The kind of third-worldist brainrot that has long been an undercurrent of America&#8217;s far-Left is having a moment.
The &#8220;Blame America First&#8221; crowd used to be confined to the fringes — coffee shop discussions of a million dead Iraqis, Jane Fonda manning a Viet Cong anti-aircraft gun, DSA conference speakers deriding Barack Obama as a war criminal for taking out Based Pan-Africanist Socialist Revolutionary Gaddafi — but now it dominates the Discourse. Podcasters and newsletter writers from Left, Right, and the schizo middle draw millions of clicks by asserting that American projection of force and pursual of interest is the root cause of all the world&#8217;s ills, from Russia-Ukraine to &#8220;genocide in Gaza&#8221; to the Islamic takeover of Europe.
Sadio Camara would likely agree with some version of that anti-Western assessment if you asked him about it. You can&#8217;t, though, because he got blown up by a car bomb last month.
Camara was the Minister of Defense in the West African country of Mali until his untimely yet instructive death on April 25. It was only a few years earlier that he played a key role in overthrowing his own country&#8217;s government, kicking out the United States (and even more so the French), and entering a security partnership with Russia and its mercenaries.
Mali is part of the Sahel region of Africa, alongside Niger and Burkina Faso. The average American could be forgiven for not caring much about this part of the world, but they should at least a little: it&#8217;s rich in rare earth minerals, resources like gold and uranium, and Islamic terrorists. They also sit along key migration routes from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, which is to say that they have some bearing on how non-European Europe will continue to become in the future.
All three of those countries previously had democratic-ish governments that worked with the United States and France on counter-terrorism. You might recall the <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/dods-report-investigation-2017-ambush-niger">tragic ambush</a> in Niger that killed four Green Berets (and 4 Nigeriens) in 2017. Africa has really become a hotspot for Islamic terrorist groups in recent years, and the United States had a major presence in Niger to fight them (and smaller special forces operations in Mali and Burkina Faso).
Then, in the early 2020s, they fell one-by-one to Russian-backed coups that installed military juntas and severed ties with the United States.
&#8220;Move on from the colonial past and hear the anger, the frustration, the rejection that is coming up from the African cities and countryside, and understand that this movement is inexorable,&#8221; Malian government spokesman Abdoulaye Maïga told the UN in 2022. &#8220;Your intimidations and subversive actions have only swelled the ranks of Africans concerned with preserving their dignity.&#8221;
There is a little bit of blame to be attributed to Washington, D.C., at this point in the story. Under President Joe Biden, a delegation of officials visited Niger and more or less gave the junta an ultimatum: stop cozying up to Russia and Iran and work with us instead, or else. At the time, Niger was nearing a uranium agreement with Iran. (Surely that won&#8217;t be relevant down the road!)
They promptly told the Biden administration to kick rocks and booted what remained of America&#8217;s presence from the country, including one of our most critical drone bases in the region which we used to kill terrorists.
&#8220;For Niger it was just very abrupt and very aggressive. They felt that it was the same attitude that the French had,&#8221; Zineb Riboua, a research fellow at the Hudson Institute&#8217;s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, told me. &#8220;The military junta asked them to leave.&#8221;
&#8220;Instead of presenting it as an ultimatum, they could have presented an alternative. Instead of doing a uranium deal with Iran, why don&#8217;t you do one with the United States, and you get a school program or something in Niger, something they don&#8217;t have,&#8221; Riboua said. &#8220;A lot of these countries have unemployment issues, and they&#8217;re landlocked countries, so it&#8217;s very hard for them to do trade and be integrated in the region.&#8221;
Alas, with the Western colonial powers gone, things should have been on the upswing for the Sahel. We&#8217;ve got Russia (primarily via its mercenary forces, the Wagner Group) doing security and fighting the terrorists. We&#8217;re trading with Iran and China. All is well.
Then they got mugged by reality. The Russians were killing untold numbers of civilians and still somehow managing to cede ground to the jihadists. In fact, in Burkina Faso and Mali, the Russians and government forces actually killed more civilians last year than the jihadists. The security situation was deteriorating rapidly. Then, things really came to a head in April, with the offensive that killed Camara and countless others.
The April attack even resulted in Russia&#8217;s own mini-Kabul moment, with Russian troops fleeing the region, forced to leave large amounts of weapons behind.
The Sahel juntas, just a few years after declaring themselves strong, independent, anti-Western governments that don&#8217;t need no protecting from Europe and America, found themselves being overrun by Jama&#8217;at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and ISIS.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Urgent – 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
Une dissidence d’un groupe entier du JNIM a été signalée dans le nord du Burkina Faso, avec son ralliement à la branche de l’État islamique dans la province du Sahel ( ISSP)
Le nombre de combattants concernés serait important. <a href="https://t.co/AXpAFcMsnS">pic.twitter.com/AXpAFcMsnS</a>
— Sahel Alerte (@SahelAlerte) <a href="https://twitter.com/SahelAlerte/status/2044491770755453039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
JNIM are a group of Salafi-jihadist groups, descended in part from al-Qaeda, which now operates in territory larger than every U.S. state besides Alaska, primarily in Mali and Burkina Faso. They&#8217;re the ones who rolled up to Camara&#8217;s house and detonated a car bomb. They&#8217;re probably the closest entity we&#8217;ve seen to peak ISIS since its downfall, seeing as their specific goals are to expel foreign forces and establish a caliphate under sharia law.
Of course, there is still ISIS itself, which is also active here. ISSP (Islamic State-Sahel Province) has taken over large swathes of Niger, and even launched an attack on the capital&#8217;s airport in January (which also housed some Russian mercenaries).
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The JNIM/FLA coalition attacked and took control of the Malian military base in Hombori, Mopti region in central Mali this morning. <a href="https://t.co/r0k9NrbSHl">pic.twitter.com/r0k9NrbSHl</a>
— Brant (@BrantPhilip_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrantPhilip_/status/2049780359336763836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Trump administration has signaled some willingness to get involved and try to rectify the situation, potentially with a mineral deal of some kind, but who knows if it will come too late. The Islamists are taking all three countries by storm now, and have killed nearly 80,000 people since 2019.
&#8220;We are victims of our wealth — the wealth that imperialists want to seize at all costs, aiming to keep us in slavery. We will secure it,&#8221; said Burkina Faso&#8217;s &#8220;Interim&#8221; President Ibrahim Traoré in 2024.
They probably wish they had stayed under the boot of Western imperialism after all.

TOPSHOT-MALI-UNREST

They Kicked America Out. Now They’re Being Hunted By Jihadists

Africa

Al Qaeda

Burkina Faso

DW Opinion

ISIS

Mali

Niger

Radical Islamic Terror

Russia

New York City&#8217;s Democratic socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named Ramzi Kassem — an attorney who previously represented Al Qaeda terrorists — to serve as the city&#8217;s chief counsel in his administration.
&#8220;I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system,&#8221; Mamdani said of <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-taps-controversial-lawyer-who-defended-al-qaeda-terrorist-top-role-powerful-advocate">Kassem</a>, adding, &#8220;City Hall will be stronger with him in it, and our work of building a more prosperous city for all will have a powerful advocate.&#8221;
&#8220;My sincere hope is that New Yorkers who have long felt on the margins of this city, the homeless veteran straining to survive, the patient searching for the care that they need, an immigrant trying to get by will feel that they now have leaders in their corner who understand their struggles and care to fight for them,&#8221; Mamdani continued. &#8220;That is the city I want to build. The prosperity I intend to deliver and the leadership that has too long been lacking.&#8221;
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Kassem said that the appointment, to him, represented a chance to give back to the city he loved: &#8220;I grew up in war-torn countries in the Middle East, authoritarian regimes, and New York City was really my first stable and permanent home. This is an opportunity for me to repay that debt. I&#8217;ve been trying to repay that debt ever since I came to this country, ever since I immigrated.&#8221;
Critics argued that Kassem, who once represented al Qaeda terrorist Ahmed al-Darbi in court, was a strange choice to be chief counsel in a city that was devastated by an al Qaeda-linked terrorist attack on 9/11, 2001. Al-Darbi pleaded guilty in 2014 in connection with a plot to bomb the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen. He was convicted in 2017, and in 2018, President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration transferred him to the custody of Saudi Arabia.
He <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-sends-saudi-detainee-linked-911-home-guantanamo-rcna19078">also represented</a> Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, who allegedly attempted to assist in the 9/11 hijacking and was held in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for two decades. Kassem, who was teaching law at City University of New York at the time, had been working with students over the course of a decade to get him returned to Saudi Arabia. They succeeded in doing so in 2022.
In more recent history, Kassem represented pro-Hamas Columbia University agitator Mahmoud Khalil — and prior to that, he served in President Joe Biden&#8217;s White House Domestic Policy Council as a senior policy adviser.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Zohran Mamdani announced the nomination of Ramzi Kassem as Chief Counsel of New York City.
Kassem returned to America from the Middle East in 2001, inspired by 9/11 to defend an Al Qaeda terrorist.
“I found myself pulled in the direction of doing rights work domestically… <a href="https://t.co/Duxc04q3b3">pic.twitter.com/Duxc04q3b3</a>
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) <a href="https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2006164780369781045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino <a href="https://x.com/VickieforNYC/status/2006301115113947275">responded</a> to the appointment, saying, &#8220;Less than 25 years after thousands of New Yorkers were killed on 9/11, the Chief Counsel of New York is going to be an Islamist lawyer who came to this country after 9/11 specifically to defend the very Al Qaeda terrorists we were fighting against. The fact that our immigration system post 9/11 even allowed him to step foot into the country is a monumental failure. Disgraceful isn&#8217;t a big enough word for what&#8217;s happening here. The federal government must get a LOT more involved in New York. We cannot allow these people to go unchecked.&#8221;

Protesters Gather Outside Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil’s Court Conference In New York

Mamdani Names Al-Qaeda Defense Attorney As New York City’s Chief Counsel

Mamdani Names Al-Qaeda Defense Attorney As New York City's Chief Counsel

9/11

New York City

Politics

Zohran Mamdani

The Daily Wire&#8217;s October lineup of film and television programming features three mission-oriented documentaries and a popular faith-driven horror-thriller.
“This year, we’ve been quietly curating a powerful content library that goes far beyond our world-famous podcasts,” said Mike Richards, Chief Content Officer and President of Daily Wire Entertainment. “What unites our growing slate is a commitment to telling great stories that speak truth, reflect the values our audience cares about, and give voice to those long underserved by the mainstream.”
Here’s what was released on DailyWire+ in October and what&#8217;s still to come:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-K-Wjin5RJY?si=NBXQSJZj4n_zlhny" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3>USS COLE: Al Qaeda&#8217;s Strike Before 9/11</h3>
This three-episode docuseries from BIG Media chronicles Al Qaeda’s suicide bomb attack on the USS Cole in October 2000. Based on the book “Front Burner” by retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold, the series tells the untold story of a blast in Yemen that left 17 sailors dead and became the blueprint for 9/11. More than a tragedy, it was the warning America ignored.
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All three episodes are available to stream now.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/uss-cole-al-qaeda-s-attack-before-9-11">WATCH USS COLE: AL QAEDA&#8217;S STRIKE BEFORE 9/11</a>
<h3>The 1916 Project</h3>
Over a century ago, Planned Parenthood was built on racist “population control” — targeting the poor, the weak, and the unwanted. This feature documentary, directed and produced by David Coonradt, shows how the organization grew into the behemoth it is today — and reveals how much it still has in common with the eugenic organization it was launched as.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u7otoZHOHXY?si=6j6Ag5IsdoP2ruKJ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/the-1916-project">WATCH THE 1916 PROJECT</a>
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JOIN DAILYWIRE+ TO STREAM THESE TITLES &amp; MORE. 40% OFF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS DURING THE FALL SALE</a>   
<h3>Nefarious</h3>
On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist will commit three murders of his own. Starring Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi, directed by Cary Solomon, and inspired by the novel “A Nefarious Plot” by Steve Deace, this popular Christian thriller is sure to delight DailyWire+ audiences.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vkFMdrtnsY?si=xiZIdNLiy-eYTy2t" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/nefarious">WATCH NEFARIOUS</a>
<h3>Hiding in Plain Sight: America’s Trafficking Epidemic </h3>
Your children&#8217;s phones could be their greatest danger. &#8220;Hiding in Plain Sight&#8221; takes you inside the shocking world of digital predators who use everyday apps to hunt, groom, and traffic children from their own bedrooms. Produced by Our Rescue, the renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to combating sex trafficking and child exploitation, “Hiding in Plain Sight” offers unprecedented access to undercover law enforcement stings and harrowing survivor accounts. This documentary exposes how traffickers have turned the internet, including social media and online gaming, into hunting grounds — and why no family is safe.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AOS9VUHpDpE?si=V5uuOP25kv0e29N2" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Directed and executive produced by Nick Nanton and produced by Katie Tschopp, “Hiding in Plain Sight” is streaming free on DailyWire+ starting October 30.
<h3>Friendly Fire</h3>
Friendly Fire is the next decade of The Daily Wire — unleashed. Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles, and Andrew Klavan go head-to-head in a biweekly clash of ideas, laughs, and cultural combat, joined by special guests like Isabel Brown, Jeremy Boreing, and more.
It’s unscripted, unfiltered, and the loudest way to launch the next chapter of the movement.
Another episode of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?contentProgram=Friendly%20Fire%20%7C%20Tonight%207pm%20ET&amp;contentType=Show&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">Friendly Fire</a> drops on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JOIN DAILYWIRE+ TO STREAM THESE TITLES &amp; MORE. 40% OFF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS DURING THE FALL SALE</a>
Don’t miss other recent DailyWire+ releases, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-b2-bomber">How to Win a War in 37 Hours</a>,&#8221; a behind-the-scenes look at the top-secret operation that dismantled the Iranian nuclear program.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-pope-and-the-fuhrer-the-secret-vatican-files-of-world-war-ii">The Pope and the Führer: The Secret Vatican Files of World War II</a>,&#8221; a 4-part series hosted by Michael Knowles exploring the Pope, Hitler, and the Holocaust from a perspective you’ve never seen before.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/journey-to-the-ufc-joe-pyfer">Journey to the UFC: Joe Pyfer</a>,&#8221; a documentary that follows Joe Pyfer’s experiences with homelessness, a toxic family life, and numerous injuries as he made his way to UFC stardom.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/ben-after-dark">Ben After Dark</a>,&#8221; a late-night show hosted by Ben Shapiro, featuring unscreened guests, unsolicited opinions, and unchecked sarcasm.</li>
</ul>
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Here’s What Dropped On DailyWire+ In October

Here’s What’s Coming To DailyWire+ In October

Ben Shapiro

Daily Wire

DailyWire+

Isabel Brown

Matt Walsh

Michael Knowles

Planned Parenthood

A single moment in time can define the future and impact lives in ways beyond the comprehension of many Americans. For the crew and families who suffered the unimaginable loss of their Sailor, that moment in time came at 11:18 a.m. on October 12, 2000. Those of us who directly experienced that brutal Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on our ship, that moment in time loops back to play over and over in our minds. Now, each of us who was there, along with many in the Navy and the nation, will pause to reflect on the past 25 years of how that moment affected our lives. We live with the crystal-clear memory of those who chose to serve our nation and died for our freedom. Their sacrifice remains paramount in our thoughts and prayers.
USS Cole spent a year training for deployment to the Mediterranean and the Middle East with a clearly defined mission — safeguard U.S. national security through presence operations and maritime interdiction of illicit vessels smuggling oil out of Iraq. The crew was really good, but I knew I could demand better of them and was relentless in achieving more. Ultimately, our standards of performance and training were higher than any ship on the Norfolk waterfront.
Sure, there was the typical Sailor grumbling and complaining that we were spending too much time doing drills and learning watch and combat positions beyond their normal duty requirements. Little did we know that the investment in ourselves would save a $1 billion warship and most of the wounded crew.
On August 8, 2000, with families and friends tearfully waving goodbye, the ship slowly maneuvered off the pier and began a voyage into the annals of history. That day, a new benchmark of performance was set in the U.S. Navy — USS Cole got underway with a 100% qualified all-enlisted crew manning every sea and anchor detail watch position. It was an incredible achievement, never done before and never repeated since. More importantly, that accomplishment left an indelible mark on a crew, now absolutely confident they were well prepared for anything that might come their way, including combat.
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Following port visits in Spain, France, Malta, and Slovenia, we transited the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to enter the Port of Aden, Yemen, for an expected 6-8-hour brief stop for fuel. Three garbage barges were contracted to remove trash. After the first two barges departed, a third boat that looked exactly like the previous two garbage barges approached and came alongside amidship. We had no intelligence, warnings, or indications that this boat was actually manned by two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers and packed with explosives built into the hull as a waterborne improvised explosive device.
Suddenly, that singular moment in time occurred. At 25,000 feet per second, the blast shock wave pierced the hull, rapidly expanding as a powerful ball of flame into the interior of the ship. In a split second, metal was rendered unrecognizable, bodies were crushed and mangled, burned by the explosion’s wall of flame. In that instant, heroes stepped in to save lives that were forever changed, and within hours, families would be notified of the worst news possible — their loved one had been killed in the service of our country.
<div id="attachment_987153" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-987153" class="size-large wp-image-987153" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-768x576.jpg" alt="380160 02: (FILE PHOTO) A gaping hole mars the port sidee sustained by the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Cole after a terrorist bomb exploded and killed at least five people and injured 36 during a refueling operation October 12, 2000 in the port of Aden, Yemen. October 12, 2001, marks the one year anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole. (Photo Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Getty Images)" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1159689.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Getty Images</div>
Training paid off within an hour as the crew valiantly stabilized the ship, preventing it from sinking and becoming a war trophy for Al-Qaeda. That first day, the crew evacuated 33 wounded off the ship within 99 minutes after the explosion. Ultimately, 32 would survive. While on our own in the immediate aftermath, we were never alone. France deployed a lifesaving medical team, flying 11 wounded to advanced medical facilities in Djibouti. That evening, staff from the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain arrived to arrange for security and get food and water out to the ship. The next morning, the British arrived with a security and damage control team from the HMS Marlborough. Later that day, two U.S. Navy ships, USS Donald Cook and USS Hawes, arrived to provide help and logistics support.
For the next 17 days, the Sailors of USS Cole exhibited initiative and ingenuity as they continually braved equipment failures, system challenges, and, at one point, the loss of our only operating generator on Sunday morning after the attack. The ship began to sink. God love Sailor ingenuity. By late morning, we had cut a hole in the side of the ship near the waterline to pump out floodwater as we feverishly worked to refill our high-pressure air tanks to restart the generator. After a harrowing 22 hours, the generator was started, and USS Cole was saved, again.
<div id="attachment_987149" style="width: 854px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-987149" class="size-large wp-image-987149" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-844x576.jpg" alt="380441 07: U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks during a memorial service for the sailors of the USS Cole October 18, 2000 in Norfolk VA. Clinton attended the service to honored the wounded and dead from the U.S. navy destroyer that was bombed while on a refueling stop in the Yemeni port of Aden. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Newsmakers)" width="844" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-844x576.jpg 844w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-300x205.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030-768x524.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1303030.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" />Mark Wilson/Newsmakers</div>
Finally, after proudly sailing out of Aden harbor blasting our national anthem and Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass” over the loudspeakers, USS Cole was floated onto the heavy lift ship, M/V Blue Marlin, and brought back to the United States for repairs. As a testament to the bravery and tenacity of that crew, USS Cole still proudly serves our nation today. This past Christmas Eve, she returned from deployment after shooting down Houthi anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea and successfully engaging Iranian ballistic missiles being fired into Israel. USS Cole remains in the fight to defend freedom.
As with any single moment in time that can shatter or change lives, the attack on USS Cole should serve as a poignant reminder that our freedom is not free. Twenty-five years ago, the courage of a crew was tested in combat, and the results speak for themselves. As a nation, we remain blessed with those who choose to raise their right hand, swear an oath to defend our Constitution and protect our freedom at the cost of their lives. Today, I could not be prouder of my crew and their accomplishments — they are the true heroes who saved USS Cole and their shipmates. Well done!
* * *
Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.), was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole when it came under a suicide terrorist attack by al Qaeda in the Port of Aden, Yemen. During his command, he and his crew distinguished themselves by saving the American warship from sinking. This event is widely recognized as one of the most brazen acts of terrorism by al Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/episode-1-the-attack?contentProgram=USS%20COLE%3A%20Al%20Qaeda%E2%80%99s%20Strike%20Before%209%2F11&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">WATCH: USS Cole: Al-Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11 on DailyWire+</a></h3>

The Cole Bombing

I Commanded The USS Cole On The Day Al-Qaeda Tried To Sink Her

Documentaries

Osama bin Laden

Red Sea

terrorist attack

U.S. Navy

USS Cole

Yemen

It has been 24 years since the deadly attacks on the U.S. that unleashed a decade-long war against Al-Qaeda and the hunt for its leader. Those who fought that war and participated in that hunt should be remembered and honored for it. 
I had the privilege to play a small role in the endgame of that search as we delivered justice to the killer of so many innocents. It is also good to commemorate the Americans who fell in battles with Al Qaeda before we acknowledged that we were, in fact, at war with that terrorist organization. Those pre-9/11 clashes included the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center and the 1998 bombings of the American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. 
It was the Al Qaeda assault on the USS Cole in 2000, however, that is seen as a precursor to September 11, 2001.
In 1779, when a British officer demanded the surrender of the USS Bonhomme Richard, John Paul Jones — founder of the American Navy — famously retorted, “I have not yet begun to fight.” That retort has been the credo of American sailors ever since. And it epitomized the reaction of every crew member aboard the USS Cole to the attack on their ship.
Now, 25 years after the surprise attack, Big Media and DailyWire+ bring you &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTvFDubU86g">USS Cole: Al Qaeda&#8217;s Strike Before 9/11.</a>&#8221; The three-part documentary captures the crew&#8217;s courage, professionalism, and sacrifice during and after the assault on their ship.
<div id="attachment_981571" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/uss-cole-al-qaeda-s-strike-before-9-11-official-trailer"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-981571" class="size-large wp-image-981571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/USS-Cole-16x9-keyart.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>DailyWire+</div>
The documentary also provides insights into the efforts of the skipper of the USS Cole, Commander Kirk S. Lippold, and other military professionals, who navigate the limitations placed on their abilities to respond to terror threats in the pre-9/11 era, which are at once fascinating and deeply unsettling. Finally, the show documents the comprehensive investigation and relentless pursuit of the perpetrators in the wake of the attack.
The Al Qaeda attack on the Cole occurred on October 12, 2000. The U.S. Navy destroyer was making a routine refueling stop at the Port of Aden, Yemen, when a small boat carrying concealed explosives approached the port side of the ship. The two men on board made friendly gestures to sailors on the Cole, and then detonated their lethal cargo. The resulting blast tore a 40-foot-wide hole in the hull near the galley, at a time when many crew members were lining up for lunch. The explosion killed 17 personnel on the ship and injured 40 others. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, which had been coordinated by operatives who had trained in Afghanistan.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="USS COLE: Al Qaeda’s Strike Before 9/11 | Official Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTvFDubU86g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
As shown in the Big Media production, the crew of the Cole responded to the attack with extraordinary bravery and professionalism, working to triage injured shipmates and to deal with the extensive damage to the vessel. Within minutes of the explosion, medical personnel were rescuing, treating, and evacuating the wounded, many of whom were trapped under collapsed bulkheads. Sailors, a number of whom were badly injured themselves, fought flooding and fires for more than 96 hours, working without adequate sleep or food, often in total darkness and with the threat of further explosions. They did this despite the loss of key leaders, demonstrating great technical skill and courage in extremely hazardous conditions. With the assistance of nearby British Royal Navy ships and medical aid from the French military, the crew members saved the lives of injured shipmates and kept their ship from sinking. Later transported back to the U.S. for repair, the Cole remains in service with the Navy today.
&#8220;USS Cole: Al Qaeda&#8217;s Strike Before 9/11&#8221; also recounts the FBI investigation into the attack on the Cole. The Bureau dispatched more than 100 agents, lab technicians, and counterterrorism personnel to Yemen. Working with local authorities, FBI officers conducted witness interviews and collected evidence that resulted in a determination that Al Qaeda was, indeed, responsible for the Cole attack. In fact, it was tied to an abortive attempt to bomb another Navy ship, the USS The Sullivans, in January 2000. By the end of 2000, two men suspected of masterminding the bombing were arrested. Both subsequently escaped from Yemeni jails but were later killed in separate American airstrikes.
Another planner of the attack, captured in 2002, was shipped to Guantanamo Bay, where he was charged with responsibility for the Cole bombing and other terror-related offenses. Additional investigations and prosecutions identified numerous unindicted Al Qaeda co-conspirators. U.S. authorities have continuously pursued the remaining suspects. 
The lessons learned from the ordeal of the USS Cole and the investigations resulted in significant changes to U.S. Navy force protection protocols and U.S. counterterrorism policy. The documentary raises a key question over whether one of the key factors that contributed to the successful terrorist bombing of the Cole — and to the 9/11 attack — was that we were paying attention to things that distracted us from the threat.
Before the first plane struck the World Trade Center, we, as a nation, had not yet begun to fight. But the men and women of the USS Cole already had. And it is right that we should honor and remember them for it. In its portrayal of their courage, heroism, and sacrifice, the Big Media telling of their story does just that.
* * *
Mark Kelton is the former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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USS-Cole-16×9 keyart

Before 9/11, There Was The USS Cole: New Documentary Recounts A Defining Attack

Bill Clinton

Islamic Jihad

Middle East

A 25-year-old former member of the National Guard is accused of attempting to provide 3D-printed weapons to someone he believed was a member of al-Qaeda, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday. 
While serving in the National Guard, Andrew Hastings of Tulsa, Oklahoma, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-provide-al-qaida-weapons">allegedly</a> shipped more than one hundred parts for weapons to an undercover agent with the intent of assisting the radical Islamic terrorist group. He is charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and illegal possession or transfer of a machine gun.
Hastings first came under FBI scrutiny in June 2024 after he was found to be “discussing committing acts of violence against U.S. civilians in furtherance of global jihad” on a social media app, according to the Justice Department. At the time, he worked as an aircraft powertrain repairer and held a national security clearance.
On social media, Hastings allegedly encouraged others in a group chat discussing acts of terrorism to develop cyberspace skills and start physical training. He allegedly offered to provide Army manuals related to tactics and the manufacture of weapons and expressed interest in creating a nuclear weapon. 
According to the complaint, Hastings then began conversing with an undercover agent who claimed to have ties to al-Qaeda. Surveillance footage cited in court documents reportedly shows Hastings dropping off boxes at a post office to ship 3D printed machine gun conversion switches, two 3D printed lower receivers for a handgun, a handgun slide, and other handgun parts for “al-Qaida for use in terrorist attacks.”
Investigators also stated that he took an overseas trip without reporting it to his superiors as required. Hastings voluntarily left the National Guard on June 6, 2025, as the investigation was ongoing. 
The FBI, the Army, the ATF, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. 
“The successful arrest of this Soldier is a testament to the strong partnership between Army Counterintelligence Command and the FBI,” said Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, adding that the Army remained committed to ensuring that “individuals who support terrorist organizations are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Trump Increases Federal Law Enforcement Presence, Deploys National Guard In Nation’s Capital

Former National Guardsman Accused Of 3D-Printing Weapons For Al-Qaeda

Crime

Department of Justice

National Guard

Oklahoma

Terrorism

U.S.

U.S. Army

An author who once worked as a double agent so he could spy within the terrorist group Al Qaeda — where he gave vital information to Western intelligence and prevented mass attacks —weighed in on the Middle East, pointing out that Arabs in Gulf states should feel closer to Israel than the Palestinians, while offering other powerful insights.
Aimen Dean, the author of  <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lives-Wests-inside-al-Qaeda-ebook/dp/B07BHMZHYT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1529173204&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=inside+alqaeda&amp;asc_campaign=&amp;asc_refurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fnews%2Fmideast%2Fhe-spied-al-qaeda-inside-until-he-had-run-his-n883681&amp;asc_source=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2F_desktop">&#8220;Nine Lives: My Time as the West&#8217;s Top Spy Inside al Qaeda&#8221;</a> and the host of the podcast “Conflicted,” once was a member of Al Qaeda but became a mole inside the organization when he started working for British intelligence in 1999. He was born in Saudi Arabia.
“Let me make something absolutely clear. I am not a Zionist — not in any way, shape, or form. I am an Arab,” he wrote on X. “My roots are in Bahrain, I was born in Saudi Arabia, and I live in the UAE. My family spans generations across all three countries. On top of that, I am also a British citizen — a nationality I hold with honor, especially given my years working alongside UK security forces. It was a privilege, and an eye-opening chapter of my life. So no, I don’t carry any Zionist affiliation.”
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“But let me now ask the question I rarely hear answered honestly: Why should I support groups like Hamas, the PFLP, or other Palestinian factions that have long embraced terrorism — even when their targets have been us, the Gulf Arabs?” he asked rhetorically. “Let’s look at reality: Israel has never fired a single bullet at any GCC country — not at Saudi Arabia, not at Bahrain, not at Kuwait, not at the UAE, not even at Qatar or Oman. Not even a BB gun.”
“Meanwhile, Palestinian terrorist groups have assassinated our diplomats, hijacked our planes, bombed our embassies, and worked hand-in-hand with our enemies — even as we offered them political, financial, and moral support for decades,” he wrote. “And now? Hamas and its allies have fully aligned with the Ayatollahs of Iran, our true existential enemy &#8211; the same regime that has plotted coups in Bahrain, that has flooded the region with missiles and militias, and that has openly declared its intent to topple our governments and destroy our societies. Let’s remember — it wasn’t Israel that launched thousands of drones and ballistic missiles on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It was Iran. Through the Houthis. With Hezbollah operatives. With Hamas blessings. And with Iranian weapons.”
“So why should I betray my own people, my own security, my own dignity &#8211; to support a group that would see us fall, just to serve Tehran’s ambitions? No, I am not a Zionist. But the Zionists are NOT my enemy. My enemies are in Tehran, in Beirut, in Sana’a, and &#8211; yes &#8211; among those Palestinian factions who turned against the very hands that once fed them. This is not about being trendy or emotional. This is about loyalty, logic, and survival. In the thread below, I’ve listed decades’ worth of attacks Palestinian terrorists have carried out against the Gulf nations &#8211; despite all we gave them. Read it. And maybe then you’ll understand why many of us have stopped pretending,” he concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Let me make something absolutely clear.
I am not a Zionist &#8211; not in any way, shape, or form. I am an Arab. My roots are in Bahrain, I was born in Saudi Arabia, and I live in the UAE. My family spans generations across all three countries. On top of that, I am also a British…
&mdash; Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimenDean/status/1939278518979821890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He then listed the Palestinian terror attacks against Gulf states:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
📜 Chronological List of Palestinian Terror Attacks Against GCC Interests •1973 – Mohammed al-Fayez (Kuwaiti diplomat): Assassinated in Paris by the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO). •1973 – Kuwait Airways Flight 404: Hijacked by Black September operatives; forced to fly to…
&mdash; Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimenDean/status/1939278792972718172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Dean also blasted the Hamas massacre in October 2023, writing, “If Gaza was truly a prison, why didn’t Hamas break out through Egypt? Why always toward Israel? Because Egypt would shoot — not negotiate. &#8230; It’s always easier to guilt-trip the Gulf Countries.  So no — we will not join your death cult. We will not die for the cause while Ramallah dances and Cairo locks the gate. And to all the comfortable, self-righteous voices screaming ‘solidarity’: shut the f*** up and go die in Gaza yourselves if you care that much. Don’t lecture us from safety. Don’t demand sacrifice from others while you live off hashtags.  If the people of Ramallah aren’t bothered &#8211; if their own fellow Palestinians can dance on the same day others die &#8211; why the hell should we?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A Tale of Two Palestinian Cities.
Some were outraged when I stated earlier that we, as Gulf Arabs, no longer wish to destroy our nations and futures for a cause that, for 70 years, has brought us nothing but terrorism, accusations, betrayal, and alliances with our enemies. The… <a href="https://t.co/62joFI9kYJ">pic.twitter.com/62joFI9kYJ</a>
&mdash; Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimenDean/status/1939424099090272473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Dean also exploded the myth propped by antisemites that Israel had expansionist ambitions:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🟥 The Myth of Greater Israel vs. the Reality of the Expanding Ayatollah’s Empire
Let’s put an end to one of the laziest, loudest lies circulating in certain circles &#8211; particularly among those with low information and even lower IQ. Every time I criticize the Iranian regime and… <a href="https://t.co/NaR1jU9Y7T">pic.twitter.com/NaR1jU9Y7T</a>
&mdash; Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimenDean/status/1939578280597676313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Dean also thanked President Donald Trump for not glad-handing the theocratic, despotic Iranian regime:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Finally, a Middle East deal that doesn’t come with pallets of cash and a thank-you note.” 🇺🇸💸 <a href="https://t.co/xptZXUhPkC">pic.twitter.com/xptZXUhPkC</a>
&mdash; Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AimenDean/status/1939634434061279440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Global March To Gaza NYC

‘Go Die In Gaza Yourselves’: Former Spy Inside Al Qaeda Rips Palestinian Supporters

Israel

Palestinians

World

The emir of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) directed American Muslims to assassinate President Donald Trump, calling assassinations &#8220;the greatest form of jihad today&#8221; in a video released by AQAP over the weekend and <a href="https://www.memri.org/reports/video-leader-al-qaeda-arabian-peninsula-aqap-calls-american-muslims-assassinate-president">translated</a> by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
The leader, Sa&#8217;ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, also listed Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Elon Musk, and the U.S. Senate as targets, calling them &#8220;the scum of the earth.&#8221; The video showed photos and footage of American officials as al-Awlaki identified them.
&#8220;Go after them and their families and all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians of the White House,&#8221; al-Awlaki said. &#8220;There are no red lines after all that has been happening to our people in Gaza.&#8221;
Al-Awlaki pointed to non-Muslim violence, including the attempted assassination of Trump in July of 2024, as examples for Muslims to follow.
&#8220;Do not consult anyone about killing infidel Americans,&#8221; al-Awlaki said.
AQAP is an affiliate of the Sunni Islamist terrorist organization al-Qaeda, which was founded by Osama bin Laden, according to a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11854">Congressional Research Service</a> report. The group primarily operates in Yemen.
Al-Awlaki has led AQAP after the sudden death of its previous leader in March 2024, according to the <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/op_eds/2024/03/11/al-qaeda-in-the-arabian-peninsula-names-new-emir-u-s-has-6-million-bounty-on-his-head/">Foundation for Defense of Democracies</a>. The United States is <a href="https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/saad-bin-atef-al-awlaki/">offering</a> a reward of up to $6 million for information about al-Awlaki due to previous calls for attacks against the United States.
Al-Awlaki also told Muslims to attack U.S. military bases, as well as U.S. companies such as Microsoft and Tesla. He also directed Muslim hackers to &#8220;go after the American economy.&#8221;
Al-Awlaki said American Muslims should &#8220;take revenge&#8221; against &#8220;those who support the war in Gaza&#8221; and concluded by calling for Muslims to attack Jews in the United States and Europe.
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&#8220;Do not leave a single safe place for Jews, just as they have not left any homes, shelters, or respite for the Palestinians,&#8221; al-Awlaki said.
The AQAP has weakened since its peak in the 2010s, according to FDD, but it remains &#8220;a significant threat to Yemen and further afield.&#8221; A United Nations report said AQAP has maintained connections with Al-Qaeda&#8217;s central leadership.
The video comes after Trump recently banned travel from Yemen and other countries with inadequate &#8220;information-sharing and identity-management procedures,&#8221; The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-dont-want-them-trump-slaps-travel-ban-on-countries-whose-citizens-arent-vetted">reported</a>. The memorandum cited protecting American citizens from terrorist attacks as a reason for the ban.
The most recent report to the United Nations Security Council <a href="https://docs.un.org/en/S/2025/71/Rev.1">said</a> al-Awlaki has &#8220;consolidated control of&#8221; AQAP since becoming the terrorist group&#8217;s leader.
&#8220;The media arm of AQAP, considered by many to be Al-Qaeda’s strongest, exploited conflicts, including the Gaza and Israel conflict, to recruit and incite lone actors to conduct attacks,&#8221; the report said.

Leader Of Al-Qaeda In Arabian Peninsula Calls For Muslims To Assassinate Trump, American Officials

assassination

Donald Trump

Radical Islam

President Donald Trump&#8217;s counter-terrorism operation has been humming in the first three months of his second administration, taking out 74 terrorist leaders who were planning attacks on United States soil, according to National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Among those neutralized in Trump&#8217;s airstrikes were terrorists from al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, and ISIS. None of the 74 terrorists taken out by Trump-approved strikes were being pursued by the Biden administration, Waltz told <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/security/wedtrump-has-killed-74-leaders-terror-groups-hoping-strike-us-homeland-mike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just The News</a>. Waltz said the Biden administration&#8217;s failure to find these terrorist leaders and its lack of border security created an &#8220;incredibly dangerous&#8221; situation that the Trump administration is seeking to fix.
“I can tell you, from ISIS to al-Qaeda, to groups like Al-Shabab, all have plots and plans to hit the homeland once again, And if you look under the Biden administration, with a wide-open border, that was incredibly dangerous,” he said. “President Trump has eliminated 74 named terrorist leaders that the Biden administration wasn&#8217;t going after. You add to that 45 Americans who are being held hostage by various regimes and groups around the world that he&#8217;s brought home and that is just an incredible achievement in just a couple of months.”
In March, a top ISIS leader was killed in a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. A senior military leader of a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda was taken out in a separate strike in Syria in February, and on February 1, a U.S. Africa Command operation took out 13 high-ranking Islamic State operatives, along with an attack planner.
&#8220;Americans should sleep better at night,&#8221; Waltz added. &#8220;We&#8217;re only three months in, and look at the results President Trump is getting. The mainstream media doesn&#8217;t want to talk about those.&#8221;
Trump has also ramped up strikes against Houthi terrorists in the Middle East, vowing to protect U.S. military and commercial ships. On Tuesday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-troops-to-middle-east-to-counter-houthi-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that he was ordering more U.S. forces &#8220;equipped for combat into the Middle East to enhance the defensive capabilities available to United States forces and facilitate necessary military actions.&#8221;
The continued pressure on the Houthis — and other radical Islamic terrorists in the Middle East — comes as the Trump administration is also seeking to negotiate a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-saturdays-nuclear-talks-between-the-u-s-and-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear deal</a> with Iran, which funds the Houthis. The president is hoping to bring more stability to the Middle East after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage.

U.S. airstrikes

Trump Strikes Have Killed 74 Terrorist Leaders Planning Attacks On U.S. Soil: Mike Waltz

Houthis

Mike Waltz

Military

Trump Administration

A U.S. agency currently being targeted by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk – and defended by Democrats – reportedly paid the college tuition of an American-born jihadist who U.S. government officials had <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/cleveland/news/press-releases/four-men-charged-with-providing-material-support-to-al-qaeda-in-the-arabian-peninsula">described</a> as &#8220;a key leader of Al-Qaeda.&#8221;
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided “full funding” for Anwar al-Awlaki to attend Colorado State University in 1990, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/usaid-reportedly-bankrolled-al-qaeda-terrorists-college-tuition-unearthed-records-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Al-Awlaki was an American-born jihadist with ties to the 9/11 hijackers, who was killed in a drone strike during the Obama administration.
Al-Awlaki was instrumental in Al-Qaeda’s war against the U.S. and had contact with Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan prior to Hasan killing 13 people at the U.S. Army post in Texas in 2009 that was formerly known as Fort Hood.
Documents showing that USAID paid for Al-Awlaki’s college tuition first appeared on social media over the weekend by investigative reporters and revealed that Al-Awlaki fraudulently claimed he was a Yemeni national to qualify for an exchange visa.
Reporters Pamela Browne and Catherine Herridge posted the documents on X, noting that Al-Awlaki falsely claimed he was a permanent resident of the Republic of Yemen seeking tuition.
“Aulaqi would later develop close ties with several 9/11 hijackers and attain leadership status in AQ&#8217;s Yemen affiliate,” Herridge wrote. “Aulaqi was the godfather of the digital jihad that leveraged his writings and the web to radicalize Americans to AQ&#8217;s cause. Aulaqi became the first American targeted for death by the CIA. In 2011, he was killed in a US drone strike.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
STUNNING:
Looks like USAID supported college tuition for Anwar Aulaqi (Awlaki) who later became a high level al Qaeda terrorist.
Aulaqi falsely claimed he was born in Yemen to secure the financial help via the State Dept. when he was actually a US citizen, born in Las Cruces… <a href="https://t.co/jW3yHS81F1">https://t.co/jW3yHS81F1</a>
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) <a href="https://twitter.com/C__Herridge/status/1888400600800317748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Awlaki was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 1971. His parents were both from Yemen, and he traveled between the two countries as he grew up. The document, which has been unearthed at a crucial time for USAID, was <a href="https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB529-Anwar-al-Awlaki-File/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first discovered</a> by George Washington University’s National Security Archive in 2015.
&#8220;This form, dated 1990, confirms that Anwar al-Awlaki was qualified for an exchange visa and that USAID was providing ‘full funding’ for his studies at Colorado State University,&#8221; the National Security Archive reported at the time. &#8220;The document lists Anwar’s birthplace incorrectly as Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, which he later said was a deliberate falsehood offered at the urging of American officials who knew his father so that he could qualify for a scholarship reserved for foreign citizens.”
After graduating, Al-Awlaki worked as a Muslim cleric in cities across the U.S., including at a mosque in San Diego in 2000 where he met two 9/11 hijackers. He moved to Yemen in 2004 and was arrested in 2006 on suspicion of holding terrorist ties, Fox reported. In addition to the Fort Hood shooting, Al-Awlaki was also linked to the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/northwest-airlines-bomb-photos/story?id=9436297&amp;page=1">reported attempted</a> bombing of a flight over Detroit on December 25, 2009.

Anwar Al-Awlaki

USAID Paid College Tuition For Al-Qaeda Terrorist, Records Show

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Elon Musk

Terrorists

USAID

TOPSHOT-SYRIA-CONFLICT-MOSQUE-JOLANI

Who Is Syrian Rebel Leader Mohammad al-Jolani?

Bashar Assad

Syria

The widow of a fire chief — who was killed during the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/9-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9/11 terrorist attacks</a> 23 years ago — blasted President Joe Biden for a callous and &#8220;flippant remark&#8221; about his plans to mark the anniversary on Wednesday at Ground Zero.
Joanne Barbara — widow of Gerard Barbara, an assistant chief in the New York Fire Department who died inside the World Trade Center on 9/11 — participated in Wednesday&#8217;s services but took a moment to call Biden out directly.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Widow of 9/11 Fire Chief killed in terrorist attack CALLS OUT Joe Biden during her speech:
&#8220;The elected officials here today show their respect and reverence to the families on September 11th—or, in our president&#8217;s words, &#8216;Do 9/11.&#8217; Quite a flippant remark.&#8221;
Wow. <a href="https://t.co/ZYsgWpL6YL">pic.twitter.com/ZYsgWpL6YL</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1833884338359853535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The elected officials here today show their respect and reverence to the families on September 11, or in our president’s words, &#8216;do 9/11.&#8217; Quite a flippant remark. But please remember the September 11 families live it every day, not just on the anniversary,&#8221; she said.
Biden was widely criticized for his phrasing after he spoke with reporters on the White House lawn on Tuesday, first detailing his plans to watch the ABC debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and then adding an aside about attending the 9/11 memorial in New York.
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&#8220;I’m going up to my granddaughter’s birthday in New York. Then we’re going to watch the debate. Tomorrow, I’m doing 9/11,&#8221; he said.
Biden and Harris both made an appearance at the Ground Zero memorial ceremonies — standing alongside former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential nominee, Senator JD Vance (R-OH) — but had apparently ducked out by the time Barbara made her comments. When she called him out directly, the cameras panned to where Biden and Harris had been standing — but only Trump and Vance were still standing where they had been.

New York City Marks 23rd Anniversary Of September 11, 2001 Attacks

‘Quite A Flippant Remark’: Fire Chief’s Widow Blasts Biden For Comments Ahead Of 9/11 Memorials

'Quite A Flippant Remark': Fire Chief's Widow Blasts Biden For Comments Ahead Of 9/11 Memorials

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