A notorious preacher, known for influencing the 7/7 bombers, has lauded the White Widow while incarcerated in a high-security prison. Shaikh Abdullah al Faisal, currently serving an 18-year sentence for ISIS-related activities in a New York correctional facility, was flagged in a Home Office report for his impact on terrorist Germaine Lindsay. Deported from the UK in 2007 after a seven-year prison term for incitement to murder, Faisal was labeled one of the most influential English-speaking terrorists by US prosecutors in 2023 for recruiting numerous extremists, including Richard Reid and Zacarias Moussaoui.

Despite his confinement, Faisal continues to espouse his beliefs from behind bars. In recent communications with the Mirror from Attica jail, he warned about the radicalization efforts of groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda. Praising the White Widow, Samantha Lewthwaite, who orchestrated the 2013 Westgate Mall attack in Kenya, Faisal described her as “very kind.” His desire to return to the UK to “deradicalize young Muslims” has sparked criticism from a survivor of the 7/7 bombings, Sajda Mughal.

Expressing concern over Faisal’s ongoing influence, Mughal highlighted the risk posed by his ability to disseminate extremist ideologies despite being incarcerated. Chris Phillips, the former Head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, emphasized the dangers of allowing individuals like Faisal to communicate with the outside world, advocating for restricted communication channels.

The Mirror reached out to Faisal through JPay, a secure messaging service for inmates, following his legal action against the New York prison system. During the correspondence, Faisal, also known as Trevor Forrest, denied responsibility for Lindsay’s radicalization, attributing it to external factors like Tony Blair’s policies in Iraq and Afghanistan. He claimed to have facilitated Lewthwaite’s marriage to her second husband, aiding her in overcoming the trauma of Lindsay’s death.

Faisal’s controversial statements and alleged role in radicalizing individuals have drawn widespread condemnation. Despite his pleas for a return to the UK and advocacy for Sharia Law, Faisal’s past actions and current rhetoric have raised significant red flags among counterterrorism experts and survivors of terrorist attacks.