Yemen has sentenced in absentia US-born terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki to 10 years in prison for inciting to murder, while at the same time his latest posting for Al-Qaeda states it is permissible to steal from ”non-believers” – especially Americans –  for the sake of jihad. Awlaki is "wanted dead or alive" by the United States.

He was convicted of helping Nigerian terrorist Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab to try to blow up a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas in 2009. The bomb did not explode. He also released a video in which he praised the actions of Nidal Malik Hasan, the U.S. Army psychiatrist who murdered 13 people at the Fort Hood army base in Texas , and is said to have inspired him to commit the massacre.

Al-Awlaki, born in New Mexico, is believed to be hiding in Yemen, where he is thought to be the head of Al-Qaeda’s local branch, which took responsibility for the mail bombs last year that were intercepted by American authorities several minutes before they were scheduled to explode. Explosive experts said they were powerful enough to bring down several planes.  

A second terrorist, a cousin of Al-Awlaki, was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison. The Yemeni court also handed down a death sentence for a 19-year-old terrorist who Al-Awlaki was said to have incited to kill a French citizen last October.

The same day the sentences were handed down, Al-Qaeda published on its Inspire online magazine published in English an article by Al-Awlaki that donations are not enough to finance jihad, according to the Long War Journal.

"Rather than the Muslims financing their jihad from their own pockets, they should finance it from the pockets of their enemies," Awlaki wrote. He advised followers to "avoid targeting citizens of countries where the public opinion is supportive of some of the Muslim causes." Instead, they should target government-owned property, banks, global corporations and "wealth belonging to disbelievers with known animosity towards Muslims."

"In the case of the United States, both the government and private citizens should be targeted.

“It is about time that we take serious steps towards securing a strong financial backing for our work rather than depending on donations," Awlaki argues.

The United States has led efforts to interrupt fundraising for jihad, which may have prompted Al-Al-Awlaki to write, “Our enemies are following the money trail.”