Bakri Says Training UK Islamists for 'Jihad' in Syria at Lebanon Camp
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Four British Islamist extremists are being trained to fight in Syria at a camp run by radical Islamist preacher Omar Bakri in northern Lebanon, Britain's The Sun newspaper reported on Sunday.
Bakri boasted of his “military-style courses for Islamic fanatics on the lawless border with Lebanon,” The Sun said.
In an interview with the newspaper, Bakri revealed one recruit was a computer programmer in his 20s from London, while another was a Midlands-based IT worker.
And he claimed: “Others like them will follow.”
“Of the four, two of them have Syrian connections. But they are all born in UK and have professional backgrounds,” Bakri added.
“After their training they will do their duty of jihad (holy war) in Syria and maybe Palestine.”
Bakri, 52, came to Britain in 1986 and stayed until 2005, during which time he praised the 9/11 attacks.
The Syrian-born cleric claimed to have trained “many fighters” from other countries, including Germany and France, since setting up home in Lebanon.
He boasted of exploiting the clashes between Israel and Gaza to focus on “military activities.”
He added: “I’m involved with training the mujahideen (fighters) in camps on the Syrian borders and also on the Palestine side.”
The Islamist militant leader was instrumental in developing Hizb ut-Tahrir in the United Kingdom before leaving the group and heading another Islamist organization, al-Muhajiroun, until its disbandment in 2004.
For several years Bakri was one of the best-known, high-profile Islamic radicals based in London, and was frequently quoted and interviewed in the UK media. For example, 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.
He has been described as "closely linked to al-Qaida" – having released prepared statements from Osama bin Laden after the 1998 United States embassy bombings.
In 2005, following the July 7, 2005 London bombings the Times reported that "a dozen members" of his group al-Muhajiroun "have taken part in suicide bombings or have become close to al-Qaida and its support network."
Shortly after, he left the UK, where he had sheltered for 20 years, for Lebanon. While in Lebanon he was informed by the Home Office that he would not be allowed back into Britian.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said on November 12, 2010 that Bakri was among 54 people sentenced by the Military Court to life in prison with hard labor after being accused of acts of terrorism.
But a retrial was ordered as he had not been present in court and the 50-year-old was released on bail.
The Syrian-born cleric, who also holds Lebanese nationality, has denied he has any links to al-Qaida although he says he believes in "the same ideology."
25 November 2012, 18:06
11
My client Omar Bakri is Sayyed Hassan's best buddy, he would be in prison if it weren't from Sayyed Hasan, God bless those two Islamic fundamentalists.
25 November 2012, 18:29
55
The Pandora's box was opened by Nassy boy on May 8, and by Bashar. People are sick of being threatened by Shia thugs. There will be more of this and they have themselves to blame.
25 November 2012, 20:21
44
I agree with the first paragrpah you wrote F.T.
And I would like to extend a similar concept to Lebanon to rid it of all radicals on booth sides (Shia Hezb and Sunni Salafists) as well as Secular troublemakers (Amal, Palestenians in and out of camps). Only the State, only the army, only our constitution and institutions.
25 November 2012, 20:24
00
Now it's NATO that is backing this man?!?
Although I will always be proud of my ancestors for building such a great world for me in the West, over the past 10 years I have become disgraced by where my current goverment and my biased media has taken us. Because of greed and a complete lack of respect for humanity!
25 November 2012, 21:29
16
WTF! Where is the immediate Lebanese government investigation to go and dismantle this camp?
And this guy's Lebanese identity and passport should be revoked immediately.
25 November 2012, 21:36
36
dont worry, sunnite "zaaraneh" (lots of it these days) get immediately resolved in lebanon. We will soon see the strong man of the army dismantling this camp.
Christian "za3raneh" when it exists (samaha) is already in jail, Geagea did jail.
Chiite za3raneh, on the other hand, is labeled "resistance" and allowed to thrive.
26 November 2012, 06:18
04
It is too naieve of M8 and hizbala to think that they can have monopoly over weapons and thereby control over lebanon forever. What is more concerning is that hizbala is in total denial of the changes to come in Syria and continue to assasinate its opponents, business as usual. These are the fruits of killing moderates like hariri and wesam 7assan. What did you expect? look at bashar, did violence solve his problems or is bringing his demise.
26 November 2012, 07:29
24
well thank you for creating an Iranian buffer zone... now we are even..
26 November 2012, 10:15
23
we consecrated it? i never consecrated it.. unlike you i dont just nod my head at everything M14 says... and funny how you take us for fools... "starting 1990-2005" oh you mean when your biggest ally Syria pushed it down our throats??? is that also the period when HA took out all other resistances so they can have a monopoly?? oh no that happened before.. and you blame it on m14... but youve always been a dumb a__ so im not surprised...
P.S. how many hypocritical sentences have i called you out on? youre the last person to call anyone a hypocrite but for sure the first to call them an idiot.
26 November 2012, 12:20
22
well how typical of you..and in some ways how typical of naharnet..again what i said wrong i have no idea... but here goes again:
Yes.. Syria.. your biggest ally.. what is this news to your limited mental capabilities now? and no when the syrians were here we did not have a choice.. everyone who took that choice which does not belong to him was put down... quick.. at least m14 finally stood up to them.. the saying goes better late than never not better never than late .. maybe you need to learn that...
26 November 2012, 12:21
22
ghasbin3an ra2ibtak w ra2bit 1000 wa7ad mitlak.. it will not be consecrated in the eyes of a majority of lebanese even if M8 and M14 stand together and consecrate it..
26 November 2012, 12:24
22
and please report again... even though there is nothing in my comments that justify them being taken down... i am content knowing you read the original version and this one... za7777777777it
26 November 2012, 12:25
22
one last thing i forgot to mention... at least m14 did not rally in support of the syrians staying our country like m8 did... shows what a bunch of sellouts who would sell lebanon to the highest bidder m8 are.
26 November 2012, 22:26
02
FT you think pro lebanon politicians had the choice when Syria was in Lebanon. Why did Syrian soldiers stay in Lebanon while they had to withdraw to their country under Taef agreement. Well specifically to impose Syrian rule. Remember what happened to René Mouawad and much later to Rafik Hariri when they dared stand to Syrian rule.
26 November 2012, 07:33
12
Is this terrorist Bakri a Lebanese citizen (or Syrian living in Lebanon?)
His daughter is/was a stripper in England.
26 November 2012, 15:16
12
Yes! We should stop harbouring extremists! Let's start with the worst of'em all: Hassan Nasrallah!
26 November 2012, 21:24
00
FT it was on the news and even Bakri called himself a Shia, Hizbala has secret ways of getting fanatics and criminals out of jail.
26 November 2012, 22:35
10
Islam instructs its followers to fight the infidels. It is written blank on white in the Quoran.
27 November 2012, 03:50
10
As revealed by press Tv Iran, even appointed new religious leader of the National Coalition and Opposition Revolutionary Force, Shiek Mouaz al-Khatib, has connection with Al-Queda groups. He had lobby expreience to Oil giant. According to following source, even about FSA 80% of FSA itself compose or relation with al-Queda. While the US stated that the choice of him was based on the famous religious figure, it sounds to express the typical US tactics! He was surely, said, born in Damascus. I am a foreigner, not directly involved in the civil war, just always bemoan by the conspiration and the devastating situation of the civil war in Syria, horrific. I oppose to the declaration by Hollande, UK, Italy, Germany and notorious Gulf countries to arm the rebels to fight with Assad. I just hope the peace in Syria!
The many faces of Sheikh Ahmad Moaz Al-Khatib
by Thierry Meyssan
at Voltairenet org
Sincerely,
