As imam at a mosque in Falls Church , Virginia ( 2001 – 02 ) , al-Awlaki spoke with and preached to three of the 9/11 hijackers , who were al-Qaeda members . In 2001 , he presided at the funeral of the mother of Nidal Malik Hasan , an Army psychiatrist who later e-mailed him extensively in 2008 – 09 before carrying out the Fort Hood shootings . During al-Awlaki 's later radical period after 2006 – 07 , when he went into hiding , he may have associated with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab , who attempted the 2009 Christmas Day bombing of an American airliner . Al-Awlaki was allegedly involved in planning Abdulmutallab 's attack
Christmas Day bombing
Northwest Airlines Flight 253
Anwar al-Awlaki