The myth that education prevents terrorism, particularly the claim that “If Muslims were educated, they wouldn’t become terrorists,” is a misconception.
On 20 December 2024, Talib A, a psychiatrist, drove a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing two people and injuring 68. Talib was previously accused of terrorism in Saudi Arabia and trafficking young girls from the Middle East to European countries.
In the name of religious jihad, Islamic terrorists have displayed their extreme ideologies to the world. This document emphasizes that educated individuals have been involved in terrorist activities, highlighting the fact that education and terrorism (jihad) are separate and distinct factors.
This report focuses on 25 major educated Islamic terrorists responsible for spreading terror.
Mohammad Emwazi – Electrical Engineering, University of Westminster
Mohammed Emwazi, also known as “Jihadi John,” was a British terrorist of Kuwaiti origin. He appeared in several videos produced by the Islamic State (IS), beheading captives in 2014 and 2015. Emwazi was part of a four-man terrorist cell known as ‘The Beatles.’
Ramzi Ahmed Yusuf – Electrical Engineering, Savansey Institute
Ramzi Ahmed Yusuf was a convicted terrorist and one of the masterminds behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the bombing of Philippine Airlines Flight 434. He was also involved in the Bojinka plot. British
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was a key operational planner for al-Qaeda. He masterminded several high-profile terrorist operations, including the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001.
Talib A – Doctor, Specialist in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
On 20 December 2024, Talib A. drove a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing two people and injuring 68 others. Talib had previously been accused of terrorism in Saudi Arabia and trafficking girls from the Middle East to European countries. Once a Muslim and critic of Islam, he left Saudi Arabia in 2006 and became a resident of Germany.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – PhD in Islamic Studies (B.A. & M.A.)
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was the leader of the terrorist organization ISIS. He rose to global prominence in 2014 when he captured large parts of Syria and Iraq, founding ISIS and declaring himself Caliph.
Osama bin Laden – Civil Engineering, King Abdullah Aziz University
Osama bin Laden was the founder of the terrorist group al-Qaeda. He was the mastermind behind the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States.
Ayman al-Zawahiri – Surgeon (MBBS, Cairo University)
After the death of Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri became the leader of al-Qaeda. He was involved in planning and executing the 9/11 attacks on the United States, further solidifying his role in global terrorism.
Afzal Guru – Doctor (MBBS) & IAS competitive aspirant from Jhelum Valley
Mohammad Afzal Guru was a member of the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed and was the main accused in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Masood Azhar – Graduate in Journalism, Editor of Sawat-e-Kashmir magazine
Masood Azhar is the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist group operating in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammed was responsible for the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.
Hafiz Saeed – Professor, Two Master’s Degrees (Lahore University)
Hafiz Saeed is the founder of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is responsible for orchestrating the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Yakub Memon – Chartered Accountant, Postgraduate in Political Science (IGNOU)
Yakub Memon, the brother of Tiger Memon, was involved in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, masterminded by Tiger Memon.
Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy – Software Engineer, Principal Engineer (Yahoo)
Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy was the head of the media cell for the terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen. He was arrested in 2008 for his involvement in several bombings across India.
Salim Khan – Professor, PhD
Salim Khan, a leader of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for recruiting and training Muslim youth in terrorist activities. He had expressed intentions to join ISIS in 2010.
Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi – Chemical Engineering (IIT Mumbai)
Ahmed Murtaza Abbasi was convicted and sentenced to death in January 2023 for his attack on the Gorakhnath Temple and security personnel in Gorakhpur on 3 April 2022.
Omar Sheikh – Graduate, London School of Economics
Omar Saeed Sheikh is accused of kidnapping and murdering American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. He is also one of India’s most wanted terrorists and was released in the 1999 Kandahar hijack incident.
Mohammad Atta – Architect (Cairo University) & Hamburg University of Technology
Mohammad Atta was the hijacker-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11. He was directly responsible for crashing the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, killing over 1,600 people.
Faisal Shahzad – Computer Engineer, BA in Computer Applications (University of Bridgeport)
Faisal Shahzad attempted to carry out a bombing in Times Square in May 2010. He was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Manhattan court.
Naeem Noor Khan – IT Specialist (Al-Qaeda)
Naeem Noor Khan, an Al-Qaeda operative, was arrested in Pakistan on 13 July 2004. Files found on his laptop detailed terrorist plots to attack US buildings and key locations in the UK, including Heathrow Airport.
Ahlam Tamimi – Journalist (Birgit University)
Ahlam Tamimi, a Jordanian national, orchestrated a bomb blast in Jerusalem in 2001, which killed 16 people and injured 145 others.
Riyaz Bhatkal – Engineer
Riyaz Bhatkal is the founder of the terrorist organization Indian Mujahideen. He was involved in several high-profile attacks, including the 2006 Mumbai serial blasts, the 2007 Hyderabad blasts, and the 2008 Delhi blasts.
Mannan Bashir Wani – PhD Scholar (Aligarh Muslim University)
Mannan Bashir Wani, a PhD scholar at Aligarh Muslim University, joined the terrorist organization Hizbul Mujahideen. He was killed in an encounter with the Indian Army in October 2018.
Mohammad Rafiq – Assistant Professor (PhD in Sociology)
Mohammad Rafiq was an assistant professor at Kashmir University and was involved in training youth for Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir. He was killed in an encounter with Indian Army forces in Shopian district on 6 May 2018.
Dr. Adnan Ali – Doctor (MBBS, BJ Government Medical College)
Dr. Adnan Ali, an anesthesia specialist, worked for ISIS’ magazine Voice of Hind to radicalize Muslim youth. He was planning to carry out the Ghazwa-e-Hind conspiracy in India under the direction of terrorist groups. On 11 August 2023, Saqib Nachan was arrested as the 6th accused in the Pune ISIS module case.
Riyaz Naiku – Math Teacher (Government Permanent Teacher)
After the death of terrorist Burhan Wani, Riyaz Naiku became the face of terrorism in Kashmir. As a top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen with a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head, Riyaz Naiku was killed by security forces in May 2020.
Dr. Ishtiaq – Doctor (Radiologist, Medica Hospital)
Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a radiologist at Medica Hospital in Ranchi, was arrested by Jharkhand ATS and Delhi Police on 22 August 2024. He was the mastermind behind the AQIS (Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) terrorist module. In addition to his work at Medica, Dr. Ishtiaq also operated a clinic in Hazaribagh.
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