Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi
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Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi in 1995
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| Occupation | Lobbyist and fundraiser |
| Criminal status | USA |
| Conviction(s) | Illegal financial transactions with Libyan government, unlawful procurement of citizenship, impeding administration of Internal Revenue Service, and role in Libyan conspiracy to assassinate Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah (October 2004) |
| Criminal charge | Illegal financial transactions with Libyan government, unlawful procurement of citizenship, impeding administration of Internal Revenue Service, and role in Libyan conspiracy to assassinate Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah |
| Penalty | 23-year prison sentence |
Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi (
i/ɑːbˈduːl rɑːˈmɑːn ɑːlɑːˈmuːdiː/), also known as Abdurahman Alamoudi, was an American Muslim activist. He was known for starting the American Muslim Council. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to certain financial and conspiracy charges. This led to him receiving a 23-year prison sentence.
About Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi
Al-Amoudi was born in the Province of Eritrea, which was part of Ethiopia.
He moved from Yemen to the United States in 1979. He became a U.S. citizen in 1996. Later, his U.S. citizenship was taken away after his conviction for legal issues.
Al-Amoudi lived in Falls Church, Virginia.
His Work with Organizations
Before his arrest, Al-Amoudi was a well-known Muslim activist in America. He met with important government officials. His goal was to help Muslims become more involved in politics.
Al-Amoudi started the American Muslim Foundation. He was also its executive director. He was an important member of other Islamic groups. These groups focused on politics and charity.
He also helped create a program for Muslim chaplains. This program was for the U.S. Department of Defense. Al-Amoudi met with President George W. Bush. He also gave money to political campaigns. Both President Bush and Hillary Clinton later returned his donations.
Al-Amoudi was invited to speak at a special prayer service. This service was held at the Washington National Cathedral. It was to remember the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Al-Amoudi also helped start the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB). He signed the papers to create the Society. He was the first president of its mosque in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Controversial Statements
Al-Amoudi made some statements that caused controversy. In a 1997 interview, he praised a leader from a group called Hamas. He also said he worked with this group.
Reports from investigations mentioned other controversial comments. Al-Amoudi expressed regret that some attacks did not harm Americans. He also suggested more attacks should happen.
Journalists Mark Hosenball and Michael Isikoff reported on Al-Amoudi. They said he was an "expert in the art of deception." This was because he seemed moderate in public. But he privately supported groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
