Accused Terrorist Raised In Daphne

Daphne University Of South Alabama An accused terrorist with ties to Al-Qaeda is from the Eastern Shore.

by Tiffany Craig

Published: Fri, September 04, 2009 - 5:10 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, September 04, 2009 - 7:49 pm CST

DAPHNE, Alabama - An accused terrorist with ties to Al-Qaeda is from the Eastern Shore.

His parents still live on the Gulf Coast but Omar Hammami is said to be recruiting terrorists in Somalia.

He goes by the name Abu Mansour Al-Amriki or "The American" and recruits young terrorists with propaganda video and hip hop music.

In a video posted on the internet, you can hear him talking to what appear to be recruits. "So, the only reason we're staying here away from our families... away from our cities away from you know ice candy bars is because were waiting to meet with the enemy."

Believed to be a leader of an Al-Qaeda allied group in Somalia, Al-Amriki's real name is Omar Hammami and he's from the Daphne. Born to a Syrian father and an American mother, she says they lost touch with their son four years ago. "I'm worried about him but what can you do if you don't have a number to call. Where do you think he is? I don't know."

Hammami went to Daphne High School and played on the soccer team. Mike Sutherland was a classmate. "I wound up getting on my cell phone and calling a bunch of guys from high school and we were dumb founded that this guy is actually doing this stuff. We couldn't believe it."

After high school, Hammami spent three semesters at the University of South Alabama. We interviewed him after the attacks of 9/11 about stereotyping Muslims in this country. 'We've had lots of phone calls saying we're supporting you." Hammami admits that he toned down his clothing after the attacks so he wouldn't stick out on the West Mobile campus. "My father thought that maybe it's best not to place yourself out there to maybe get hurt."

Hammami's father is no stranger to the camera either. Shafik Hammami was the head of the Islamic Society of Mobile and promoted peace among religions. "There are other people beside these extremist. There are mainstream Muslims. We are 1.2 billion people in this world."

Now, his son is accused of being one of those extremists.

We have learned that the FBI has been keeping tabs on Hammami for quite some time but the U.S. Attorney's office won't tell us if they have a case against him. According to published reports, Hammami has been indicted by a grand jury in Mobile on charges of providing material support to terrorists.

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