World Threats

On June 27, I made my first appearance on Crosstalk on Russia Today, an English-language Russian station. I was surprised by the tone of one of the hosts and one of the other guests, for reasons that you’ll see if you watch the segment.

Coming away from the appearance, I couldn’t help but think about the poor state of the American media when it comes to covering international issues. We discussed the issue for about 25 minutes from multiple angles. Any viewer left educated and saw different viewpoints. In the U.S., any segment about these issues is about 3 minutes long, often with two or more guests, and the topic gets a superficial treatment.

If the topic isn’t about a potentially imminent terrorist attack on American soil or doesn’t affect the President’s approval rating in a major way, the American media doesn’t seem to care much. If it is covered, it’s often by political columnists and bloggers.

It’s an open question whether the media doesn’t care because the American people don’t care or if the people don’t care because the media isn’t informing them about it. Whatever the case may be, my appearance on Russia Today and my viewing of other non-American outlets have taught me how differently these issues are covered.

Below is my segment—be prepared for a few awkward moments because of the satellite delay:

The free world is in dire need of texts that can mount a challenge to the Islamist ideology. At long last, they’ve arrived. Dr. Zuhdi Jasser’s A Battle for the Soul of Islam and The Illusion of the Islamic State by several Indonesian authors, including former President Abdurrahman Wahid (1999-2001), are unused weapons in the ideological battle. Western governments, interfaith groups and activists should use these books to guide their choices of Muslim partners.

The two books have different but complimentary styles. Dr. Jasser’s book tells his story, helping readers grasp the Islamist ideology and why he turned out differently. He addresses the Islamist interpretation of numerous Islamic passages. This is a book that touches you on the personal level. The Indonesian book is more academic. It illustrates how Islamists infiltrated the country in a process that is eerily similar to what we see taking place in Europe and the U.S. and, as the subtitle states, “How an Alliance of Moderates Launched a Successful Jihad Against Radicalization and Terrorism in the World’s Largest Muslim-Majority Country.”

The Illusion of an Islamic State is more of a policy paper than a book. It is the end product of a study where 27 academics traveled across Indonesia and interviewed nearly 600 extremists in order to define the motivations, strategies and weaknesses of Islamists. The authors’ stated goal is to confront the Muslim Brotherhood, Wahhabism and Hizb ut-Tahrir and turn Indonesia into an ideological launching pad against them.

The authors are a formidable foe for the Islamists. Former President Wahid had been called “the single most influential leader in the Muslim world” by some. One of the contributors leads Nahdlatul Ulama, a 40-million-strong organization founded in 1926 in response to the Wahhabist conquest of Mecca and Medina. Another author led Muhammadiyah, another anti-Islamist group with 30 million members.

The book is young, only published in Indonesia in May 2009, but has had a tremendous impact. The project was funded by a single American donor and a Swedish government grant. The Gulf governments, on the other hand, spend billions promoting Islamism. The success of The Illusion of an Islamic State is frustrating in a way. If a relatively small expense could do so much good, then what would happen if real money and support was put behind it? The authors lament that they lack the resources to turn their momentum into an organized civil society movement and are disappointed that the U.S. and other Western countries are dropping the ball.
Click here to read the rest of my Family Security Matters article, sponsored by the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s official Twitter page called RadicalIslam.org National Security Analyst Ryan Mauro “delusional” on June 26 in reaction to an article he wrote entitled, “Muslim Brotherhood Draws Up Plans to Islamize Egypt.” This was followed up with a tweet calling Mauro a “scaremonger” and telling him to “spread hate somewhere else.”

The article discusses an Arabic-language report about a secret Muslim Brotherhood meeting to discuss a “Jazira Plan” to implement some aspects of Sharia Law in Egypt with the ultimate goal of building a Caliphate. The Investigative Project on Terrorism was the first to notice the report.

“The name of the plan is telling. Jazira is Arabic for ‘island’ or ‘peninsula.’ The report states that it is referring to the entirety of the Arabian Peninsula. This is not a plan for Egypt; it’s a regional plan. If the report is accurate, the Muslim Brotherhood is already thinking ahead towards a Caliphate,” Mauro wrote.

Click here to read the rest of my RadicalIslam.org post.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is in the spotlight after the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted to hold him in contempt because he is refusing to provide documents related to the Fast and the Furious scandal. But there’s another scandal you should know about. For over one year, he has refused to hand over documents about the Muslim Brotherhood network in the U.S.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, confronted Holder about the matter on Thursday, June 21. Rep. Gohmert wants Congress to have access to documents from the trial of the Holy Land Foundation, the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S. history. Five Foundation officials were found guilty of funding Hamas and evidence introduced by the federal government shows it was set up by the Muslim Brotherhood’s secret “Palestine Committee” in the U.S.

Three prominent Muslim-American organizations were labeled by the federal government as “unindicted co-conspirators” in the trial-the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT). The documents requested by Rep. Gohmert for the past year were provided to the Holy Land Foundation’s defense team, yet are being denied to Congress.

“They are terrorists, and we wanted the documents you gave to the terrorists. We are a year later, and we still don’t have them,” complained Rep. Gohmert. Holder replied that he’d only provide what is already available publicly.

Rep. Gohmert is one of five members of Congress requesting investigations into the influence of Muslim Brotherhood-tied organizations and individuals in the U.S. government. As I reviewed here, this influence is far-reaching. It is very possible that the documents from the Holy Land trial would be embarrassing to many government officials, not to mention businesses and interfaith groups that have embraced Brotherhood entities. At the very least, they could provide further justification for the labeling of CAIR, ISNA and NAIT as “unindicted co-conspirators.”
Click here to read the entire Institute on Religion and Democracy-sponsored article at Family Security Matters.

The Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt held a secret meeting last week in anticipation of Mohammed Morsi’s expected presidential victory. According to the Arabicreport, discovered by the Investigative Project on Terrorism, the leaders drew up the “Jazira Plan” to Islamize Egypt and pave the way for the resurrection of the Caliphate.

The “Jazira Plan” was personally approved by Mohammed Badi, the Supreme Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the report states. Among the first steps is to “replace the nation anthem with the so-called anthem of the Islamic Caliphate.” Police uniforms will be swapped out for “Islamic garb.” The Ministry of Information will be disbanded and replaced by a new office that will “publish Islamic heritage only” and regulate the culture. The memorization of Quranic verses will be required for students to advance academically.

The name of the plan is telling. Jazira is Arabic for “island” or “peninsula.” The report states that it is referring to the entirety of the Arabian Peninsula. This is not a plan for Egypt; it’s a regional plan. If the report is accurate, the Muslim Brotherhood is already thinking ahead towards a Caliphate.

Click here to read the rest of my FrontPage article.

Abdul Majeed Abid is a medical graduate in Lahore, Pakistan that first began writing criticisms of Islamism in Urdu last year. He is the assistant-editor at Pak Tea House, a leading blog in Pakistan that promotes liberal values, where he regularly challenges political Islam, conspiracy theories and historical biases in Pakistani textbooks and pop culture.

Here’s an excerpt from our interview:

Religion is considered sacrosanct in Pakistani society and the only discussion about it is in the garb of reverence. There is little realization in the educated classes of Pakistan about the differences between Islam and Islamism. I was part of that group until the assassination of the governor of the largest province by one of his own guards because the governor had expressed dislike for the blasphemy laws of Pakistan.

Those laws, enacted by the military dictator, General Zia ul-Haq, were considered to be derived from the Quran and Hadiths, the two primary sources of Islamic jurisprudence. In fact, those laws were not based on any religious texts at all. The realization that dawned upon me and on people like me after the murder was that the space for religious discourage in this country is almost over. That particular incident became the core inspiration of my writings critical towards Islamism and the overindulgence of it in Pakistan. That murder made a lot of progressive voices decide that enough was enough and something had to be done by the civil society regarding this.

Click here to read the entire interview at RadicalIslam.org.

The results of Egypt’s presidential election have been officially announced and the Muslim Brotherhood and its Palestinian wing, Hamas, are in a state of jubilation. Mohammed Morsi won with 51.7% of the vote, while the secularist former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq came in a close second with 48.2%. The Islamists shouldn’t get too excited. The fact remains that the Supreme Armed Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) remains in control of the country.

Protests in Egypt swelled as it was reported that Shafiq was going to be declared the winner. By all accounts, it was a close election but the preliminary tally showed Morsi ahead. If Shafiq became president, the population would have understandably seen it as a decision of SCAF and not the voters. By permitting a legitimate election, SCAF has avoided a confrontation with the Egyptian population while maintaining its hold on power.

SCAF prepared for this eventuality with a tremendous power grab right before the voting began. It gave permission to the military to arrest civilians for vague offenses like interfering with traffic and damaging the economy, accusations that will come in handy when cracking down on protests and strikes. The Supreme Constitutional Court then dissolved parliament under the pretext that party loyalists had illegally been elected as independents.

Click here to read the entire article at RadicalIslam.org.

Syria is apologizing to Turkey for shooting down one of its F-4 Phantoms that flew into its airspace. The Assad regime says it was an accident and that the aircraft was only identified as Turkish after the incident. The Turks are still furious and are talking about unspecified measures in response. President Gul says that it is not uncommon for fast-flying planes to violate the airspace of other countries and that the F-4 was unarmed. It is possible that Syrian military did make a mistake but what was Assad’s intention if it wasn’t?

Assad is acutely aware of U.S. concerns about Syria and has skillfully manipulated them to his advantage ever since he came into power in 2000. Speculation about international intervention in Syria is increasing as the massacres continue and France isn’t ruling out U.N.-authorized military action. Obama Administration officials have pushed back by emphasizing the threat posed by Assad’s air defenses of Russian origin. Russia is sending more advanced missile systems to Syria.

Elliot Abrams recalls what Anthony Cordesman, a top military expert, said about Syria’s air defenses in 2007. He assessed that the numbers of Syria’s armaments were misleading and that Assad actually has “one of the least capable air forces” and his air defense system is “generally obsolete in weapons, sensors and command and control capability.” In September 2007, the Israeli air force flew deep into Syria and destroyed a secret nuclear site without a problem.

Assad has upgraded his systems since then. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey says Syria’s air defenses are five times as sophisticated as Libya’s were and are near civilian populations. Other experts say this threat is being purposely exaggerated.

The actual state of Syria’s defenses is another discussion. The point is that Assad is hearing the U.S. worry about his air defenses. The shooting down of a Turkish aircraft may be meant to amplify these fears.

Click here to read the rest of my RadicalIslam.org analysis.

Tarek Fatah is the founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress.  He took part in the March 1 pro-NYPD rally with about 20 other Muslim-American leaders and organizations. Born in Pakistan, Fatah is a Sunni Muslim that promotes a “liberal, progressive” form of his religion. He supports secular democracy and Western values.

He is the author of the 2008 book, Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State and the 2011 book, The Jew is Not My Enemy: Unveiling the Myths That Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism.

Here is an excerpt from my interview with Mr. Fatah:

The reaction has been a mixed bag of adoration and hatred, though I must admit the latter has been a more common gift to me by my community.

The sense of “Muslim patriotism” is widespread among Muslims, and they see my reproach of Islamism as a public washing of dirty laundry even when they admit that what I say is true.

The fact that not one Islamic cleric has critiqued my two books, especially Chasing a Mirage, speaks volumes to the intellectual bankruptcy of the Muslim Brotherhood and their shills who pass off as “moderate Muslims” to guilt-ridden white liberals enamored by multiculturalism under which jihadis and Islamofascists hide.

Click here to read the whole interview.

RadicalIslam.org came to Mahwah, N.J. on June 12 at the invitation of the Mahwah Tea Party. The event, held at Ramapo Reformed Church, included a screening of the Clarion Fund’s newest film, Iranium, and a presentation by RadicalIslam.org’s National Security Analyst Ryan Mauro.

“Iranium is a great piece of work. It’s a lot for people to absorb. Most need remedial training in understanding Islamist activities and how to fight them off. I hope we can,” said Joe Portale, leader of the Mahwah Tea Party.

The discussion after the showing was centered on how citizens can approach their houses of worship, local officials and friends and family.

“That response is why I do these events. They didn’t just ask questions about radical Islam as if this were an academic inquiry. They wanted direction. They want to get involved,” Mauro explained.

This event was only possible because of the generous support of those who believe in this cause. You can help make these events happen by making a tax-deductible donation here.

If you’d like to organize a screening and/or speaking engagement, email Ryan Mauro at [email protected].

Click here for the original report at RadicalIslam.org.

If oppressed people fighting for their lives and freedom won’t get help from the U.S. and its allies, they’ll go somewhere else. That’s what’s happening in Syria right now.

RadicalIslam.org has been informed by a source operating in the region that has provided credible information in the past that hardline Saudi princes, sheikhs, tribal leaders and businessmen friendly to the Salafi Wahhabists are organizing the dispatching of fighters to Syria to assist the rebels. The Islamist coalition has reportedly bought and shipped anti-tank missiles to elements of the rebels and is now seeking anti-aircraft missiles.

The source said that the number of Saudi Wahhabists in Syria right now is estimated to be between 150-200 maximum, but up to 450 are on their way and another 450-500 are in Saudi Arabia preparing to embark on their trip. The sheikhs are also trying to recruit former members of the Saudi National Guard. The source said that Islamists in Qatar, home of Muslim Brotherhood theologian Sheikh Yousef Qaradawi and Abu Dhabi, are instrumental in the effort.

Click here to read the rest of my RadicalIslam.org post.

RadicalIslam.org has twice reported on Imam Zaid Shakir, a founder of America’s first Muslim college (click here and here). In a video posted on YouTube on May 29, Shakir is asked about groups that work towards creating Islamic states like the radical Hizb ut-Tahrir organization, a group that openly despises democracy and seeks to resurrect the Islamic Caliphate ruled by Sharia.

“They have the rights of Islam and of Muslims over you, so you should treat them with respect. If you disagree, you should do so in the best of ways. You should try not to make a public focus so that others can point to and say, ‘Look how these people are,’” Shakir answers.

He says that there are “sincere Muslims in that group” that “should have the rights of Islam,” including the “right not to be vilified.” He says Muslims should have a friendly relationship with HUT, saying with a smile, “If they cook well, go to their house for dinner.”

His light criticism of HUT was limited to its preaching that the United Kingdom is the “root of all evil in the modern world” and a belief that a resurrected Caliphate would solve the problems of the Muslim world, noting that the Ottoman Empire decayed. He also defended the Muslim Brotherhood from HUT’s accusations that it has failed as a movement.

Click here to read the rest of my article at RadicalIslam.org.

In what could prove to be a watershed moment in the fight against radical Islam, five prominent members of Congress wrote letters on June 13 to the Inspector Generals of the Departments of State, Justice, Defense, Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence requesting investigations into the influence of Muslim Brotherhood-tied groups and individuals.

The letters were signed by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL) and Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) of the House Armed Services Committee and Rep. Louie Gohmert, the Vice Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

The letters refers to a 10-part, freely-available online course created by the Center for Security Policy titled, “Muslim Brotherhood in America,” narrated by Frank Gaffney, who served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy under the Reagan Administration. Each letter mentions incidents where the respective departments worked with entities or individuals tied to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Click here to read the rest of my Family Security Matters article sponsored by the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Here’s an excerpt from my article about Egypt’s presidential election and how the ruling generals have seized power:

This means that full legislative powers are in the hands of the SCAF. The generals will control the budget and will soon pick the 100-person assembly to draft the next constitution under their direction. Once the new constitution is written, it must be approved in a referendum within three months. Only then can new parliamentary elections take place, which isn’t expected to happen any earlier than December. SCAF says it is still committed to handing power over to the chosen president by July, but SCAF gets to decide how much power he’ll actually have.

SCAF has the power to accept the legitimate election results or to declare the victor that it wants. It seems to be preparing the ground to invalidate Morsi’s victory. SCAF may give the presidency to the Muslim Brotherhood in order to maintain the façade of a balance of powers and to appease its main rival while shutting out genuinely secular-democratic voices. On the other hand, SCAF may be unwilling to give up even a thimble-like amount of power. If that’s the case, then Shafiq gets the presidency.

Don’t put too much emphasis on who officially wins the Egyptian presidency on Thursday. Unlike Tunisia and Libya, regime change didn’t happen in Egypt. It was a reshuffling of regime leadership. SCAF will be writing the next constitution. The future of Egypt is in the hands of the generals, just as it was before the Arab Spring.

Click here to read my entire FPM article.

Though our efforts compelled the Meadows Club to back out of hosting Hizb ut-Tahrir’s anti-American, anti-democracy Khilafah Conference, the group had just enough time to find another venue. On Saturday night, just hours before the event, the Chicago Daily Herald reported that the Lexington House of Hickory Hills, Illinois, had agreed to host Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Hizb ut-Tahrir tried to stream the event online from noon to 4 PM on Sunday, June 17, along with a post-event press conference. The streaming was sporadic and had very poor audio, so at about 1:30 I called the Lexington House and asked to speak to the manager. The woman who answered confirmed that it was hosting the conference and I asked if she was aware of what Hizb ut-Tahrir is. She said that the event was booked about a week ago under a person’s name and she only learned about the group yesterday. When I asked what she thought of Hizb ut-Tahrir, she said “no comment” and hung up.

I called back, thinking that my cell phone signal may have dropped. “No. I hung up on you. I don’t have anything else to say,” she said as she again hung up on me.

At around 2 PM, I sent the Lexington House an email with a link to our article about HUT, offering one more chance for a comment and, if they wanted to, an apology or explanation. I have not heard back thus far.

Another person who called the Lexington House said the same thing happened. The woman confirmed she was the one who agreed to host the extremist group and hung up after saying, “No, I am not concerned and no, I will not talk to you anymore.”

If you wish to contact the Lexington House and let them know how you feel and, if you are a nearby resident, how it’ll affect your business with them, you can email them at[email protected] or call them at 708-598-4150. We suggest mentioning our well-researched article.

It was very difficult to understand what the conference speakers were saying as the streaming often failed and had poor audio, but I listened carefully and virtually the entire conference was dedicated to condemning the U.S., democracy and capitalism and telling Muslims that a war is being waged on Islam and it is being led by America. As far as I could tell, there was not a single positive thing stated about the U.S.

Click here to read the rest of my RadicalIslam.org article.