Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani (Arabic: الشيخ عبدالله بن خالد بن حمد آل ثاني; born 1956) is a Qatari statesman and a member of the Qatari royal family. He served as the minister of Islamic affairs from 1992 to 1995 and as the minister of interior from 1995 to 2013.
Upon graduating from RMA Sandhurst in 1977, Sheikh Abdullah returned to Qatar and was appointed lieutenant in the Qatari police. He left the police sometime during the reign of his uncle Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani. Later in 1992 he was appointed minister of Islamic affairs, a post he held until 1995. During the reign of his cousin Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, he was appointed minister of interior.
Controversy
Earlier in his career, Al Thani served as Qatar’s Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments.[1] During this time, al-Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, named “the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks,” moved to Qatar “at the suggestion of the former minister of Islamic affairs of Qatar, Shaykh Abdallah Bin Khalid Bin Hamad al-Thani,” according to the U.S. Department of Defense.[2] In 1995, Abdullah bin Khalid al Thani is believed to have provided funding to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to support him in combat in the Bosnian war.[1]
While the U.S. pushed for Sheikh Mohammed’s arrest, Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani allegedly told Khalid Sheikh Mohammed about the growing pressure for his arrest, leading to him reportedly leaving the country with a Qatar-provided passport on a ‘government executive jet.’[3] After this, Al Thani was "briefly confined to house arrest."[1]
In a 2003 article by The New York Times, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani is mentioned as "the same official who had repeatedly allowed Arab extremists who had fought in Afghanistan to live on his farm." The article also describes a Qatari government minister who housed “as many as 100 Arab extremists” on his Qatari farm in the mid-1990s.[4]
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Richard Clarke has also commented on Al Thani’s ties to terrorism. While serving as Qatar’s Interior Minister, Clarke said that Al Thani held sympathies for Osama bin Laden and terrorist groups and "was using his personal money and ministry money to transfer to Al Qaeda front groups that were allegedly charities."[5] U.S. officials have also reportedly suggested that Al Thani provided shelter, fake documents, and other assistance as they traveled through Qatar.[1]
U.S. officials also said that Sheikh Abdallah was visited by Osama bin Laden himself between the years of 1996 and 2000.[3] Leaked U.S. government reports, for instance, revealed that Al Thani met with bin Laden during his January 1996 visit in Doha. The terrorist leader was quoted reporting the "successful movements of explosives into Saudi Arabia" as well as the operations against U.S. and U.K. interests in Dammam, Dharan, and Khobar through the activities of clandestine Al Qaeda cells in Saudi Arabia.[6]
Al Thani is part of a list of terrorists wanted in four Middle Eastern countries namely, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and Bahrain.[7] This list includes 59 terrorists being sheltered by Qatar. Security warnings were released in these countries recently after the former interior minister surfaced in Doha. In a captured photograph of the rare public appearance, Al Thani was shown signing his autograph in a wall portrait of the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.[7]
Personal life
Sheikh Abdullah has four wives. He has a total of 33 sons and daughters. He is the owner of the Al Waab Farm, which is a world renown Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse breeding farm. The farm is managed by his son, Sheikh Ahmed,[8] a businessman and government official.
Since late 2003, Sheikh Abdullah has resided in a secluded estate on his 7000 acres private farm in Waab Al Abareq, northern Qatar. Sheikh Abdullah rarely makes any public appearances.
References
^ abcdWeinberg, David Andrew. (PDF). Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
^"Khalid Shaikh Mohammed - The Guantánamo Docket". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
^ ab"Qatari Royal Family Linked to Al Qaeda". ABC News. 2006-01-07. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
^Risen, James; Johnston, David (2003-03-08). "THREATS AND RESPONSES: COUNTERTERRORISM; Qaeda Aide Slipped Away Long Before Sept. 11 Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
^Meyer, Josh; Goetz, John (2003-03-28). "Qatar's Security Chief Suspected of Having Ties to Al Qaeda". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
^Blanchard, Christopher (2011). Qatar: Background and U. S. Relations. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. p. 12. ISBN9781437987089.
^ abWahab, Siraj (2018-07-16). "Security alert as Qatari ex-minister linked to terror reappears in public". Arab News. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
abdullah, khalid, thani, arabic, الشيخ, عبدالله, بن, خالد, بن, حمد, آل, ثاني, born, 1956, qatari, statesman, member, qatari, royal, family, served, minister, islamic, affairs, from, 1992, 1995, minister, interior, from, 1995, 2013, born1956, doha, qatarnamesab. Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani Arabic الشيخ عبدالله بن خالد بن حمد آل ثاني born 1956 is a Qatari statesman and a member of the Qatari royal family He served as the minister of Islamic affairs from 1992 to 1995 and as the minister of interior from 1995 to 2013 Abdullah bin Khalid Al ThaniBorn1956 age 66 67 Doha QatarNamesAbdullah bin Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim Al ThaniHouseThaniFatherKhalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Controversy 4 Personal life 5 ReferencesEarly life and education EditSheikh Abdullah was born in 1956 in Doha Qatar to Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani He is the second eldest son of Sheikh Khalid s twelve sons After completing his education in Qatar Sheikh Abdullah enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Career EditUpon graduating from RMA Sandhurst in 1977 Sheikh Abdullah returned to Qatar and was appointed lieutenant in the Qatari police He left the police sometime during the reign of his uncle Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani Later in 1992 he was appointed minister of Islamic affairs a post he held until 1995 During the reign of his cousin Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani he was appointed minister of interior Controversy EditEarlier in his career Al Thani served as Qatar s Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments 1 During this time al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed named the principal architect of the 9 11 attacks moved to Qatar at the suggestion of the former minister of Islamic affairs of Qatar Shaykh Abdallah Bin Khalid Bin Hamad al Thani according to the U S Department of Defense 2 In 1995 Abdullah bin Khalid al Thani is believed to have provided funding to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to support him in combat in the Bosnian war 1 While the U S pushed for Sheikh Mohammed s arrest Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani allegedly told Khalid Sheikh Mohammed about the growing pressure for his arrest leading to him reportedly leaving the country with a Qatar provided passport on a government executive jet 3 After this Al Thani was briefly confined to house arrest 1 In a 2003 article by The New York Times Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani is mentioned as the same official who had repeatedly allowed Arab extremists who had fought in Afghanistan to live on his farm The article also describes a Qatari government minister who housed as many as 100 Arab extremists on his Qatari farm in the mid 1990s 4 Former U S Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Richard Clarke has also commented on Al Thani s ties to terrorism While serving as Qatar s Interior Minister Clarke said that Al Thani held sympathies for Osama bin Laden and terrorist groups and was using his personal money and ministry money to transfer to Al Qaeda front groups that were allegedly charities 5 U S officials have also reportedly suggested that Al Thani provided shelter fake documents and other assistance as they traveled through Qatar 1 U S officials also said that Sheikh Abdallah was visited by Osama bin Laden himself between the years of 1996 and 2000 3 Leaked U S government reports for instance revealed that Al Thani met with bin Laden during his January 1996 visit in Doha The terrorist leader was quoted reporting the successful movements of explosives into Saudi Arabia as well as the operations against U S and U K interests in Dammam Dharan and Khobar through the activities of clandestine Al Qaeda cells in Saudi Arabia 6 Al Thani is part of a list of terrorists wanted in four Middle Eastern countries namely Saudi Arabia Egypt the UAE and Bahrain 7 This list includes 59 terrorists being sheltered by Qatar Security warnings were released in these countries recently after the former interior minister surfaced in Doha In a captured photograph of the rare public appearance Al Thani was shown signing his autograph in a wall portrait of the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani 7 Personal life EditSheikh Abdullah has four wives He has a total of 33 sons and daughters He is the owner of the Al Waab Farm which is a world renown Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse breeding farm The farm is managed by his son Sheikh Ahmed 8 a businessman and government official Since late 2003 Sheikh Abdullah has resided in a secluded estate on his 7000 acres private farm in Waab Al Abareq northern Qatar Sheikh Abdullah rarely makes any public appearances References Edit a b c d Weinberg David Andrew Qatar and Terror Finance Part I Negligence PDF Foundation for Defense of Democracies Archived from the original PDF on 2017 04 21 Retrieved 2017 04 10 Khalid Shaikh Mohammed The Guantanamo Docket www nytimes com Retrieved 2017 04 10 a b Qatari Royal Family Linked to Al Qaeda ABC News 2006 01 07 Retrieved 2017 04 10 Risen James Johnston David 2003 03 08 THREATS AND RESPONSES COUNTERTERRORISM Qaeda Aide Slipped Away Long Before Sept 11 Attack The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2017 04 10 Meyer Josh Goetz John 2003 03 28 Qatar s Security Chief Suspected of Having Ties to Al Qaeda Los Angeles Times ISSN 0458 3035 Retrieved 2017 04 10 Blanchard Christopher 2011 Qatar Background and U S Relations Washington D C Congressional Research Service p 12 ISBN 9781437987089 a b Wahab Siraj 2018 07 16 Security alert as Qatari ex minister linked to terror reappears in public Arab News Retrieved 2018 07 18 Sheikh ahmed Biography portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani amp oldid 1095374291, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
