Somalia
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys (born in 1935), was the head of the 88-member, shura council of the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia. Aweys was viewed as one of the more radical leaders of the Union, who promoted shari'a and directed the militias that took control of the former Somali capital of Mogadishu in June 2006. The ICU, established in part by Aweys, drove the widely despised secular warlords out of Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia and took control of Mogadishu.

Aweys replaced Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as head of the ICU, who was widely considered to be a more moderate leader. Since taking power from the warlords, Ahmed had softened his rhetoric calling for strict Islamic, or sharia, law, and also agreed to recognize the largely powerless interim government which is based in Baidoa, 90 miles from of Mogadishul. Aweys however, condemned that government and any attempts to install a Western-style democracy. Further, he strenuously advocated for a strict Islamic government to end 15 years of anarchy in Somalia.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States released a list of individuals and organizations accused of having ties to terrorism. Aweys and a conservative Somali group he founded called al-Itihaad al-Islaami were featured for their alleged links to bin Laden.

(Information found at wikipedia.com, cbsnews.com, and iht.com)