Amr Hamed
Encyclopedia
Amr Mohamed Hamed (also Amer Ahmed) was a Canadian who died in the American bombing of an Afghan training camp
on August 20, 1998, as retaliation for the African embassy bombings
.
. But he immigrated to Canada, landing at Lacolle, Quebec
and making his way westward to Vancouver, British Columbia.
who shared his love of sports. The two shared their faith openly, and would sometimes disappear into the forests of the coastal mountains for days at a time as a spiritual retreat to memorise the Quran
.
Considered to be "naive and inexperienced", he followed Marzouk seeking "the adventure of Afghanistan" and lived for a while with the Khadr family
in Pakistan, where he became known for his love of banana split
s and sharing their ability to mix the Western world with his current life.
was bombed by American cruise missile
s; and Hamed was blown to pieces; although Abdurahman Khadr
identified a distinctive birthmark
on his toe; and for the first time, felt hatred for Americans.
In November 2001, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
investigated claims that the Northern Alliance
had discovered an "al-Qaeda office" in Kabul
that contained business card
s reading 4-U Enterprises - Amr H. Hamed with the address for a rented postal box in a B.C. convenience store
. The same search also yielded a number of documents belonging to Amer el-Maati
.
In 2003, he was referenced by Abdurahman Khadr
, who told authorities that "a lot" of Canadians had trained at Khalden, including "a Vancouver man he knew as Amer, who was killed in a 1998 U.S. missile strike".
In their 2008 report concerning Mahmoud Jaballah, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS) misidentified Hamed and Essam Marzouk
as being the same person.
Afghan training camp
An Afghan training camp is a camp or facility used for militant training located in pre-2002 Afghanistan. At the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Indian intelligence officials estimated that there were over 120 training camps operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, run by a variety of...
on August 20, 1998, as retaliation for the African embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings
The 1998 United States embassy bombings were a series of attacks that occurred on August 7, 1998, in which hundreds of people were killed in simultaneous truck bomb explosions at the United States embassies in the East African capitals of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. The date of the...
.
Life in Egypt
While living in Egypt, Hamed had played for the Egypt national basketball teamEgypt national basketball team
The Egypt national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Egypt in international competitions.-Eurobasket 1937:The Egyptians finished last at the second European basketball championship, the Eurobasket 1937 held by FIBA Europe continental federation...
. But he immigrated to Canada, landing at Lacolle, Quebec
Lacolle, Quebec
Lacolle is a municipality in southern Quebec, Canada located in the administrative area of the Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,512...
and making his way westward to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Life in Canada
In 1998, he co-founded an import-export business named 4-U Enterprises with his "best friend", former Egyptian Essam MarzoukEssam Marzouk
An Egyptian resident of British Columbia, Essam Hafez Mohammed Marzouk arrived in Vancouver, Canada in 1993 as a refugee fleeing persecution in Pakistan...
who shared his love of sports. The two shared their faith openly, and would sometimes disappear into the forests of the coastal mountains for days at a time as a spiritual retreat to memorise the Quran
Hafez
Khwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī , known by his pen name Hāfez , was a Persian lyric poet. His collected works composed of series of Persian poetry are to be found in the homes of most Iranians, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day...
.
Considered to be "naive and inexperienced", he followed Marzouk seeking "the adventure of Afghanistan" and lived for a while with the Khadr family
Khadr family
The Khadr family is a Canadian family noted for their ties to Osama bin Laden and alleged connections to al Qaeda. The family maintains that they have not broken any Canadian laws, and they have never been charged with any crimes by Canadian authorities.The Khadr family comprises:*The father,...
in Pakistan, where he became known for his love of banana split
Banana split
A banana split is an ice cream-based dessert. In its classic form it is served in a long dish called a boat. A banana is cut in half lengthwise and laid in the dish. There are many variations, but the classic banana split is made with scoops of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream served in...
s and sharing their ability to mix the Western world with his current life.
Death and legacy
On August 20, 1998, Al Farouq training campAl Farouq training camp
The Al Farouq training camp, also known as "the airport camp", was an alleged Al-Qaeda training camp near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Camp attendees received small-arms training, map-reading, orientation, explosives training, and other training....
was bombed by American cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s; and Hamed was blown to pieces; although Abdurahman Khadr
Abdurahman Khadr
Abdurahman Khadr is the third child of the Egyptian Canadian Khadr family, and was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba, after being detained in Afghanistan under suspicion of connections to Al-Qaeda...
identified a distinctive birthmark
Birthmark
A birthmark is a benign irregularity on the skin which is present at birth or appears shortly after birth, usually in the first month. They can occur anywhere on the skin. Birthmarks are caused by overgrowth of blood vessels, melanocytes, smooth muscle, fat, fibroblasts, or...
on his toe; and for the first time, felt hatred for Americans.
In November 2001, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
investigated claims that the Northern Alliance
Northern Alliance
The Afghan Northern Alliance is a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996.Northern Alliance may also refer to:*Northern Alliance , a Canadian white supremacist group...
had discovered an "al-Qaeda office" in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
that contained business card
Business card
Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation and contact information such as street addresses, telephone...
s reading 4-U Enterprises - Amr H. Hamed with the address for a rented postal box in a B.C. convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
. The same search also yielded a number of documents belonging to Amer el-Maati
Amer el-Maati
Born in Kuwait, Amro Badr Abou el-Maati is a Canadian citizen who the United States has alleged is a member of Al-Qaeda who attended flight school and discussed hijacking a Canadian plane to fly into American buildings...
.
In 2003, he was referenced by Abdurahman Khadr
Abdurahman Khadr
Abdurahman Khadr is the third child of the Egyptian Canadian Khadr family, and was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba, after being detained in Afghanistan under suspicion of connections to Al-Qaeda...
, who told authorities that "a lot" of Canadians had trained at Khalden, including "a Vancouver man he knew as Amer, who was killed in a 1998 U.S. missile strike".
In their 2008 report concerning Mahmoud Jaballah, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS) misidentified Hamed and Essam Marzouk
Essam Marzouk
An Egyptian resident of British Columbia, Essam Hafez Mohammed Marzouk arrived in Vancouver, Canada in 1993 as a refugee fleeing persecution in Pakistan...
as being the same person.