Born: 1990;

Place of Birth: Canada;

Gender: Male;

Nationality: Canadian;

General Info:
Awso Peshdary, born in Canada in 1990 to a family of Pakistani descent, is a major Islamic State recruiter and financier who is sending money to the terrorist group and recruiting Canadians to fight for the Islamic State in Syria.

He attended Algonquin College, and he befriended John Maguire and Khadar Khalib, forming an Islamist terror cell.

He was born a Shia Muslim into a family of Kurdish extraction, but converted to Sunni Islam. According to some in the Muslim community, he became a vehement opponent of Shia.

Peshary works at Ottawa Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, where he was shortly due to begin helping clients with their tax returns.

Awso Peshdary’s name had come up in a terrorism investigation prior to Feb. 3, 2015, when RCMP announced terrorism-related charges against the Ottawa man.

Five years ago, when he was 20 years old and newly married, Peshdary found himself caught up in a major national security investigation.

In the late fall of 2012, authorities believe Peshdary had a plane ticket in his pocket and was planning to accompany his “brother” John Maguire to wage jihad in Syria.

His application rejected and unable to travel beyond Canada’s borders, Peshdary remained behind to recruit other young Muslims, several of them recent converts, police believe.

He was allegedly involved in their radicalization and in speeding their journey overseas to join the emerging caliphate.

Peshdary was also involved with the Muslim Students Association at Algonquin College, participating in a public event called Islam Awareness Week last spring. He also preached sermons at the Islam Care Centre on Lisgar Street in downtown Ottawa.

He has a reputation as a radical in the community. Peshdary was charged in February 2015 with recruiting, financing and facilitating terrorism.