Omar Abdulaziz Al-Zahrani
Nationality:
Saudi
Place of Residence:
Montreal, Canada
Legal Status:
Granted asylum in Canada in 2014
Medium:
Twitter, YouTube
Soon after the Arab Spring erupted across the Middle East, Abdulaziz became increasingly active on social media – specifically on Twitter – where he voiced his support for terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, especially Daesh. This prompted the Saudi authorities to cancel his higher education scholarship in 2013 and demand his return to Saudi Arabia. Fearing retribution for his extremist opinions, Abdulaziz sought political asylum in Canada in 2014 under the pretext that he is a political opponent of the Saudi government.
Abdulaziz is known on social media for his fickle opinions and for not adopting a specific principle or approach. One moment he would support Islamic extremism on his Twitter and YouTube accounts, and the next moment he would be an open-minded liberal who supports coexistence on Western media. He declared support for the terrorist organization Daesh in many of the videos he published on his Arabic accounts as these address Arab audiences. In one video published on his account, he listed reasons to praise Daesh.
“Now let me list some amazing facts and information about Daesh. This will shock you, but bear with me. Whether we like it or not, these are facts and figures,” he said.
“The area under Daesh rule today is larger than Britain, larger than the United Arab Emirates, larger than Jordan, larger than Syria, larger than Kuwait, larger than Bahrain, larger than Qatar, larger than Lebanon, and larger than Palestine.
“In addition to that, hospitalization is free for anyone living under Daesh rule. People can receive treatment, eat, drink and live for free. We must also acknowledge something. Daesh has many supporters among you. Look right and left, and you will find people who support Daesh. Do not deny this,” he added.
He even claimed that the area controlled by the extremist group was the safest in Syria and Iraq.
“The territory controlled by Daesh is one of the safest in Syria and Iraq – do you know why? Because there is no robbery, rape, or harassment, and because whoever is caught (committing any of these) will be executed – ask any Syrian or Iraqi.”
In other tweets, the 29-year-old expressed support for the terrorist-designated Palestinian movement Hamas – a military wing of the Muslim Brotherhood – especially during the Arab Spring.
On June 27, 2017, he tweeted a reply to a now-deleted tweet that read: “Is it permissible for you to take weapons from the criminal US and Russia but the same is forbidden for Hamas, which is forced to take arms from criminal Iran?”
This tweet came three years after Abdelaziz was granted asylum by Canada – a country that has considered Hamas as a terrorist group since 2002.
Omar, who presents himself as a member of a political opposition whose goal is to achieve democracy, came out recently as a spokesman for a party he launched with a group of others called the National Assembly Party. The party calls for democracy, which jihadi organizations supported by Omar deems as blasphemy.
In a video published online, alluding to those who left to join Daesh, he said: “Although I disagree in thought and ideology with many of those who are present, I believe that a person who left his family, money, wife and who made sacrifices is a hero. You and I are escaping imprisonment, afraid of arrest. You and I. This person has gone to face bullets and bombs. Know your place, man. Who are you talking about?”
Video
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Analysis
“Let me list some amazing facts and information about Daesh. This will shock you, but bear with me. Whether we like it or not, these are facts and figures,” Saudi Omar Abdulaziz proudly stated in a video posted across his social media.
“The territory controlled by Daesh is one of the safest in Syria and Iraq – do you know why? Because there is no robbery, rape, or harassment, and because whoever is caught (committing any of these) will be executed – ask any Syrian or Iraqi.”
His praise for the extremist organization responsible for the deaths of at least 1,200 people outside of Syria and Iraq goes on.
“The area under Daesh rule today is larger than Britain, larger than the United Arab Emirates, larger than Jordan, larger than Syria, larger than Kuwait, larger than Bahrain, larger than Qatar, larger than Lebanon, and larger than Palestine.
“In addition to that, hospitalization is free for anyone living under Daesh rule. People can receive treatment, eat, drink and live for free. We must also acknowledge something. Daesh has many supporters among you. Look right and left, and you will find people who support Daesh. Do not deny this,” he added.
Abdulaziz was born in Saudi Arabia’s coastal city Jeddah in 1991 and after completing his education, traveled to Montreal in 2009 for university on a fully funded Saudi scholarship. Soon after the Arab Spring erupted across the Middle East, Abdulaziz became increasingly active on social media – specifically on Twitter – where he voiced his support for terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, especially Daesh.
Saudi authorities caught wind of his vocal support and canceled his higher education scholarship in 2013, demanding his return to the kingdom.
This prompted Abdulaziz to seek asylum in Canada in 2014, shielding himself and his views under the guise of a political opponent to the Saudi kingdom. In reality, his extremist views are evident through his rhetoric across his Arabic social media platforms – namely Twitter.
“Saudi Omar Abdulaziz has been trying to export his hatred for everything moderate, and support for everything that is extremist despite what he tries to wear in terms of defense and political opposition masks,” Extremism expert Dr. Hani Nasira told Arab news.
“He sometimes defends Daesh while acknowledging its brutality and justifies the attack on Western targets by al-Qaeda in Yemen, Iraq and elsewhere.”
Abdulaziz’s fickle opinions are evident online. One moment, the 30-year-old would support Islamic extremism on his Twitter and YouTube accounts, and the next moment he would be an open-minded liberal who supports coexistence on Western media.
In a video published online, alluding to those who left to join Daesh, he said: “Although I disagree in thought and ideology with many of those who are present, I believe that a person who left his family, money, wife and who made sacrifices is a hero. You and I are escaping imprisonment, afraid of arrest. You and I. This person has gone to face bullets and bombs. Know your place, man. Who are you talking about?”
Abdulaziz uses his status to call on youth in Saudi Arabia to migrate, opposing the government’s decision prohibiting this out of concern that they might join the ranks of extremist groups
“Omar Abdulaziz blesses and is pleased with Daesh’s disbelief in the idea of the homeland and patriotism, and expresses his joy that its members tore up their passports in a famous video featuring the dead Daesh extremist Othman al-Nazih al-Asiri, and considers that a legitimate act that he recommends and loves due to his hostility to Saudi Arabia and its regime,” Nasir said.
In other tweets, the 29-year-old expressed support for the terrorist-designated Palestinian movement Hamas – a military wing of the Muslim Brotherhood – especially during the Arab Spring.
On June 27, 2017, he tweeted a reply to a now-deleted tweet that read: “Is it permissible for you to take weapons from the criminal US and Russia but the same is forbidden for Hamas, which is forced to take arms from criminal Iran?”
This tweet came three years after Abdelaziz was granted asylum by Canada – a country that has considered Hamas as a terrorist group since 2002.
Omar, who presents himself as a member of a political opposition whose goal is to achieve democracy, came out recently as a spokesman for a party he launched with a group of others called the National Assembly Party. The party calls for democracy, which jihadi organizations supported by Omar deems as blasphemy.