Hamoud al-Hitar
Encyclopedia
Hamoud Al-Hitar is a Yemen
i judge
.
He is notable for leading a Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program, called the "Committee for Religious Dialogue".
According to an Newsweek
Al-Hitar was an admirer of Egypt
ian leader Gamal Abdul Nasser in his youth.
He joined the Muslim Brotherhood
in 1972, but left it in early 1980s after he became a judge.
Newsweek reported that when he adjudicated the case of the murder of two Yemeni Jews in 1984 he received death threats when he broke an unspoken tradition that judges not impose the death penalty for the killers of Jews.
The jihadist rehabilitation program he leads was in operation as early as 2000.
, of the Toronto Star
, interviewed al-Hitari who was currently minister of Religious Endowments.
Al-Hitari acknowledged that his first deradicalization program consisted mostly of senior religious clerics engaging in "theological duels" with the jihadist prisoners. He claimed the program had been "98% successful".
Al-Hitari answered Shephard's questions about a report from the Countering Terrorism Center at West Point, that described his first anti-jihadist program as a failure.
Al-Hitari was asked about the criticism in the West Point report that his rehabilitation program had focused merely on persuading the prisoners that Yemen should not be the target of jihad inspired violence, but it didn't spend enough energy curbing the prisoners desire to attack targets outside of Yemen. Al-Hitari responded by asking what efforts the USA had made to rehabilitate its Guantanamo captives.
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
.
He is notable for leading a Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program, called the "Committee for Religious Dialogue".
According to an Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
Al-Hitar was an admirer of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian leader Gamal Abdul Nasser in his youth.
He joined the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
in 1972, but left it in early 1980s after he became a judge.
Newsweek reported that when he adjudicated the case of the murder of two Yemeni Jews in 1984 he received death threats when he broke an unspoken tradition that judges not impose the death penalty for the killers of Jews.
The jihadist rehabilitation program he leads was in operation as early as 2000.
Interview with Michelle Shephard
In September 2009 Michelle ShephardMichelle Shephard
Michelle Shephard is an investigative reporter with the Toronto Star newspaper in Canada. She has been awarded the Michener Award for public service journalism and twice won Canada's top newspaper prize, the National Newspaper Award. In 2011, she was an associate producer on an Oscar-nominated...
, of the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, interviewed al-Hitari who was currently minister of Religious Endowments.
Al-Hitari acknowledged that his first deradicalization program consisted mostly of senior religious clerics engaging in "theological duels" with the jihadist prisoners. He claimed the program had been "98% successful".
Al-Hitari answered Shephard's questions about a report from the Countering Terrorism Center at West Point, that described his first anti-jihadist program as a failure.
Al-Hitari was asked about the criticism in the West Point report that his rehabilitation program had focused merely on persuading the prisoners that Yemen should not be the target of jihad inspired violence, but it didn't spend enough energy curbing the prisoners desire to attack targets outside of Yemen. Al-Hitari responded by asking what efforts the USA had made to rehabilitate its Guantanamo captives.