Omar Bakri Muhammad

Omar Bakri Muhammad (Arabic: عمر بكري محمد; born Omar Bakri Fostock; 1958) is a Syrian Islamist militant leader born in Aleppo. He was instrumental in developing Hizb ut-Tahrir in the United Kingdom before leaving the group and heading to another Islamist organisation, Al-Muhajiroun, until its disbandment in 2004. For several years, Bakri was one of the highest-profile Islamists based in London and was frequently quoted and interviewed in the UK media.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Bakri was born into a wealthy family in the city of Aleppo, Syria, his father was Syrian, while his mother was Turkish. According to Jon Ronson, Bakri claimed that his family had "chauffeurs and servants and palaces in Syria, Turkey and Lebanon".^[1]

In United Kingdom

Bakri moved to the United Kingdom on 14 January 1986. Later, he travelled to the United States to study English; he returned to the United Kingdom to assume the leadership of Hizb ut-Tahrir and become their spiritual leader. He defended the Muslim faith in public debates against Christian apologists, such as Jay Smith.^[1]

Return to the Middle East

On 6 August 2005, Bakri left the United Kingdom following stories that the UK Government were planning to investigate certain Muslim clerics under little-used treason laws. He was banned from returning by British Home Secretary Charles Clarke stating that Bakri's presence in Britain was "not conducive to the public good". He subsequently took up residence in Lebanon.^[1]

Alleged ties to terrorism

British newspapers have called him the "Tottenham Ayatollah", despite him identifying as Salafi and the title "ayatollah" being a Shia epithet. Former Conservative MP Rupert Allason described him as a "terrorist who believes in planting bombs and blowing up women and children in Israel". Roland Jacquard, a French expert on Islamic terrorism, said that "every al-Qaeda operative recently arrested or identified in Europe had come into contact with Bakri at some time or other".^[1]

Internet broadcasts

In January 2005, The Times monitored live, 90-minute internet lectures from Bakri in a chatroom in which he told listeners, "I believe the whole of Britain has become Dar al-Harb (land of war). The kuffar (non-believer) has no sanctity for their own life or property." He said Muslims should join the jihad "wherever you are" and told a woman she was allowed to do a suicide bombing. In another broadcast he said, "Al-Qaeda and all its branches and organizations of the world, that is the victorious group and they have the emir and you are obliged to join.^[1]

Financing of "mujahideen"

On 24 October 2006 British security officials arrested Omar Bakri's son, Abdul Rahman Fostok, at Heathrow Airport, and seized £13,000 that he intended to deliver to Bakri in Lebanon. The money was held under the Proceeds of Crime Act, pending an investigation, but Fostok was allowed to board his flight. Responding to this, Bakri said,^[1]

Kidnapping plot

On 31 January 2007 British police arrested nine suspected terrorists who were allegedly planning to kidnap, torture, and behead a British Muslim in the army, all of which would be videotaped and later broadcast on the internet. The soldier had served in the War in Afghanistan, but had returned home to Britain on temporary leave. On 4 February secret recordings of Bakri Muhammad emerged in which he calls for the attack.^[1]

Them: Adventures With Extremists

British journalist Jon Ronson's Them: Adventures With Extremists, a documentary (The Tottenham Ayatollah, directed by Saul Dibb) and book published in 2001, depicts Ronson and Dibb's interactions with Bakri. Ronson depicts Bakri as a charismatic orator who tells a cheering crowd of 5000 that "he will not rest" until he sees "the Black Flag of Islam flying over Downing Street", and calls for the stoning of fornicators and closing of pubs. He tells Ronson, "I cannot take a day off, an hour off, even a minute off.^[1]

Family

Bakri is, or was, married to Hanah and has seven children. According to ex-Hizb ut-Tahrir member Maajid Nawaz, Bakhri's daughter, Yasmin Fostok, "grew so disillusioned with her father's rhetoric that in one monumental act of defiance she left home and became a stripper".^[1]