Den radikale imamen Anwar al-Awlaki, som beskriver major Nidal Hasan som en helt på nettsiden sin, har et stort publikum i Storbritannia og teller mange prominente britiske muslimer blant sine støtter.

FBI etterforsker nå kommunikasjonen mellom Hasan og al-Awlaki, som er amerikanskfødt og bosatt i Jemen. Al-Awlaki, som også settes i forbindelse med noen av 911-terroristene, har besøkt Storbritannia regelmessig og leverer stadige prekener til et britisk publikum via video og internett.

Counter-terrorism sources said yesterday that Mr al-Awlaki was barred from entering Britain on security grounds while the anti-extremist Quilliam Foundation said he was «perhaps the most influential pro-jihadist ideologue preaching in English today».

Til tross for al-Awlakis rykte som ekstremist har han støtte fra antatt moderate muslimske organisasjoner. I november i fjor skrev presidenten for organisasjonen Civil Service Islamic Society, Azad Ali, at al-Awlaki var en av hans favoritt-talere og lærde. I går distanserte imidlertid Ali seg fra den radikale imamen:

Mr Ali, whose society’s patron is Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, distanced himself from the cleric’s views last night. He said: «I reject them and disassociate myself from them completely.»

The cleric was also praised in 2006 by Osama Saeed, an SNP parliamentary candidate, who said «he preached nothing but peace». Mr Saeed said last night he felt «cheated» by Mr al-Awlaki. He added: «I completely disagree with what he has said about Fort Hood.»

But Mr al-Awlaki’s lectures are still circulated widely. The Times acquired DVDs of his lectures at two Islamic bookshops in East London, while Jimas, a registered charity based in Ipswich, offers downloads of his sermons.

Tidligere i år viste East London moskèen en videooverført preken av al-Awlaki, sammen med en plakat som viste New York i flammer. Imamen var også den ledende taleren – igjen via video – på flere helgekurs i islamske tanker som ble avholdt i London og Birmingham i april 2009.

Mr al-Awlaki was born in New Mexico in 1971 but spent 11 years in Yemen, where his father was born, before returning to the US where he studied civil engineering at Colorado State University. He was an imam at Rabat mosque in San Diego where he met two of the September 11 hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar. The 9/11 Commission report said Mr al-Awlaki «developed a close relationship» with the hijackers but he condemned the atrocities at the time.

The cleric moved from San Diego to be an imam at Falls Church, Virginia, where he is reported to have first met Major Hasan. Investigators have uncovered evidence of contact between the pair from December 2008.

Between 2002 and 2005, when he was placed on a UK security watchlist, he was a frequent visitor to Britain, addressing congregations and conferences in London, Birmingham and Leicester. He spoke at «Islam for Europe» at Wembley conference centre in 2003. After 2005 he settled in Yemen and since being detained briefly there in 2006, is not thought to have travelled to the West. He is believed to be hiding in Yemen’s Shabwa or Mareb provinces, which with Jof province make up the «triangle of evil», home to many al-Qaeda militants.

Inayat Bunglawala i organisasjonen Muslims4UK, sier at al-Awlaki har «et betydelig antall tilhengere» blant «desillusjonerte britiske muslimer» og mener at det er av ytterste viktighet at al-Awlakis holdninger blir imøtegått av islamske lærde med bedre utdanning.

The Times: Preacher linked to Fort Hood killer has support in Britain