Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi
Encyclopedia
Abdul Rahman Al-Amoudi, also known as Abdurahman Alamoudi, the founder of the American Muslim Council
, pled guilty to financial and conspiracy charges in 2004, which resulted in a 23-year prison sentence.
, raised in Yemen
, and later immigrated to the United States
.
He founded the American Muslim Council, a lobbying group to advocate on behalf of Muslim
s in the United States
, in 1990. The Council's aim was to inform and influence both Republicans
and Democrats
). Until 1998, Al-Amoudi was involved with the selection of Muslim
chaplains
for the U.S. military
(through the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, which he co-founded in 1991), and acted as a consultant to The Pentagon
for over a decade.
During this time Al-Amoudi served as an Islamic adviser to President Bill Clinton
and a fundraiser for both the Republican and Democratic parties. More recently, Al-Amoudi worked with leading conservatives, such as Grover Norquist
, president of Americans for Tax Reform
. Al-Amoudi became a U.S. citizen in 1996.
Al-Amoudi and other Muslim leaders met with then-presidential candidate George W. Bush
in Austin
in July 2000, offering to support his bid for the White House
in exchange for Bush's commitment to repeal certain anti-terrorist laws.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks
, Al-Amoudi spoke at the Washington National Cathedral
prayer service held to honor the memory of the victims.
In 2004 he pled guilty to three charges of illegal financial transactions with the Libya
n government, unlawful procurement of citizenship and impeding administration of the Internal Revenue Service
, as well as a role in a Libyan conspiracy to assassinate then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah
. He agreed to cooperate in ongoing investigations in return for prosecutors dropping 31 other counts and possible reduction in a pending 23-year sentence and $750,000 in fines. He was sentenced to 23 years in October 2004.
Al-Amoudi was described as an "expert in the art of deception" in a report by Newsweek
journalists Mark Hosenball
and Michael Isikoff
, for expressing moderate, pro-American sympathies in his lobbying and public relations work with Americans, but then expressing support for Hamas
and Hezbollah at an Islamist rally.
American Muslim Council
The American Muslim Council is an Islamic organization and registered charity in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois....
, pled guilty to financial and conspiracy charges in 2004, which resulted in a 23-year prison sentence.
Biography
Al-Amoudi was born in YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, raised in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, and later immigrated to the United States
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
.
He founded the American Muslim Council, a lobbying group to advocate on behalf of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1990. The Council's aim was to inform and influence both Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
). Until 1998, Al-Amoudi was involved with the selection of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
chaplains
Military chaplain
A military chaplain is a chaplain who ministers to soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and other members of the military. In many countries, chaplains also minister to the family members of military personnel, to civilian noncombatants working for military organizations and to civilians within the...
for the U.S. military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
(through the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, which he co-founded in 1991), and acted as a consultant to The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
for over a decade.
During this time Al-Amoudi served as an Islamic adviser to President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and a fundraiser for both the Republican and Democratic parties. More recently, Al-Amoudi worked with leading conservatives, such as Grover Norquist
Grover Norquist
Grover Glenn Norquist is an American lobbyist, conservative activist, and founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform...
, president of Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
. Al-Amoudi became a U.S. citizen in 1996.
Al-Amoudi and other Muslim leaders met with then-presidential candidate George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in July 2000, offering to support his bid for the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in exchange for Bush's commitment to repeal certain anti-terrorist laws.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, Al-Amoudi spoke at the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
prayer service held to honor the memory of the victims.
In 2004 he pled guilty to three charges of illegal financial transactions with the Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n government, unlawful procurement of citizenship and impeding administration of the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
, as well as a role in a Libyan conspiracy to assassinate then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
. He agreed to cooperate in ongoing investigations in return for prosecutors dropping 31 other counts and possible reduction in a pending 23-year sentence and $750,000 in fines. He was sentenced to 23 years in October 2004.
Al-Amoudi was described as an "expert in the art of deception" in a report by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
journalists Mark Hosenball
Mark Hosenball
Mark Hosenball is an investigative correspondent at Newsweek. He started there in November 1993, after working at Dateline NBC as an investigative producer. He also worked at The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, Time Out, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Republic...
and Michael Isikoff
Michael Isikoff
Michael Isikoff is an investigative journalist for NBC News, formerly with the United States magazine Newsweek. He joined Newsweek as an investigative correspondent in June, 1994, and has written extensively on the U.S...
, for expressing moderate, pro-American sympathies in his lobbying and public relations work with Americans, but then expressing support for Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and Hezbollah at an Islamist rally.