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Douglas Farah, Editor
Steven Emerson & The Investigative Project on Terrorism Dennis Lormel Bill West Evan Kohlmann Michael Cutler Victor Comras Michael Kraft Dr. Zachary Abuza Dr. Walid Phares Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Olivier Guitta Kenneth Conboy Aaron Mannes David Schenker Animesh Roul Matthew Levitt Jonathan Winer Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Qazi Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis Michael Braun Margot Williams, SNS Global, Newslinks Editor Phillip Smyth & Mark Offenbach, Asst. Newslinks Editors EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
The End of The Counterterrorism Blog
Modeling Middle East Turmoil How to Deal with Islamist Movements in Post-Revolutionary Regimes? Asserting Liberal Values: The Future of British and U.S. Counterradicalization Strategies Pakistan and Blasphemy Law: Assassination of Liberal, Secular and Progressive Personalities Continues ! What Cargo May Be Aboard Iranian Warships Transiting the Suez Canal? Egypt and Emerging Trends The Middle East: Democracies or More Terrorism? Two Scenarios on Egyptian Succession and One Vision of the Brotherhood The Australian Take on the Terrorism Threat Experts' Books
Walid Phares: The Confrontation and "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy" and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America”
Michael Kraft & Yonah Alexander (Editors): "Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" Douglas Farah & Zachary Abuza in Countering the Financing of Terrorism Douglas Farah: "Merchant of Death" and "Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror" Michael Jacobson: "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post–September 11" Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: "My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir" Steven Emerson: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the US" and "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" Victor Comras & Matthew Levitt (contributors): "Terrorism Financing and State Responses," Stanford University Press Matthew Levitt: "Negotiating Under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks" and "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad" and "Targeting Terror: U.S. Policy toward Middle Eastern State Sponsors and Terrorist Organizations, Post-September 11" Zachary Abuza: "Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia" and "Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror" Lorenzo Vidino "Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of Global Jihad" Kenneth Conboy: "The Second Front: Inside Asia’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Network" Evan Kohlmann: "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network" Credits
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Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Archives
Western terrorism recruits in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, I posted about my first installment in a four-part series for Canada's National Post related to homegrown terrorism. Today the Post ran the second part, which examines Western recruits to the Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabaab. An excerpt:Beginning in late... The Danger Signs of TerrorBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn light of the recent shootings at Fort Hood, Canada's National Post asked me to write a four-part series for them, running today until Friday, exploring different aspects of the "homegrown terrorist" threat. Today they ran the first installment, entitled... LTTE Leader ArrestedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, Sri Lankan officials announced the arrest of the new leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), Kumaran Pathmanathan (also known as KP or Selvarasa Pathmanathan). This is a major blow to the organization, especially coming on the... New Report: Terrorism in the West 2008By Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Center for Terrorism Research has released its newest report, Terrorism in the West 2008, which I co-authored with my colleagues Joshua D. Goodman and Laura Grossman.Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, nor is it likely to disappear anytime... Pakistan's Fifth ColumnBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI published an op-ed in Canada's National Post yesterday examining the problem of religious militancy in Pakistan's military and intelligence services. An excerpt:Pakistan has engaged in a two-month offensive against Islamic militants in the country's Swat region, a campaign that... How Do They Radicalize Others?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I have a column in the Washington Times discussing recent homegrown terrorist events in Arkansas and the Bronx. I explore the overarching question of how some Americans, like Arkansas shooter Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, decide to take up arms against... The Global Economic Crisis and Iraq's FutureBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy colleague Josh Goodman and I have an article in the new issue of inFocus examining the impact that the global economic crisis will have on the future of Iraq. An excerpt:Last summer, when oil prices reached all-time highs virtually... An Empirical Examination of the Radicalization Process of Homegrown TerroristsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, the institute I direct -- FDD's Center for Terrorism Research (CTR) -- unveiled our major empirical study of the radicalization process for homegrown terrorists. Homegrown Terrorists in the U.S. and U.K.: An Empirical Study of the Radicalization Process, which... Fixing Our Pakistan ProblemBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an article in the new issue of the Journal of International Security Affairs examining the problem of support for religious militancy within Pakistan's military and intelligence services. An excerpt: Shortly after 9/11, U.S. deputy secretary of state Richard... American Interests in PakistanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy latest at the Weekly Standard examines the recent turmoil in Pakistan, and the implications of Nawaz Sharif's ascendancy. An excerpt:Where would a Sharif government stand on U.S. Predator strikes carried out on Pakistani soil? The present government has been... The Attack on Syria's al-Kibar Nuclear FacilityBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe new issue of inFocus is devoted to discussion of Syria, and the possibility of engagement with the country. My colleague Josh Goodman and I contributed an article about Israel's attack on Syria's al-Kibar reactor in September 2007. An excerpt:Syria's... Will Afghanistan Awake?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossEarlier this year, I wrote a couple of pieces about the prospects of an Afghan "Awakening" with my colleague Joshua Goodman (detailing Iraqi Awakening leader Sheikh Ahmad Abu Risha's suggestions for an Afghan Awakening, and responding to the early criticisms... What Does Ethiopia's Withdrawal Mean for Somalia's Future?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs Ethiopian forces have withdrawn from Somalia, Shabaab militants have taken their place. Shabaab's area of effective control now stretches from Baidoa in south-central Somalia and Kismayo in the far south all the way to the capital of Mogadishu. Today... How to Export an AwakeningBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe U.S. needs a new military strategy in Afghanistan, and has made clear -- through General David Petraeus, the new head of CENTCOM -- that it intends to try to replicate the success of Iraq's Awakening movement in Afghanistan. Iraq's... Iraq's Upcoming Provincial ElectionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I published an intelligence briefing for FDD that examines the implications of the upcoming provincial elections in Iraq. An excerpt: IRAQIS GO TO THE POLLS. On January 31, 2009, Iraqis will go to the polls to select their political... Lessons from IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy colleague Josh Goodman and I published an op-ed today in the Ottawa Citizen that takes a critical look at Canadian defense minister Peter MacKay's stated opposition to attempting an Afghan "Awakening" movement. An excerpt:The election of Barack Obama and... Israel Attacked from the NorthBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy colleague Josh Goodman and I published a Center for Terrorism Research Intelligence Briefing this morning that examines today's Katyusha rocket attacks into Israel from Lebanon. An excerpt: * ROCKETS LAUNCHED FROM LEBANON. According to reports, at least three Katyusha... The Superpower and Its CourtsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn December, the Washington Post reported that the U.S. government, as part of an agreement it reached with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has terminated $6 billion in judgments against Libya. Though it has been called "the forgotten flight" because most... The Role of Consensus in the Contemporary Struggle for IslamBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have a new article in the Review of Faith and International Affairs about the Amman Message, an effort spearheaded by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, a nominally non-governmental institute that receives significant backing from Jordan's monarchy.... Abu Yahya al-Libi: Profile of an IdeologueBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I published a new study, along with my associate Cindy D. Tan at FDD's Center for Terrorism Research, that thematically examines the ideas of prominent al-Qaeda ideologue Abu Yahya al-Libi. This paper is the first in what will be... Voices of the Awakening: VIP Visits to Awakening Leadership in AnbarBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the sixth installment of our Voices of the Awakening series, authored by Sterling Jensen. The series is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in the Iraqi Awakening movement.... Voices of the Awakening: Local, National, and International IssuesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the fifth installment of our Voices of the Awakening series, authored by Sterling Jensen. The series is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in the Iraqi Awakening movement.... On Reports of Infighting Within the Awakening MovementBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday I noted that Sterling Jensen, who has been providing excellent translations and analysis for the Voices of the Awakening series, would be addressing recent media reports of infighting within the Iraqi Awakening movement, as well as conflict between the... Voices of the Awakening: Focus on Upcoming Provincial ElectionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the fourth installment of our Voices of the Awakening series, authored by Sterling Jensen. The series is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in Iraq's Awakening movement. This... Voices of the Awakening: One-Year Anniversary of Abdul Sattar's DeathBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the third installment of our Voices of the Awakening project, authored by Sterling Jensen, which is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in Iraq's Awakening movement. This regular... Exclusive Translation: Intercepted Letters from al-Qaeda Leaders Shed Light on State of Network in IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, Center for Terrorism Research (CTR) adjunct fellow Bill Roggio posted an important report at the Long War Journal. He noted that a series of letters intercepted by Multinational Forces-Iraq—letters that chronicle the communications between al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman... Firefighters' Developing Role in CounterterrorismBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSeven years ago, the 9/11 attacks sounded an alarm in fire departments across the country: suddenly, they would need to decide whether they had a role to play in preparing for, and preventing, terrorist attacks. A growing number of fire... Voices of the Awakening: Transfer of Anbar Security and Other NewsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the second installment of our Voices of the Awakening project, authored by Sterling Jensen, which is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in Iraq's Awakening movement. This regular... Voices of the AwakeningBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossFDD's Center for Terrorism Research, which I direct, is proud to introduce an important new regular feature, our Voices of the Awakening project. Iraq's Awakening movement, which originated in the Anbar province, was one of the keys to the... Descent into AppeasementBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSince Pakistan's new government came to power earlier this year, it has noticeably accelerated efforts to negotiate with and enter into accords with militant groups. While one can construct a case for negotiating with Pakistan's extremist groups, none of the... The High Cost of Oil DependenceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWith the price of oil over $125 a barrel and U.S. gasoline prices hovering around $4 a gallon, high energy costs have been a top news headline lately. Though the economic effect of these surging prices has been most prominently... Assessing the Risks of Turkish Raids in Northern IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossTurkey has just launched a fresh set of air raids against PKK targets in northern Iraq, continuing from last weekend into this week, following a series of PKK attacks in Turkey that killed four civilians and six soldiers. The New... Taliban Defeat in North-West Frontier?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossPakistan's February 18 elections signaled a dramatic shift in Islamist parties' fortunes in the North-West Frontier Province. In the 2002 general election, religious parties won 67 seats in the 99-seat provincial assembly, while in 2008 they won only nine seats.... Will Divisions Undermine the Somali Insurgency?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an article in the Middle East Times today examining rifts between the ARS (Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia) and the Shabab wing of the Somali insurgency. An excerpt:A communiqué recently issued by Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, an... Al-Qaeda's ResurgenceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI was actually somewhat surprised when, in January, State Department counterterrorism coordinator Dell Dailey described al-Qaeda's top leadership as isolated in a manner reminiscent of discussions of the group circa 2004 or 2005, when it was in vogue to call... Shattered HopesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I have an article in the Daily Standard, co-written with my colleague Nick Grace, about the influence that Benazir Bhutto's assassination will have on the Pakistani parliamentary elections that are scheduled for February 18. In particular, we were interested... Treasury Designates Al-Zawraa TVBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday Matthew Levitt noted the Treasury Department's designation of three Iranian individuals for fueling the insurgency in Iraq. In addition, Treasury designated Mishan al-Jabouri and the television station he runs, Al-Zawraa TV. I have been following al-Zawraa, which serves as... Challenges Await in Investigating Benazir Bhutto's DeathBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossPakistan has decided to allow Scotland Yard to investigate Benazir Bhutto's assassination. This is a good political move given the massive suspicion on the country's streets that Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf was behind her death -- suspicions that Musharraf has... Iraq's Awakening Councils and Concerned Local Citizens Are Not the SameBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAn Associated Press report about a suicide bombing that killed 12 people north of Baghdad today notes that the targeted checkpoint was manned by members of a volunteer group. "The groups," the report says, "known as Awakening Councils and dubbed... Has al-Qaeda Adopted a New Terror Tactic?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn an article published yesterday, Time's Bruce Crumley claims that Benazir Bhutto's assassination may represent a new terror tactic for al-Qaeda. (Of course, responsibility for the assassination has not yet been determined definitively. Based on my intelligence sources, and despite... Renegade Commando Units Possibly Involved in Bhutto KillingBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOver at the New York Sun, Eli Lake reports on a possibility that I have also heard about from sources within government: The attack yesterday at Rawalpindi bore the hallmarks of a sophisticated military operation. At first, Bhutto's rally was... Analysis of the Bhutto AssassinationBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI just participated in a symposium at National Review Online about Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Here is the analysis that I offered:Benazir Bhutto’s assassination is a tragedy, and likely a strategic setback as well. It is tragic because, despite the notorious... Guilty Pleas in Kevin James CaseBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn December 13, I noted that allegations that members of the Fort Dix terror plot were attempting to radicalize other inmates placed a small spotlight on the problem of prisoner radicalization. There was another development in this regard on Friday,... Members of Fort Dix Plot Accused of Trying to Radicalize Other InmatesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThis week, federal authorities accused at least two of the men allegedly involved in a plot to attack soldiers at the Fort Dix army base of attempting to radicalize other inmates. The suspects in the Fort Dix plot have... The Bombs of DhammaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have a new article at the Daily Standard, co-written with my colleague Nick Grace, about two musicians who hope to create social change in Pakistan. Singer-songwriter Imran Raza and guitarist Faraz Anwar hope that their music and the tolerant... Militants Capture Two Towns in Pakistan's Swat Tribal AgencyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI noted in an article published today at National Review Online about Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's declaration of a state of emergency that the move makes it more likely that Pakistan will lose territory to militants by over-extending the police... Indian Intelligence Report Paints Bleak Picture of Pakistani MilitaryBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOver the past year, I've devoted a great deal of attention to the developing situation in Pakistan (see my recent Weekly Standard cover story, as well as blog entries here and at National Review's The Tank). In my recent... Palestinian Militant Use of Google EarthBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Guardian reports that Palestinian militants have relied on Google Earth for their attacks against Israeli military and civilian targets:Members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group aligned with the Fatah political party, say they use the popular internet mapping... While Pakistan BurnsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe deadly bomb blasts aimed at Benazir Bhutto mean that we will likely hear more about the worsening situation in Pakistan over the coming week. The problems in that country -- and, in particular, in the federally administered tribal areas... Suicide Bombs Target Salahadin Awakening LeaderBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, two suicide truck bombs targeted a leader of the Salahadin Awakening Council. (The Awakening movements that have sprouted up across Iraq during the past year are based on the model that experienced great success in the Anbar province.) The... The Anatomy of a BetrayalBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMore information has recently emerged about the killing of Abdul Sattar al-Rishawi (also known as Abdul Sattar Abu Risha), who led the Anbar Salvation Front. The Associated Press reported on Saturday: [Lt. Col. Jubeir] Rashid said Friday that Abu Risha's... On ISNA and DOJ: Response to Farah and EmersonBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossBoth Douglas Farah and Steven Emerson have taken issue with my Monday post on DOJ's attendance of the ISNA conference. This entry will deal with the issues raised in both of their posts. First, I again emphasize that the DOJ... On the ISNA Conference and the DOJBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs Jeffrey Imm points out, Audrey Hudson of the Washington Times has reported that "[t]he Justice Department is co-sponsoring a convention held by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) -- an unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing federal terrorist funding... Somalia's National Reconciliation Conference Begins Amidst Rising ViolenceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA national reconciliation conference convened this week in the volatile Somali capital of Mogadishu, while local residents trickled out amidst mortar attacks, grenade explosions, and small arms fire. Chaos has escalated in Somalia over the past several months as the... Middle East Quarterly: Jihad's New LeadersBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOver the past year, a number of prominent terrorists -- including Shamil Basayev and Abu Hafs al-Urdani -- were killed on the battlefield, and there have also been a host of less publicized kills and captures. But although the death... No Significant Spike in Violence Following Latest Askariya AttackBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe day after the al-Askariya Mosque in Samarra, Iraq was bombed for the second time in a year and a half, I wrote that the second bombing was "potentially disastrous." Analysts feared that, similar to the first attack on the... Strategic Implications of the Attack on the al-Askariya MosqueBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday's attack on the al-Askariya Mosque in Samarra, Iraq is potentially disastrous. Suspected al-Qaeda bombers knocked down the minarets of the revered Shia shrine that was also struck by a dramatic bombing early last year. It is worth recalling the... Baghdad: Embedded Provisional Reconstruction TeamsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA few days ago, I spoke with a U.S. official working for one of the new embedded provisional reconstruction teams (EPRTs) in Iraq. Last year ten provisional reconstruction teams (PRTs) were created throughout the country to operate parallel to the... Baghdad: Update on the Security Situation in the International ZoneBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossShortly after arriving in Iraq, I blogged about the worsening security situation in the International Zone (IZ, also sometimes known as the "green zone"). In criticizing the media's coverage of the increase in mortar attacks against the IZ, I noted... A Look at the Surge from BaghdadBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThis morning, I posted a comprehensive report about my time in Iraq at Bill Roggio's web site The Fourth Rail. Roggio's media company, Public Multimedia Inc., provided support and assistance for my embedded reporting. An excerpt: The Strategy: Virtually all... Baghdad: Patrolling YarmoukBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn May 23 and 24, I went on a couple of evening patrols in Baghdad's Yarmouk administrative district. I went with a platoon from the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery, with which I am embedded; they are working... The Desert HeatBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday temperatures will be as high as 111 degrees in Camp Liberty, where I'm embedded. Even walking under the scorching sun can be tiring, and the desert heat will play tricks with your mind. At one point yesterday I forgot... Baghdad: Iraqi Journalists Targeted by MilitantsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe tragic kidnapping and killing of ABC News employees Alaa Uldeen Aziz and Saif Laith Yousuf last week brought the number of journalists killed in Iraq since 2003 to 104. While I was at the Coalition Press Information Center in... Baghdad: Behind the Increase in Mortar Attacks in the International ZoneBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWhile drinking my morning coffee today in a small courtyard outside the Coalition Press Information Center in the International Zone (IZ, also sometimes known as the "green zone"), an alarm rang out. An automated voice declared, "Incoming! Incoming! Incoming!" Indeed,... Kuwait: American Contractors on the Withdrawal TimetableBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWhen I touched down in Kuwait on the morning of May 17, I was greeted by severe sandstorms. From the air, the sandstorm looked like a cloud covering -- except we touched down on the runway a few seconds after... Daily Standard: Know Thy EnemiesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy associate Kyle Dabruzzi and I have a new article at the Daily Standard today that provides a detailed sketch of the factions we're fighting against in Iraq as well as their supporters. An excerpt: SOMETIMES WHAT WE DON'T KNOW... Daily Standard: No Better Friend?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy new article at the Daily Standard discusses the fears of America's allies in Iraq as politicians debate whether to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. An excerpt: AS THE DEBATE HEATS UP about whether the United... Iraq EmbedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWith the debate over setting a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq reaching a fever pitch, this is a critical time for Americans to have reliable information on the country. There are also a number of important developments... Strategic Implications of the Arrests in Saudi ArabiaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs Andrew Cochran noted, there were major arrests in Saudi Arabia today. Reuters reports that Saudi Arabia announced that "it foiled an al Qaeda-linked plot to attack oil facilities and military bases, arresting more than 170 suspects, including some trainee... Somali PM Claims Mogadishu Victory; Fighting Continues Throughout CountryBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfter nine days of intense fighting over control of Mogadishu, transitional federal government (TFG) prime minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi claims that "the worst of the fighting against Islamists and clan gunmen was now over." The fighting has caused many citizens... Daily Standard: Spinning the Fighting in South WaziristanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn late March Mullah Nazir, a tribal leader in South Waziristan who is aligned with the Taliban, launched attacks on foreign militants from Uzbekistan who were in the region. Predictably, the Pakistani government tried to portray this development as a... Washington Times: Finding the ModeratesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy new Washington Times column, which will likely ruffle some feathers, is about how to improve relations between counterterrorism experts and Muslims. An excerpt: In the counterterrorism world, we often demand accountability and self-criticism from Muslim leaders. I believe it... Somalia Insurgency Gains StrengthBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe insurgency in Somalia continues to gain strength as attacks have increased throughout the country, and fighting has returned to Mogadishu. A Hawiye clan-brokered ceasefire collapsed on Wednesday of last week in the face of clashes between Ethiopian troops and... CBN News on the Anbar Salvation FrontBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossLast week CBN News terror analyst Erick Stakelbeck and I developed a story on the Anbar Salvation Front, a group that includes a broad mix of Sunnis who are united in their goal of expelling al-Qaeda from Iraq. An excerpt:... New Academic Paper: The Convergence of Crime and TerrorBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossBy 1931, Al Capone was a celebrity criminal with a litany of offenses that included murder, bribery, and running illegal breweries. But the government would have had trouble proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt for his most notorious activities,... Bajaur: When "Peace" Yields WarBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossLast year I wrote extensively about the Waziristan Accords, in which Pakistan surrendered a large geographic area to forces aligned with al-Qaeda and the Taliban. (See this blog entry written just after the Accords were signed, as well as this... U.S. Fails to Act as Fighting Worsens in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe situation in Somalia has grown markedly worse over the past week as the Islamic Courts Union's (ICU) insurgency gains steam -- so bad, in fact, that the Christian Science Monitor claims that the Somalis "haven't seen fighting this intense... Major U.S. Military Operations Coming in DiyalaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Friday, CBN News ran a story that I helped develop about coming major U.S. military operations in Iraq's Diyala province. An excerpt from Erick Stakelbeck's report: The U.S. military has developed battle plans designed to clear al-Qaeda out of... N.Y. Times: U.S. Engagement in Somalia Greater than AcknowledgedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday the New York Times has an article on Somalia reporting that U.S. military engagement there was greater than the government has acknowledged: The American military quietly waged a campaign from Ethiopia last month to capture or kill top leaders... Washington Times: Changing MindsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have a column in today's Washington Times about a promising initiative in the American Muslim community designed to promote civic engagement. This initiative picked up steam after the terrorist plot uncovered last month in which nine Pakistani Muslims living... N.Y. Times: Al-Qaeda Gaining Strength in Pakistan, Waziristan Accord Has FailedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA report in today's New York Times discusses American intelligence and counterterrorism officials' view that al-Qaeda's senior leadership has "re-established significant control" over the worldwide terror network. Their operations hub is located in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area: American officials... Al-Qaeda Affiliate Urges New Attacks on Oil FacilitiesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Associated Press reported yesterday that in the online magazine Sawt al-Jihad (Voice of the Jihad), the terrorist faction Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula called for attacks on oil facilities throughout the world. The terrorist group included Canada, Mexico,... Musharraf's Inability to Control Pakistani Air Force is a Sign of WeaknessBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA new article on Adnkronos International by Syed Saleem Shahzad provides a glimpse of Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's weakness. After last week's bomb blasts in Islamabad and Peshawar, Musharraf asked Pakistan's air force to carry out a strike on Islamabad's... Arabsat Begins to Broadcast Insurgent Propaganda StationBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossNick Grace and I have been following the case of al-Zawraa TV, a 24-hour insurgent station that focuses on Iraq but is broadcast through the Middle East. Here's how we described the station in a Daily Standard article on January... Blackhawk UpBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an article entitled "Blackhawk Up" in this week's print edition of The Weekly Standard. The piece focuses on the efforts of Somalia's transitional federal government to secure funding in the wake of the Islamic Courts Union's retreat. The... Eritrean Troops Have Been Active in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an article at Pajamas Media today that contains new revelations about Eritrea's role in the war in Somalia: Eritrean troops were active on the Islamic Courts Union's side when hostilities began, and some Eritreans have been killed in... Will the U.S. Win in Somalia?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfter yesterday's revelation that the U.S. military has played an active role in Somalia since the Ethiopian intervention began in earnest, now is a good time to take stock of the factors that will determine whether the U.S. mission succeeds.... America's Boots on the Ground in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAndrew Cochran notes that yesterday's targeting of suspected high-value al-Qaeda terrorists in southern Somalia was "the first publicly acknowledged military action against Somalian territory since 1993." However, the U.S. has taken other military actions in Somali territory that preceded yesterday's... Islamic Courts Abandon Kismayo, Establish "Shadow Governments"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI spoke with a military intelligence officer this morning about the situation in Somalia. He reported that the radical Islamic Courts Union (ICU) has abandoned Kismayo and dispersed. Kismayo is one of Somalia's strategic port cities: after abandoning Kismayo, the... Executing Saddam on Eid al-Adha is a MistakeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSaddam Hussein was executed this morning (6:00 a.m. Baghdad time), on Eid al-Adha. The timing of his execution was a mistake. I don't expect a surge in violence in Iraq because pretty much all the remaining Ba'athists there have professed... Somalia's TerroristsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossRecently two prominent left-wing bloggers, Matthew Yglesias and Spencer Ackerman, have questioned whether the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) -- the radical group that Ethiopia is currently battling in Somalia -- is really linked to terrorism. Yglesias writes, "What are the... Pajamas Media: Why Ethiopia is Winning in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Wednesday, I had an article at Pajamas Media that discusses the reasons for Ethiopia's surprisingly successful military campaign against the radical Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Somalia. (The previous conventional wisdom that I received from trusted military intelligence sources... Somalia: Battle for Baidoa Begins, Islamic Courts Employing Feint TacticsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have been covering the situation in Somalia since early June, when Mogadishu fell to the radical Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU has steadily gained control of strategic cities throughout the country since then, confining its secular rival, the... Zawahiri Uses ISG Report to Call for NegotiationsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn the new tape from al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri that was broadcast today by al-Jazeera, he references the Iraq Study Group report: Zawahiri said Washington was scrambling for an exit from Iraq and Afghanistan, but was approaching the wrong parties.... Pajamas Media: Iranian Uranium Prospectors in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I have a piece at Pajamas Media that reports on three overlooked aspects of the recent confidential report on Somalia produced by the United Nations. The three aspects that I explore are Iran's hunt for uranium in the Galgadud... New York Times: "Taliban Mini-State" in WaziristanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSince early September, I've been sounding the alarm about the dangers of the Waziristan Accord that essentially cedes the mountainous region of Pakistan to the Taliban and al-Qaeda. I first criticized the Accord on this blog on September 7, and... Source: Baidoa Vulnerable, Islamic Courts Tactically CapableBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI spoke with a military intelligence officer yesterday about the situation in Somalia. (For background on Somalia, see the Weekly Standard article that I co-wrote with Bill Roggio.) He said that he expects Somalia's transitional federal government (TFG) to fall... Suicide Bombings Underscore Terrorist Presence in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs my colleague Douglas Farah has noted, a State Department official has finally acknowledged that al-Qaeda is operating "with great comfort" in Somalia. This terrorist presence was underscored by three suicide car bombings that took place today outside the transitional... Latest Targeting of Iraqi Oil Sources Perpetuates TrendBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSmoke covered the sky in Baghdad yesterday as insurgents bombed a pipeline in one of the city's southern suburbs and hit an oil distribution center in northern Iraq with mortar rounds. Both attacks caused fires, and CNN reports that the... Daily Standard: Warrior of LoveBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn September, I wrote an article for The Weekly Standard about Joko Anwar, an Indonesian director who is working on a movie that subtly yet directly criticizes efforts to establish sharia law in that country. Indeed, the Indonesian entertainment industry... War Imminent in Baidoa; Further Attacks Expected Outside of SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI recently wrote that the extremist Islamic Courts Union (ICU) may be preparing for a final push into Baidoa, where Somalia's transitional federal government (TFG) is hunkered down. There are now indications that this final push may be imminent. Mediators... Source: Zawahiri Likely Alive, Bajur Accords on HoldBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI just spoke with a military intelligence source who confirmed that the Bajur airstrike (see Andy Cochran's post on it) was conducted by a U.S. Predator, adding that helicopters were also involved. The strike occurred around dawn, as people in... Czech Report Shows Egyptians Probing Flight DefensesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn a September 18 article for the Daily Standard, "Practice Makes Terror," (blogged about here) I argued that the "rash of false alarms" following the August 10 revelation of a foiled transatlantic air terror plot may not have been entirely... The Islamic Courts Union Readies a Final Push Into BaidoaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy most recent article for The Weekly Standard (co-authored with Bill Roggio of The Fourth Rail) details the alarming rise of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Somalia. On June 5, the ICU won control of Mogadishu, and it has... Weekly Standard: A New Terrorist HavenBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn the new (October 30) issue of The Weekly Standard, Bill Roggio of The Fourth Rail and I have an article on the rise of the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia. The article is reprinted in full below. A New... Daily Standard: Prison Jihad?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn September 19, I testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about Islamic radicalism in prisons. Today I have an essay entitled "Prison Jihad?" at The Daily Standard based on this testimony. An excerpt: BEFORE ENTERING THE... Minneapolis Cab Ordinance Raises Questions About Religious ExemptionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA new proposed ordinance in Minneapolis has been garnering considerable media attention. For some time, hundreds of Muslim cabdrivers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have been refusing fares that they know are carrying alcohol. These fare refusals happen frequently... Stratfor: No "Satisfactory Military Solution" to North Korean TestBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossStratfor has issued an important new analysis examining U.S. military options against North Korea. It concludes that "an overt military strike -- even one limited to cruise missiles -- is not in the cards. The consequences of even the most... North Korea/Iran Cooperation Shows Implications of Nuclear TestBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossNorth Korea conducted an apparently successful nuclear test today at 10:36 a.m. local time. The test has been reported in the North Korean media, and a seismic event at a suspected nuclear test site has been confirmed by Russian equipment... U.S.-Turkish Relations on the Brink?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossFor many years, Turkey -- a secular democracy with a predominantly Muslim population -- has been a staunch U.S. ally. Since Turkey has served as a bulwark of stability in the Middle East, it's important that the U.S. recognize the... Possible Military Connection to New Indonesia ArrestBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Tuesday, an Indonesian woman who had a considerable amount of explosives in her bag was arrested at the Sidoarjo train station in Indonesia's East Java province. This was first reported in The Jakarta Post, which stated that the woman... Cross-Border Raids into Afghanistan AccelerateBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have previously written about Pakistan's dangerous peace treaty with factions sympathetic to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. My most comprehensive treatment of this issue is the article that I co-authored with Bill Roggio in the most recent edition of the... Weekly Standard: Pakistan SurrendersBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossBill Roggio and I have an article in the new (Oct. 2) Weekly Standard that explores Pakistan's remarkable retreat from the global war on terror. This retreat can be seen in the Waziristan Accord, which cedes the North Waziristan tribal... Daily Standard: Practice Makes TerrorBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have a new article in the Daily Standard today that examines the rash of "false alarms" on airlines since authorities announced that they foiled the transatlantic air terror plot on Aug. 10. In it, I argue that some of... State Department Endorses Pakistan's RetreatBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have previously written about the major blow inflicted on the U.S. by Pakistan's peace deal that cedes Waziristan to terrorist factions, and the Pakistani government's subsequent decision to release 2,500 foreign prisoners. Both of these are serious developments that... Pakistan Releases 2,500 Prisoners Linked to the Taliban and al-QaedaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Friday, the Telegraph published a distressing story that my intelligence sources have confirmed. Pakistan's descent into chaos (see my coverage of the government's surrender of the Waziristan region) is apparently continuing apace, with the latest incident being the release... Kurdish Terror Groups Take Aim at Turkish EconomyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAlthough they're nominally independent of each other, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) have each launched a recent series of attacks in Turkey that serve the same purpose: inflicting damage on the Turkish economy. At the... Global Crisis Watch Podcast on the Fifth Anniversary of 9/11By Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Sunday, the excellent Global Crisis Watch posted its new podcast, a roundtable discussion analyzing our position in the global war on terror as well as vital strategic trends five years after the 9/11 attacks. Guests include myself, CT Blog... Weekly Standard: Movie Stars vs. IslamistsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an article in the new issue of the Weekly Standard detailing the role that the Indonesian entertainment industry is playing in that country's high stakes culture war against forces dedicated to the implementation of sharia. The article is... Pakistan's Peace Deal with Terrorist Factions a Major Blow to U.S.By Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe past week witnessed one of the most significant recent developments related to the global war on terror -- a development that garnered surprisingly little attention from the media and analysts. As Pakistan's Dawn newspaper explains, the Pakistani government has... Hizballah Rearmament Has BegunBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn summarizing winners and losers of the Israel-Hizballah conflict, my colleague Bill Roggio wrote the following in declaring Hizballah a winner: While the Israeli military may have dealt Hezbollah a tactical defeat generally in southern Lebanon, killed a significant number... TAK Terror Group Carries Out a Series of Bombings in TurkeyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAftermath of the Antalya bombing. Over the past few days, Turkey has been hit by a string of bombings. On Sunday night and Monday morning, four separate blasts injured at least twenty people. The first blast, which came around... Daily Standard: The New TalibanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSeveral times on this blog I have discussed the Islamic Courts Union's consolidation of power (see, for example, my August 14 and August 17 analysis). Today my colleague Kyle Dabruzzi and I have a new article posted at the Daily... Storming of Romanian Oil Rig Continues Iran's Provocative ActionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIran seized a Romanian oil rig off Kish Island. On August 22, a few hours before Iran delivered its response to the UN about its nuclear program, an Iranian warship fired on a Romanian oil rig and seized it.... Possible North Korean Nuclear Test Linked to Iranian Deadline?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossWhen news broke Friday that North Korea may be preparing for an underground detonation of a nuclear device, the question that immediately arose in my mind was whether this was linked to Iran's self-imposed Aug. 22 deadline for providing a... Recent Turkish Actions Shed Light on Agreement with U.S. Over PKKBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossTurkish soldiers head toward the border. I've written about how the U.S., Turkey and Iraq developed a joint strategy to combat the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) terrorist group's presence in Iraq. The strategy was developed in order to prevent... Islamic Courts Union Continues to Gain Ground in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossICU militiamen aboard one of their many "technicals." I recently blogged about the Islamic Courts Union's (ICU) rapid expansion throughout Somalia. If anything, that expansion has only hastened since I last wrote about it. This weekend, along with seizing... Islamic Courts Union Expands Its Control in SomaliaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Islamic Courts Union (ICU) made two major strategic gains over the past week. Last Wednesday, it wrested control of the town of Beletuein from its previous pro-government rulers. Fighting broke out around 7:00 a.m. local time between Islamic militiamen... Daily Standard: The Next Big One?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy article on assumptions that may need to be rethought in light of the large-scale plot announced yesterday by British authorities is now posted at the Daily Standard. An excerpt: Dan Darling and Steve Schippert outlined a large number of... Daily Standard: Strange AlliesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have previously written (on this blog and elsewhere) about the seemingly growing alliance between Islamic radicals and the neo-Nazi right. Today I have a review at the Daily Standard of George Michael's The Enemy of My Enemy: The Alarming... Hizballah UAV Further Illustrates Iranian SupportBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Mirsad-1 UAV. Click image to view. On Monday night, the IAF's F-16 fighters shot down a Hizballah unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ten kilometers off the coast of Acre. The drone reportedly had the capacity to carry 90 pounds... Turkey Launches Limited Incursion Into IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn July 19, I noted that Turkey was making noise about launching a unilateral cross-border incursion into Iraq to engage the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in combat operations. The situation had become so serious that Turkey warned both the U.S.... Daily Standard: Why They FightBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy review of Mary Habeck's book Knowing the Enemy: Jihadist Ideology and the War on Terror was published this morning at the Daily Standard. An excerpt from the review: DRAWING UPON AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY of primary-source material from these... School Announces It Will Help Indonesian Mujahideen Reach LebanonBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossFrom the Indonesian newspaper Tempo on July 30: TEMPO Interaktif, Jakarta: The Alumni Organization of the Al Mukmin Ngukri Boarding School, Sukoharjo, is facilitating Indonesian volunteers to travel to Lebanon. According to the head of the organization, Ali Usman, the... War Brewing Between Ethiopia and Somalia's Islamic Courts Union?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossSince capturing Mogadishu last month, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Somalia has moved in an increasingly radical direction. This is reflected both in their leadership choices and also their implementation of Taliban-like Islamic law. Beyond that, the ICU is... U.S. and Turkey to Develop Joint Strategy Against PKKBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn July 19, I noted that Turkey had been making noise about launching an incursion into Iraq to fight against the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). Turkey's concern over the PKK's presence in Iraq was so great that the Turkish government... German Intelligence Supports Claim of Hizballah Cell ActivationBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Sunday, I discussed a Jerusalem Post report claiming that Hizballah sleeper cells outside Lebanon had been put on standby. While I noted the plausibility of this claim, I cautioned that it seemed the Jerusalem Post had no source to... Hizballah Sleeper Cells Reportedly ActivatedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Jerusalem Post reports today: Hizbullah "sleeper" terror cells set up outside Lebanon with Iranian assistance have been put on standby The Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday, and are likely planning attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets throughout the world.... Possible Turkish Intervention in Iraq?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossTurkey is currently making a lot of noise about launching a cross-border incursion into Iraq to engage the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in combat operations. On July 18, Professor Sedat Laciner published an article in the Turkish Weekly comparing the... The Israeli Incursion into Lebanon: Strategic ConsiderationsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIt is critical to understand the strategic implications of the Israeli incursion into Lebanon. Hizballah has proven to be a far more effective fighting machine than Israel anticipated, and the Israelis find themselves in a difficult situation: Continued military operations... American Spectator: The Death of Shamil BasayevBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I have a new article on The American Spectator's web site about the life and death of Chechen commander Shamil Basayev. An excerpt: Basayev was eventually transformed into a brutal, humorless warlord who appeared to have less interest in... Bombed, But Not Beaten: Lessons from MumbaiBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Indian response to Tuesday's devastating bombings in Mumbai (see Bill Roggio's coverage) bears noting as an example for other countries. There were at least two purposes behind the attacks: crippling the Indian economy and stoking Hindu-Muslim tensions. It appears... Shamil Basayev: How Jihadists Are MadeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOne interesting and overlooked angle in the coverage of Shamil Basayev's death is his transformation from a Chechen separatist rebel to a brutal jihadist warlord aligned with al-Qaeda. Back in 2004, shortly after the Beslan school massacre, C.J. Chivers wrote... Daily Standard: Passing on ZarqawiBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday the final of three articles that I wrote about Zarqawi's death has been published at the Daily Standard. Co-written with my colleague Adam White, "Passing on Zarqawi" examines the administration's decision not to attack Zarqawi's operations back in 2002.... Daily Standard: Making Victory Rhyme with DefeatBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday I have an article in the Daily Standard, cowritten with my colleague Richard Miniter, debunking the three biggest media myths surrouding the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: that he was an "American creation"; that he was easily replaceable; and... Daily Standard: Zarqawi and His Role ModelBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe death of terrorist kingpin Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a time to applaud the success of Coalition forces, but also to assess what could have been done better along the way. In today's Daily Standard, my colleague Richard Miniter and... Renewed Ties with Libya Are a Result of Progress on Key IssuesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday it was announced that the Bush administration will be removing Libya from the list of state sponsors of terror and restoring diplomatic ties with it. One of the most prescient articles written about possible U.S. rapprochement with Libya is... Washington Times: Assad Under SiegeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have been working on a series of articles with my colleague Nir Boms about the state of Middle Eastern democratization (see our previous articles about the overwhelming trend toward elections in the Middle East and the U.S.'s options for... National Review Online: NSA NonsenseBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe big story of the day yesterday was the news in USA Today that the NSA has secretly collected a massive database containing the phone-call records of tens of millions of Americans. Today I have a piece at National Review... American Spectator: FDR's Domestic SurveillanceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfter a short lull, the debate over the administration's warrantless NSA surveillance seems certain to heat up again. Proof of this can be seen in Sen. Arlen Specter's April 27 press conference, in which he demanded that President Bush disclose... The Moussaoui Verdict: No Defeat for AmericaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfter seven days of deliberation, jurors in the Moussaoui case today determined that he should spend the rest of his life in prison rather than face the death penalty. Was the verdict a major loss for the prosecution, or for... Daily Standard: Illiberal Democracy on the Rise?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have a new article posted at the Daily Standard, co-authored with my colleague Nir Boms. We have written previously about how liberal institutions are more important than elections to U.S. efforts to transform the Middle East: "Since the only... FPM: Google's Terrorist News SourceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Tuesday, I posted about Google's decision to include al-Manar among its Google News sources. Today I have an article in FrontPage Magazine that explores the issue in more detail. An excerpt:Consistent with its desire to see Israel destroyed, al-Manar... Weekly Standard: Not So Friendly AmiciBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case on March 28. This case is significant to the counterterrorism community because it will determine the legitimacy of the military commissions that the Bush administration established to try... Moussaoui Prosecution Rests Its CaseBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday the prosecution rested its case in Zacarias Moussaoui's sentencing trial after jurors heard the cockpit voice recording of United Flight 93's passenger revolt -- the first time the recording has been heard in public. (See Andy Cochran's post on... Google and the Problem with al-ManarBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossUPDATE, 4/12/2006, 11:09 A.M.: Video clips from the CD-ROM that accompanies Avi Jorisch's Beacon of Hatred are available at this website. It is worth visiting to get a sense of the kind of propaganda that al-Manar regularly broadcasts. Last Thursday,... Spiegel Online on Christians in AfghanistanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSpiegel Online has an interesting report, published on March 30, about the plight of Afghan converts to Christianity. The lead paragraph succinctly captures their very real -- and completely justified -- fear of persecution: "Afghan converts to Christianity lead dangerous... Daily Standard: The New Roman LionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI discussed the Abdul Rahman apostasy case in several previous CT Blog posts (see below). Now that Abdul Rahman has been released, I summarize the lessons that we should take from this case at the Daily Standard. Most significantly, the... Daily Standard: Free to DissentBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossTomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case. This will be a significant case for determining the role of federal courts in the global war on terror, as the Supreme Court will consider whether the... Abdul Rahman FreedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday the case against Abdul Rahman, the 41-year-old Afghan man who was charged with apostasy for converting from Islam to Christianity, was dismissed. (See my previous blog posts about Abdul Rahman, here and here.) An Afghan official who spoke with... Afghan Clerics Call for Abdul Rahman's DeathBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn my previous blog entry about Abdul Rahman, the 41-year-old Afghan man who may face the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity, I noted that while a number of Islamic states outlaw apostasy, "the greater threat comes from... The Apostasy Problem is Far Larger than Abdul RahmanBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, Bill West wrote about the case of Abdul Rahman, a 41-year-old Afghani man who may face the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity. This case has generated an enormous amount of media attention because the U.S. and... Prosecutor: Taheri-Azar Cannot be Charged with a Terrorist OffenseBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've blogged a couple of times (here and here) about how, in my judgment, Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar couldn't be prosecuted for a terrorist offense. I reasoned that North Carolina doesn't have a terrorism statute that can be brought to bear... Daily Standard: The Problem of the Lone-Wolf TerroristBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossLast week, I blogged about why, even if Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar's explanation that he ran down nine people at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in retaliation for U.S. foreign policy is an accurate description of his motives,... Can Mohammed Taheri-Azar Be Prosecuted for a Terrorist Offense?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Friday, Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar drove a Jeep through a crowd at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, hitting nine people. Fortunately, none of the nine were seriously injured. Taheri-azar has been charged with nine counts of attempted... The Themes of al-Zawahiri's Latest TapeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy colleague Andrew Cochran noted that al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released new audio and video tapes on Saturday. Since a large component of the global war on terror is the battle of ideas, it is important to understand how... The DP World Port Sale: Overblown FearsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn an election year, it certainly makes for a powerful rallying cry: "They want to turn our port security over to Arab states!" Indeed, politicians on both sides of the aisle have already been leaping to skewer the administration for... The Cartoon Riots: The Price of FreedomBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs the violence that erupted over Danish cartoon depictions of Prophet Muhammad continues, an obvious fatigue is developing around this issue. Commentators have had their say, and many believe that little more thought is possible on the issue. Consequently, the... Wall Street Journal Europe: A Solid StartBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday my op-ed on Hamas's electoral victory, co-authored with my colleague Nir Boms, appeared in the Wall Street Journal Europe. The op-ed is only available online to subscribers, but I reproduce it in full here with their permission. A Solid... Iran: The Internal Political Clock is TickingBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy recent article "The Mullah Wars" (which I discussed on the CT Blog) examines internal poltical fissures in Iran that the West should try to exploit as it attempts to stall Iran's production of weapons-grade uranium. The key internal battles... The Danish Cartoon Controversy in ContextBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWith all the attention that politicians and the media have devoted to the controversy generated by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten's publication of twelve cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, it's important to understand this controversy in its proper context. Jyllands-Posten decided to... The State of the Union Address and TerrorismBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Bush discussed four major topics related to terrorism. He was strong when discussing Iran and Iraq, but his speech left something to be desired in its discussion of the linkage between democracy... How Will Hamas's Electoral Victory Change the Middle East?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossHamas's victory in Wednesday's parliamentary elections casts grave doubt upon future Israeli-Palestinian relations. Beyond that, pundits are wondering what kind of sea change this could produce in the overall political landscape of the Middle East. As was the case when... Daily Standard: The Mullah WarsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy new article, "The Mullah Wars," is posted today at the Daily Standard. The article discusses how Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has created massive frictions within the regime that the U.S. should seek to understand and exploit. An excerpt:Far from... Daily Standard: Al Qaeda's Olive BranchBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAn expanded version of the analysis of the new bin Laden tape that I provided yesterday is now posted at the Daily Standard. An excerpt:BY NOW, there can be no doubt that al Qaeda's message to the West has been... Alleged Bin Laden Tape Continues to Urge U.S. Withdrawal from IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossWhile we don't yet know if the audiotape released today is actually from Osama bin Laden, it is consistent with the rhetoric that he tailored for a Western audience in the past. Many reasons underlie the release of any al-Qaeda... Purchase of North Korean Missiles Extends Iran's Force Projection CapabilityBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA little-noticed story from late 2005 could prove quite significant as conflict with Iran draws closer. On December 16, the German newspaper Bild reported on the German secret services' claim that Iran had bought 18 disassembled BM-25 missiles from North... Iran Showdown Draws CloserBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfter a two-year moratorium on its nuclear program, Iran defied the U.S. and European powers last week by resuming nuclear research. Iran decided to remove UN seals at a nuclear plant in Natanz, which would enable it to resume research... Iranian Military Plane Crash: Act of Sabotage?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Monday, an Iranian military plane crash killed eleven top commanders in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Gen. Ahmad Kazemi, the commander of IRGC's ground forces, died in the crash. The dead also included a number of other military notables... Political Uncertainty in the Wake of Ariel Sharon's StrokeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Wednesday, Ariel Sharon suffered his second stroke in less than a month. Doctors expected a full recovery after the first stroke, but the prognosis is bleak after the second one. Although there is still confusion in the Israeli press... Defense Challenges to NSA Wiretaps: Legal IssuesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday I noted that defense lawyers in some of the country's most important terrorism cases are going to mount challenges based on the recently uncovered NSA warrantless surveillance. In this post, I'm going to provide an overview of the legal... Defense Lawyers in Terrorism Cases to Challenge NSA WiretapsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe December 28 New York Times has an interesting article that adds a new wrinkle to the NSA wiretap controversy: Defense lawyers in some of the most important terrorism cases in the country are going to argue that the NSA... Prince Alwaleed's Georgetown Donation: A Sign of the Expanding Saudi PR MachineBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSaudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal recently garnered attention by donating $20 million each to Georgetown and Harvard to promote the study of Islam and the Muslim world. Georgetown officials told the Washington Post that the gift is the second largest... Dallas Morning News: "Extremists Among Us?"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI have an essay in today's Dallas Morning News that discusses the anti-terror campaign that the Muslim American Society launched this summer. (See my original blog post on the subject here.) The essay warns that the pleasing rhetoric offered by... Al-Zawahiri Calls for Attacks on Gulf Oil FacilitiesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA couple of months back, I argued that in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, we could expect future terrorist targeting of key oil facilities in the Gulf states. In particular, I fingered Saudi Arabia as a likely... A Puzzling Response to "The Freedoms We Fight For"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossA reader, Peter Murray, has a truly bizarre response to "The Freedoms We Fight For" (see my article here and my blog entry about it here):Dear Sir, And in the same week that a whistle-blowing civil-servant was legally gagged for... New Daily Standard Article: "The Freedoms We Fight For"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI previously blogged about the threat to Omar Sharif that was posted on a jihadist website after the actor spoke glowingly about playing St. Peter in an Italian TV film. I've also noted on this blog that Sharif isn't alone... Senior Democrat Calls for Immediate Withdrawal from IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday, Rep. John Murtha (D., Pa.) called for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. From CNN.com:"U.S. and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq," the senior lawmaker said. "It's time for a change in direction." He said... New Article: "Terrorist Feint"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday Front Page Magazine republished "Terrorist Feint," an article that I co-authored with my colleague Jeffrey A. Panehal. (The article originally ran Wednesday at the Daily Standard, but I declined to post about it on the CT Blog because I... Zarqawi A Threat to Europe?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossI just received an interesting Reuters article by Mark Trevelyan which describes the analysis of the head of German foreign intelligence about Zarqawi's network in Europe. An excerpt:Islamist militants in Europe as well as the Middle East are increasingly identifying... Not Just Omar Sharif: Numerous Fatwas Threaten Free Speech with DeathBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI recently wrote about how actor Omar Sharif was threatened with death by Islamic radicals after he played St. Peter in an Italian TV film and spoke glowingly of the role. In response to Sharif's comments, a message on a... Omar Sharif Threatened With DeathBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Guardian reports today that radical Muslims have threatened to kill actor Omar Sharif for the grave offense of . . . playing St. Peter in an Italian TV film and then speaking highly of the role. Sharif played the... George Galloway Headed for Legal Trouble?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossAndy Cochran has previously written about British MP George Galloway's dual career as politician and terrorist cheerleader. For example, in an early June al-Jazeera appearance, Galloway declared: "Bush, and Blair, and the prime minister of Japan, and Berlusconi, these people... Mike German Responds to "Spare No Resource"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy latest article in the Daily Standard, "Spare No Resource," was in large part a response to a San Francisco Chronicle op-ed by Mike German. German's op-ed argued that racial profiling is an ineffective tool in anti-terror policing, and used... New Daily Standard Article: "Spare No Resource"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy new article, "Spare No Resource," was posted today at the Daily Standard. Although New York City police decided last week to scale back the increased security that accompanied the most recent subway terrorism scare, the fact remains that the... Authenticity of Alleged Zawahiri Letter Increasingly QuestionedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossEarlier, I blogged about a letter allegedly written by Ayman al-Zawahiri to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi that, if genuine, demonstrates the importance of Iraq to al-Qaeda's jihad. However, doubts in Washington are mounting about the letter's authenticity. Eli Lake reports in... The Hinrichs Case: The WSJ's "Debunking" Debunks NothingBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMichelle Malkin notes a Wall Street Journal article by Ryan Chittum and Joe Hagan about the Hinrichs "suicide bombing" -- or, more precisely, about the blog coverage of Hinrichs's death. Malkin accurately describes the Wall Street Journal as advancing a... Iraq's Constitutional Referendum: Encouraging SignsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs Andy Cochran observed earlier, the lack of violence accompanying Iraq's constitutional referendum is encouraging. I have a few observations about what the referendum means for the future of the war in Iraq. First, the insurgency's second straight failure to... Saddam Hussein's Trial to Begin WednesdayBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSaddam Hussein's trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. An article by Dan Senor in the Daily Standard provides an excellent overview of the charges that will be leveled against Saddam and the defense strategy that we can expect. The... Iraq Votes on Constitution SaturdayBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThis Saturday, Iraqis will vote in a referendum on their new constitution. USA Today reports that turnout is expected to be even higher than the January elections because of increased Sunni participation. The expected Sunni turnout is reflective of news... Oklahoma Suicide Bombing: Sorting Through the EvidenceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI posted a couple of times last week (original post here; update here) about Joel Hinrichs III, who died on October 1 after detonating an explosive device while sitting on a bench about 100 yards from a stadium that was... Zawahiri Letter Shows Iraq's Importance to al-Qaeda's JihadBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe United States recently obtained a 13-page letter from bin Laden deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri to al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The letter was captured in a counterterrorism operation in Iraq, and there are two special points of significance... Video Updates from OklahomaBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThere are some interesting video updates on the possible suicide bomber from the local Oklahoma press (all courtesy of News 9 in Oklahoma City). A first report states that Joel Hinrichs may have tried to enter the football stadium from... Suicide Bomber in Oklahoma?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossThere's an interesting story out of Oklahoma that has gotten surprisingly little media attention. Joel Hinrichs III died on Saturday after apparently detonating an explosive device while sitting on a bench about 100 yards from Oklahoma University's football stadium during... U.S. Government Pressing Saudi Arabia on IndoctrinationBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOne factor that all Islamic terrorists have in common is exposure to radical theology. Today, Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi sect is the world's biggest propagator of radical Islam. I've touched on this issue in my recent article "Wahhabi Prison Fellowship," and... Checking in on the NYPD's Anti-Terror PolicingBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAn interesting article in yesterday's New York Daily News entitled "New York's Secret War on Terror" examines the steps the NYPD has taken to try to improve its anti-terror policing. Some of these steps are encouraging. For example, the NYPD... Will Prince Waleed Change Fox's Terrorism Coverage?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossFrank Gaffney has an article in yesterday's Front Page Magazine analyzing the possible effect of Prince Waleed bin Talal's new voting stake in the News Corporation, which owns the Fox News Network. Following a challenge to Rupert Murdoch's control of... Jihad from Jail: Kevin James Pleads Not GuiltyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy recent Weekly Standard article analyzing radical Islamic literature in America's prison system discusses the recent indictment of four California men on charges of conspiring to attack military and Jewish targets in the Los Angeles area. Their targets allegedly included... Al-Qaeda's Hurricane Lesson: Target the Oil SupplyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThere can be no doubt that our terrorist enemies have keenly watched both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. One thing they will surely seize on (as noted by Bill West, among others) is the complete inadequacy of the governmental response... Weekly Standard: Wahhabi Prison FellowshipBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn light of the recently uncovered terrorist plot that was hatched in the California state prison system, my August 25 post "Radical Indoctrination in the U.S. Prisons" was designed to shed light on the kind of radical Islamic literature that... Bureaucracy KillsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA story posted yesterday at CNN.com provides a disgusting snapshot of how bureaucratic red tape and fears of legal liability actively thwarted volunteers' attempts to assist the relief efforts in New Orleans:Doctors eager to help sick and injured evacuees were... New al-Qaeda Tape Continues Appeasement ThemeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've written a number of times (most recently in the Daily Standard) that al-Qaeda has been attempting since April 2004 to convince Westerners that the terrorist group is worth negotiating with, and that it can be appeased. Ayman al-Zawahiri's August... Head of Aryan Nations Responds to "The Peculiar Alliance"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Thursday, I published an article at the Weekly Standard's website entitled "The Peculiar Alliance," about the growing relationship between white supremacists and Islamists. These two groups have found a surprising amount of common ground in recent years due to... Security Concerns as Afghanistan Elections ApproachBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAfghanistan's parliamentary elections are scheduled for September 18. Just as security concerns were paramount for both Iraq's National Assembly elections and for the coming vote on its constitution, so too is this a large issue for the Afghanistan elections. The... Radical Indoctrination in the U.S. PrisonsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe investigation of a recent alleged terrorism plot that law enforcement officials say was hatched in a California prison has raised fears about radical Islamic indoctrination in the country's prison system. Law enforcement officials told ABC News that former Oakland... Iraq Constitution Deadline TodayBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossLast Monday, the Iraqi National Assembly voted unanimously to extend the deadline for negotiators to agree on a draft of the country's new constitution to today. Although last Monday was the original deadline, negotiators were unable to reach a compromise... Lodi Imams Allegedly Planned to Open Radical SchoolBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've been following the developing terrorism terrorism prosecution in Lodi, California for this blog (see this post for general background). On Tuesday, the Lodi News-Sentinel reported on explosive new allegations in the case. Specifically, FBI agent Gary Schaaf alleged that... Al-Zawahiri's Latest: Al-Qaeda's Attempted Deception ContinuesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday, Ayman al-Zawahiri released a new videotape in which he blames Tony Blair for the recent attacks on London, and warns that there are more to come. He also has a message for the American people, which CNN describes:Zawahiri reminded... The Muslim American Society, Anti-Terror Paragon?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossMahdi Bray, the executive director of the Muslim American Society's (MAS) Freedom Foundation, appeared on Fox News today to discuss MAS's new anti-terror campaign. Bray stated that it was MAS's goal to "inoculate our young people by making sure they're... The Pentagon's Plan for Winning the War on TerrorBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossA new article in U.S. News & World Report explains that, on March 3, Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Richard Myers "signed a comprehensive new plan for the war on terrorism." While the document, entitled "National Military... Mohamed Atta's Father Praises London AttacksBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMohamed Atta's father made some truly remarkable comments to CNN this week:[Atta's father] El-Amir said the attacks in the United States and the July 7 attacks in London were the beginning of what would be a 50-year religious war, in... The 7/21 Attacks: Strategic ErrorBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've long said that 9/11 was an enormous strategic error on al-Qaeda's part. Al-Qaeda was in a great position prior to 9/11: Their training camps were producing countless terrorists every year, Islamist insurgencies were raging in far-flung places from the... Van Gogh's Killer Says He'd Do It AgainBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn November, the Netherlands was rocked by the murder of film-maker Theo van Gogh. Van Gogh had directed the controversial film Submission, written by Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, which was designed to dramatize mistreatment of women born to Muslim... Changing Our Paradigm for Anti-Terror PolicingBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossOn Monday, I noted that because of the difficulty of protecting ourselves from terrorism in an open society without sacrificing our openness, some commentators have concluded that nothing can be done. Today, my new article, "Toward Intelligent Anti-Terror Policing," is... Letters of the 1993 World Trade Center BombersBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn a Monday post, I discussed a Washington Times article on the current dearth of Arabic translators in the federal prison system. I'm quoted in the article as saying, "There are several known instances in U.S. prisons of known or... Resignation to Defeat?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossFor many analysts, the London attacks highlighted the vulnerability of our own mass transit system to attack. In addition to the 3/11 Madrid training bombings and the London attacks, there have been other indications that our mass transit system may... Dearth of Arabic Translators in Federal PrisonsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMy friend Joel Mowbray has a front-page article in today's Washington Times about the shortage of Arabic translators in the federal prison system:The federal Bureau of Prisons is holding 119 persons with "specific ties" to international Islamist terrorist groups, yet... Iran on the HorizonBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe early twenty-first century is an extremely dangerous time, as the United States is forced to fashion a simultaneous response to multiple global threats. One of the primary threats we face is the development of weapons of mass destruction by... Lodi Imam Admits to Telling Pakistanis to Fight AmericansBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've written about the early June arrests in Lodi, California here and here. Along with Hamid and Umer Hayat (the father and son who were charged with lying to federal agents about the son's training at an al-Qaeda camp in... Both Lodi Suspects Denied BailBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossLast Thursday, I wrote about the recent arrests in Lodi, California, where Umer Hayat and Hamid Hayat (a father and son) have been charged with lying to federal agents about the son's training at an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan. On... The Lodi ArrestsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThis week two men in Lodi, California -- Hamid Hayat, age 23, and his father Umer -- were arrested on the charge of lying to federal authorities about the son's training at an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan. The recently unsealed... The Islamist/Neo-Nazi ConnectionBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, Israeli president Moshe Katzav warned in a speech that Muslim terrorists may plan on using neo-Nazi groups to carry out attacks in Europe. "Let's not be surprised if terror organizations use neo-Nazis for carrying out terror attacks," he told... The Return of Fateh KamelBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe National Post reports that one of Canada's most notorious terrorists, Fateh Kamel, has returned home to Montreal as a free man following a four-year stint in a French prison. Kamel has an impressive terrorist CV. After fighting in both... Al-Zawahiri Continues Appeal to Gullible WesternersBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, al-Jazeera aired a videotape purporting to show a new address from bin Laden deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri. In this new videotape, al-Zawahiri argues that the U.S.'s "new crusade is doomed to fail," and that it will lead to "tens of... Iranian Preparation for U.S. AttackBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossIn a Friday interview, President Bush stated that diplomacy -- and not the use of force -- is America's first choice in dealing with Iran's apparent quest to obtain nuclear weapons: "Listen, first of all, you never want a president... Barsomyat Revisited?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossA couple of weeks ago, I broke the story of a radical Islamist website, barsomyat.com, that was systematically tracking Arabic-speaking Christians who debated against Muslims on the PalTalk internet chat service. Barsomyat.com featured pictures and identifying information about these Christians,... Lynne Stewart ConvictedBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday, radical lawyer Lynne Stewart was convicted of conspiracy and providing and concealing material support of terrorism for her actions in smuggling messages from her jailed client Omar Abdel-Rahman to his followers in the terrorist group Gama'a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group).... Kuwait Announces Break-Up of Truck Bombing PlotBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Associated Press reports today that a Kuwaiti Interior Ministry official confirmed that suspected terrorists captured in recent police raids confessed that they were planning to use ice cream trucks packed with explosives to attack U.S. military convoys traveling to... A Defense of the Freedom House StudyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMedia Lies has a new post explaining why he is not excited about the Freedom House report that I recently highlighted. I disagree with his conclusion that the Freedom House study is not convincing. Nonetheless, Media Lies' post is worth... Saudi Hate Publications in the United StatesBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe hateful Wahhabi ideology that Saudi Arabia has actively fostered throughout the world for decades poses a major problem not only in the Muslim world, but also right here in the United States. Exploring Wahhabi indoctrination in the U.S., Jeff... Ward Churchill Resigns as Department ChairBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI recently wrote about Hamilton College's plans to include 9/11 celebrator and academic mediocrity Ward Churchill on its Feb. 3 panel on "Limits of Dissent?" Churchill's inclusion on the panel kicked up a storm of controversy because of an essay... Barsomyat.com Wrap-UpBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossYesterday I posted an article that I wrote for the New York Sun about a radical Islamic website, www.barsomyat.com. The website featured pictures and information about Christians who were particularly active in debating against Muslims on the internet chat service... Christians on PalTalk Chat Service Tracked by Radical Islamic Web SiteBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossFrom the New York Sun, Jan. 31, 2005: Christians on PalTalk Chat Service Tracked by Radical Islamic Web SiteBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossSpecial to the Sun A radical Islamic Web site systematically tracks Christians on PalTalk.com, an Internet chat service on which... Arrest of Suspected Terrorists in FranceBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossEarlier this week, France announced the arrest of a number of Muslims suspected of providing aid to insurgent forces in Iraq. Yesterday, the prosecutor's office released a statement which claimed that the suspected Islamists were plotting attacks on French and... Ward Churchill at Hamilton CollegeBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossHamilton College -- last seen trying to hire Weathermen Underground terrorist Susan Rosenberg as a faculty member -- has now invited 9/11 celebrator Ward Churchill to participate on a Feb. 3 panel on "Limits of Dissent?" The panel will be... Saber Rattling in TehranBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossI've previously written about how Iran continued the long process of back-tracking from its moves toward moderation when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed the fatwa against Salman Rushdie by referring to Rushdie as an apostate whose blood may be shed with... Arrests in IraqBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday the Iraqi government announced the arrest of several suspected insurgency leaders. Arrested insurgents include Abu Umar al-Kurdi (arrested on Jan. 15), who Allawi's spokesman Tha'er al-Naqib claims is responsible for 75 percents of the bombs used in Baghdad attacks... Armanious Family Killed by Fake Converts?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe brutal murder of Hossam Armanious and his family has attracted attention in the New York area and beyond. Last Friday, Armanious, his wife Amal Garas, and two young daughters -- ages fifteen and eight -- were found bound and... PalTalk Under Pressure to End Omar Bakri Mohammed's WebcastsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossPalTalk is an internet chat-room service with thousands of discussion groups, and its distinctive feature is "the way it merges text, audio, and video into a single integrated environment." PalTalk groups are devoted to wide-ranging issues, including music, religion and... Whither Reformism in Iran?By Daveed Gartenstein-RossToday Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reaffirmed the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Speaking to Muslim pilgrims making hajj, Khamenei described Rushdie as as a "mahdour al-damm mortad," meaning that he is an apostate whose blood may be shed with... Iranian and Syrian Support for the Iraqi InsurgencyBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossMEMRI's latest special report translates the televised confessions of Muayed Al-Nasseri, the captured commander of the Army of Muhammad, an insurgent group in Iraq that was founded by Saddam Hussein after his regime collapsed. Al-Nasseri's confessions were broadcast by Al-Fayhaa... Iraqi ElectionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossAs the insurgents continue their push to force Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to cancel or delay the scheduled January 30 elections, Allawi today admitted that Iraqis may be unable to vote in some places because of the security situation. In... Abbas WinsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossNo surprise here. Now we'll see how the media portrays Abbas. At the outset, I can say that it's almost certain that most media outlets will portray Abbas as a true moderate who merely resorted to anti-Israel rhetoric on the... Review of Joel J. Seidemann's "In the Interest of Justice"By Daveed Gartenstein-RossSteve and I have a book review in today's Washington Times of Joel Seidemann's new book, In the Interest of Justice: Great Opening and Closing Arguments of the Last 100 Years. Seidemann's book compiles some of the past century's best... Palestinian ElectionsBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Palestinian elections will be held today, and the media's take on the outcome will be known soon thereafter. Over at The Corner, Cliff May notes a Saturday Washington Post editorial that describes the presumed winner Mahmoud Abbas thusly: "Palestinian... Saddam Hussein and Al-JazeeraBy Daveed Gartenstein-RossThe Associated Press reported on January 3 that the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat broke the news that a videotape found in Baghdad after Saddam Hussein's ouster shows a former al-Jazeera manager thanking Saddam's sadistic son Uday Hussein for his... |