Anas al-Liby
Encyclopedia
Nazih Abdul-Hamed Nabih al-Ruqai'i alias Anas al-Liby (أنس الليبي) (born March 30, 1964 or May 14, 1964 ), a Libya
n, is under indictment in the United States for his part in the 1998 United States embassy bombings
. He worked as a computer specialist for al-Qaeda.
His aliases in the indictment are Nazih al Raghie and Anas al Sebai. In the FBI and State Department wanted posters about this individual, another variant of his name is transliterated Nazih Abdul Hamed Al-Raghie.
The indictment accuses al-Liby of surveillance of potential British, French, and Israeli targets in Nairobi, in addition to the American embassy in that city, as part of a conspiracy by al-Qaeda
and Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
since its 1994 roots in the Sudan, al-Liby had lived in the United Kingdom
, where he was granted political asylum, and was later believed to have fled to Afghanistan
to avoid prosecution for his involvement in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings.
He speaks Arabic and English. Because he was tall and bore a passing resemblance to Osama bin Laden
, he was often used as a decoy
when Bin Laden traveled.
In January 2002, news reports stated that al-Liby had been captured by American forces in Afghanistan. Following this, in March 2002 news reports stated that al-Liby had been arrested by the Sudan
ese government and was being held in a prison in Khartoum
. However U.S. officials soon denied those reports and al-Liby is still being sought.
Al-Liby has been on the USA's list of Most Wanted Terrorists
since its inception on October 10, 2001. The United States Department of State
, through the Rewards for Justice Program
, is offering up to US$5,000,000 (formerly $25,000,000) for information about the location of Anas al-Liby.
In October, FBI consultant Paul Williams wrote a book Dunces of Doomsday in which he claimed that Amer el-Maati
, Jaber A. Elbaneh
and al-Liby had all been seen around Hamilton, Ontario
the previous year, and that Shukrijumah had been seen at McMaster University
where he "wasted no time in gaining access to the nuclear reactor
and stealing more than 180 pounds of nuclear material for the reation of radiological bombs". He was subsequently sued by the University for libel, as there had been no evidence to suggest any part of his story was true. The publisher later apologised for allowing Williams to print statements which "were without basis in fact".
A February 2007 Human Rights Watch
document claims that al-Liby and others "may have once been held" in secret detention by the CIA, but the document includes no evidence or testimony to support that assertion.
On June 6, 2007, al-Liby was listed as a possible CIA "Secret Prisoner" by Amnesty International, without giving any reason or evidence, and despite the fact he remains on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list as of the published date (June 6, 2007).
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n, is under indictment in the United States for his part in the 1998 United States embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings
The 1998 United States embassy bombings were a series of attacks that occurred on August 7, 1998, in which hundreds of people were killed in simultaneous truck bomb explosions at the United States embassies in the East African capitals of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The date of the...
. He worked as a computer specialist for al-Qaeda.
His aliases in the indictment are Nazih al Raghie and Anas al Sebai. In the FBI and State Department wanted posters about this individual, another variant of his name is transliterated Nazih Abdul Hamed Al-Raghie.
The indictment accuses al-Liby of surveillance of potential British, French, and Israeli targets in Nairobi, in addition to the American embassy in that city, as part of a conspiracy by al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
Life
Believed to have been tied to al-QaedaAl-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
since its 1994 roots in the Sudan, al-Liby had lived in the United Kingdom
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...
, where he was granted political asylum, and was later believed to have fled to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to avoid prosecution for his involvement in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings.
He speaks Arabic and English. Because he was tall and bore a passing resemblance to Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, he was often used as a decoy
Decoy
A decoy is usually a person, device or event meant as a distraction, to conceal what an individual or a group might be looking for. Decoys have been used for centuries most notably in game hunting, but also in wartime and in the committing or resolving of crimes.-Duck decoy:The term duck decoy may...
when Bin Laden traveled.
In January 2002, news reports stated that al-Liby had been captured by American forces in Afghanistan. Following this, in March 2002 news reports stated that al-Liby had been arrested by the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese government and was being held in a prison in Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
. However U.S. officials soon denied those reports and al-Liby is still being sought.
Al-Liby has been on the USA's list of Most Wanted Terrorists
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted Terrorists is a list of fugitives who have been indicted by sitting Federal grand juries in the United States district courts, for alleged crimes of terrorism. The initial list was formed in late 2001 in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks...
since its inception on October 10, 2001. The United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, through the Rewards for Justice Program
Rewards For Justice Program
The Rewards for Justice Program is the counterterrorism rewards program of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service . The Secretary of State is currently offering rewards for information that prevents or favorably resolves acts of international terrorism against U.S. persons or...
, is offering up to US$5,000,000 (formerly $25,000,000) for information about the location of Anas al-Liby.
In October, FBI consultant Paul Williams wrote a book Dunces of Doomsday in which he claimed that Amer el-Maati
Amer el-Maati
Born in Kuwait, Amro Badr Abou el-Maati is a Canadian citizen who the United States has alleged is a member of Al-Qaeda who attended flight school and discussed hijacking a Canadian plane to fly into American buildings...
, Jaber A. Elbaneh
Jaber A. Elbaneh
Jaber A. Elbaneh is a Yemeni-American who was labeled a suspected terrorist by the United States after it emerged that he had attended al-Farooq alongside the Lackawanna Six, and remained on at the camp after they returned home...
and al-Liby had all been seen around Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
the previous year, and that Shukrijumah had been seen at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
where he "wasted no time in gaining access to the nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
and stealing more than 180 pounds of nuclear material for the reation of radiological bombs". He was subsequently sued by the University for libel, as there had been no evidence to suggest any part of his story was true. The publisher later apologised for allowing Williams to print statements which "were without basis in fact".
A February 2007 Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
document claims that al-Liby and others "may have once been held" in secret detention by the CIA, but the document includes no evidence or testimony to support that assertion.
On June 6, 2007, al-Liby was listed as a possible CIA "Secret Prisoner" by Amnesty International, without giving any reason or evidence, and despite the fact he remains on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list as of the published date (June 6, 2007).
Aliases
| Nazih Abdul-Hamed Nabih al-Ruqai'i | نزيه عبد الحمد نبيه الرقيعي | The surname is spelled لراجعي in the UN list. |
| Anas al-Liby | أنس الليبي | |
| Abu Anas al-Liby | أبو أنس الليبي | Some Arabic press reports call him by this name. |
| Anas al-Sebai | أنس السباعي | |
| Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Raghie | نزيه عبد الحمد الراغي |