Yazid Sufaat
Encyclopedia
The Malaysian Yazid Sufaat (or Yazud bin Sufaat or Yazid Shufaat) was a member of the Islamist terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah
from shortly after its foundation in 1993 until his arrest by Malaysian authorities on 9 December 2001.
Sufaat was born in Johor
, Malaysia on 20 January 1964. His expired Malaysian passport was number A10472263. As of April 2007 he is being held in the Kamuting prison under Malaysia's Internal Security Act
.
He was released with no advanced notification by the Malaysian Government on December 10, 2008 with the Home Minister claiming that he was "sufficiently reformed".
In 1987 Sufaat graduated from the California State University, Sacramento
with a degree in biochemistry. He then served in the Malaysian army as a medical technician, reaching the rank of Captain. Sufaat is now believed to be one of al-Qaeda
's main anthrax
researchers. In 1993 Sufaat set up a pathology laboratory called Green Laboratory Medicine, at which he subsequently tried to weaponize anthrax on behalf of al-Qaeda. From the 5th to the 8th of January 2000, a major meeting of al-Qaeda and JI personnel was held in Kuala Lumpur (see 2000 Kuala Lumpur al-Qaeda Summit); four of those who attended stayed with Sufaat at his home. He is also suspected of providing employment documents to Zacarias Moussaoui
, and providing lodging for two of the September 11
hijackers, namely Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi
.
From the 911 Commission report:
Sufaat, through his company Green Laboratory Medicine, acquired four tonnes of ammonium nitrate for JI/MILF
bomb-maker Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi
. The intended bombing spree in Singapore
(see Singapore embassies attack plot
) was averted by the arrests in Singapore in December 2001 and the capture of al-Ghozi the following month in the Philippines
.
Sufaat was still in Afghanistan
at the time of the 9/11 attacks, whence he fled via Pakistan to Malaysia, where he was soon picked up. He is wanted in the United States
in connection with 9/11.
Under the name Yazud bin Sufaat, his assets were frozen on 5 September 2003 by the US Treasury's
Office of Foreign Assets Control
. Four days later, under the name Yazid Sufaat, he was embargoed by the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267
as an affiliate of al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Malaysia was reported to have freed Sufaat in December 2008.
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiah , is a Southeast Asian militant Islamic organization dedicated to the establishment of a Daulah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore and Brunei...
from shortly after its foundation in 1993 until his arrest by Malaysian authorities on 9 December 2001.
Sufaat was born in Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, Malaysia on 20 January 1964. His expired Malaysian passport was number A10472263. As of April 2007 he is being held in the Kamuting prison under Malaysia's Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
.
He was released with no advanced notification by the Malaysian Government on December 10, 2008 with the Home Minister claiming that he was "sufficiently reformed".
In 1987 Sufaat graduated from the California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento, popularly known as Sacramento State, is a public university located in the city of Sacramento, California. It is part of the California State University system...
with a degree in biochemistry. He then served in the Malaysian army as a medical technician, reaching the rank of Captain. Sufaat is now believed to be one of 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...
's main anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
researchers. In 1993 Sufaat set up a pathology laboratory called Green Laboratory Medicine, at which he subsequently tried to weaponize anthrax on behalf of al-Qaeda. From the 5th to the 8th of January 2000, a major meeting of al-Qaeda and JI personnel was held in Kuala Lumpur (see 2000 Kuala Lumpur al-Qaeda Summit); four of those who attended stayed with Sufaat at his home. He is also suspected of providing employment documents to Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui is a French citizen who was convicted of conspiring to kill citizens of the US as part of the September 11 attacks...
, and providing lodging for two of the September 11
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...
hijackers, namely Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi
Nawaf al-Hazmi
Nawaf Muhammed Salim al-Hazmi was one of five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon as part of the September 11 attacks....
.
From the 911 Commission report:
The al Qaeda-JI partnership yielded a number of proposals that would marry al Qaeda's financial and technical strengths with JI's access to materials and local operatives. Here, Hambali played the critical role of coordinator, as he distributed al Qaeda funds earmarked for joint operations. In one especially notable example, AtefMohammed AtefMohammed Atef was the alleged military chief of al-Qaida, although his role in the organization was not well known by intelligence agencies for years...
turned to Hambali when al Qaeda needed a scientist to take over its biological weapons program. Hambali obliged by introducing a U.S.-educated JI member, Yazid Sufaat, to Ayman al ZawahiriAyman al-ZawahiriAyman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian physician, Islamic theologian and current leader of al-Qaeda. He was previously the second and last "emir" of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zumar in the latter role when Egyptian authorities sentenced al-Zumar to life...
in KandaharKandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. In 2001, Sufaat would spend several months attempting to cultivate anthrax for al Qaeda in a laboratory he helped set up near the Kandahar airportKandahar AirfieldKandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
.
Sufaat, through his company Green Laboratory Medicine, acquired four tonnes of ammonium nitrate for JI/MILF
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic militant groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that are fighting against Government of the Philippines...
bomb-maker Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi
Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi
Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi was a key operative and bomb-maker of the Islamic militant Jemaah Islamiya group...
. The intended bombing spree in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
(see Singapore embassies attack plot
Singapore embassies attack plot
The Singapore embassies attack plot was a plan in 2001 by Jemaah Islamiyah to bomb the diplomatic missions and attack personnel of the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Israel based in Singapore. There were also several other targets. The plot was uncovered in December 2001 and as...
) was averted by the arrests in Singapore in December 2001 and the capture of al-Ghozi the following month in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Sufaat was still in 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...
at the time of the 9/11 attacks, whence he fled via Pakistan to Malaysia, where he was soon picked up. He is wanted in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in connection with 9/11.
Under the name Yazud bin Sufaat, his assets were frozen on 5 September 2003 by the US Treasury's
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Office of Foreign Assets Control
Office of Foreign Assets Control
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury under the auspices of the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S...
. Four days later, under the name Yazid Sufaat, he was embargoed by the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267
United Nations Security Council Committee 1267
The 1267 Committee , was established on 15 October 1999, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1267 concerning Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and/or the Taliban and associated individuals and entities. The 1267 Committee is one of three Security Council committees dealing with counter-terrorism...
as an affiliate of al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Malaysia was reported to have freed Sufaat in December 2008.