(Analyst's note: Absolutely must read. This author understands the issues. Please consider reading the entire article and consider carefully his points. If you only have time for one article -- this is it.)
There is mounting evidence that the global Jihadist insurgency is fully entrenched in the United States After the Fort Hood massacre news services seem divided between those hell-bent-for-leather on denying that the Fort Hood massacre was a case of anything other than a persecuted loner "snapping" and those who proclaimed it the first "terrorist" attack on U.S. soil since September 11th.
This focus is wrong. Fort Hood was an act of Jihad and that's really all that matters: It is essential that we find out how extensive Nidal Malik Hasan's ties to other Jihadists were. Of this there can be no doubt.
But we must refrain from entering into a debate on what amounts largely to semantics about whether or not the Fort Hood massacre was an act of "terrorism." We need to get away from focusing on the term "terrorism" anyway. Some observers still don't consider the 1983 Beirut Barracks bombing by Hezbollah, which killed 241 Marines, sailors and soldiers, an act of "terrorism" because, by some widely recognized definitions, attacks on combatants cannot be termed "terrorism."
The Fort Hood massacre and the attack on the Marine Barracks were acts of Jihad. The Jihadis themselves don't refer to themselves as "terrorists." But they most assuredly refer to themselves as "Jihadis." We should let them own that title.
This was never a war on "terrorism." Jihad is being waged against us and we have tied ourselves in knots to deny that reality. Moreover, Fort Hood was hardly the first act of Jihad on US soil since September 11th. A few examples come to mind:
- The Anthrax Attacks (Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I do NOT buy the official line on these attacks, but that's a subject for another time and place.)
- The DC "Sniper" Shootings (There is a great deal of evidence that John Mohammed carried out these attacks in the name of Allah.)
- The LAX Shooting at the El Al Ticket Counter
Note that whether the perpetrators are members of a previously known terrorist organization (such as al Qaeda) or were lone actors, these were still acts of Jihad.
It is difficult to combat a shadowy organization like al Qaeda, but it is far more difficult to prevent "lone wolf" actors from attacking. Al Qaeda may be difficult to infiltrate and gather intelligence on, but how do we "infiltrate" a lone Jihadist?
This is symptomatic of a revolutionary Jihadist subculture metastasizing within the American Muslim community, especially within its mosques and organizations. This revolutionary subculture has produced an atmosphere in which Muslims are inspired to act violently. This is a very dangerous and volatile situation.
Over the last 12 months alone, we have been provided with a stack of evidence of the Jihadist insurgency inside America. Americans have largely ignored this evidence, or at least failed to "connect the dots." Seemingly completely unrelated cases do in fact have common threads: they are acts of Jihad.
I decided to go back and research examples of Jihad in America over the last 12 months, roughly December 1, 2008 to December 1, 2009. Here is a list of incidents, cases, actions, statements and plots which point to a Jihadist insurgency in our midst (Keep in mind that insurgencies are both civilizational/political and violent/militant.).
The list is compiled in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most recent items are listed first. We no doubt left out some cases. I believe that all of these cases and incidents brought together on a single listing will prompt most readers to conclude that the magnitude of the threat we face inside the United States is greater than they previously believed.
NOVEMBER 2009
- Ten Indicted in Philadelphia in Case Involving Material Support for Jihadist Terrorist Group Hezbollah
- Terrorism Charges Unsealed in Minnesota Against 8 Somali Members of Jihadist Terrorist Group al-Shabaab
- Feds in New York Move to Seize Assets of Iran-tied Alavi Foundation
- Nidal Malik Hasan Kills 13, Wounds 20 In Shooting Rampage at Fort Hood, Texas
OCTOBER 2009
- U.S. Jails Al Qaeda Sleeper Agent (Ali al-Marri was previously held in brig at Charleston, SC Naval Station)
- Two Chicago Men Charged in Jihadist Terrorist Plot in Denmark
- Eleven Members of Jihadist Group Arrested in Detroit; Imam Killed in Shootout with FBI (Luqman Ameen Abdullah Shot and Killed FBI Dog During Arrest)
- Boston Muslim Charged in Plot to Kill Shoppers, Troops
- Three Ohio Residents Sentenced in Plot to Commit Terrorist Acts Against Americans Overseas
- Massachusetts Man Charged With Conspiracy to Provide Material Support for Terrorists
- University of California-Irvine Files Complaint with Feds that Muslim Student Union Raised Money for Jihadist Terrorist organization HAMAS
SEPTEMBER 2009
- Najibullah Zazi of Colorado Indicted in New York for Conspiracy to Use Explosives Against Persons or Property (Zazi had contact with Al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan). (More here and here)
- Illinois Jihadist Arrested in Plot to Bomb Illinois Federal Building
- Jordanian Muslim Arrested After Placing Inactive Bomb in Dallas High-Rise
- Lebanese-born Swede Sentenced to Life in Prison for Oregon Terrorist Training Camp Plot
- Three British Muslims Convicted In Plot to Bomb Airliners Bound for America (Plot could have killed 10,000)
- Apostate from Islam, Rifqa Bary, Flees Family After Her Father Threatens Her
AUGUST 2009
- Member of Prison Islamist Group Sentenced to 70 Months for Plot to Kill Jews, Attack Military Bases
- Atlanta Muslim, Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, Convicted of Supporting Foreign Terrorist Organization (Supported Lashkar-e-Tayyiba which carried out Mumbai attack)
- German Jihadists Describe Hatred of US as Reason for Terror Plot
- Yemeni Sheikh Pleads Guilty to Aiding HAMAS in New York Court
JULY 2009
- "Shoe Bomber" Richard Reid Sues to Resume Jihad From Prison
- The Odyssey of a Jihadist: From Long Island to Pakistan. (More here and here)
- Seven Charged in North Carolina for Terrorism (Plot to attack Marine Corps Base Quantico) (More here)
- American Al Qaeda Jihadist Sentenced to Life for Bush Assassination Plot
- Hizb ut-Tahrir Jihadi Conference Held in Chicago
JUNE 2009
- New Jersey Muslim Convicted of Providing Material Support to Jihadist Terrorist Group Hezbollah
- Tennessee Muslim Convert Kills One Soldier, Wounds Another Outside Little Rock Recruiting Office
- Ex-Georgia Tech Student Convicted on Terrorism Charges
MAY 2009
- Texas Muslim Charity Officials Sentenced to 65 Years for Financing HAMAS Jihadist Terrorist Organization
- New York Jihadist Plot to Target Synagogues Disrupted
- Canadian from Somalia Living in Minneapolis Pleads Guilty to Aiding Al Qaeda
- Five Miami Jihadists Convicted in Sears Tower Bombing Plot
APRIL 2009
MARCH 2009
FEBRUARY 2009
- Ohio Jihadist Sentenced to 20 Years in Terror Bomb Plot
- Muslim Television Channel Founder Charged With Beheading His Wife in Honor Killing
- FBI Director Warns of Terror Attacks on U.S. Cities
- Lashkar-e-Taiba Mumbai Attackers Had Worldwide List of 320 Targets
- Jailhouse Islam Convert Murders Philadelphia Police Officer
JANUARY 2009
- FBI Cuts Ties with Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Over HAMAS Ties
- Terrorist Who Plotted to Bomb New York Targets in 1970s Released From Prison, Deported to Sudan. (More here)
- Chicago Cousins Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorism
DECEMBER 2008
- Staten Island Satellite TV Operator Pleads Guilty to Supporting Hezbollah
- Former University of South Florida Student Sentenced to 15 Years in Terrorism Case
Sources:
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Christopher Holton is a Vice President with the Center for Security Policy. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. He also contributes to the website Shariah Finance Watch.
