Iman University

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Anwar al-Awlaki, who attended and lectured at the university
Iman University (also al-Iman University, el-Eman University, or al-Eman University; Arabic: جامعة الإيمان‎; Jāmiʿat al-Īmān) is a Sunni religious school founded in 1993[1] in San‘a’, Yemen.[2][3] Al-Iman means the Faith.

As of January 2010, it reportedly had 6,000 students.[4]

Its founder and principal director is Abdul-Majid al-Zindani, who is classified by the US Treasury as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,[5] and who is also under sanction by the United Nations.[6] In 2004, he was designated a terrorist associated with al-Qaeda by both the U.S. and the United Nations.[7][8] He was theological adviser to Osama bin Laden and co-founder of the main Yemeni opposition party, Islah.[1]

The Treasury statement mentions that some students at Iman University have been arrested for political and religious murders. Some believe that the school's curriculum deals mostly, if not exclusively, with radical Islamic studies, and that it is an incubator of radicalism.[7][9] Students are suspected of having assassinated three American missionaries, and "the number two leader for the Yemeni Socialist Party", Jarallah Omar.[5] John Walker Lindh, now serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with his participation in Afghanistan's Taliban army, is a former student of the university.[7][8]

Imam Anwar al-Awlaki, who has taken classes and lectured at Iman University, has also been linked to al-Qaeda.[10]

The Sunday Times has established that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 suspected bomber who was arrested on Christmas Day 2009, attended lectures by al-Awlaki at the university in 2005.[11]

However, University officially denies that Imam Anwar al-Awlaki and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab ever studied or taught there.[12][13]

External links


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Erlanger, Steven (2010-01-18). "At Yemen’s Al Eman University, Scholarship and Jihadist Ideas". Yemen: NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2010-03-17. 
  2. ↑ Arabic website of Iman University
  3. ↑ English website of Iman University
  4. ↑ Rayment, Sean (2010-01-03). "Detroit terror attack: Britain sends counter-terrorist forces to Yemen". Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-03-17. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 United States Designates bin Laden Loyalist, United States Department of the Treasury
  6. ↑ "UN 1267 Committee banned entity list". Un.org. Retrieved 2010-03-17. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Raghavan, Sudarsan (December 10, 2009). "Cleric linked to Fort Hood attack grew more radicalized in Yemen". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 10, 2009. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Schmidt, Susan; Imam From Va. Mosque Now Thought to Have Aided Al-Qaeda; The Washington Post, February 27, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
  9. ↑ Glenn R. Simpson, "Terror Probe Follows the Money," The Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2004. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Chucmach, Megan, and Ross, Brian, "Al Qaeda Recruiter New Focus in Fort Hood Killings Investigation Army Major Nidal Hasan Was In Contact With Imam Anwar Awlaki, Officials Say," ''ABC News'', November 10, 2009, accessed November 12, 2009". Abcnews.go.com. 2009-11-10. Retrieved 2010-03-17. 
  11. ↑ Leppard, David (January 3, 2010). "MI5 knew of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s UK extremist links". The Sunday Times. Retrieved January 2, 2010. 
  12. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKurMkvtXqQ
  13. ↑ http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/yemen-university-denies-us-charge-of-promoting-islamist-extremism

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