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Wanted Al Qaeda Leader Lunched at Pentagon Soon After 9/11
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 21, 2010
Modified Oct 21, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 21, 2010
Modified Oct 21, 2010
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The first U.S. citizen to make the CIA's "Kill or Capture" list in almost a decade is American-Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was added earlier this year. The government says he's a bad guy who has forfeited his right to due process under the law because he allegedly helped Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian suspected of attempting to bomb an airliner on Christmas Day. But before all that, al-Awlaki's name showed up on another list—the guest list at a Pentagon luncheon, just months after the 9/11 attacks.
In an exclusive scoop, Fox News reports that Awlaki was invited to the Pentagon as part of the military’s outreach to the Muslim community, a month into what started as Operation Infinite Justice in Afghanistan. The purpose of the luncheon was to win Muslim hearts and minds as the U.S. kicked off its awesome endless "crusade" against terrorism. Al-Awlaki, a Yemeni-American who was born in New Mexico, was interviewed at least four times by the FBI after the attacks because of his ties to the three hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Hani Hanjour. Those three were all aboard Flight 77, which slammed into the Pentagon. Of course none of the FBI's intel about Awlaki was shared with the Pentagon, which is pretty typical.
In November Awlaki was getting a free lunch at the Pentagon. He's now believed to be in hiding in Yemen, and the CIA also says he had connections to alleged Ft. Hood shooter Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who e-mailed Awlaki prior to the attack. An FBI source tells Fox that back then there was tremendous "arrogance" about the vetting process at the Pentagon. "They vetted people politically and showed indifference toward security and intelligence advice of others," the former FBI agent said.
Tagged
9/11
al-qaeda
anwar al-awlaki
pentagon
terrorist
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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