Sheikh Abu Usamah At-Thahabi, one of Britain’s most controversial hate preachers, has returned to the United States, to assume the position of imam at Masjid As-Sunnah in Kissimmee, Florida. This development marks a double-edged sword—a relief for the U.K. but a troubling prospect for America.
For years, At-Thahabi’s extremist rhetoric poisoned public discourse in the U.K. While serving as imam at Birmingham’s Green Lane Masjid, he gained infamy for his inflammatory sermons, many of which were documented in the 2007 British TV series Undercover Mosque on Channel 4. These sermons included calls to kill homosexuals, statements glorifying Osama bin Laden, and encouragement for Muslims to hate non-believers.
At-Thahabi’s claim that “It takes two witnesses of a woman to equal the one witness of a man” exemplifies his regressive views. This mindset extends to homophobic sermons, as reflected in his chilling statement: “If I were to call homosexuals perverted, dirty, filthy dogs who should be murdered, that’s my freedom of speech, isn’t it?” he once declared.
At-Thahabi’s rhetoric goes further, with him advocating for violent actions against homosexuals. He once reportedly suggested that gay men should be thrown off mountains. Though he claims his comments were taken out of context, the patterns of hate and incitement in his rhetoric remain undeniable.
Focus on Western Islamism (FWI) alerted officials to Green Lane Masjid’s troubling ties, leading to an investigation and the eventual suspension of a £2.2 million grant by the U.K. government in August 2023. Officials had already transferred £77,000 to the mosque before the revelations. Consequently, it can be argued that the scrutiny exerted by Focus on Western Islamism led to significant financial repercussions for At-Thahabi’s mosque, ultimately prompting his departure from the U.K. and his relocation to the United States. This suspension underscores the dangers of such radical ideologies and highlights the ongoing threat posed by figures like At-Thahabi.
While At-Thahabi’s departure is a win for Britain, his arrival in Florida signals a new chapter of concern. Already, he is leveraging his new platform to deliver incendiary sermons. In his June sermon in Florida, emboldened perhaps by America’s free speech laws—something he could not have taken advantage of in the U.K.—he said, “The Jews resemble Satan, they trick and deceive you; Jews are poisoning our community; are slumlords; I make supplications against them every day.”
In a December 2024 sermon, At-Thahabi declared Christianity to be “paganism” and criticized Muslims for assimilating Western cultural norms. He warned against wishing others a “merry Christmas” or even “happy holidays,” framing such greetings as compromises of Islamic values.
The U.K.’s Rejection: At-Thahabi’s Final Sermon
In his last U.K. sermon titled “Abu Usamah’s Last U.K. Khutbah”, At-Thahabi revealed his legal battle against the Home Office’s decision about 30 years ago to deny him indefinite leave to remain in the U.K. He claimed the rejection was politically motivated. “I’m an American national. In order to be here to work, I needed a work visa,” he said.
“After the fifth year, I applied for indefinite leave to remain. When I applied, the Home Office said no because there was a problem. Back then, we had a lot of young Muslims who [were] extreme— a lot of young Muslims who are radical —young Muslims doing crazy things in this country, going to Syria.”
At-Thahabi and his wife appealed the decision, but he described feeling targeted during the legal process. “On the day of the court, there was a Jewish judge. I said to the man— the Muslim lawyer —‘She’s a yahud [Jew]. Isn’t that a bad sign? The Jews are against us.’”
He also criticized the Home Office’s reliance on evidence from Undercover Mosque, which he claimed took his words out of context. He asserted that he did not regret his statements and said that West Midlands Police accused Channel 4 of compromising community cohesion—because, in classic British fashion, exposing the problem was apparently worse than the problem itself.
Ongoing Concerns
At-Thahabi’s history of glorifying violence raises significant concerns. He was quoted as saying that Osama bin Laden was “better than a million George Bushes and a thousand Tony Blairs.”
His radical sermons often include disturbing imagery of hellfire and punishment.
“Thereupon, I saw people hanging by their hamstrings. The sides of their mouths were torn, and blood was spewing out.” I asked, “Who are these people?” He replied, “These are the people who broke their fast prematurely.”
Beyond his hateful rhetoric, At-Thahabi’s association with the Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e Hadith—a registered charity with alleged terror links in Pakistan—further complicates his profile. This extremist network continues to operate more than 40 mosques and Islamic schools across the U.K., with Green Lane Mosque serving as its headquarters.
At-Thahabi has also faced serious allegations of sexual misconduct. A website dedicated to exposing “sexual deviant preachers” accused him of exploiting Muslim women. Two alleged victims have come forward, though Green Lane Mosque denied the claims, stating that the website provided no concrete proof.
In addition to these controversies, At-Thahabi has openly endorsed the practice of slavery under Islamic law. He has defended concubinage—a social practice where a woman and man have a sexual relationship but without being married—arguing that it is permissible when Islam is “practiced correctly.” “A man can have a concubine in al-Islam when Islam is practiced correctly. And for every man who’s in this masjid right now, he can have, that one man, this many concubines in addition to his four wives. That’s the religion of al-Islam…The people will say ‘Why are you mentioning that here? You’re embarrassing us.’ If you’re embarrassed, then something’s wrong with you and your religion.”
Despite his notorious reputation, At-Thahabi has not lacked for visitors in Florida. According to his own account, Masjid As-Sunnah has seen a steady stream of attendees from across the U.S. since his arrival.
Florida’s law enforcement and community leaders should take note of At-Thahabi’s track record. His presence poses significant risks, particularly in fostering division and radicalization. For Britain, his departure marks the end of an era of hate-filled sermons at Green Lane Mosque. For Florida, it’s a sobering reminder that vigilance is crucial to curbing the spread of extremist ideologies. The challenge now lies in preventing At-Thahabi’s influence from taking root in American soil.
