Public Enemies: America’s Most Wanted Terrorists

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Palestinian Terrorist Group
[Image via Chris McGrath/Getty Images]

The names on the below list are associated with a wider network of criminal activity in the United States of America. Some of these people acted alone while others are part of a major crime syndicate or terrorist organization. They are wanted in exceptionally violent crimes. Thus, making them America’s most wanted terrorists.

All of these at-large individuals listed below are considered the highest-profile criminals on the FBI’s search list. A few things are important to know here. First and foremost, wanted lists are comprised of those who have done something bad to people of the United States or the nation in some way.

Yet they are also going to involve those who have the potential to do something bad.

For example, ISIS is a top-tier terrorist organization. While they have done us wrong as a nation a few times, not everyone in a leadership role has. Despite this, they are involved with the organization and have the potential to be an issue. Thus, they rank on wanted lists too.

America’s most wanted terrorists, however, are mostly going to be those who directly became an issue for the United States of America. Do not assume, however, that the people we list are the only ones our intelligence group has their eyes and ears on. There are likely some they are not telling people about for some reason or another.

Some people may join the list due to possible tensions between certain nations or groups. This often happens when people attempt to persuade one side involved in possible negotiation or something similar. America does not see a lot of this but it does happen from time to time. Stuff like this makes terrorist lists ever-evolving.

Let’s break down the list of most known terrorists America wants to bring down.

 

Public Enemies

ISIS Terrorists
[Image via Balkis Press/Sipa USA]
When considering the biggest problem with criminals around the world, America tends to only care about things that affect them directly. Sure, you could be at odds with an ally of ours. We may very well get involved to help them. However, the national interests, in this case, come down to what those allies will do for us or possibly help us with.

This could include possibly helping us in a war we get involved in. It could be even helping the United States with certain trade material too. Truthfully, a lot could be mentioned here but you get the picture. At the end of the day, if it does not affect us, we don’t care as much as we possibly should.

America’s Most Wanted Lists are made of people who have done us wrong in some way. They also involve people who have done something terrible to people of the nation too. It often just depends on the type of list. In this case, we’re going to be discussing terrorists.

These lists often break down to those that have done some things against the United States. Yet many also include those who have done a lot of things that affected American citizens.

More importantly, our list is based on lives affected or lost as well as American assets affected.

Now, let’s begin with some major players the list of America’s most wanted terrorists.

ABD AL AZIZ AWDA

Awda is one of America’s most wanted terrorists that will often go by several names to keep himself safe. Thus far, we only know some of them. The list includes Sheik Odeh, Abdel Aziz Odeh, Abd Al Aziz Odeh, Abed Al Aziz Odeh, Abu Ahmed, Sheik Awda, Fadl Abu Ahmed, Al Sheik, The Sheik, and Mawlana.

He was born in Jabaliyah, Gaza Strip and is wanted for conspiring with Palestinian Islamic Jihad or PIJ. He has been listed as a “Specially Designated Terrorist,” in the United States since 1995.

Awda is indicted on 53 counts in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, and Tampa, Florida. 

SAJID MIR

A Pakistani national, Sajid Mir also enjoys using different names and aliases to remain a ghost as much as possible when people search for him.

Thus far, we know he has gone by names such as  “Ibrahim,” “Wasi,” “Khalid,” “Vashi,” “Vashibhai,” Bhai Ali, Ali Bhai, Moosa Bhai, Wasi Bhai, Wasi Ibrahim, Sajid Majeed, Sajjid Mir, Bhai Moosa, and Ibrahim Shah.

Mir was allegedly the chief planner of attacks that killed six American nationals in Mumbai in 2008. He is believed to be in Pakistan and has been indicted on charges by the  United States. We know that the order for any lawman is to arrest him on sight and send him to America.

We also know that he was the leader of a 10-member attack group with ties to the Pakistani terror organization Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. 

LIBAN HAJI MOHAMED

Liban is a naturalized U.S. citizen that was born in Somalia and has lived in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C.  He is wanted for supplying information Harakat Shabaab Al-Mujahidin, also known as Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda.

American Intelligence Agencies believe Mohamed left the United States in 2012 with the intent to join Al Shabaab. The last people knew of him, he was working as a taxi cab driver.  

ISHMAIL MUSLIM ALI

Considered one of America’s most wanted terrorists, Ishmail Ali is mostly known for a plane hijacking attempt. Wanted since 1984, he is connected to the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 626 en route from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.

Ali was aboard the plane as a prisoner. Using a handgun hidden in a bathroom on board, he hijacked the plane and diverted it to Havana, Cuba. His terrorist cell affiliation is not specifically listed. Like many, he is known by several names. Thus far, these are the only ones known: Ishmael Muslim Ali, Ismail Muslim Ali, Ronald LaBeet, Ismael LaBeet, and Ishmael LaBeet.

MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH KHALIL HUSSAIN AR-RAHAYYAL

There are terrorists, and then there are those the intelligence community cites as major terrorists. AR-Rahayyal is among the most dangerous. Born in Lebanon, he is affiliated with a terrorist group in Pakistan and a believed associate of the Abu Nidal Organization.

Abu Nidal is described by the CIA as “among the most dangerous and effective of all terrorist groups.” It is also the believed best of all the Palestinian radicalized groups. Clearly, this is a major reason he’s one of America’s most wanted terrorists.

He is wanted for the hijacking of Pan American Airlines Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan. The attack resulted in the death of 20 passengers and crew, including two American citizens. 

MUHAMMAD AHMED AL-MUNAWAR

Muhammad is wanted for the highjacking of Pan American Airlines Flight 73 in Karachi as well. Naturally, due to the 20 deaths aboard the members of this crime are responsible for, all are wanted. The two Muhammads, however, tend to be the main leaders behind the attack.

AL-Munawar was born in Kuwait and has ties to the Palestinian settlements as well as Lebanon. Like many, he has gone by many names in his criminal career.

Among the most popular are Abdarhman Al Rashid Mansour, Ashraf Naeem Mansoor, Zubair, Shamed Khalil Zubair, Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid Mansoor, Al Rashad Mansur, Ahmed Khalid Zubair, Abdur Rehman Rashad Mansur. 

WADOUD MUHAMMAD HAFIZ AL-TURKI

Al-Turki is also wanted for the highjacking of Pan American Airlines Flight 73. There is not as much known about AL-Turki as some of the others connected to the same crime. We do know he was born in Baghdad, Iraq and has ties to Iraqi and Palestinian settlements.

Wadoud is also a member of Abu Nidal. The reward for information regarding his whereabouts is pretty steep. The United States has offered $5 million to anyone with knowledge of where he is or will be. They have even put his known image through age progression just to offer what he may look like today.

DANIEL ANDREAS SAN DIEGO

Despite what the name may make you assume, Daniel Andreas San Diego was born in Berkeley, California. He stayed true to his name when he officially became one of America’s most wanted terrorists.

He is wanted for his role in two bombings in San Diego, California on the Chiron Corp. campus. These bombings occurred on  August 28, 2003. Daniel’s terrorist affiliations are not specifically listed as of now. However, he fits the profile of a suspect who could potentially be solicited for network crime. 

NBC Bay Area reported in March of 2014 that the Honolulu branch of the FBI was seeking after San Diego. The story described him as an animal rights activist as he appears to be motivated by his association with animal rights extremism.

JAMAL SAEED ABDUL RAHIM

You’ll see a lot of these guys. Rahim is wanted for the 1986 hijacking of Pan American World Airways Flight 73 during a stop in Karachi, Pakistan. As we already mentioned, this flight resulted in 20 people losing their life, including 2 Americans.

This attack approximately 89 American citizens at risk among other civilians of different nationalities. Rahim thus far has been known by several names, including Ali Al Jassem Fahd, Jamal Saeed Abdulrahman, Fahad Ali al Jasseen, Ismael, and Fahad.

He was indicted in Washington D.C. for this attempt of terrorism long ago. Meaning the moment he is caught he will be going to prison without question. There isn’t much known about Rahim, other than the fact that he was born in Lebanon and is a believed associate of the Abu Nidal Organization. As one of America’s most wanted terrorists, he rarely leaves the safety of his inner-bubble.

SAIF AL-ADEL

Saif Al-Adel is an affiliate of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad or EIJ and a high-ranking member of Al Qaeda. He is wanted mostly for the 1998 bombings on a few U.S. embassies in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

He has also gone by several names. Some of them are Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi, Seif Al Adel, Ibrahim Al-Madani. and Al-Adel. 

WILLIAM “GUILLERMO” MORALES

Morales is or was an explosives expert and bomb-maker for FALN (Fuerzas Armadas Liberacion Nacional). FALN is an extremist group that advocated for Puerto Rican independence through violence.

He was arrested in New York City when a bomb he was working on exploded and severely injured him. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital in New York. From the hospital, he escaped and made his way to Mexico. Morales was captured in Mexico but was transferred to Cuba.

Last we’ve known of his whereabouts, he was still in Cuba. This may have changed since, but it is uncertain.

 

Women On America’s Most Wanted Terrorists List

Josephine Overaker
[Image via FBI.gov]
While a lot of people assume men are on the list, some of America’s most wanted terrorists are actually women. Do not assume these women fall under the “femme fatale” label, as they are not a bunch of super-spy sleuths. Think less Black Widow and more Kathy Bates from Misery with a lot of these women.

These women committed some horrible crimes, landing them on the most wanted terrorist list for the United States. There are a lot of women on this list or those that have been on it in the past. We felt it would be best to highlight just a few major names that you should be aware of. Let’s take a look.

JOSEPHINE SUNSHINE OVERAKER

If alive, she is 49-years-old. Josephine Overaker is a known terrorist that has become one of America’s most wanted terrorists for years.

In her criminal career, she has gone by several different names. The several names include Lisa Rachelle Quintana, Lisa R. Quintana, Maria Rachelle Quintana, Maria Quintana, “Osha,” “Jo,” “China,” “Josie,” and simply “Mo.”

Overaker was born in Canada but eventually became an American naturalized citizen. 

She is wanted for her alleged role as arson for a domestic terrorism cell. Her crimes and conspiracies are related to 17 incidents. That includes five counts of arson, one count of attempted arson, and one account of the destruction of an energy facility.

Overaker’s crimes span across Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, and Wyoming and date back to 1996. Overaker was associated with the Earth Liberation Front or the Animal Liberation Front.

Arson she committed was part of the crimes investigated by Operation Backfire. According to KPTV, Overaker fled to Europe in late 2001. 

Unlike some terrorists on this list, she is not known to be affiliated with jihad. 

ELIZABETH ANNA DUKE

Duke, born in 1941, is wanted for violent crimes related to a radical group known to be a Communist Organization. She was born in Beeville, Texas and has been known by quite a few names in her criminal career.

Thus far, we know she has gone by Betty Ann Duke, Elizabeth Ann Duke, Betty Weir, and “Betty Ann.” We also know she has ties to Texas, Pennsylvania, and Canada. Therefore, she could be found in one of these places.

JOANNE DEBORAH CHESIMARD

Joanne is wanted for her role in the killing of an officer execution-style in New Jersey. Chesimard is a known member of the Black Liberation Army and one of their leading associates.

In February 2019, Chesimard was featured in North Jersey (USA Today). The whereabouts of one of her comrades, Cheri Laverne Dalton, had been unveiled. She was found dead at her home in Havana in 2019 at the age of 68. At the time of her death, Dalton had been going by the name Nehanda Abiodun.

Havana became the home of refuge for Dalton after she, along with Chesimard and others, committed a killing rampage across the United States in the 1970s.

We were able to learn that Chesimard also changed her name; she chose Assata Shakur. She broke out of a New Jersey State prison and fled to Cuba. Law enforcement states that Dalton helped Chesimard escape as the group’s getaway car driver.

Chesimard is reportedly a 71-year-old fugitive still living in Cuba. The reporter for USA Today visited Chesimard’s last known residence. It was a two-story stucco house in Havana’s Playa neighborhood, a short drive from the embassies.

Chesimard’s cohorts in Cuba told the reporter that she had gone to a concealed location. She fears that the Cuban police will detain her to collect on the $2 million dollar bounty for her capture.

Dalton alleged that she had no idea about Chesimard’s whereabouts at the time the USA Today story was released. As Chesimard ages, there is fear that her crimes will never see extradition and justice. In spite of her age, she is believed to be alive currently.

 

Note On Domestic Radicalism & Most Wanted Terrorists

Coalition of Concerned Citizens-New Zealand
[Image via natlib.govt.nz]
Sometimes domestic radicalism groups can become highly volatile in their politics. These groups may not have expressed violent extremism. Yet, they can still pose some civil problems. The Coalition of Concerned Citizens serves as an example. 

It is being called a “New Zealand based conservative pressure group.” The C.C.C. is also known as a “pro-censorship” group that monitors behavior from a place of radical Judeo-Christian ideology. The group has been spreading out and now has ties to South Africa, the United States, and Australia. 

The Coalition was best represented by its website RepublicoftheUnited States.org. While their main new website is under construction, the current site is itself is relatively radical. The group published an article called “Proclamation of Claim and Interest of the Republic for the United States of America” in 2012.

It was a document that appeared to claim sovereignty back from the United States Federal government in a series of proclamations made by the coalition. The post stated that Congress had unconstitutionally seized the land used to construct the District of Columbia.

The article made several points that could be compelling to some but insane to most. You can click on the link to it above and decide for yourself.

Some of these groups do end up becoming violent, such as White Supremacist Groups. One of which led a rally called the “Unite The Right Rally” in Charlottesville, Virginia. It resulted in a car being driven into protestors, injuring 27 and killing one person.

20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. was the driver of the car. He was sentenced to life in prison with an additional 419 years in July of 2019. Yet he’s not alone, as things like this have and continue to happen across the United States annually.

 

Terrorism In A Different, Yet Just As Important Form

James Holmes-Asshole Mass Shooter
[Image via CNN]
Terrorism does not only take the form of Islamic jihad. It has proved to frequently manifest as a domestic issue as well. For this reason, terrorism continues to be a present threat to the United States. Once the public is educated in-depth on the various forms of terrorism, America will be better protected from it.

It is uncertain how to properly educate the public about terrorism beyond showing examples of it. While movies usually attempt to do a good job with this, they often get the real threats mixed up in extremely radical, over the top concepts. Terrorism in films and television usually involves someone from the Middle East or someone connected to an organization there.

Meanwhile, you have some that attempt to shed light on domestic terrorist plots. Often, America’s biggest threat is not that of ISIS or another organization that uses Islam as its reasoning. Truthfully, 9/11 is one of the few times America dealt with terrorist issues on its own soil.

The real problem comes from mass shootings where these insane, terrorist figures gun down innocent people. Some may then claim to have done it for God or mention that God told them to do it. Some variation of this.

We’re also talking straight white men typically, people from the same look of those who run this nation, ignore these people. Yet these same people are often overlooked because they are not connected to another religion, aren’t another skin color, etc.

In reality, the mass shooters are just as much if not MORE of a threat than major ISIS figures. America cannot overlook its domestic issues, then pretend to be surprised when they continue to happen.

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