Ali Ghaleb Himmat

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Himmat and Nada lived in the United States.[3] In 1990 he received Italian citizenship.[4]

His daughter Huda Himmat was deputy chair of the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organizations (FEMYSO).[4]

Himmat was managing director and co-founder of al Taqwa Bank, a company founded in Lugano in 1988.[3][5]

According to Ian Denis Johnson, author of the book A Mosque in Munich, Himmat is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe.[1] From 1973 to 2002 Himmat ran the Islamic Community of Germany (IGD).[6][7] Ibrahim El-Zayat, a former shareholder of the al Taqwa Bank, succeeded Himmat as Chairman of the IGD.[8]

In early 2005, Al Taqwa Bank was accused of supporting al Qaeda.[9][10] In 2005 the Attorney General of Switzerland canceled the criminal proceedings against the two Al Taqwa leaders Youssef Nada and Ghaleb Himmat.[9]

On 6 July 2009 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recommended removing Himmat and al-Taqwa Bank from the UNSCR 1267 sanctions list.[11] Himmat was removed from the list on 10 August 2009.[12]

In April 2008 an Egyptian military court sentenced Himmat in absentia to ten years in prison for money laundering and supporting a banned organization.[13][14] On 26 July 2012, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi pardoned Himmat along with other Muslim Brotherhood officials sentenced by the Mubarak regime.