An Islamic preacher who gave email advice to Major Nidal Hasan, the gunman in the Fort Hood massacre that left 13 dead, also inspired the July 7 London bombers and a number of other British terrorists, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. Lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki were found in the Iqra bookshop in Leeds, where the July 7 bombers held meetings. His lectures were also found among the material seized from a jihadist recruiter, Aabid Hussain Khan, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, who groomed Britain's youngest terrorist, schoolboy Hammaad Munshi, then 15. Al-Awlaki , 38, a US citizen, fled from the country to live in Britain after it was disclosed that three of the September 11 hijackers had worshipped at two different mosques where he preached. He moved to Yemen in 2004, where he was arrested and then went underground, but he has been invited to give video lectures, most recently at East London Mosque in January, and his videos are still on sale in Britain. Major Hasan, an army psychiatrist, worshipped at a mosque in Virginia where al-Awlak was imam at the same time as two Sept 11 hijackers. Hasan, 39, has been charged with 13 murders. He shouted "allahu akbar" ("God is great") and shot dead unarmed soldiers awaiting vaccinations before or after deployment. He is lying in a military hospital bed, paralysed from the waist down, after civilian police officers shot him to end the rampage. It has since emerged that US intelligence monitored email correspondence during the past two years between the officer and the imam. Hasan asked advice on jihad and whether it was permissible to kill innocent people in a suicide attack. Al-Awlaki's most influential lecture, Constants on the Path to Jihad, is based on a 2005 book by Yousef al-Ayyiri, the founder of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. According to Evan Kohlmann, a US terrorism consultant, the sermon was "a 'virtual bible' for lone-wolf Muslim extremists". Earlier this year, al-Awlaki also published 44 Ways to Support Jihad, a practical point-by-point guide to pursuing or supporting holy war. "Constants spells out al-Qaeda's home-grown terror strategy," said Mr Kohlmann. "Al-Awlaki didn't just translate it, he applied its teachings for a Western audience. So when Ayyiri stated 'jihad is everywhere', al-Awlaki explained that meant jihad was in Europe too.
This is a very clever individual who understands the power of the Internet to radicalise people. Had al-Awlaki not translated Constants, then most of the Western Muslims who were inspired by it would never have even heard of it." Al-Awlaki 's lectures were also found on a CD belonging to Mohammed Atif Siddique, 22, from Glasgow, an aspiring suicide bomber, who was found guilty of possessing bomb-making instructions. Telegraph 
 Dennis Shanahan, Political editor | December 23, 2008
THE judicial inquiry into the bungled arrest of Mohamed Haneef on terrorism charges has found he should not have been charged and has recommended sweeping changes to the Australian Federal Police, immigration intelligence and the nation's anti-terrorism laws.
The inquiry also found it would have been "prudent" to defer the cancellation of Dr Haneef's visa and his deportation.
The report, which is yet to be released, is critical of the prosecution case against Dr Haneef, identifies failures of criminal intelligence, and recommends a standing review of the anti-terrorism laws and sweeping controls for the AFP and the intelligence services in relation to immigration.
But the report, commissioned by the Rudd Government, has cleared the Howard government of any improper behaviour, conspiracy or political motivation in ordering the detention and later deportation of the Indian doctor from the Gold Coast in July last year.
While finding flaws in the actions of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, the former immigration minister Kevin Andrews, the Department of Immigration and the AFP, the report finds there was no conspiracy nor political motivation in the decision to cancel Dr Haneef's Australian work visa and send him back to India after the terrorism charges against him were dropped.
The report concludes there was insufficient evidence for the CDPP to lay charges against Dr Haneef in the first place.
Former NSW Supreme Court judge John Clarke QC, who chaired the inquiry, has found there should be clearer guidelines for laying terrorism charges, more co-operation between the police and intelligence agencies, direct ASIO advice to the immigration minister on deportation cases and a standing review of the terrorism laws and federal police.
Mr Clarke's report is expected to be released this week, with the departments and agencies involved having already received their copies.
While making a key finding that charges should not have been laid against Dr Haneef on the evidence available, the Clarke inquiry recommends the anti-terrorism laws should be clarified on the issue of how charges should be laid.
In what official sources described yesterday as a "forensic" and exhaustive inquiry, Mr Clarke recommends changes to the "silo" approach by the AFP and ASIO, suggesting a full-time co-ordinating body for intelligence, and effectively making his style of inquiry permanent to oversee the anti-terror laws and their application.
Government spokesmen refused to comment on the Clarke report yesterday.
Mr Clarke finds Mr Andrews did not reflect deeply enough on the Immigation Department's advice about Dr Haneef, but finds he was never given ASIO's report on the case by his department.
Another key recommendation is that ASIO advice on deportation cases should go to the minister for consideration before they exercise ministerial discretion in ordering a deportation.
Mr Andrews was roundly criticised last year for his decision to detain and then deport Dr Haneef, "in the national interest", after the terrorism charges against the doctor were dropped. The Howard government was accused of racism and scaremongering over the case.
ASIO's report on Dr Haneef - who was detained after the SIM card from his mobile phone was linked to his cousin, Kafeel Ahmed, who died after being burnt in a failed terror attack at Glasgow airport - said the intelligence agency did not have any material linking the Gold Coast Hospital doctor to terrorism, but stated the AFP was in charge of the case.
The trials of the other accused over the British terror attacks resulted last week in the conviction of Iraqi doctor Bilal Abdullah and the acquittal of his co-defendant, Mohamed Asha, a Jordanian neurologist.
Mr Clarke recommends that the AFP, ASIO and other agencies have a guiding body to assist in co-ordination of anti-terror information and investigations.
And he recommends, as was reported in The Australian yesterday, that the AFP should face a parliamentary oversight committee. The Australian understands the Rudd Government will announce the creation of a joint House of Representatives and Senate committee on law enforcement to extend parliamentary oversight of intelligence agencies to include the AFP.
On the role played by Mr Andrews in the Haneef affair, the report is critical, finding that he did not "reflect deeply enough" on what was a "rambling brief" from his department on Dr Haneef and did not ask more questions about the ASIO brief that could have been in conflict with the AFP's report.
But Mr Clarke also finds that Mr Andrews acted out of genuine concern about terrorism.
Although the report alludes to possible conflict between the AFP and ASIO in the Haneef case, it finds that there was no conspiracy or improper purpose between the AFP and the Immigration Department to seek to have Dr Haneef deported.
Decisions were made at a time of heightened public concern following the failed bombings in Britain last June, grave suspicions about terrorism and a community expectation of action.
The report also suggests it would have been prudent to defer the deportation of Dr Haneef after charges against him were dropped, but, again, finds that the circumstances at the time, and the information available to the minister, were the reasons for deporting Dr Haneef.
Dr Haneef's visa was cancelled on July 16, the day he was granted bail by a magistrate. A charge of recklessly supporting a terrorist organisation was later withdrawn for lack of evidence. Source: The Australian
 December 18, 2008
LONDON: An Iraqi doctor found guilty of trying to murder hundreds of people in failed car bombings in London and Glasgow was last night jailed for at least 32 years.
Bilal Abdulla, 29, who was born in Britain but raised in Iraq, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London on Tuesday of conspiracy to cause explosions for the failed attacks in June last year.
Judge Colin Crichton Mackay told Abdulla last night he was a "religious extremist and a bigot" before passing two life sentences on him, with a minimum of 32years.
"Many people felt and still feel strong opposition to the invasion of Iraq. You do, you are sincere in that and you have strong reasons for holding that view," the judge said. "But you were born with intelligence and you were born into a privileged and well-to-do position in Iraq and you are a trained doctor."
Abdulla's radical beliefs meant he remained a danger, he said. "All of the evidence makes you a very dangerous man; you pose a high risk of serious harm to the British public in your present state of mind.
"That fact plus the circumstances of the offences themselves means that the only possible sentence on each of these two counts is a life sentence."
During the trial, Abdulla admitted he was a "terrorist" but accused the British Government of terrorism too for invading Iraq - and maintained he was not trying to kill or injure anyone.
His co-defendant Mohammed Asha, a 28-year-old Jordanian neurologist, was cleared on all counts. Dr Asha will be transferred to an immigration detention centre pending an attempt to deport him to his native Jordan. His solicitor said the doctor wanted to continue his career and would fight the deportation.
Counter-terrorism sources say Abdulla had been part of a terrorist cell in Iraq and had come to Britain to open a "new front" in the Islamist jihad after he had been refused permission to carry out a suicide attack in Baghdad.
The car bombs he tried to detonate outside the Tiger, Tiger nightclub and at Glasgow airport were the first attacks in Britain to have been inspired - but not directed - by al-Qa'ida in Iraq.
Previous Islamist plots had connections to al-Qa'ida and Kashmiri extremists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The only victim of the failed attacks was Kafeel Ahmed, Abdulla's accomplice, a student from India, who died from burns suffered after driving the car bomb into the airport terminal.
Police are satisfied that Abdulla was the leader of the terrorist cell and had indoctrinated Ahmed, whose engineering skills he needed to construct the bombs.
Abdulla, the son of respected physicians who had trained in Britain before returning to Iraq with their five-year-old son, had witnessed the first and second invasions of his home country by allied forces. A Sunni, he came to hate Shia Muslims.
US sources say that before he arrived in Britain, he had associated with a Sunni terrorist cell in Baghdad and had played a backroom role, possibly as a quartermaster. His professional background and excellent English meant he could not be wasted in a martyrdom mission in Iraq.
In Britain, he was detected by MI5 on the periphery of extremist activity when he associated with Muslim radicals, including members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir party, while studying in Cambridge.
He was not known to have associations with any active terrorists in Britain.
The planting of the two car bombs - which were packed with petrol canisters, propane gas cylinders and nails - in the West End caught the authorities off guard in June last year. The devices failed to explode.
Police across Britain were involved in a fast-moving pursuit of the two bombers as they made their way north to prepare their suicidal assault on Glasgow airport.
Having recovered mobile phones from the bomb cars, police were able to track Abdulla and Ahmed as they returned to Scotland, stopping to visit Dr Asha.
Police arrived at the bomb factory about 5am on the day of the airport attack. The bombers had left an hour before. Source: The Australian
 An NHS doctor accused of attempted car bombings in London and at Glasgow Airport has admitted that according to English law he is a terrorist.
Bilal Abdulla, 29, is alleged to have crashed into the airport in a Jeep laden with petrol and gas canisters.
But he told a jury he never wanted to kill or injure anyone.
Dr Abdulla, from Paisley, and Dr Mohammed Asha, 27, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, deny conspiracies to murder and to cause explosions.
The defence has said that Dr Abdulla and friend Kafeel Ahmed, 28, wanted to highlight the plight of people in Iraq and Afghanistan with a series of incendiary device attacks in June 2007.
Dr Asha is accused of supplying them with cash and advice.
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court heard Dr Abdulla had told police in Scotland "something along those lines" that he was a terrorist shortly after being arrested.
Dr Abdulla told the court: "Everyone was saying you are a terrorist, you are arrested under the Terrorism Act and so forth.
"That is my case in a nutshell. I am told I am a terrorist, but is your government not a terrorist, is your army not a terrorist?
"By the definition of the Act, according to English law, yes. That is my aim to change opinion using violence, using fire devices."
Dr Abdulla told the jury that after attacks on London's West End had failed, he planned to flee to Iraq, via Turkey, because it would be "much easier to disappear" in a lawless country.
But as he approached the airport, Ahmed suddenly swerved the Jeep into the terminal building without warning.
Petrol bombs
"He drove through the barrier and I got alarmed and I shouted 'What are you doing, what is happening?'," said Dr Abdulla.
"I had never seen Kafeel's face like that in my life. He was determined, his foot was on the accelerator and he did not respond to me at all."
Dr Abdulla admitted throwing petrol bombs as he got out of the burning vehicle. But he claimed he had tossed them away to protect himself after Ahmed had passed one to him, accidentally lighting the others in the process.
He said he could not recall exactly what happened afterwards, adding: "I know that I had struggled with people, I received punches and I punched back."
Ahmed, an Indian engineering student, died one month after the attack from critical burns after dousing himself in petrol.
Dr Abdulla told the court: "From day one, we said we will not kill or injure any innocent person.
"This incident, if it was to kill people or cause an explosion, we would not have done it that way. It looks very clumsy."
The trial continues. Source: BBC News
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Copyright Muslims Against Sharia 2008. All rights reserved.
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