Kafeel Ahmed is the jihadist who crashed his Jeep Cherokee into the Glasgow airport in the July 2007 jihad plot in Britain. There is a great deal of interest in this letter, but note especially the frequent references to Allah and Islam, which here again belies the common claim that terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. The terrorists themselves think it does, and that claim needs to be studied. If we do not study it, we certainly will never figure out how to counter it.
Note also the repeated instructions to his brother to feign ignorance, to lie, to appear shocked, to portray the jihadist as a law-abiding PhD student. And compare that to the reactions from relatives and friends of all jihadists whenever they are interviewed in the press.
From our Terrorism Has Nothing To Do With Islam Department: “The Jihad confession email,” from the Sydney Morning Herald (thanks to Twostellas):
Jihad confession email from Kafeel Ahmed to his brother Sabeel Ahmed, 30 June 2007.
Inshallah, by the time you get this message I should have achieved one of the two goals by the will of Allah. I sincerely apologise and pray that you forgive me for keeping this from you. It was for your safety and for the sake of the project. And after much deliberation I have decided to write this message so that you are prepared to take the knock-on effects of my actions.
My sincere request that you do the following:
1. Pray to Allah for acceptance of my deeds.
2. Pray to Allah to give you calm and composure and strength (for you will need this).
3. Do not inform anyone about me or my deed (and I mean anyone).
4. If they figure out it was me (I have tried to clear up my tracks as much as possible) then go ahead and tell them whatever they ask of you (about my PhD and the project on global warming and my trip to Iceland and give them my comp if they ask).
And of course this is going to put you in trouble (Allah forbid). Say only that which is necessary. And please don’t argue. Try to continue as normal but appear shocked. Try to put off telling Abbu-Ammi (mother and father) for as long as possible.
I am sorry for putting you in this situation. But it’s about time that we give up our lives and families for the sake of Islam to please Allah. And you will, inshallah, get the reward for this….
6. If I am caught, then try to maintain calmness (and if asked, repeat my story of PhD and project on global warming) and don’t try too hard to get me released, I am prepared for the long haul (may Allah save me from the dreaded prisons).
It will be your task to explain to people at home. I and the team are making maximum efforts to prevent this….
At any time, don’t hold back from joining the Jihad, by money, words and actions. Allah makes it easy for those who do so…
This is the project that I was working on for some time now … everything else was a lie. And I hope you can all forgive me for being such a good liar. It was necessary, just so that you know. Everything since last week was executed by me and my team. This is confidential on behalf of our Emir. (If you got a sms, then the plan was stalled mid-way)….
May Allah … reward you for the troubles.
Your brother Abu Abdurahman