Sami Mahmud Mohammed al-Oraydi or Abu Mahmoud al-Shami (also: al-Uraydi; Arabic: سامي محمود محمد العُرَيدي, romanized: Sāmī Maḩmūd Muḥammad al-ʿUraydī; born 1973) is a senior sharia official for the al-Qaeda affiliated Hurras al-Din[2][3] who was the chief religious authority for al-Nusra Front and the group's former second-in-command.[4][5]
Sami al-Oraydi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 (age 50–51) |
| Nationality | Jordanian |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Al-Qaeda |
| Service |  Al-Nusra Front (2012–17) Hurras al-Din (2018–present)[1] |
| Rank | Deputy leader of the al-Nusra Front |
| Battles / wars | Syria
Lebanon |
Biography
editSami al-Oraydi was born in Amman, Jordan, in 1973, and received his bachelor's degree in religious studies from the University of Jordan. In 1997 he received a master's degree from the same university in Hadith studies and, in 2001, completed his PhD in the same subject. He has written a number of books about the 14th century scholar Ibn Taymiyyah.[6]
Al-Oraydi was influenced by the teachings of Syrian jihadist Abu Musab al-Suri, who fought against the Syrian government in the 1970s and '80s.[4]
Syrian Civil War
editAl-Oraydi was a member of the al-Nusra Front. He acted as the group's chief sharia authority and reportedly served as the group's second-in-command. He was previously al-Nusra's second highest sharia authority under former religious leader and military commander Abu Maria Al-Qahtani. Al-Oraydi was promoted over al-Qahtani after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) overran Nusra Front positions in eastern Syria in 2014.[4]
He had used social media to release sermons and declarations on behalf of the Al-Nusra Front. He maintained a Twitter account under the handle @sami_oride and reportedly tweeted that the "ideal" jihadist is a moral individual watched by God and the public. Al-Oraidi has also used social media to attack ISIL, particularly after the group declared its caliphate in June 2014. Al-Oraydi said ISIL spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani "does not know what comes out of his head." He also referred to ISIL's leaders as "Muslim killers." He declared war on ISIL in a December 2014 sermon.[4]
Al-Oraydi has accused ISIL of being Kharijites and has denounced the group for being too extreme, saying in an audio released in 2014 that "Jihad has taught me that leniency in dealing with extremists and Kharijites is disregard for the blood of the Sunnis and the Mujaheddin. Every Jihad arena they enter, they shed the blood of the mujahideen."[7]
After the formation of Tahrir al-Sham, al-Oraydi left the group, along with another senior al-Nusra leader, and was later arrested by HTS with several other Pro-al-Qaeda elements from the group; the arrests were condemned by ISIL.[8][9] His resignation was confirmed by Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi.[5] al-Oraydi joined the shura council of the Hurras al-Din in February 2018.[1]
The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program is offering up to $5 million reward for information on his whereabouts.[10][11][12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Joško Barić (28 February 2018). "Syrian War Daily – 28th of February 2018". Syrian War Daily.
- ^ "Sami al-Uraydi – Rewards For Justice". Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "Rewards for Justice - Reward Offer for Information on Senior Leaders of Hurras al-Din". United States Department of State. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Executive Summary: Sami al-Oraidi". Counter Extremism Project. 2014.
- ^ a b "The Formation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and Wider Tensions in the Syrian Insurgency". Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Archived from the original on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ "Who's who in the Nusra Front?". al-Araby. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Black flags at the border: ISIS betting on Al-Talli joining its ranks". Al-Akhbar. 29 December 2014. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Fierce dispute between the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and Al-Qaeda". The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Islamic State propagandists seek to undermine rival jihadists in Syria". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 17 April 2018.
- ^ "Sami al-Uraydi – Rewards For Justice".
- ^ "US Offers Bounty for Information on al-Qaida-Affiliated Militants in Syria". VOA. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Schmitt, Eric (30 September 2019). "U.S. Sees Rising Threat in the West From Qaeda Branch in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "BBC Monitoring – Essential Media Insight". monitoring.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2022.