Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi

Tamimi is a graduate of Brasenose College, University of Oxford where he studied Classics and Oriental Studies. His family is originally from Mosul, Iraq, his father is Shiite and his mother Sunni.

His work is regularly quoted in media including Al Jazeera, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Times (London), the Washington Post, and other publications. He has appeared before the UK House of Commons Defense Committee to advise on the

Islamic State and Iraq. He has been described as "one of the fastest rising stars in his field" and "a widely-cited public authority on jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria."

Tamimi has been heavily criticized over his research methodology with respect to ingratiating himself with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant members in an attempt to use them as sources of information. In response he has said, "I think there’s something to be said that I did try to ingratiate myself in these circles to get information, I agree that that was unethical.”