Feds seek extradition of al Qaeda in Yemen affiliate in Nigeria

A federal grand jury indicted Babafemi, who is currently in Nigeria, on all charges in February. Justice Department officials have been working with officials in Abuja to secure his transfer to American authorities. 

{mosads}Babafemi allegedly was responsible for running the terror faction’s English media operations and actively recruiting other English-speaking individuals to join the group, according to U.S. officials. 

He also helped facilitate shipments of money and weapons to AQAP fighters in Yemen, traveling to the Mideast country on two occasions in 2010 to meet with senior leaders and train at the group’s camps in southern Yemen. 

During his time with AQAP, Babafemi was in close contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born cleric who was the spiritual leader of the Yemen faction. 

Al-Awlaki is believed to have planned several bombing plots targeting the United States, and his teachings allegedly spurred on Nidal Malik Hasan to kill 13 U.S. soldiers during a shooting spree at the Army’s base in Fort Hood, Texas. 

Earlier this year, Attorney General Eric Holder admitted that al-Awlaki was one of four American terror suspects killed by U.S. drone strikes in Yemen and elsewhere around the world. 

Despite al-Awlaki’s death, AQAP remains one of the most dangerous and well-funded factions of al Qaeda. 

Washington was forced to shutter 19 embassies across the Middle East and Africa this month in response to the latest AQAP threat. 

The terror threat prompting the embassy closures was uncovered after U.S. intelligence reportedly intercepted a message between the leader of al Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri and the head of AQAP, Nasir al-Wuhayshi.

Aside from leading the Yemeni cell, Al-Wuhayshi has also been moved to the No. 2 official in al Qaeda’s leadership, behind al-Zawahiri. 

The State Department reopened 18 of the 19 embassies and consulates on Aug. 9.