Fault Line on Jihad: Why the Omeish Reaction is Important
By Jeffrey Imm
On September 28, the Investigative Project on Terrorism's (IPT) Lorenzo Vidino was on FOX news addressing IPT's release of videos regarding Muslim American Society (MAS) president Esam Omeish showing his documented support of Jihad. The interview points out once again the problems with the America government failing to clearly identity the enemy and failing to have a clearly defined policy on Jihad and on political Islamism. Moreover, we need to agree on the definition of "Jihad" and not be misled by apologists, as pointed out by Walid Phares.
America has to come to grips with the question: "What does it mean for Islamists to call for Jihad?" While for IPT and many others, myself included, the answer to this is obvious, without a clear American policy on Jihad, the ambivalence on Jihad will continue to undermine American national security efforts, where the FBI defines its "fight" against terrorists, but cannot address the ideological issues. The reaction of the Washington Post, Alan Colmes, and others to Omeish's resignation once again highlights this massive fault line in American national security.
Last month, Virginia Governor Kaine appointed MAS president Esam Omeish to a Virginia state immigration commission. After the release of the IPT videos of Omeish's comments on Jihad, on September 28, Esam Omeish resigned from the commission, telling the Washington Post that IPT conducted a "smear campaign". On September 29, the Washington Post has a follow-up article on this subject, where it quotes Omeish as stating that in his previous speeches where he called for "the Jihad way", that he meant Jihad as a broad term meaning "struggle".
In a video showing a December 2000 Washington DC area Jerusalem Day rally, Omeish clearly supports Jihad for Palestinians stating "you have learned the way, that you have known that the jihad way is the way to liberate your land." (The complete video is here). Moreover, as IPT reports, Omeish "congratulates Palestinians for giving up their lives for the sake of Allah in another video."
Yet Governor Kaine, the Washington Post, and FOX News Commentator Alan Colmes seem determined to defend Esam Omeish's views. It is as important to ask why they defend Omeish's views, as it is to reveal research on individuals like Omeish, because America continues to face an ongoing problem with its lack of a policy on Jihad and political Islamism, as previously addressed.
The Washington Post publishes without questioning that Esam Omeish's call for "the Jihad way" at rallies in the Washington DC area are nothing more than a call for "struggle" as Omeish says in the September 29 Washington Post. Moreover, the Washington Post provides character references for Omeish, such as well-known Stalinist Brian Becker of A.N.S.W.E.R. organization (and Communist Worker's World Party). The Washington Post report quotes Stalinist Becker on the IPT revelations of Omeish's call for "the Jihad way" in DC rallies as stating: 'we were stunned and shocked that a small group of right-wing anti-Muslim bigots would launch a campaign' against him."
In the September 28 interview of IPT's Lorenzo Vidino, FOX News' Alan Colmes challenges IPT's criticism of Omeish for calling for "the Jihad way". Alan Colmes asks Lorenzo Vidino "isn't this conservative political correctness? lets say he's got radical views, whats wrong with having a commission.. we have all kinds of views, even extreme views.. on a commission." When Lorenzo Vidino replies that Omeish endorsed Jihad in Palestine at the peak of October 2000 intifada, Alan Colmes replies: "is it possible to see his point of view that he feels that the Palestinians have been the victims of violence and he is countering that?" and asks "is he truly a threat to the United States?" It is also enlightening to see comments to the IPT YouTube posting of this interview condemning IPT's research as "propaganda" and saying to IPT that "their day will come".
Here once again, the fault line in American national security regarding Jihad and political Islamism can be seen in stark relief. There is no national hue and cry against Alan Colmes for criticizing IPT's reporting that someone called for "the Jihad way" in a Washington DC rally is nothing more than mere "conservative political correctness", because there is no agreed upon policy on Jihad, on political Islam, and on the war and identity of the enemy that we are fighting today.
In the debate over details, logistics, and tactics, it is vital that such massive national security strategic fault lines are not ignored. This is just another warning sign.
Sources:
September 28, 2007 - Omeish Says He's the Victim of a Smear -- The Investigative Project
September 29, 2007 - Washington Post - Va. Muslim Activist Denies Urging Violence
September 28, 2007 - Washington Post (cached) - Omeish Says He's 'Victim of Smear Campaign'
Video Excerpt - Esam Omeish at Jerusalem Day Rally - IPT
Video Esam Omeish, Jerusalem Day Rally, 12-22-2000, Full Speech -- IPT
Video - Esam Omeish in front of the Israeli Embassy
September 18, 2007 - IPT News: Introducing the Muslim American Society
October 29, 2002 - LA Weekly News - Behind the Placards
September 17, 2007 - 9/11 and the Inconvenient Truths about Jihad and Islamism - Jeffrey Imm
September 29, 2007 - The New York Post: FBI's three-front war on terrorists
September 14, 2007 - The Washington Times - Inside The Ring, page 2 - "No war on ideas" - FBI testimony reported