Abu Izzadeen
Encyclopedia
Abu Izzadeen born Trevor Brooks (18 April 1976), is a British
spokesman for Al Ghurabaa
, a Muslim
organization banned under the Terrorism Act 2006
for the glorification of terrorism, that operated in the United Kingdom.
He was convicted on charges of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas on 17 April 2008, and sentenced to four and a half years in jail. He was released in May 2009, after serving 3 and half years, including time on remand.
, east London to a family originally from Jamaica
. Brooks converted to Islam
a day before he turned 18, on the 17 April 1994, changing his name to Omar, but preferring to be called Abu Izadeen. He is fluent in Arabic
.
He trained and worked for a while as an electrician. He and his Arab-born wife Mokhtaria were married in 1998; they have three children.
at Finsbury Park Mosque
in the 1990s; this is when he is thought to have been radicalized.
He visited Pakistan
in 2001, before the September 11 attacks
, as part of Al-Muhajiroun
; he claims he went there to give a series of lectures. He also claimed to have attended terror training camps in Afghanistan.
He described the 7/7 suicide bombers
in London as "completely praiseworthy".
On the eve of the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, he was filmed preaching to a group of Muslims in Birmingham
(UK) mocking and laughing at the victims of 9/11 and threatening further terror attacks in the UK.
He has openly stated that he wishes to die as a suicide bomber.
On 20 September 2006, Abu Izadeen and Anjem Choudary
disrupted Home Secretary
John Reid
's first public meeting with Muslims since his appointment. He called Reid an "enemy" of Islam. John Humphrys
interviewed Izzadeen on the 22 September 2006 edition of BBC Radio 4
's Today programme
. In a heated discussion Abu Izadeen stated that his aim was to bring about Sharia law in the UK and that this should be achieved without following the democratic process but rather "in accordance to the Islamic methodology".
said the arrest is related to an "on-going inquiry," involving a speech Abu Izadeen gave in the West Midlands
area in 2006, which predates the 20 September 2006 incident.
"in connection with inciting others to commit acts of terrorism overseas and terrorist fundraising".
Crown Court
of supporting terrorism, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of encouraging terrorism. He was subsequently jailed for four and a half years.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
spokesman for Al Ghurabaa
Al Ghurabaa
Al Ghurabaa is a Muslim organization which, along with the The Saviour Sect, is widely believed to be the reformed Al-Muhajiroun after it disbanded in 2004 by order of Omar Bakri Muhammad. Other members include Abu Izzadeen and Abu Uzair....
, a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
organization banned under the Terrorism Act 2006
Terrorism Act 2006
The Terrorism Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that received Royal Assent on 30 March 2006, after being introduced on 12 October 2005. The Act creates new offences related to terrorism, and amends existing ones. The Act was drafted in the aftermath of the 7 July 2005...
for the glorification of terrorism, that operated in the United Kingdom.
He was convicted on charges of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas on 17 April 2008, and sentenced to four and a half years in jail. He was released in May 2009, after serving 3 and half years, including time on remand.
Personal background
Abu Izzadeen is a British man born in HackneyLondon Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, east London to a family originally from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Brooks converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
a day before he turned 18, on the 17 April 1994, changing his name to Omar, but preferring to be called Abu Izadeen. He is fluent in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
He trained and worked for a while as an electrician. He and his Arab-born wife Mokhtaria were married in 1998; they have three children.
Political activities
Abu Izzadeen met Omar Bakri Muhammed and Abu Hamza al-MasriAbu Hamza al-Masri
Abu Hamza al-Masri is an Egyptian Sunni activist known for his preaching of a violent and politicised interpretation of Islam, also known as militant Islamism or jihadism...
at Finsbury Park Mosque
Finsbury Park Mosque
North London Central Mosque in Finsbury Park, London was built in the 1990s to serve the large Muslim population in the area. It has a capacity of 1,800 people....
in the 1990s; this is when he is thought to have been radicalized.
He visited Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 2001, before the September 11 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, as part of Al-Muhajiroun
Al-Muhajiroun
Al-Muhajiroun is a banned Islamist organisation that was based in Britain and which has been linked to international terrorism, homophobia and anti-semitism...
; he claims he went there to give a series of lectures. He also claimed to have attended terror training camps in Afghanistan.
He described the 7/7 suicide bombers
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
in London as "completely praiseworthy".
On the eve of the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, he was filmed preaching to a group of Muslims in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
(UK) mocking and laughing at the victims of 9/11 and threatening further terror attacks in the UK.
He has openly stated that he wishes to die as a suicide bomber.
On 20 September 2006, Abu Izadeen and Anjem Choudary
Anjem Choudary
Anjem Choudary is a British former solicitor, and, before it was proscribed, spokesman for the Islamist group Islam4UK. He is married, has four children, and lives in Ilford, London....
disrupted Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
John Reid
John Reid (politician)
John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...
's first public meeting with Muslims since his appointment. He called Reid an "enemy" of Islam. John Humphrys
John Humphrys
Desmond John Humphrys , is a Welsh-born British author, journalist and presenter of radio and television, who has won many national broadcasting awards...
interviewed Izzadeen on the 22 September 2006 edition of BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
. In a heated discussion Abu Izadeen stated that his aim was to bring about Sharia law in the UK and that this should be achieved without following the democratic process but rather "in accordance to the Islamic methodology".
February 2007
British police arrested Abu Izadeen on charges of inciting terrorism on 2007-02-08. A spokesman for Scotland YardScotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
said the arrest is related to an "on-going inquiry," involving a speech Abu Izadeen gave in the West Midlands
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
area in 2006, which predates the 20 September 2006 incident.
April 2007
He was arrested again in a pre-dawn police raid on 2007-04-24 under the Terrorism Act 2000Terrorism Act 2000
The Terrorism Act 2000 is the first of a number of general Terrorism Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It superseded and repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland Act 1996...
"in connection with inciting others to commit acts of terrorism overseas and terrorist fundraising".
April 2008
On 2008-04-17 Izzadeen was among six men convicted at KingstonKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
of supporting terrorism, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of encouraging terrorism. He was subsequently jailed for four and a half years.
See also
- Abdul-Aziz ibn MyattAbdul-Aziz ibn MyattDavid Myatt, - also known as David Wulstan Myatt and formerly known as Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt - is the founder of The Numinous Way, a former British Muslim, and a former neo-nazi....
- Khalid KellyKhalid KellyKhalid Kelly, born Terence Edward Kelly , also known as Abu Osama and Taliban Terry is an Irish Muslim convert, and former leader of Al-Muhajiroun in Ireland....
- Anjem ChoudaryAnjem ChoudaryAnjem Choudary is a British former solicitor, and, before it was proscribed, spokesman for the Islamist group Islam4UK. He is married, has four children, and lives in Ilford, London....
- Abu UzairAbu UzairAbu Uzair is a Muslim teacher and Islamist activist in The United Kingdom. He served as the leader of the The Saved Sect, an organisation the British government has designated and banned as terrorist, and a leading member of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah...
- Hassan Butt
- Andrew IbrahimAndrew IbrahimAndrew Philip Michael Ibrahim , is a British Muslim convert, also known as 'Isa Ibrahim' after his conversion to Islam. Ibrahim was arrested by police in the city of Bristol on suspicion of terrorism, and on 17 July 2009 convicted of Preparing terrorist acts. He is the son of an NHS consultant...
- Sulayman KeelerSulayman KeelerSulayman Keeler is the leader of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, a British Islamist organization. He is a former member of Al-Muhajiroun, a designated and banned terrorist organization, and led the Society of Converts to Islam....
- Abu Hamza al-MasriAbu Hamza al-MasriAbu Hamza al-Masri is an Egyptian Sunni activist known for his preaching of a violent and politicised interpretation of Islam, also known as militant Islamism or jihadism...
- Omar Bakri MuhammadOmar Bakri MuhammadOmar Bakri Muhammad is an Islamist militant leader who was instrumental in developing Hizb ut-Tahrir into a major organization in the United Kingdom before leaving the group and heading another Islamist organisation, Al-Muhajiroun, until its disbandment in 2004.For several years Bakri was one of...