Germaine Lindsay

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Abdullah Shaheed Jamal

Born Germaine Maurice Lindsay
September 23, 1985(1985-09-23)
Jamaica
Died July 7, 2005 (aged 19)
Russell Square Tube, London

Germaine Maurice Lindsay, also known as Abdullah Shaheed Jamal, (September 23, 1985 – July 7, 2005) was one of the four terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings, killing 56 (including themselves) and injuring more than 700.

Lindsay, who changed his name to Abdullah Shaheed Jamal after his conversion to Islam, detonated the bomb that killed 26 people, plus himself, on a train travelling on the Piccadilly line between the King's Cross St. Pancras and Russell Square Tube stations, under Marchmont Street where Russell Supermarket is.

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[edit] Biography

Lindsay was born in Jamaica, and had lived in Dalton, Huddersfield, following his arrival from Jamaica at aged five, where attended Rawthorpe Junior School and Rawthorpe High School.[1] A carpet fitter, he subsequently moved to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Newspaper reports indicate Lindsay was a violent, racist, drug dealer in Huddersfield prior to his conversion to Islam:

"He thought all white people were trash and said he was going to get them all on drugs to kill them off." [2]

Lindsay married a 29 year old Kinnity woman, Aoife Nadiyah Molloy, with whom he remained for eight days before divorcing her to marry another Irish woman, Samantha Lewthwaite. Lewthwaite, a native of Aylesbury, had converted to Islam at age 15. Lewthwaite lived with him and gave birth to their second child two months after his death. Lindsay also persuaded his mother, Mary McLeod, the daughter of an Evangelical Christian, to convert to Islam.[3] He engaged in "work experience" with a local council, which he is said to have enjoyed, although the pay was poor.[4]


Friends say that after his conversion he rejected his old friends and old habits and completely embraced an extremist anti-Western understanding of Islam, reminiscent of al-Qaeda rhetoric. His mother recalls their shock at the 9/11 attacks and wondered how Muslims could have done something like that. His wife, Lewthwaite, now 22 (who has since unofficially taken the Muslim name Sherafiyah) denied Lindsay's involvement until authorities produced forensic evidence to confirm his identity.[3] She later went on record stating she abhorred the attacks and that her husband's mind had been poisoned by radicals.[5] Lindsay was influenced greatly by the extremist and discredited preacher Abdullah el-Faisal (who was opposed vehemently in London by mosques such as Brixton Mosque) and Lindsay also had many of el-Faisal's taped lectures.

[edit] Involvement in London bombings

The bombers caught on CCTV at Luton railway station at 07:21 BST on 7 July 2005. From left to right, Hasib Hussain, Germaine Lindsay (Holding the Carrier Bag), Mohammad Sidique Khan, and Shehzad Tanweer
The bombers caught on CCTV at Luton railway station at 07:21 BST on 7 July 2005. From left to right, Hasib Hussain, Germaine Lindsay (Holding the Carrier Bag), Mohammad Sidique Khan, and Shehzad Tanweer

Lindsay detonated his bomb, killing at least 26, on a train travelling between King's Cross St. Pancras and Russell Square stations[6]

A raid by Scotland Yard found no explosives at Lindsay's flat. Lindsay is believed to have hired one of the cars left at Luton railway station on 7 July before the bombers made their rail journey to London.

Abdul Dayan, the imam of the Jamia Ghausia mosque in Aylesbury, said that Lindsay did not attend, and did not mix with the largely Pakistani Muslim community. But other Muslims of Aylesbury did notice some extremist views that Lindsay had and thus challenged him regarding such views, such as his praising of 9/11.

[edit] July 22 2005

On July 22 police and fire services were called to Lindsay's home after neighbours reported a strong smell of petrol coming from Lindsay's home, 10 Northern Road, Aylesbury. It was suspected to be an arson attack on the empty property.[7] Since then it was revealed in the local press that his wife and son are living under police protection and will not be returning home. In December 2005 two 17-year-olds were charged with attempted arson for the attack; the two teenagers are now in a Young Offender's Institute awaiting an Adult Prison.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sapsted, David and Duncan Gardham. "Lost years of the 'nice boy' who killed 25". Daily Telegraph. 16 July 2005.
  2. ^ Bradley, Anne-Marie. "Bomber was Huddersfield drug dealer." Huddersfield Examiner. 8 August 2005.
  3. ^ a b "New Muslim at 15, a bombing suspect at 19." International Herald Tribune. 18 July 2005.
  4. ^ The Sun Online.
  5. ^ "Widow of bomber 'abhors' attack." BBC News. 23 September 2005
  6. ^ "Image of bombers' deadly journey", BBC News, 2005-07-17. Retrieved on 2007-03-03. 
  7. ^ "Attempted arson at bomber's house." BBC News. 22 July 2005.

[edit] External links

[edit] Further reading


Persondata
NAME Jamal, Abdullah Shaheed
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lindsay, Germaine Maurice
SHORT DESCRIPTION
DATE OF BIRTH 1985-9-23
PLACE OF BIRTH Jamaica
DATE OF DEATH 2005-7-7
PLACE OF DEATH Russell Square Tube, London