend the University of Manitoba.[7]
After his radicalization he made his way to Pakistan with friends Ferid Imam and Maiwand Yar.[2][6][8] Al Farekh is reported to have married the daughter of an al Qaeda leader.
The Counter-terrorism project reported he worked under an al Qaeda leader named Abdul Hafeez, until his death, when he was promoted to a leadership role, himself.[4]
According to The New York Times, the discovery that Al-Farekh, an American citizen, was engaged with enemies of the US, triggered a debate over the legality of killing a US citizen by missiles fired from unmanned surveillance aircraft.[2][9][10] Alan Feuer reported both the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency pushed to have his name placed on a "kill list".
Al Farekh's sentence called for 45 years of imprisonment.[11]