Revolting Geek Of Mass Proportions Update (not long before his conversion to Islam, Adam Gadahn wrote in a letter: "I am now, as ever, a revolting geek of mass proportions"). Gadahn, you may recall, is the Al-Qaeda operative who has been indicted for treason -- and who, in a videotape introduced by Ayman al-Zawahri himself, was kind enough to invite me personally, along with a few others, to accept Islam.
Anyway, Gadahn -- "Azzam the American" -- has been profiled in a fascinating New Yorker piece, which I recommend reading in its entirety, as it is full of illuminating information. And now the Minority Report blog (thanks to DFS) has highlighted one largely overlooked little detail: a bogus charity founded by Al-Qaeda operatives and including Gadahn received California state funding for a time. Minority Report doesn't say, and I am not saying, that California state officials were in cahoots with Al-Qaeda; I am sure this was a case of indifference and ignorance, and an anxiety to "reach out to the Muslim community." California officials no doubt had no idea of the connections of the people they were dealing with.
And that's the problem.
Here is the relevant section of the (much larger) New Yorker piece:
In the late nineties, the National Security Council, concerned about possible terrorist attacks around the millennium, asked a team of private terrorism analysts to investigate Deek and Diab’s activities. Rita Katz, who is now the director of the SITE Institute, a nonprofit group that monitors jihadi communiqués on the Internet, led the investigation. (Katz showed me a videotape of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman’s 1992 lecture at the Islamic Society.) Katz knew that Deek had obtained American citizenship, and she learned from intelligence reports that he had connections to a terrorist cell based in Montreal. (The cell included Ahmed Ressam, who was involved in the millennium plot to blow up Los Angeles International Airport.) Katz suspected that Deek was working as a coördinator for Al Qaeda groups in the West. She discovered that he had collaborated with Diab in California; the two men had set up a bogus nonprofit group, called Charity Without Borders, in Diab’s name, and Diab had even managed to obtain grants for it from the state. (Gadahn is listed as “crew member” in the charity’s official documents.) Deek and Diab paid the rent on the apartment where Gadahn lived, according to Diab’s ex-wife, and purchased a beat-up Audi for the men to share. Gadahn did not have a license, but he often drove the car on errands.
This week's "New Yorker" mag has a big article on this meshugana Adam Perlman (Gahdahn)
Dennis:
You seem not to have noticed that the entire post above is based on that New Yorker article, which is mentioned several times in it.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
A letter to the editor in the January 15th issue of the New Yorker reveals more "indifference and ignorance."
A Study of War
As George Parker writes, a counter-insurgency policy that pays attention to local values and needs is certainly better than one that relies on unexamined assumptions and brute force ("Knowing the Enemy" December 18th). But it is not surprising that anthropologists are reluctant to participate in the military's new initiatives. Our research relies on the trust of the people we are studying; a hidden counter-insurgency agenda destroys that trust. Further, the mission is impossible: to "win" a war that posits an amorphous yet ubiquitous "evil" as our adversary.
Perhaps the American values, goals, and beliefs that propel us toward such a war should be analyzed alongside the values, goals and beliefs of those we seek to defeat.
Charles Lindholm
University Professor of Anthropology
Boston University
Boston, Mass.
I wonder if Adam's parents ever think, Dammit I knew we shouldn't have let him play Dungeons and Dragons and that stupid Ouija board. This is a first rate geek with no friends that latched onto the first people to embrace him, too bad it was satan. Have fun burning in hell forever Adam...
Choice of the "beat-up Audi" is always a signal to me. I'm very much a car guy. Notice it didn't say a beat-up old car.
There is a certain personality that I look for in that particular car. One of the reasons is that my sister, a PHD, tried to keep her diesel Audi, a beat-up car when she acquired it, running for a long time. I noticed that she hob-knobbed with her university faculty cohorts a lot. She is a very much an idealistic driven person. This goes along with her religious thinking outlined every Sunday with her gay minister.
I tried to explain to her the danger we were facing with Islam. She politely told me that this worry was for the next generation. She did this at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Her two sons, my nephews, sat there looking at me in a stunned silence.
As one of my car-dealer friends says, "You are what you drive!" I don't mean to impune the nature of Audi drivers, however the brand of car and condiditon, together tell me a lot about the person.
This was an interesting read, but points out the greatest problem facing the non-muslim world – self-denial and willful ignorance brought about and confounded by the elites’ doctrines of diversity and political correctness and rejection of reality in favor of utopia nonsense
:
In the article, a federal law enforcement official (supposedly) cannot understand how someone could; 1. convert – but not to “mainstream islam” but to some other form of islam, and 2. how does this happen?
The answers are not difficult to find and in this article are given to readers – among whom – it is hoped are similar federal officials still seeking answers to the same questions which they haven’t found since 11 September, 2001: In the words of a itinerate imam and infamous convicted, imprisoned terrorist, sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a.k.a. ‘Blind Sheikh’ (the islamists responsible for WTC I and who most likely had a role in WTC II), “If you are not going to the jihad, then you are neglecting the rules of Allah”. This was spoken before an audience which contained Adam the Traitor and another imam Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi who –coincidentally- was allowed into the National Cathedral as well as the White House – right after September, 11 to declare that it had nothing to do with “real islam” (and was apparently a reason why GWB has not seen the light of true islam – since either).
The usual – “terrorism is not committed by muslims” part with the OKC bombing –is also inserted into the article and of course – to remind everyone that it is not only that “other islam” that promotes and condones such acts but other religious radicals as well. Federal law enforcement as well as elected federal officials – apparently agree with this while ignoring extensive research, documentation, and countless corroborated evidence by independent witnesses- indicating many links to mid-east (i.e. jihadi) assistance in that act.
And on and on…
How much longer will federal law enforcement, intelligence, judicial officials as well as elected politician continue to ignore what is right in front of their eyes?
Robert
The book is in paperback already? Looks like, from the photo.
If choosing to "join our enemy and to provide it with aid and comfort" via "propaganda" constitutes treason--as well it should--then how many more Muslims in this country should be charged with treason as well? Maybe start with the entire leadership of CAIR?
Infidel Pride:
It isn't. That's just how it was Photoshopped.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
New Yorker:
How not to use the scientific method.
Someone should photoshop a burning cigarette between the fingers of Adam Gadahn, along with the book in that picture, it would be funnier.
As one of my car-dealer friends says, "You are what you drive!" I don't mean to impune the nature of Audi drivers, however the brand of car and condiditon, together tell me a lot about the person.
Posted by: credit man
And what about drivers of saabs and volvos?
Someone should photoshop a burning cigarette between the fingers of Adam Gadahn, along with the book in that picture, it would be funnier.
Posted by: Jimmy the Dhimmi
A big fat joint between thumb and forefinger on his left hand would be appropriate.
The Catholic church has said that religion must conform to science. Political Correctness says the opposite. PC faith is to deny what everyone knows and which has been proven over and over.
TINBH,
I got a laugh out of your string of oxymorons
"federal law enforcement, intelligence, judicial officials"
Thanks for the chuckle.
Just signed in and want to say thanks to all that contribute here. It is very strange and weird to me knowing we are at war and few know about it. We even let "them" in. Very strange and weird to me. Said that again! Guess I'm like one of those old time records that would get stuck and say..."I don't believe what...I don't believe what...etc.
We Win!