Explore how Minnesotan became most prolific Twitter cheerleader for violent extremism   

(New York, NY) -  The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) today released a comprehensive report on Mujahid Miski, the online persona of Muhammed Abdullahi Hassan, a Minnesota man wanted by the FBI and one of the most influential jihadis using Twitter and other social media platforms to spread violent propaganda, incite and recruit.  

To view the Miski report, click here.

CEP has repeatedly called on Twitter to permanently ban Miski, who left the U.S. in 2008 to join African terror group al-Shabab.  Miski openly boasts that he has been suspended from Twitter more than 30 times. Each time he is able to reemerge with different accounts to spew the same violent and extremist rhetoric.  Miski has tweeted that every Muslim should kill one Jew and threatened to behead CEP’s President, Fran Townsend.

Miski encouraged gunmen Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, who attempted to murder attendees of a free speech event May 3 in Garland, Texas.  Both were killed by security personnel.  Following the incident, it was revealed that Simpson was in regular contact on Twitter with Miski for months before the crime. 

In a February 2014 tweet, Miski claimed to be a member of al-Qaeda. He is also a prominent cheerleader and networker for ISIS. Miski has been described as “one of the go-to individuals online” for people who want to travel to ISIS-controlled territory. Authorities believe Miski is still in Somalia.

CEP’S report on Miski can also be found on the Extremist Leadership Database, a unique searchable list and interactive map highlighting information on more than 50 of the world’s most dangerous extremist leaders and financiers in an easy-to-use format.

For requests for interviews, please contact CEP at [email protected].