Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (Arabic: احمد عمر سعید شیخ) (sometimes known as Omar Sheikh, Sheikh Omar^[1], Sheik Syed^[2], or by the alias "Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad"^[3]) (b. December 23, 1973- ) is a British-born terrorist of Pakistani descent with alleged links to various Islamic-based terrorist organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al-Qaeda, and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... This article is becoming very long. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Mohammads Army. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... Harkat-ul-Mujahideen is a Pakistani-Kashmiri guerrilla group. ...

He was arrested and served time in prison for the 1994 abduction of several British nationals in India, an act which he acknowledges, but is most well-known for his alleged role in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Sheikh Omar Saeed was arrested by Pakistani police on February 12, 2002, in Lahore, in conjunction with the Pearl kidnapping,^[4] and was sentenced to death on July 15, 2002,^[5] for killing Pearl. Despite his criminal conviction, his judicial appeal and sentence process have not carried out. It is believed that this is due to Pakistan government's concerns that he will reveal his association with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Wall Street Journal is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New York with an average daily circulation of 1,800,607 (2002). ... For other persons named Daniel Pearl, see Daniel Pearl (disambiguation). ... Lahore (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and the second most dense city in Pakistan, also known as the Gardens of the Mughals or City of Gardens, after the significant rich heritage of the Mughal Empire. ... Military manpower Military age 16 years of age Availability 39,028,014 (2005) Males ages 16-49 Reaching military age males: 1,969,055 (2005) Active troops 620,000 (Ranked 7th) Military expenditures Dollar figure $3. ...

Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, in his book In the Line of Fire stated Omar Sheikh was originally recruited by British intelligence agency, MI6, while studying at the London School of Economics. He alleges Omar Sheikh was sent to the Balkans by MI6 to engage in jihadi operations. Musharraf later went on to state "At some point, he probably became a rogue or double agent".^[6] (PA – 6920) Pervez Musharraf (Urdu: پرويز مشرف); born August 11, 1943) is the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), more commonly known as MI6 (originally Military Intelligence Section 6), or the Secret Service, is the United Kingdom external security agency. ...

His complicity in the execution and the reasons behind it are in dispute.^[7] While in his initial court appearance, he stated, "I don't want to defend this case. I did this...Right or wrong, I had my reasons. I think that our country shouldn't be catering to America's needs."^[8], he subsequently appealed his conviction and is awaiting further progress while in prison. The lawyer for Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has stated he will base his clients appeal on the recent admission of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that he is the killer of Daniel Pearl.^[7][9] Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: Prosecution Exhibit from the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (Arabic: خالد شيخ محمد; also transliterated as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, , and additionally known by as many as twenty-seven aliases[1]) (b. ...

Early life

In his youth he attended Forest School, Walthamstow, a public school in North-East London, whose alumni include English cricket captain Nasser Hussain and Peter Greenaway, the filmmaker. Between the ages of 14 and 16 he attended school in Pakistan, where his family had relocated, before returning to the United Kingdom to continue at Forest School.^[10] He told school friends that he had been in Pakistan learning about jihad, but was not believed. He was a fine chess-player and won a junior London championship. Later, he attended the London School of Economics, where he studied Applied Mathematics and Economics. At the LSE, he came under the influence of Islamic fundamentalists and was instrumental in recruiting students to the cause around London. Forest School is a private school on the edge of Epping Forest, in Walthamstow in North East London, in the UK. // From its initial twenty-two pupils in 1834, Forest has expanded and now has about twelve hundred boys and girls in equal numbers across the full age range of... A public school, has two distinct meanings: elementary or secondary school supported and administered by state and local officials or in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a private boarding school, generally not coeducational, that prepares students for the university. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... Nasser Hussain (born March 28, 1968, Madras (now Chennai, India) is a former Essex and England cricketer. ... Peter Greenaway Peter Greenaway (b. ... A brothel, also known as a bordello or whorehouse, is an establishment specifically dedicated to prostitution. ...

Kidnaps British nationals, 1994

He served five years in prison in New Delhi in the 1990s in conjunction with the 1994 abduction of three British travellers, Myles Croston, 28, Paul Rideout, 26 and Rhys Partridge, 27.^[5] In 1999, Indian Airlines Flight 814 was hijacked and hostages were traded for his release, along with other leaders of Harakat-ul-Mujahideen, to Islamic Republic of Pakistan.^[10] This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... Indian Airlines Flight 814 (abbreviated IC-814) was a flight that flew from Kathmandu, Nepals Tribhuvan International Airport to Delhi, Indias Indira Gandhi International Airport. ...

Media descriptions

The Times describes Saeed Sheikh as "no ordinary terrorist but a man who has connections that reach high into Pakistan's military and intelligence elite and into the innermost circles of Osama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda organization." According to ABC, Sheikh began working for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in 1993. By 1994 he was operating terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and had earned the title of bin Laden's "special son."^{[citation needed]} The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... Military manpower Military age 16 years of age Availability 39,028,014 (2005) Males ages 16-49 Reaching military age males: 1,969,055 (2005) Active troops 620,000 (Ranked 7th) Military expenditures Dollar figure $3. ...

In May 2002, the Washington Post quotes an unnamed Pakistani as saying that the ISI paid Sheikh's legal fees during his 1994 trial in India on charges of kidnap. However, this claim has not been confirmed by any other source. ...

US authorities have also named Saeed Sheikh as a key figure in the funding of the 9/11 attacks. [1]

Alleged connection to 9/11

On October 6, 2001, a senior-level U.S. government official told CNN that U.S. investigators had discovered Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (Sheik Syed), using the alias "Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad" had sent about $100,000 from the United Arab Emirates to Mohammed Atta. "Investigators said Atta then distributed the funds to conspirators in Florida in the weeks before the deadliest acts of terrorism on U.S. soil that destroyed the World Trade Center, heavily damaged the Pentagon and left thousands dead. In addition, sources have said Atta sent thousands of dollars -- believed to be excess funds from the operation -- back to Saeed in the United Arab Emirates in the days before September 11. CNN later confirmed this. [2] The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad, is the presumed alias of a terrorist operative who is believed to have provided funds to Mohammed Atta, the suspected hijack ringleader in the September 11, 2001 attacks. ... Mohammed Atta is a name commonly used to refer to the following individuals: Mohamed Atta al Sayed was the Al-Qaeda suicide pilot of the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

The 9/11 Commission's Final Report states that the source of the funds "remains unknown."

More than a month after the money transfer was discovered, the head of ISI, General Mehmood Ahmed resigned from his position. [It was reported that the FBI was investigating the possibility that Gen. Ahmed ordered Saeed Sheikh to send the $100,000 to Atta [3]; there were also claims that Indian intelligence had already produced proof for the Pakistani administration that this was so. [4] Lt. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)[1] is Indias external intelligence agency. ...

The Wall Street Journal was one of the only Western news organizations to follow up on the story, citing the Times of India: "US authorities sought [Gen. Mehmood Ahmed's] removal after confirming the fact that $100,000 [was] wired to WTC hijacker Mohammed Atta from Pakistan by Ahmad Umar Sheikh at the instance of Gen Mehmood."[5] Another Indian newspaper, the Daily Excelsior, quoting FBI sources, reported that the "FBI’s examination of the hard disk of the cellphone company Omar Sheikh had subscribed to led to the discovery of the "link" between him and the deposed chief of the Pakistani ISI, Gen. Mehmood Ahmed. And as the FBI investigators delved deep, sensational reports surfaced with regard to the transfer of 100,000 dollars to Mohammed Atta, one of the kamikaze pilots who flew his Boeing into the World Trade Centre. Gen. Mehmood Ahmed, the FBI investigators found, fully knew about the transfer of money to Atta."[6] The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New York with a worldwide average daily circulation of more than 2. ... The Common Man featured on a commemorative stamp released by the Indian Postal Service on the 150th Anniversary of the Times of India - 1988. ...

The Pittsburgh Tribune notes that "There are many in Musharraf's government who believe that Saeed Sheikh's power comes not from the ISI, but from his connections with our own CIA."[7]

Sheikh rose to prominence with the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who at the time was in Pakistan investigating connnections between the ISI and Islamic militant groups. In Pakistan, Sheikh was sentenced to death for killing Pearl, however his complicity in the execution and the reasons behind it are in dispute. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Wall Street Journal is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New York with an average daily circulation of 1,800,607 (2002). ... For other persons named Daniel Pearl, see Daniel Pearl (disambiguation). ...

A Wall Street Journal review of Bernard-Henri Levy's book “Who Killed Daniel Pearl?” notes, “It is a fact that Gen. Mehmood Ahmed, then head of the ISI, wired $100,000 to Mohamed Atta before 9/11 through an intermediary."[8]

Pearl kidnapping

Sheikh Omar Saeed was arrested by Pakistani police on February 12, 2002, in Lahore, in conjunction with the Pearl kidnapping,^[11] He told the Pakistani court, however, that he had surrendered to the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency a week earlier.^[12] Lahore (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and the second most dense city in Pakistan, also known as the Gardens of the Mughals or City of Gardens, after the significant rich heritage of the Mughal Empire. ... Military manpower Military age 16 years of age Availability 39,028,014 (2005) Males ages 16-49 Reaching military age males: 1,969,055 (2005) Active troops 620,000 (Ranked 7th) Military expenditures Dollar figure $3. ...

References

Omar Abdel-Rahman Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman (Arabic: عمر عبد الرحمن) (born May 3, 1938) is a blind Egyptian Muslim cleric who is currently serving a life sentence at the Federal Administrative Maximum Penitentiary hospital in Florence, Colorado, United States. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ...

External links

• The toughest boy in the school - Guardian article
• The English Islamic Terrorist - The Scotsman article
• Suspected hijack bankroller freed by India in '99 - CNN
• Pearl Trial Moving to New Site After Threats - Washington Post

• India helped FBI trace ISI-terrorist links - Times of India

• Suspected hijack bankroller freed by India in '99 - CNN

• Sept. 11's Smoking Gun: The Many Faces of Saeed Sheikh - Center for Cooperative Research

• 'Our Friends the Pakistanis' - The Wall Street Journal

• India wants terror spotlight on Kashmir - CNN

• FBI, CIA benefit from RAW's inputs - The Daily Excelsior

• Did Pearl die because Pakistan deceived CIA? - The Pittsburgh Tribune

• Profiles in Terror: Omar Sayeed Sheikh