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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 Michael Jacobson Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Ali Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis Michael Braun James Gordon Meek, Guest Expert Phillip Smyth, Brett Wallace & Mark Offenbach, Newslinks Editors Andrew Cochran, Founder & Editor Emeritus EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
A Downward Spiral in Latin America
Bloody Friday: Anti-Shia Terror Violence Hit Karachi Again! Terrorist Dropouts Assessing the Militant White Separatist Movement Ft Hood's Terror: The US failed by its own experts Setback in Baghdad: Counter-Forensics and Counter-Terror When Yemen Meets Gaza New Study on Ecuador's Growing Role in Transnational Crime and the FARC The Consolidation of Bolivarian Authoritarianism and Terrorist Ties LTTE’s Canadian Sympathizers Jailed in USA 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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Michael Cutler Archives
Stopping Narco-Terrorism Requires Strong "Immigration Enforcement Tripod"By Michael CutlerWe have heard so much about the meltdown of Mexico at the hands of the drug cartels that have engaged in what can only be described as acts of terrorism to intimidate the citizens and the leaders of Mexico. The... Will NSC Reorg Deal Realistically With Terrorist Threats?By Michael CutlerI am certain that I am not the only person who wished that our world was not plagued by the threat of terrorism. I am also not alone in my wish that our nation's economy and the economy of many... The Airline Bomb Plot & the Visa Waiver ProgramBy Michael CutlerABC Nightline aired a news story last night about the conviction of the British citizens who were involved in a conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks to bring liquid explosives on board a number of airliners that were destined to... Terrorists Might Already Live and Hide in the U.S.By Michael CutlerThis article originally appeared in the Washington Post this past weekend, and should make it abundantly clear to our nation's leaders as well as to our citizens, that our nation has serious reasons to be concerned about terror cells operating... Diploma Mills Could Enable Terrorist InfiltrationBy Michael CutlerToday’s edition of the New York Times reports on the nefarious activities of a “diploma mill” that has been successfully operating for some time, amassing huge profits while conspiring with its customers to provide anyone with the money, a worthless... Would Congress Repeal the "Real ID Act" And Forget the Lessons of the 9/11 Attacks?By Michael CutlerThere are governors who are not willing to comply with the Real ID Act and make it more difficult for terrorists to be able to receive driver's licenses. There are members of Congress who similarly oppose the Real ID Act;... On Iran's Increasing Influence in Latin AmericaBy Michael CutlerI would ask that you read this news article that appeared in yesterday's edition of the Washington Times, which reported on testimony by Director of National Intelligence McConnell about Iran's increasing influence in Latin America. Clearly the situation where Iran... Why Are Iraqi Soldiers Now "Missing" in U.S.?By Michael CutlerOur government often creates some of our nation's biggest headaches including where the critical issue of national security is concerned. We have all read accounts of the "Zetas", heavily armed paramilitary soldiers who are employed by the Mexican drug trafficking... Prouty Case Shows Citizenship the "Keys to the Kingdom"By Michael CutlerI do not know how many times I have made the point that United States citizenship represents the "Keys to the Kingdom." United States citizenship opens all sorts of doors to those who do not wish to share the "American... Why Is New York's Governor Inviting Terrorists to Get a NY Drivers License?By Michael CutlerYou cannot control illegal immigration purely at our borders, but must also create an inhospitable environment for illegal aliens who succeed in entering and making their way to the interior of the United States. The immigration laws of our nation... "Terrorists have been arrested on the border, security chief says"By Michael CutlerHere's the lead from an article that deals with the nexus between our nation's failure to secure our borders and the imminent danger that this lunacy poses to our nation's security, six years after the attacks of September 11, 2001:... Our Borders Are Just a "Speed Bump" for Al QaedaBy Michael CutlerI watched the ABC News report on the possible infiltration of an al Qaeda cell into the U.S. The report is more than a little disquieting, not only because of the fact that our officials apparently believe that our nation... "Guest Worker Amnesty Program" Would Not Protect AmericaBy Michael CutlerHere is an article that appears in today's edition of the Washington Times, reporting about the desire of members of Congress to spend about one billion dollars to help protect our nation against the specter of a terrorist attack. This... How Many "Russell Defreitases" Are Working at Our Airports?By Michael CutlerMy peaceful Saturday was interrupted by a phone call from a close friend, Bruce DeCell, a member of 9/11 Families for a Secure America, about the JFK plot. As you may know, I am advisor to that organization that is... Immigration Bill: How Will We Prove the Identity of New "Legal" Aliens?By Michael CutlerI often like to say that a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee; it ain't pretty and smells worse! While compromise and consensus are essential to achieve agreements in Washington with 435 members of the House... How Did the "Fort Dix Six" Enter and Stay in the U.S.?By Michael CutlerSix men have been arrested for terrorism-related charges emanating out of an alleged plot to enter a military base in New Jersey, Fort Dix, and kill as many of our soldiers as possible. I will provide my thoughts with the... U.S. Finally Starting to Close Visa Waiver Loophole?By Michael CutlerI found out about this NY Times article, "U.S. Seeks Closing of Visa Loophole for Britons," when I was called by a senior producer for the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) in England who asked me if I was aware of... Who Made Cooperation With Law Enforcement "Inherently Suspect"?!By Michael CutlerI would be the first one to tell you that it is essential that when we consider the investigations of ethnic organized crime groups and terrorist organizations that we be careful to not paint with a broad brush and vilify... My Congressional Testimony at Ellis Island on Future of ImmigrationBy Michael CutlerI testified today before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on the subject, "Past, Present, and Future: A Historic and Personal Reflection on American Immigration." The hearing was held at Ellis Island, through... Al Qaeda Confessions Make the Case for Immigration & Border ControlsBy Michael CutlerThe wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly but in most instances, inexorably. Finally the terrorist behind the bombing of the USS Cole and other horrific terrorist attacks has confessed to his role in several terrorist attacks. Walid Muhammad bin Attash,... Note to FBI: Remember Canadian Terror Plot & Beslan School MassacreBy Michael CutlerThe FBI has alerted law enforcement officials across the United States that they have information that aliens under recent investigations, with ties to extremist organizations have been involved with buying school buses and/or obtaining licenses to drive school buses -... My Congressional Testimony on Immigration Fraud and TerrorismBy Michael CutlerI testified before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security today on the important issue of the detention of aliens seeking political asylum in the United States. I reminded the Members and public of the potential for terrorists to illegally... Protect the U.S. From British "Homegrown" Terrorists by Ending Visa Waiver ProgramBy Michael CutlerThe war on terror is continuing and many of the countries that are America's staunchest allies are becoming increasingly aware of the threat that terrorists pose within their own borders. This article released yesterday states that there are more than... Army Translator Case Raises Troubling Security QuestionsBy Michael CutlerThis article in today's Washington Post, "Translator Who Faked Identity Pleads Guilty To Having Secret Data," raises a number of troubling questions for our counter-terrorism efforts. First of all, let us start with the way that the government, especially under... Iraqi Passport Blunders: Another Example of Security LoopholesBy Michael CutlerThis is the sort of story on passport blunders that is significant on many levels. It points out how bureaucrats can be corrupted or can be incompetent or both. It also shows how passports, which are supposed to provide a... Suspects, Reportedly Tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq, Sought Student VisasBy Michael Cutler"Being There" was the title of a movie starring Peter Sellers that was produced in 1979. It was based on a satirical novel. For criminals and terrorists, the theme can be described as "Being Here!" Their goal is to be... New "9-11 Commission" Bill Does Not Seal Immigration LoopholesBy Michael CutlerI did a cursory review of H.R. 1, the House bill that purportedly addresses the areas of concern raised by the 9-11 Commission, and I found no reference to any enhanced effort to deal with immigration benefit fraud, or to... Links Between Terrorism, Drug Trade, and Illegal Immigration Can't Be IgnoredBy Michael CutlerHere is an article that was written several days ago by Sara Carter, this year's recipient of the Eugene Katz Award presented by the Center for Immigration Studies, the think tank with which I have been affiliated for the past... Does "DHS" Stand For "Department of Homeland Surrender"?By Michael CutlerThe week has barely begun and already we have another example of incompetence at a component of DHS, the agency I have come to sadly refer to as the "Department of Homeland Surrender." If the law enforcement and intelligence agencies... Report on 9-11 Commission Recommendations Shows We're Still Not PreparedBy Michael CutlerI received a copy of a special report from Bruce DeCell, a founding member of the 911 Families for a Secure America. Bruce is a former member of the NYPD whose young son-in-law was among the thousands of innocent human... Immigration Services Bureau's Ineptitude Endangers AmericansBy Michael CutlerThis article published by "Government Executive" is of great significance because of one simple fact: the immigration system has no integrity! As you read the article (about the processing of up to 30,000 citizenship applications in 2005 without reviewing critical... We Need A Real Fence to Protect Our Borders From TerroristsBy Michael CutlerThe ink has barely dried on the bill that was to create a fence along 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. Already the incoming Congressional leadership is apparently discussing the possibility of not constructing that... Marriage Fraud Perpetrated by Terrorists and CriminalsBy Michael CutlerA couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed by a reporter from the Jamaican Gleaner, a prominent newspaper that is published in the Jamaica, West Indies for an article about the issue of marriage fraud. They interviewed me, as well... We're Ignoring Simple Measures to Prevent Terrorist Infiltration of Borders & PrisonsBy Michael CutlerIt seems that the only thing that is predictable where our nation's supposed "War on Terror" is concerned is that incompetence is the order of the day. A recent ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) press release dealt with a thwarted... House Border Bill a Solid StartBy Michael CutlerA Washington Times article today encourages me because an enforcement-only bill the House of Representatives passed finally deals with helping to secure our nation's border with Mexico. Clearly far more than that needs to be done to really get the... British Authorities Arrest Terrorists Planning to Bomb Airliners Headed to U.S. But Visa Waiver Program Still Alive & WellBy Michael CutlerEven as FBI and ICE special agents are on the hunt for the remaining 8 Egyptian students who were among the original group of 11 who failed to show up at a school that they were admitted into the United... 11 AWOL Egyptian students being sought in the U.S.By Michael CutlerToday we now know of 11 young men from Egypt who have gone missing among us. They are joining a large number of other illegal aliens who have gone missing in our midst, hiding in plain sight. I hope that... A Guest Worker Amnesty Program is Disastrous for National SecurityBy Michael CutlerI testified today before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims on the topic, "Whether Attempted Implementation of the Senate Immigration Bill Will Result in an Administrative and National Security Nightmare." here is a segment... The Passport Requirement of the WHTI Needs to be Implemented Without DelayBy Michael CutlerI was quoted in the Canadian press concerning the arrest of 17 terrorism suspects in Canada several weeks ago. I was subsequently contacted by a staffer from the Canadian Senate who asked me to prepare a paper concerning my position... Top DHS Official Slams Security Loopholes in Senate BillBy Michael CutlerEmilio T. Gonzalez is the head of USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). He came from a lobbying organization, Tew-Cardenas LLP, where he had held the position of senior managing director of the firm's governmental affairs practice group. When... Are We Allowing Iranian Terrorists to Infiltrate While We Plan for War?By Michael CutlerRepresentatives of Iran have said that while the United States may possess the ability to inflict pain on Iran, Iran has the ability to cause pain to the United States. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the Pentagon has... So Now Mexico's President Wants to Stop "OTMs" From Illegally Entering Mexico...By Michael CutlerThis article, "Fox vows crackdown on own illegals," is of particular interest because now President Fox of Mexico is promising to make a concerted effort to keep aliens from other countries from getting into Mexico to help secure our nation... Will We Allow Illegal "Other Than Mexicans" to Remain as "Guest Workers?"By Michael CutlerI have linked to an interesting story ("Non-Mexican migrants 'rent a family' to avoid deportation") that manages to combine a number of immigration issues in one fell swoop. It shows the burgeoning problem that so-called OTMs ("Other Than Mexican") aliens... How Many Terrorist Watch "Hits" Were Illegal Aliens?By Michael CutlerHere is an interesting story ("6,000 terror watch list hits inside U.S.") that leads to more questions about the supposed strategy of our nation in defending itself against the next possible terrorist attack. It is clear that there are people... Flip-Flop on Guest Worker Program Endangers National SecurityBy Michael CutlerI am linking to an article ("View on Guest Workers Changes") that fills me with utter OUTRAGE! I cannot recall the last time that I started writing about a newspaper article with these words but I do not know how... DHS Agency Can't Handle Immigration Fraud CaseloadBy Michael CutlerA "Washington Times" article today, "Immigration agency falters in handling fraud cases," addresses an area of concern that I was greatly concerned about during virtually my entire career at the former INS that spanned some 30 years. I began my... Did the Accused Ohio Terrorists Commit Immigration Fraud?By Michael CutlerWhile much has been made about a need to secure the physical borders of the United States, especially the border that is supposed to separate the United States from Mexico (and clearly does not), the way in which we fail... Al Gore's Outrageous Comments Remind Us of Clinton Administration's Politicization of ImmigrationBy Michael CutlerI have made the point repeatedly that Democrats and Republicans have contributed to the lunacy that passes for immigration policy and that has resulted in the utter chaos that now threatens the sovereignty and security of our nation especially as... Deportation Points to Continuing Immigration VulnerabilitiesBy Michael CutlerI saw the news about the deportation of an Iraqi with ties to a senior al Qaeda operative suspected of helping plan the attacks on the USS Cole in 2000 and the U.S. embassy bombings in 1998. It is well... Proposed FY 2007 Budget Insufficient for Immigration Enforcement & Fraud DetectionBy Michael CutlerThe Bush Administration's budget for FY 2007 has been released and where immigration is concerned, all I can say is, here we go again! You can download the overview of the entire appropriations request for DHS below, and I have... Why is DHS turning border security over to the private sector?By Michael CutlerHere is an article that should surprise me, but I am absolutely beyond being surprised where immigration law enforcement is concerned. We have read a number of stories about how our government has squandered many millions of dollars on cameras... President Bush's Speech: What About Terrorist Infiltration Through Our Borders?By Michael CutlerAs you know, I generally focus on immigration-related articles because of my long years of experience in dealing with immigration. Today however, I will break with that tradition but simply discuss my reaction to the President's State of the Union... Columbia Passport Ring Bust Another Reason to End Visa Waiver ProgramBy Michael CutlerRepeat after me, "The Visa Waiver Program endangers our nation and our citizens!" If you don't agree with that statement, or if you do not understand the reason I am this emphatic about the Visa Waiver Program, I want you... Will "Paperless" Visa Applications Disable Terrorism Investigations?By Michael CutlerI read this article about the institution of a "paperless" U.S. visa application system, and once again I am not convinced that our government is going what it really needs to do in order to protect us from terrorists and... Washington Lobbyist Leading Key Immigration Agency - Misplaced Focus Will Endanger SecurityBy Michael CutlerIt is now official: USCIS, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the branch of the Department of Homeland Security that is charged with adjudicating applications for a wide variety of immigration benefits has a new chief, Emilio T. Gonzalez.... Another Revelation of Lack of Immigration EnforcementBy Michael CutlerI have often made the point that in order to protect our nation from terrorists and criminals our nation needs to do more than hire more Border Patrol agents and fortify our nation's borders. While the borders most certainly do... Deportation of MWL Director Proves Importance of Immigration Enforcement in Terrorism FightBy Michael CutlerI came across this article in today's Washington Times, which clearly shows how critical the enforcement of immigration laws can be to the "War on Terror." I find it interesting and perhaps a bit flattering that a spokesperson for ICE... U.S. House Should Pass Border Protection ActBy Michael CutlerThe U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to vote on H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Here is a link to the act from the House Rules Committee website (Acrobat file). I hope... Suspected Belgian Terrorists & Suicide Bomber Could Have Entered U.S. Without VisaBy Michael CutlerOn Thursday I saw a report on CNN about a woman who detonated a bomb she was carrying in an attempt to kill American soldiers in Iraq. Fortunately she did not kill anyone but herself. What was particularly disturbing about... President Bush Can't Simultaneously Remove and Reward Illegal AliensBy Michael CutlerThe President is attempting to do something that is physically impossible - he appears to want to be, or at least appear to be, in two places at one time. On the one hand, he claims he want to see... TSA's mistaken move in easing security delays for frequent fliersBy Michael CutlerWe are still allegedly engaged in a "War on Terror" yet our borders are anything but secure. We have a Visa Waiver Program that permits aliens from 27 countries plus Canada to enter the United States without first applying for... Arrests of naturalized Chinese more proof of DHS problemsBy Michael CutlerThis is the second time in the last couple of months that we have seen a news story about naturalized United States citizens who have spied on our country. The linked article reports on a spy ring that consisted of... State Department's Management of "J Visa" Program Enables Terrorist InfiltrationBy Michael CutlerToday we will focus on a GAO report that delves into the "J Visa" Program. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the alphabet soup of visas, the J visa is one that is issued by the United States... Proposed Bill Would Tackle Deficiencies in Immigration Fraud & EnforcementBy Michael CutlerAs you know, for quite some time I have been attempting to get our political leaders live up to their respective oaths of office and secure our nation's borders and deal with other areas of the immigration system that have... Are Immigrations Officials Rubber-Stamping Green Cards Just to Meet Quotas?By Michael CutlerHere we go again! More tales of incompetence by a division of an agency that has been given the name, "Department of Homeland Security." These stories about virtually nonexistent borders, lawyers accused of collaborating with clients to secure residency based... U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Corruption Promotes Rampant Immigration FraudBy Michael CutlerYesterday's Washington Times story, about employees of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS) allegedly exchanging immigration benefits for sex and accepting bribes, should be of great concern to all of us. It fills me with anger, frustration and a... Castorena Crime Family: Intersection of Immigration Fraud, Identity Theft, & TerrorismBy Michael CutlerI recently received an article about the Castorena Family Criminal Organization that appeared in an Arizona Newspaper. In checking through ICE press releases I came upon the fact sheet that was published by ICE about this organization. Undoubtedly ICE is... Congress Should Unite ICE & CBP (Amended Title)By Michael CutlerToday's Washington Times includes an article about a recent report released by the DHS Office of the Inspector General that was critical of the current structure, in which two separate agencies share the responsibilities for enforcing the immigration laws of... Foreign "Hurricane Relief Workers" Allowed Entry With Virtually NO ScreeningBy Michael CutlerI was sent this memo that, according to sources whom I trust, is an authentic memorandum concerning immigration policy and relief workers seeking to enter the United States. It is highly disturbing, and the only good that might come out... Changes in DHS Border Security Are Just a Bandage, Not a StrategyBy Michael CutlerThe article in yesterday's "New York Times" (in which I was quoted) on the changes announced at the Homeland Security Department to improve border security enforcement shows that while many of our nation's leaders pay lip service to the critical... Washington Times article: Colombia's FARC spreads in Central AmericaBy Michael CutlerThis article should make it crystal clear as to why we absolutely need to secure our border with Mexico. We are currently supposed to be engaged in two domestic wars- "The War on Drugs" and the ever popular "War on... Ahmed Omar Abu Ali and the Visa Waiver ProgramBy Michael CutlerToday the New York Times described Ahmed Omar Abu Ali as being a citizen of the United States, having been born in Houston, Texas. Clearly immigration law enforcement issues are not relevant in his case. However, his case raises a... Houston Chronicle article: Border travelers warned of violenceBy Michael CutlerThe article that appeared in Todays Houston Chronicle reported on the fact that on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 the United States Department of State issued a travel advisory to citizens of the United States because of increased violence in the... Washington Post article: D.C. Vendor Arrested in Marriage Fraud NetworkBy Michael CutlerImmigration benefit fraud is the issue that few, if any people talk about, but it is a very serious problem. The article I am attaching below, which ran in today's Washington Post, reports on a marriage fraud ring that helped... Washington Times article: Border Patrol grabs 1.15 million illegals in '04By Michael CutlerThe apprehension of Illegal aliens, including those with serious criminal histories, on our nation's borders by the Border Patrol is up by 24% and the interdiction by the Border Patrol and CBP inspectors of some $1.62 billion of narcotics last year show that our borders are under attack by smugglers and criminals. You cannot secure your house if you cannot lock the door. We cannot protect our nation against terrorists if we cannot secure our clearly porous borders. Washington Times Op-ed by Michael Cutler on the President's proposal for a guest worker programBy Michael Cutlerwww.washtimes.com/commentary/20041212-102706-9838r.htm The President has painted an optimistic picture about his proposed guest worker program that would enable aliens who are illegally in the United States to be gainfully employed. The President says that this program would enable the Border Patrol... |