In accordance with paragraph 13 of resolution 1822 (2008) and subsequent related resolutions, the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee makes accessible a narrative summary of reasons for the listing for individuals, groups, undertakings and entities included in the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.
Yazid Sufaat was listed on 9 September 2003 pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1390 (2002) as being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of”; “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to”; and "otherwise supporting acts or activities of" Jemaah Islamiyah (QDe.092) and Al-Qaida (QDe.004).
Yazid Sufaat became a member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) (QDe.092) at its creation. Sufaat graduated from California State University, Sacramento, the United States of America, in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in biological science and chemistry. He worked on Al-Qaida’s (QDe.004) biological weapons program after being introduced to Aiman Muhammed Rabi al-Zawahiri (QDi.006) by Hambali, listed as Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin (QDi.087), in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
In January 2000, a meeting of senior Al-Qaida leaders (known as the “2000 Al-Qaida summit”) took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to discuss future terrorist plots. Two of the 11 September 2001 hijackers, as well as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (not listed) and Ramzi Binalshibh (QDi.081), participated. At Hambali’s request, Sufaat provided lodging in his apartment for the Al-Qaida operatives.
Through his company Green Laboratory Medicine (pathology laboratory) (not listed) Sufaat acquired four tons of ammonium nitrate in late 2000 for JI bomb-maker Fathur Rohman al-Ghozhi (deceased) in preparation for a series of bombings in Singapore.
In October 2000, Sufaat met Zacarias Moussaoui (not listed), who was sentenced in the United States of America on 4 May 2006 to life in prison without the possibility of release for his involvement in the preparation of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States. Sufaat gave him $35,000 in addition to a $2,500 monthly stipend to be used in the final preparations for these attacks. Sufaat also provided the necessary employment documents for Moussaoui to obtain a United States visa by hiring him as a marketing consultant for Sufaat’s wife’s legitimate business.
Sufaat was involved in the December 2000 church bombings in Indonesia, perpetrated by JI.
In 2001, Sufaat spent several months attempting to cultivate anthrax for Al-Qaida in a laboratory he helped set up near Kandahar airport in Afghanistan.
Between 9 December 2001 and 24 November 2008, Sufaat was arrested and placed in detention under the Internal Security Act of Malaysia.
On 7 February 2013, Sufaat was arrested with two others, and charged with being members of Tanzim Al-Qaida Malaysia and for inciting terrorist acts.
On 27 January 2016, Yazid Sufaat and Muhammad Hilmi Hasim (not listed) pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under section 130M of the Penal Code for failing to report information relating to terrorist acts, and were sentenced to 7 years.
On 20 November 2019, Sufaat completed detention at Special Detention Center, Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia. He served a two-year restricted residence order in Ampang, Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia until 21 November 2021.
As of June 2023, Sufaat is under close monitoring of the Malaysian authorities and subject to relevant deradicalization and reintegration programmes.