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Anwar Aulaqi

9-11 plotters Spiritual Adviser

Details
	Importance	High
	Affiliation	9-11 plotters
	Role	Spiritual Adviser
	Nationality	American1
	Nationality	Yemeni
	Alternate Spelling(s)	Anwar Awlaki, Anwar al-Awlaki
	Place of Birth	New Mexico, United States1
	Gender	Male
Narrative and Notes
	Reliable	Officials in the United States and Yemen say radical U.S. born cleric Anwar al Awlaki killed on 29-30 September 2011 in Yemen. In late 2010 the ACLU filed a formal lawsuit seeking to halt what it said was an "illegal" U.S. government assassination order against this wanted terrorist, claiming "there is not an imminent threat and lethal force is not necessary." But in refuting this suit, lawyers David Rivkin Jr. and Lee Casey noted that the laws of war permit attacks "at anytime and anywhere they can be found." That’s only limited by the "rules of distinction and proportionality (which protect civilians and their property) and respect [for] the rights of neutral countries." They further point out that citizenship is irrelevant. Sixty years ago in the "Nazi Saboteur" case, the court noted that "citizenship in the United States of an enemy belligerent does not relieve him from the consequences of belligerency." CIA Director Panetta expressed this logic: "Awlaki is a terrorist and yes, he’s a U.S. citizen, but he is first and foremost a terrorist and we’re going to treat him like a terrorist." Acted as advisor to U.S. Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hassan, who was accused of carrying out mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas military base that left 13 dead on 5 November 2009. Imam at Rabat Mosque in San Diego in 2000; imam at Dar al-Hijrah Mosque in Falls Church, Virginia, in mid-2001. Served as spiritual adviser to Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar in San Diego, and Hazmi again in Virginia. In interviews, recognized Hazmi's picture but said he didn't recall his name. He acknowledged meeting Hazmi several times, describing him as a soft-spoken, private Saudi student. Grew up in Yemen and studied in the United States on a Yemeni government scholarship.1
	Possible	Inciting violence against foreigners leading to the killing of French oil industry worker in Yemen in 2010. Believed to have helped Nigerian suspect arrested for attempted Christmas Day bombing of US airliner in 2009.
	Questionable	The 9-11 commissioners said they did not have enough information to reach any conclusions about Aulaqi's relationship with the two hijackers and presumably whether he had any foreknowledge of the attacks.1
Sources
1 The 9-11 Commission Final Report, July 22, 2004, Chapter 7.1.
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