Former British Special Air Service Operator Chris Craighead to Join CPAC Christian Persecution Summit

Staff Writer
Oct 29
2 min read

Chris Craighead, former British Special Air Service (SAS) operator and hero of the 2019 Nairobi hotel rescue, will speak at CPAC's Christian Persecution Summit on October 30, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Terrace Theatre. Renowned for single-handedly neutralizing al-Shabaab terrorists during a brutal siege that claimed 21 lives, he brings elite counter-terrorism expertise to the fight against Islamist extremism targeting Christians worldwide.

From Newcastle, England, Craighead joined the British Army at age 16 in 1992, rising through the Parachute Regiment and Pathfinder Platoon before selection into the elite 22 SAS. His deployments spanned Iraq and Afghanistan, where he honed skills in high-stakes hostage rescue and direct action. In January 2019, while training Kenyan forces, al-Shabaab militants—affiliated with al-Qaeda—stormed Nairobi's DusitD2 hotel complex, unleashing a 19-hour assault with gunfire, bombs, and executions. Dubbed "Obi-Wan Nairobi" for his daring solo charge, Craighead, armed with an assault rifle and wearing a balaclava, stormed the building ahead of reinforcements. He eliminated two attackers, cleared floors room by room, and guided hundreds to safety, saving over 700 lives. For his extraordinary gallantry, he received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, the UK's second-highest military honor.

Craighead's actions underscore the relentless threat of jihadist groups exploiting faith-based divisions. Al-Shabaab's campaign in East Africa mirrors tactics seen in Nigeria's Boko Haram massacres and Somalia's church bombings, where Christians face beheadings, abductions, and forced conversions as "silent martyrs." His firsthand experience highlights how such extremism weaponizes terror to eradicate Christian communities, demanding swift, unified international responses like targeted sanctions and robust support for at-risk believers.

At the Summit, Craighead will share insights on countering jihadist threats to Christians, stressing that victory requires bold, coordinated strikes and unwavering commitment to religious freedom as a foreign policy imperative.