Amir Andalousi: Casanova or a Jihadi on a mission?

By Walid Phares

Not that it is strategically relevant, but the story of Amir Andalousi life is surfacing in Beirut's press. However, before we dive into its hollywoodian dimension, keep in mind the political context in Lebanon. Those who made the arrest of Assem Hammoud, the alleged co-conspirator in the NY tunnel plot, are the security services of the Ministry of Interior, who are part of the Seniora Government, a cabinet opposed to the Syrian regime and somewhat responds to US requests on Terrorism. But many among those who oppose the Government, including in the press, are pro-Syrian and aim at discrediting the Government anti-Terror activities. So, in short, you will be reading the Government reports detailing Hammoud links to the Jihadist movement and al Qaida, but you will be also reading stories leaked by pro-Syrian antigovernment sources dismissing the seriousness of the Amir Andalous case. In today's press, I singled out an article published in the daily al balad , written by Mohammad Barakat with interesting information about the "Emir" personal life. The title is revealing of the newspaper's hints: "Assem Hammoud, an Andalu prince who traveled through Europe and its women."

The hint is clear: The man is a womanizer and thus he doesn't sound very Jihadi. The article starts with an interview with his mother Dr Nabila Qotb. She shows her pictures of her son "with quasi naked women" in Italy, Holland, Belgium, elsewhere in Europe, "but not in the United States," repeated the lady. "He drinks alcohol, dances, goes out, rarely goes to the Mosque, collects old cars, has a Canadian girlfriend, and was about to start teaching economics at a local university in Lebanon." Expect all these arguments to resurface in court. Amir Andalousi will be portrayed by his lawyers as a Casanova, nothing to do with Jihad. But then consider the other two pieces of information. One, the family claims they came from Andalusia, where they were "emirs." When I advanced my thesis that something personal out there warranted the nom de guerre linked to Spain it was 20 hours before this article appears in today's Beirut press. But the desire to identify with Andalous is coupled with a testimony by the doorman (or more exactly the guardian) of a near by building, known in Lebanon as Natoor. "A sudden change in his personality occurred lately" says the Natoor. "I don't remember when exactly, but he started to wear the white dashdasha (long robe) on Fridays, started to goes to prayer, and wears it when he comes back from work. He stopped bringing women when he visited the area." In short the Natoor, in his 40s, has just described the "mutation" from Casanova to Islamist. "He has become a Wahabi," whispered the guard. But the al Balad journalist questioned the Natoor's story: "why would he says these things about Hammoud? We will know more when other witness will show up in court.

But the interest in this story is the duality between an apparent "liberalizing" lifestyle and an alleged Jihadi activity. It is simple, if indeed, al Andalousi had sent plans of the tunnels through Internet and engaged himself in conspiracies to flood tunnels in New York, a new benchmark in understanding Jihadi terrorism would be reached, with tremendous political consequences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Dr Walid Phares is a Senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the author of Future Jihad

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