Jehad Mostafa
Jehad Serwan Mostafa | |
---|---|
Born | Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. | 28 December 1981
Other names | Emir Anwar, Ahmed Gurey, Anwar al-Amriki, Ahmed, Anwar, Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir |
Citizenship | United States |
Known for | Highest ranking U.S. citizen in a foreign terrorist organization, senior leader in al-Shabaab |
Criminal charges | Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; conspiracy to provide material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization; providing material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization (1 count each) |
Children | 16 |
Jehad Serwan Mostafa (born 28 December 1981), also known as Anwar al-Amriki, is an American-born senior leader in
Early life
Jehad Serwan Mostafa was born on December 28, 1981, in Waukesha, Wisconsin to Syrian Kurdish father Halim Mostafa Gabori (died 2018)[1] and an American mother. He was raised in Serra Mesa, California, and earned a degree in economics at the University of California, San Diego in 2005.[2]
In his youth, he served as the head of the Muslim Youth Council of San Diego and became a security guard registered with the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services by 2000.[3][4] During his time in San Diego, he was described as "very kind, very peaceful, very patient" and as "not scary or aggressive".[5]
Involvement with terrorism
In 2005, at the age of 23, Mostafa traveled to Sana'a, Yemen, and then to Somalia by 2006,[1] where he engaged in fighting alongside the Islamic Courts Union seeking to expel Ethiopian troops from Somali territory. He then joined al-Shabaab, which was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department in 2008.[3][2]
Mostafa swiftly rose up the ranks of the group, serving as an explosives expert, propaganda expert, military instructor, and interpreter for the organization. By 2009, he has been a senior leader in al-Shabaab, and is believed to be the highest-ranking U.S. citizen in a foreign terrorist organization.[2][6]
In 2011, Mostafa appeared at an al-Shabaab press conference with al-Shabaab leadership.[1]
He reportedly has three wives in Somalia, one a widow of a deceased al-Shabaab member, and an estimated sixteen children. He apparently narrowly evaded capture in a 2018 ground operation.[1]
Criminal charges
On October 9, 2009, Mostafa was charged by the United States government with:[2]
- Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists
- Conspiracy to provide material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization
- Providing material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
In 2011, Mostafa was added to the
References
- ^ a b c d McKay, Hollie (9 January 2020). "Who is the FBI's most wanted American terrorist? Meet Jehad Serwan Mostafa". Fox News. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Indictment Unsealed Charging Former San Diego Resident Jehad Serwan Mostafa with Providing Material Support to Militant Islamic Terrorist Organization Al-Shabaab". Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Jehad Serwan Mostafa". Counter Extremism Project. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- Rewards for Justice. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- NBC San Diego. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- AP News. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "US offers $10m for information on al-Shabab leaders, finances". Al-Jazeera. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 14 April 2023.