 "Donald Trump had vowed to use “overwhelming lethal force” against the Houthis. AP")
Two former jihadist operatives from the United States, including one who reportedly trained with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Pakistan in 2000 and took part in attacks in Kashmir, have been appointed to the White House Advisory Board of the Religious Freedom Commission by the Trump administration.
Ismail Royer, one of the appointees, is a former jihadist who served 13 years in prison on terror-related charges. He has now been appointed to the advisory board of the White House’s Religious Freedom Commission.
In 2003, Royer was charged with terrorism-related offences, including conspiring to wage war against the United States and providing support to al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to aiding the use of firearms and explosives, was sentenced to 20 years, and served 13 years, according to The Washington Post. Royer is also reported to have undergone training in Lashkar camps in Pakistan in 2000.
Hamza Yusuf also named to panel
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College, is also on the advisory board list. He is alleged to have links with Islamic jihadists and proscribed terror groups, according to Lara Loomer, a close ally of US President Donald Trump.
‘Insane’ appointment, says Loomer
Political activist Laura Loomer, who played a key role in the removal of Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, described Royer’s appointment as “insane”.
White House defends Royer’s credentials
According to a White House statement, Royer is currently the director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute.
“Since converting to Islam in 1992, he has studied religious sciences with traditional Islamic scholars and spent over a decade working at non-profit Islamic organisations. Royer has worked with nonprofits to promote peace between faiths,” the White House said.
The statement also noted that Royer’s writing has appeared in several publications. He also co-authored a chapter on Islam in Religious Violence Today: Faith and Conflict in the Modern World.
Royer reflects on his past
In a 2023 interview with the Middle East Forum, Royer spoke about his journey into jihadism. “I liked the people in LeT. I was strongly against Bin Laden and saw Al-Qaeda as a group of extremists. I was told LeT wasn’t an extremist group and that they followed the Saudi imam,” he said.
“I encouraged Muslims at the mosque to join Lashkar and train with them in Kashmir. The training wasn’t very serious, it felt more like tourism. It was like, ‘Here, shoot some guns, explore the mountains, and then go back home.’ It was almost like a promotion,” he said.