Malika El Aroud
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malika El Aroud (aka Oum Obeyda) is a Belgian Muslim of Moroccan descent who lives near Fribourg, Switzerland. According to the Swiss Federal Police she is the widow of one of the men who killed anti-Taliban resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud two days before the September 11, 2001 attacks.[1] In 2003 she was cleared by a Belgian court of charges of complicity in Massoud's murder.
On February 2005 she was detained along with her Tunisian husband in an anti-terror raid. She was accused of operating a Jihadi website which incited to criminal acts and racial violence.
On June 2007 she was found guilty by a Swiss court for supporting radical Islamist organizations via internet sites. [2]
According to journalists Elaine Sciolino and Souad Mekhennet, "writing in French under the name `Oum Obeyda,` [El Aroud] has transformed herself into one of the most prominent Internet jihadists in Europe," by bullying "Muslim men to go and fight" and rallying "women to join the cause." In an interview she told the journalists “I have a weapon. It’s to write. It’s to speak out. That’s my jihad. You can do many things with words. Writing is also a bomb.”[3]
She is quoted as telling Western audiences “Vietnam is nothing compared to what awaits you on our lands, ... Ask your mothers, your wives to order your coffins.” and telling her followers: “Victory is appearing on the horizon my brothers and sisters. Let’s intensify our prayers.”[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Swiss trial opens for 2 accused of supporting terror on Internet June 20, 2007
- ^ Islamist website owners found guilty 28 May 2008
- ^ Internet Warrior Rallies Women to Support Al Qaeda By ELAINE SCIOLINO and SOUAD MEKHENNET, May 28, 2008
- ^ Internet Warrior Rallies Women to Support Al Qaeda By ELAINE SCIOLINO and SOUAD MEKHENNET, May 28, 2008
