Law enforcement confirms convicted fraudster behind anti-Muslim movie

Innocence of Muslims. (Screenshot from YouTube video/NewsPoliticsNow3)

TAGS: Movies, Conflict, Religion, Scandal, Africa,Protest, Politics, USA, Police

 

Law enforcement has confirmed that the anti-Muslim movie blamed for attacks at US diplomatic buildings around the world was made by Los Angeles filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.

The Associated Press reported early Thursday that Nakoula, 55, is responsible for the “Innocence of Muslims,” the film that was said to ridicule the prophet Muhammad and, in turn, prompt violent assaults on US land overseas, including missions in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and the US Embassy in Yemen.

Nakoula gave an interview to the AP on Wednesday and insisted that he managed logistics for the firm that produced the film, but denied any role as a director, a position that had been linked to a man using the name Sam Bacile. The AP claims to have traced the cell phone number provided to them as Bacile’s back to the same Los Angeles area home where they had earlier met with Nakoula.

Hours later on Thursday, a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to the AP that Nakoula was in fact behind the production of the film to a degree must larger than he claimed.

During their investigation, the AP identified Nakoula as an ex-con who had been convicted of bank fraud. He described himself as a Coptic Christian and had connections with Morris Sadek, a conservative practicing member of the religion who had promoted “Innocence of Muslims,” in the days before the film is believed to have sparked outrage overseas.

On their part, LA Weekly claims to have successfully tied Nakoula to Media for Christ, a company that described itself as “established to become the light that shows Jesus Christ to all human beings” that is also listed on the permit obtained to film the flick.

Since the attacks on US diplomatic establishments this week, the cast involved in the film have condemned the movie, issuing a joint-statement saying they feel that they were taken advantage of by the producer.

“We are 100 percent not behind this film and were grossly misled about its intent and purpose,” the statement read.

A July 2011 call for work placed in Backstage magazine described the movie as a “historical Arabian Desert adventure film,” that was looking to cast for the roles of George, “a strong leader, romantic, tyrant, a killer with no remorse,” and Assad, a “bearded tribe leader” with an “Israeli accent.”

The actors who participated in the film said that they were not aware that the film mocked Muhammad and that extra lines were added and dubbed into Egyptian Arabic in post-production.

Cindy Lee Garcia, an actress in the film, tells AP, “there was never any mention of Muhammad, Muslims or anything like that in the film. I was just playing the role of a mother.”

“We were supposed to be playing a film of how life was 2,000 years ago,” she claims.

Garcia says that when she confronted the director for an explanation over the final product, he told her to clear her name and explained that he was motivated because, “I’m tired of the radical Muslims running around killing everyone.”

SOURCE

US questions Muslim Brotherhood’s Twitter inconsistency over Cairo ‘turbulence’

AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki

TRENDS:Arab world protests

TAGS: Religion, Scandal, Protest, Politics, USA,Social networks, Egypt

 

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is in an awkward position after the US Embassy in Cairo noted a stark difference in tone regarding the recent attack on the American diplomatic mission in the party’s official English and Arabic Twitter feeds.

Khairat el-Shater, the Brotherhood’s deputy head, was quoted in its official English-language Twitter account, @Ikwanweb, as saying he was “relieved none of @USembassycairo staff was hurt” in the Tuesday attack. El-Shater said in the post that he hoped US-Egyptian relations would not be rocked by the “turbulence.”

The US Embassy in Cairo was quick to respond, thanking @Ikanweb. “By the way, have you checked out your own Arabic feeds? I hope you know we read those too,” the tweet continued.

The Brotherhood shot back, “We understand you’re under a lot of stress, but it will be more helpful if you point out exactly the Arabic feed of concern.”

Recent tweets from the Brotherhood’s official Arabic Twitter feed have included messages applauding the violent demonstrations, like “Egyptians revolt for the Prophet’s victory in front of US embassy.”

Meanwhile, the group’s leaders have called on supporters across Egypt to attend a demonstration in Cairo Friday in response to an obscure American-made movie portraying Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, as a child molester.

A version of the film dubbed to Arabic was aired on Egyptian television months after the original sat largely unwatched on YouTube, causing outrage among conservative Muslims in the region and sparking protests in Egypt as well as Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen.

Egypt, which receives more than a billion dollars in aid annually from the United States, is now headed by President Mohamed Morsi, who emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood to head the Freedom and Justice Party, winning a national election after a popular revolt overthrew the government of President Hosni Mubarak last year.

US President Barack Obama said in a recent interview with Telemundo that while today’s Egypt is not exactly an ally,“we don’t consider them an enemy.”

In any case, Obama has called on his colleagues in Egypt and Libya to provide extra protection for American diplomatic stations in their countries after a US ambassador and three of his staff were killed as the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya came under attack on Tuesday.

SOURCE

Muslim Brotherhood Rising’: Jihadists Coordinating Attacks

 

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Terrorism analyst and Act for America President Brigitte Gabriel says the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Libya and the U.S. Embassy in Egypt were coordinated, and more may be coming.

“Jihadists are organizing together, and they’re communicating with one another through the Internet,” she told WND today following the murder of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in Libya.

Through their websites and networks, Gabriel said, “we are seeing the Muslim Brotherhood rising all across the Middle East,” where it has had an active presence for the past 30 years.

The Associated Press reported authorities are investigating the possibility the attack today was coordinated, and they warn that the next target for violent Muslims could be the U.S. embassy in Algeria.

The AP said various jihadist groups have engaged in online chatter about ongoing protests at U.S. embassies, and an intelligence report said Algerians plan to storm the U.S. Embassy today.

The statement cited a Facebook page for a German-speaking Muslim cleric based in Tripoli who is promoting violence online.

Further, WTOP-TV in Washington reported sources saying the attacks did not “appear to be a random mob scene, but rather an opportunity that militants seized.”

The Islamic attackers used a rocket-propelled grenade, a weapon not traditionally carried by protesters, the report said.

In Cairo, mobs of angry protesters invaded the U.S. Embassy compound, and at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, attackers killed four Americans, including the ambassador.

The Cairo mob lowered U.S. flags and hoisted a black Islamic flag instead.

Reports said the crowds were angry about an anti-Muhammad film that was allegedly produced in the U.S.

However, Gabriel and former PLO operative Walid Shoebat said the protest was a pretext for an attack and the beginning of a wider political movement.

Shoebat told WND the notion that the film was the main reason for the attack is “rubbish.”

“There is nothing about that specific movie in their publicity,” he said. ‘It was about trying to suppress voices and freedom of speech.”

He said a translated advertisement that ran on Sept. 10 asked people to rally at the U.S. Embassy.

“The Salafists Nour joined the Voice of Shikma, the Voice of Wisdom. Wisam Abdul Waris called for the whole thing. The idea was to create a revolution in front of the embassy,” Shoebat said.

Shoebat bases his analysis on a translation of the statement calling for the protest.

“The Arabic sources show that this was in support of al-Qaida day, posting al-Qaida flags and some of the chanting was about reminding Americans that there are many al-Qaldas (i.e. Nour Party),” Shoebat said in the interview.

The statement is also posted on his website.

The film in question is a 2011 release called, “The Innocence of the Muslims,” made available on You Tube in early 2012.

Shoebat emphasizes that the film is merely a pretext for pushing worldwide Shariah Law.

“They want to … create havoc so that they can enforce the idea to make it illegal to insult Islam and the prophet Muhammad any time,” Shoebat said.

Gabriel agrees that the joint attacks on the embassy in Cairo and the consulate in Libya are part of a wider agenda.

“They used the movie as an excuse. Remember the Muslim Brotherhood has organized networks all over the Internet. Jihadists communicate with each other and basically they were looking for an excuse,” Gabriel said.

“The embassy has been under threat from radicals as was reported by newspapers in Egypt,” Gabriel said. “Islamic Jihad has been expressing in letters to the embassy that they wanted to burn the embassy unless the U.S. releases all of the Islamic prisoners including the Blind Sheikh,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel noted that the release of Omar Abdel Rahman, the “Blind Sheik” behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, is also one of the demands of Egypt’s new president, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi.

Morsi asked for the release of Rahman after he was elected in June. When the jihadists saw there was no response, they attacked the embassy, Gabriel explained.

An Egyptian citizen who lives in Cairo and who asked not to be named for security reasons agrees that the attack was not spontaneous.

“It was orchestrated by the Muslim Brotherhood and the MB youth and Salafists,” the Cairo resident told WND. “There were about 1,000 protesters during the height of the protest.”

“Planning for this attack has been going on for a while,” Shoebat added.

He said an attack on an embassy on Sept. 11 was more than a coincidence.

“They chose 9/11 to basically insult America. ‘We are all al-Qaida,’ is what was chanted. The object is to force the American government to create law to stop anyone who criticizes Islam,” Shoebat said.

“They know that humiliating Americans works. That’s why they chose 9/11 to carry out this attack,” Shoebat said.

Shoebat says the Cairo embassy statement was exactly what the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist protesters wanted.

The embassy statement read:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.

Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy.

Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

Shoebat says the impact of the statement is that the United States just promoted further attacks.

An intelligence analyst and military historian who asked to remain anonymous says that the U.S. Embassy statement had to be approved by a higher authority.

“For an embassy to release anything to the public, word has to come from high levels at the State Department, often after clearing it with the White House,” the analyst said.

Aidan Clay, Middle East analyst for the human rights group International Christian Concern, says that the situation is clear: The jihadists are gaining in power and influence.

“There’s no doubt that Islamists are becoming increasingly bolder throughout the Middle East. The rise of political Islam – the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis in Egypt, the Ennahda party in Tunisia, Islamist opposition groups in Syria – has been a main contributor,” Clay said.

“It would seem that the only groups benefiting from the newly gained freedoms after the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ have been radical Islamists who are now taking justice into their own hands,” he said.

“What’s more, these extremist mobs are often times protected by their own governments who either agree with their motives or cower to their growing influence,” Clay said.

http://www.wnd.com

Update: 4 Rioters Dead, 34 Wounded at US Embassy in Yemen

Yemeni police opened fire on a crowd attempting to storm the US Embassy in Sana’a.

Protesters climb US Embassy fence in Sana’a

Reuters

 

Yemeni police Thursday shot dead four protesters and wounded 34 others when they opened fire on a crowd attempting to storm the US embassy in Sana’a to protest a film mocking Islam, a security official said.

The White House, meanwhile, said it was doing everything it could to protect its diplomats in Yemen, where witnesses reported that roads leading to embassy were closed down as the area was calm later in the evening.

“Four people were killed and 34 others were wounded in the clashes that lasted from morning until late in the evening” in the area around the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, the official said, adding that eight of them were “seriosuly injured.”

Rioters chanting “O Messenger of Allah, O Mohammed…” launched a second assault on the American compound following an attack rebuffed by security forces earlier in the day.

President Abdurabuh Mansour Hadi apologized to U.S. President Barack Obama and to the American people for the acts of “a mob” and ordered an investigation into the attack.

“Those who are behind [this attack] are a mob that are not aware of the far-reaching plots of Zionist forces, especially those that made a film insulting the prophet,” Hadi said.

Some protesters said they saw three vehicles being torched by some of the demonstrators after they breached the compound through an unguarded security gate.

After being evicted from the complex on their first attempt, protesters retreated about 100 meters (330 yards) from the gate and gathered at a checkpoint where they chanted anti-Jewish slogans.

“O Jews, Khaybar, Khaybar. The army of Mohammed will return!” they chanted, referring to a 7th century CE war in the western Arabian Peninsula in which the Muslims were said to have defeated the Jews.

They then launched a second assault on the embassy compound, prompting police to fire on the crowd, killing one and wounding five others. Earlier in the day, six policeofficers and 13 protesters were wounded in clashes during the first attempted assault on the complex.

The attack on the U.S. Embassy in Yemen comes as violent demonstrations entered a third day at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, where security forces have been firing tear gas cannisters to maintain control over the mobs.

Meanwhile, Americans mourned the deaths of U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other American diplomats who were brutally murdered Tuesday night in a similar attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.

Protesters claimed the destruction of the consulate and torching of vehicles parked at the site was ignited by rage over an amateur satirical video produced in the United States that mocked the life of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed, founder of Islam, and included themes of sexuality, murder and violence.

But there is growing speculation that Al Qaeda terrorists were among the frenzied mob that carried out the murderous assault in Benghazi on Tuesday night, rather than simple demonstrators.

Moreover, there is increasing speculation that the continuing violence at other U.S. embassies around the region might signal a campaign of attacks previously promised by the international terrorist organization to mark the eleventh anniversary of its “9/11” attack on America.

Violence by hundreds of demonstrators has broken out at U.S. missions in Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen, as well as in Egypt and Libya this week, all using their rage over the film, “Innocence of Muslims” as the excuse for the riots.

The obscure film, allegedly produced by California real estate developer Sam Bacile, whose identity is becoming increasingly mysterious, as he cannot be located. The video was reportedly released at least six months ago in English, but went unnoticed until it was translated into Arabic and a trailer posted on the YouTube website a few days prior to September 11. Clips of the film were also apparently broadcast on an Egyptian television channel over the weekend. Coptic Christians have since been accused of promoting the film, as has controversial Florida-based Christian Pastor Terry Jones, who in the past burned copies of the Qur’an.

SOURCE

Tags: Egypt ,Cairo ,Yemen ,Sana’a ,US Embassy ,US consulate ,Al Qaeda,Christopher Stevens ,Libya ,Benghazi

Terrorists’ Goal: World Jihad in Sinai

International terrorist groups are working with Egyptian jihad cells to turn Sinai into a major terror center.

IsraelNationalNews 

By Maayana Miskin

First Publish: 8/14/2012, 9:31 PM

‘Jihad’ terrorist

Israel news sphoto: Flash 90

International terrorist groups with roots in Libya, Sudan and Iraq are working to take over the Sinai Peninsula, according to a report from the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. Efforts to turn the region into a major launching point for attacks are being encouraged by Al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri, it stated.

The report noted a recent attack near the border as evidence of terrorists’ attempts to take advantage of the anarchy and growing anger in Sinai.

Gaza terrorist groups are heavily involved, it noted. “Palestinian terrorist groups active in the Gaza strip are accessible to local Bedouin organizations in Sinai which affiliatethemselves with the global jihad, and have both financial and ideological motives.”

Hamas generally attempts to force international jihad terror groups, including “rebel” groups in Gaza, into following its relatively restrained approach to terrorism, the authors said. Hamas has occasionally declared ceasefires with Israel, apparently fearing a repeat of the Cast Lead counterterror operation of 2008-2009.

However, they continued, Hamas leaders are happy to see other groups carry out attacks with no “address” – that is, with no single known terrorist group behind them.

Such attacks have included rocket attacks, attacks on Israelis near the border, and weapons smuggling from Sinai to Israel.

“Hamas and other organizations are careful to hide this type of activity, and sometimes even to deny it, in order to avoid exposing themselves to an Israeli response,” they noted. In addition, the groups seek to avoid “complicating their relationships with Egypt, particularly in the era after the election of Mohammed Morsi as Egyptian president.”

Tags: Sinai Terrorism ,Sinai terror ,World Jihad ,Al Qaeda ,Hamas

Jihadist Tells Iran, Uprising in Jordan Can Help Crush Israel

An Islamic Jihad official tells Iran that a popular uprising in Jordan would break the last part of Israel‘s “security chain.”

 IsraelNationalNews

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

First Publish: 8/12/2012, 3:35 PM

Soldiers patrol Jordanian border

Israel news photo: IDF spokesmen

An Islamic Jihad official told Iran that a popular uprising in Jordan would break the last part of Israel’s security chain.”

Abu Sharif stressed that the recent popular uprisings in the region have harmed the interests of Israel, according to the Iran’s controlled FarsNews Agency.

“These developments (popular uprisings) in the region are in theinterest of the regional nations and against the interests of the Zionist regime and have disturbed the power balance between the supporters and opponents of the Zionist regime,” Abu Sharif said.

He cited the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 as the first of several events “inflicted great damage on Israel.” Abu Sharif continued, “The deterioration of relations between Turkey and Israel was the second blow at the regime and Mubarak’s fall in Egypt was another blow.

“If the regional changes reach Jordan, the Israeli regime will lose the last part of its security chain.”

Jordan and Egypt are Israel’s only neighbors with whom diplomatic relations have been established.

The 1979 treaty with Egypt has survived frigid relations in the latter part of Mubarak’s regime, and the Muslim Brotherhood victories in the Egyptian legislative and presidential elections have left the treaty in questionable terms. Egypt is not about to break it, if for no other reason than its economic value and because of political pressure from the United States, which is a major source of foreign aid to Cairo.

However, the terms of the treaty, particularly the extent of armed Egyptian soldiers in the terrorist-infested Sinai Peninsula, may be challenged by the new regime.

Relations with Jordan have been less noisy, but the majority of non-Jordanian Arabs, descendants from families who fled Israel in previous wars, have created a demographic and political time bomb for King Abdullah II.

To the north, Hizbullah controls southern Lebanon and Syria is engulfed n an all-out civil war. To the south, Israel faces Hamas terrorists in Gaza, and cells of Bedouin, Hamas and  Al Qaeda–linked terrorists in the Sinai.

The jihadists see an uprising in Jordan as leaving Israel surrounded by stated enemies with a common principle of annihilating Israel.

Tags: Arab Spring ,Jihad ,Jordan ,Iran

‘British-born jihadists fighting Assad in Syria’ – captured photographer

Published: RT 30 July, 2012, 08:01

Armed members of the Free Syrian Army are seen in the western border town of Zabadani in this undated still image taken from amateur video obtained by Reuters (Reuters / Reuters TV)

TRENDS:Syria unrest

TAGS: Conflict, Politics, War, Syria

 

Radical Islamists with “British accents” are among the coalition forces looking to topple Bashar Assad, says Jeroen Oerlemans, a photographer who was held hostage in Syria for a week. The UK Foreign Office has launched an investigation.

Oerlemans, a famous Dutch photo journalist, and John Cantlie, another photographer from the UK, were captured by a group of between 30 and 100 anti-Assad fighters when crossing the Syrian border from Turkey last week. They were then blindfolded.

“One of the black jihadists freaked out and shouted: ‘These are journalists and now they will see we are preparing an international jihad in this place.‘” Oerlemans told NRC Handelsblatt newspaper. He said that none of the fighters was Syrian.

“They all claimed they came from countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh and Chechnya and they said there was some vague ‘emir’ at the head of the group.”

About 40 per cent of the militants spoke English. In fact, several apparently talked with recognizable regional British accents, from Birmingham and London.

The two photographers suspected that a ransom would be demanded for their release and tried to escape. Oerlemans was shot twice in the leg during the failed attempt and Cantlie, who has so far not spoken to any media, was wounded in the arm.

The pair’s ordeal ended when the Free Syrian Army, the main anti-Assad force, demanded that their nominal allies hand them over.

“They took us with them like a bunch of gangsters,” Oerlemans said, “Shooting in the air as we rode out of there.”

The Free Syrian Army released the men and the two are now resting in Turkey. They expect to travel home in the coming days.

If it is confirmed, Oerleman’s story will add to reports that Syria has become a magnet for radical Islamists, who are there either as mercenaries or because of ideology.

“As soon as Assad has fallen, these fighters want to introduce Islamic law, Sharia, in Syria,” said Oerlemans.

Terrorist ‘Served Time in Gitmo’

Bulgarian media says terrorist who murdered 7 is Global Jihadist who served 1 year in Guantanamo.

IsraelNationalNews 

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 7/19/2012, 7:17 PM

Aftermath of bombing at Burgas

Reuters

Bulgarian media says the terroristwho murdered 7 people Wednesday at Burgas was Mehdi Mohammed Ghazali, who belonged to the Global Jihad.

According to these reports, which are unconfirmed, Ghazali was arrested in 2009 in southern Pakistan together with his wife and several other people, including seven Turkish nationals with false documents.

Ghazali is reportedly a Swedish citizen, with Algerian and Finnish origins, and had been held at the United States’ Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba from 2002 to 2004.

Previously, he reportedly studied at a Muslim religious school and mosque in Britain, and traveled to Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

If the report is true, it may mean that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was too quick to blame Iran and Hizbullah for the attack, or that the connection between Iran and the attack is a hidden one. In any case, the attack appears to have been timed to coincide exactly with the 18th anniversary of the very deadly AMIA attack in Buenos Aires, which was perpetrated by Iran and Hizbullah.

Israeli Terror Bombing Victims in Bulgaria Prepare to Come Home

Israelis wounded in the massive suicide bombing Wednesday are set to depart for home within hours, according to an Israeli military source.

 IsraelNationalNews

By Chana Ya’ar

First Publish: 7/19/2012, 9:58 AM

Israeli terror survivor leaves hospital in Burgas

Reuters

Israelis wounded in the massive suicide bombing that killed six and wounded 32 others are set to depart for home in three hours, according to an Israeli military source.

The terror attack in Bulgaria was carried out by a suicide bomber, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Thursday morning, as authorities develop a picture of exactly how six Israelis were killed when abus blew up at Sofia’s Sarafovo Airport. The terrorist was carrying a U.S. passport and driver’s license from Michigan, Bulgarian officials said, which turned out to be a fake.

Earlier reports said that the bus had been blown up by an explosive device set off remotely.

The victims, who will be leaving from Burgas, are being organized and cared for by Israeli army medical teams that arrived on the scene.

“We have landed in Bulgaria and are starting to assemble the wounded,” an IDF spokesperson told reporters. The survivors were boarding a Hercules transport aircraft during the morning hours at the Burgas airport.

They will be flown back in Israeli Air Force aircraft, and are expected to arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

Among those caring for the victims are some 30 officers and soldiers. Included in the teams are trauma experts, surgeons and anesthesiologists who will care for the patients until they arrive in Israel.

According to Bulgarian sources, 32 Israelis were wounded in the attack. The most seriously injured will be transported by Israeli medics to a hospital in Sofia, Bulgarian media reported.

FBI investigating over 100 suspected Islamic jihadists in U.S. military

Posted by Jihad Watch

But doing anything other than assuming the loyalty of Muslims in the military would be “Islamophobic.” It would be better for hundreds or thousands die in a jihad attack by one of these Muslims in the military than for military officials to commit an act of “Islamophobia.” Death (other peoples’) before political incorrectness! “FBI Tracking 100 Suspected Extremists In Military,” by Dina Temple-Raston for NPR, June 25 (thanks to Holly):

The FBI has conducted more than 100 investigations into suspected Islamic extremists within the military, NPR has learned. About a dozen of those cases are considered serious.

That probably means that the other 88 and more include Muslims in the military who said or wrote something pro-jihad or anti-American, but who don’t seem to be planning an attack or communicating with “dangerous individuals” right now. What they might do tomorrow is anybody’s guess.

Officials define that as a case requiring a formal investigation to gather information against suspects who appear to have demonstrated a strong intent to attack military targets. This is the first time the figures have been publicly disclosed.The FBI and Department of Defense call these cases “insider threats.” They include not just active and reserve military personnel but also individuals who have access to military facilities such as contractors and close family members with dependent ID cards.

Officials would not provide details about the cases and the FBI would not confirm the numbers, but they did say that cases seen as serious could include, among others things, suspects who seem to be planning an attack or were in touch with “dangerous individuals” who were goading them to attack.

Details Revealed At Closed Congressional Hearing

The FBI and the Department of Defense declined to discuss the figures on the record, but three sources with direct knowledge confirmed that the numbers were revealed in a closed session of a House-Senate committee hearing in December. The FBI also declined to say whether it has compiled more up-to-date figures since that time.

Why is it only coming out now?

“I was surprised and struck by the numbers; they were larger than I expected,” Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, told NPR. He stopped short of confirming the numbers….The FBI compiled its tally of Islamic extremist cases in the military late last year for a joint hearing that Lieberman co-chaired. The hearing was looking at possible threats to military communities inside the United States, and the number of cases was revealed at that time….

“This number speaks not only to the reality that there is a problem of violent Islamic extremists in the military, but also that the Department of Defense and the FBI since the Nidal Hassan case are working much more closely together,” said Lieberman.

Officials stressed that the FBI and the Department of Defense track all kinds of extremism within the military community from white supremacists to neo-Nazis, not just Islamic extremists.

Yes, of course. Mustn’t appear “Islamophobic.” After all, the KKK has tried to pull off so many terror attacks in the U.S. military lately.

But the Fort Hood shooting inspired new reporting procedures aimed at catching plots before they unfold. Since 2001, law enforcement officials have foiled and prosecuted more than 30 plots or attacks against military targets within the United States.A Conviction Last Month

Just last month, an AWOL Muslim soldier named Naser Abdo was convicted of plotting to attack Fort Hood. Officers found components for an explosive device in Abdo’s hotel room not far from the base.

Abdo told the judge that the plot was supposed to exact some “justice” for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. In an audio recording played during the trial, Abdo said his Islamic faith was part of the reason he planned the attack….

But remember: unless you pretend that he didn’t say that or didn’t mean it, or that he is yet another Misunderstander of Islam, you’re a greasy Islamophobe.