Page 29 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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2———Abdullah, Abdullah Ahmed (1963– )

after the Italian conviction, saying that there was not was indicted by the United States for his role in the
enough evidence to try him in a U.S. court. August 7, 1998, bombings of U.S. embassies in the
Abbas left the PLO in 1991, after a foiled PLF raid African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. The FBI
onto an Israeli beach created a diplomatic crisis lists him as one of 22 “most wanted terrorists” for his
between the PLO and Washington. He did support the role in those attacks.
Oslo Accords in 1993 and publicly supported the peace According to the indictment, Abdullah is a
process in 1996. He has announced that the PLF now member of Al Qaeda’s tightest circle and sits on bin
follows a political path. Laden’s consultation council, or majlis al shura. Al
In 1998, Israeli officials allowed Abbas to travel Qaeda, an Arabic word meaning “The Base,” is a
through Israel to the Gaza Strip for a Palestinian violent international network bent on driving the
National Council meeting. At the meeting, he voted to United States from Saudi Arabia or other Islamic coun-
revoke the parts of the PLO’s charter that call for Israel’s tries. The group carried out the devastating September
destruction and soon returned to establish himself and 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in
the PLF in Gaza City. He reportedly now travels regu- New York City and the Pentagon near Washington,
larly between Gaza and his old base in Baghdad. D.C. The group is known for establishing cells world-
The U.S. Department of State continues to consider wide in areas where attacks are carried out, and
the PLF a terrorist group, and it included the organiza- often serves as an umbrella group for other militant
tion in its most recent report on global terrorism. In organizations.
November 2001, Israeli forces arrested at least 15 PLF In the embassy bombings case, the U.S. indictment
members and accused them of plotting bombing attacks. charged that prior to collaborating on the bombings,
Abdullah was involved in other anti-U.S. activities
See also ACHILLE LAURO HIJACKING; PALESTINE LIBERATION
in Africa. He and other Al Qaeda members allegedly
FRONT–ABU ABBAS FACTION; PALESTINE LIBERATION
provided military assistance and training to tribes
ORGANIZATION; POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION
opposed to U.N. and U.S. presence in Somalia during
OF PALESTINE–GENERAL COMMAND
that country’s civil unrest in 1993.
Further Reading He later became involved in the Kenyan Al Qaeda
operations. According to the indictment, Abdullah
Cockburn, Patrick. “Leader of Achille Lauro Hijack Turns spied on the Kenyan embassy with coconspirators
to the Ballot-Box.” The Independent (London), May 27, three days before the bombings. Having given the
1998.
Sennott, Charles M. “Achille Lauro Plotter Recast as order for all Al Qaeda members to leave Kenya by
Proponent of Mideast Peace.” The Boston Globe, June August 6, Abdullah fled the country for Karachi,
26, 1998, A1. Pakistan.
Smothers, Ronald. “Hostages and Hijackers: An Ally of On August 7, a bomb-laden pickup truck left the
Arafat: Palestinian Guerrilla—Man of Many Factions.” Nairobi villa rented by Al Qaeda operatives and drove
New York Times, October 13, 1985. to the U.S. embassy. In a synchronized attack 400
U.S. State Department. “Appendix B: Background miles away, a truck bomb also approached the U.S.
Information on Terrorist Groups.” Patterns of Global embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The bombs
Terrorism—2000. Released by the Office of the exploded just minutes apart, killing a combined total
Coordinator for Counterterrorism, April 30, 2001. of 224.
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2000/2450.htm.
According to the indictment, Abdullah had also
arranged for a fake passport for accused Kenyan
embassy bomber Mohamed Sadeek Odeh. That docu-
ABDULLAH, ABDULLAH ment enabled Odeh to travel with other Al Qaeda
AHMED (1963– ) members to Afghanistan to meet with bin Laden.
In the fall of 1998, the United States asserted that
aka Abu Mohamed al-Masri, Saleh, Abu Mariam
Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda operatives were
responsible for the embassy bombings. As retaliation,
Born in Egypt, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah is President Clinton ordered air attacks on Al Qaeda
an alleged Al Qaeda conspirator said to be a top training grounds in Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical
lieutenant and adviser to Osama bin Laden. He plant in the center of Khartoum, Sudan.