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One once trained with the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba; the other was charged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for "provocative" speeches that allegedly influenced terrorists. Both now find themselves appointed to the White House Advisory Board on the Religious Liberty Commission under the Donald Trump administration.
Ismail Royer, who has documented links to terror groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, one of the most influential Islamic scholars in the West, were appointed on Saturday, as confirmed by the White House. The news has led to sharp criticism from far-right voices, including political activist Laura Loomer, who called the move "insane and unacceptable."
Who Is Ismail Royer?
Born Randall Todd Royer, he converted to Islam in 1992 and initially built a career in Islamic advocacy. In the early 2000s, Ismail Royer travelled to Pakistan to train with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a designated terrorist organisation responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and reportedly took part in armed attacks in Kashmir.
In 2003, Royer was indicted on terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to wage war against the US and providing material support to terrorist groups. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to aiding and abetting the use of firearms and explosives and received a 20-year prison sentence, serving 13 years before being released in 2017.
He was a prominent member of the "Virginia Jihad Network", a group that trained using paintball exercises and facilitated travel to terror camps abroad - with some members intending to support the Taliban against US forces post-9/11.
Today, he serves as Director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute and has since published writings promoting peace and religious coexistence.
Who Is Shaykh Hamza Yusuf?
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, hailed in many circles as "The Western world's most influential Islamic scholar" was also appointed to the Board. A co-founder of Zaytuna College, the US's first accredited Muslim liberal arts college, Yusuf has served as an advisor to the Center for Islamic Studies at Berkeley and previously participated in the State Department's Commission on Unalienable Rights during Trump's first term.
In 2016, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against Hamza Yusuf, whose "provocative" speeches were found to have directly or indirectly influenced suspects accused of having links with a terror outfit.
Trump supporter and investigative journalist Laura Loomer sharply criticised the White House's appointment of Ismail Royer to the Advisory Board of Lay Leaders, calling it an "insane and unacceptable" vetting failure.
"A literal Muslim Brotherhood Hamas jihadist named Ismail Royer who was found by the DOJ to have trained in a terrorist camp and helped Islamic terrorists to attack America is now on the White House Advisory Board," Loomer posted on X.
"This is insane and unacceptable. How did he pass any vetting?" she added, calling it another example of what she describes as a "White House vetting crisis."
She cited the official Department of Justice (DOJ) page confirming Royer's 2004 conviction and highlighted his prior role in helping others access LeT camps. She speculated that President Trump himself may not have been involved in the decision, attributing the move to a potential "failure by his staff."
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