Abd Al Aziz Awda, also known as Abd al-Aziz Uda or Sheik Odeh (born 20 December 1950), is one of the founders of the

Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine ( ar, حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين, ''Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn''), known in the West simply as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), is a Palestinian Islamist par ...

, also known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Awda was listed as a " Specially Designated Terrorist" under United States law on 23 January 1995. A decade later, Awda was among the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the

FBI Most Wanted Terrorists The FBI Most Wanted Terrorists is a list created and first released on October 10, 2001, with the authority of United States President George W. Bush, following the September 11 attacks on the United States. Initially, the list contained 22 of t ...

list on 24 February 2006, along with PIJ secretary-general Ramadan Shalah.FBI Updates Most Wanted Terrorists and Seeking Information – War on Terrorism Lists
, ''FBI national Press Release'', 24 February 2006 Awda is the spiritual leader of the PIJ and is still involved in the organization, which has its headquarters located in

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, where he likely still resides, along with other leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Early life and education

Awda was born on 20 December 1950 in

Jabalia Jabalia also Jabalya ( ar, جباليا) is a Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestini ...

, a village just south of the city of

Beit Lahia Beit Lahia or Beit Lahiya ( ar, بيت لاهيا) is a city in the Gaza Strip north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the 1949 Armistice Line with Israel. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the city had a population of 59 ...

, in the

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...

. Awda was educated in Arab and

Islamic studies Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

. He later worked as a lecturer at a university and as an

Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...

at a

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

, both of which were located in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad activity

Awda and

Fathi Shaqaqi Fathi Shaqaqi ( ar, فتحي الشقاقي; 4 January 1951 – 26 October 1995) was the founder and Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine. Early life and career Fathi Shaqaqi was born to a refugee family of eight childr ...

founded

, also known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), when it was formed in the Gaza Strip during the 1970s as a branch of the

Egyptian Islamic Jihad The Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ, ar, الجهاد الإسلامي المصري), formerly called simply Islamic Jihad ( ar, الجهاد الإسلامي, links=no) and the Liberation Army for Holy Sites, originally referred to as al-Jihad, and ...

. Awda also became known as the group's spiritual leader. Awda was listed as a " Specially Designated Terrorist" under United States law on 23 January 1995. Later that year, Shaqaqi was assassinated in

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

in 1995, and was replaced as secretary-general of PIJ by Ramadan Shalah, who then joined Awda on the U.S. "Specially Designated Terrorist" list on 27 November 1995. Fellow PIJ members Awda and Shalah were both indicted in a 53 count indictment in the

United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appea ...

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

, on

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was en ...

(RICO) charges of alleged involvement in racketeering activities for the designated international terrorist organization known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Awda is wanted for conspiracy to conduct the affairs of the PIJ through a pattern of racketeering activities such as bombings, murders, extortions, and money laundering. For that indictment, Awda and Shalah then became two of six alleged and indicted terrorist fugitives among the second and most recent group of indicted fugitives to be added to the

on 24 February 2006. The

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...

(FBI) states that Awda is still involved in PIJ, which has its headquarters located in

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

, where Awda likely remains as well. His other aliases listed by the FBI include Abdel Aziz Odeh, Abd Al Aziz Odeh, Abed Al Aziz Odeh, Abu Ahmed, Sheik Awda, Fadl Abu Ahmed, Al Sheik, The Sheik, and Mawlana.

References

External links

FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists wanted poster of Awda
{{DEFAULTSORT:Awda, Abd 1950 births FBI Most Wanted Terrorists Fugitives wanted by the United States Fugitives wanted on terrorism charges Living people Palestinian imams Palestinian Islamists People from the Gaza Strip

Early life and education

Palestinian Islamic Jihad activity

See also

References

External links