Nigerian Charged With Aiding Al Qaeda

Lawal Olaniyi Babafemi aka Ayatollah Mustapha

33-year-old Nigerian, Lawal Olaniyi Babafemi, was arraigned in the US on charges of providing material support to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist organization’s Yemen-based affiliate, and criminal use of firearms.

Babafemi is said to have traveled twice from Nigeria to Yemen in 2010 and 2011 to meet and train with leaders of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

He is accused of training with members of the AQAP and using his English skills to help publish the terrorist magazine "Inspire".

The 33-year-old Nigerian, also was given the equivalent of nearly $9,000 in cash by Anwar al-Awlaki to recruit other English speakers from Nigeria to join that group and also received weapons training, the FBI said. Al-Awalki is the  American cleric turned AQAP commander killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011.

Babafemi, who also was known by the nom de guerre “Ayatollah Mustapha,” according to the charging papers, was indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York on Feb. 21, and subsequently arrested and extradited from Nigeria.

Babafemi was due to be appear in federal court in Brooklyn for his arraignment.