American and European authorities say some of these clerics, like Mr. Awlaki, offer something much more sinister than just guideposts to radical Islam: a pipeline to Al Qaeda operatives in places like Yemen and the lawless Pakistan tribal areas.
“Awlaki is, among other things, a talent spotter,” an American counterterrorism official said. “That’s part of his value to Al Qaeda. If people are drawn to him, he can pass them along to trainers and operational planners. Abdulmutallab was cannon fodder, a piece snapped into an operation.”…
“It is really young people seeking them out — the movement is from the bottom up,” Mr. Sageman said. “Just like you saw Major Hasan send 21 e-mails to al-Awlaki, who sends him two back. You have people seeking these guys and asking them for advice. What they provide is a justification for what these young kids want to do in the first place. There is an influence, but the direction is from the young people seeking folks out, as opposed to older guys recruiting them.”
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