Friday, March 29, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, December 6, 2010
Hawaii arrest shows Revolution Muslim Shifting from Ideological to Operational
By IPT News @ 1:01 PM :: 13501 Views :: Military, Religion

from IPT News

Followers of the outspoken groups Revolution Muslim and the Islamic Thinkers Society are moving from ideology to violent action, a review of recent terror indictments by the Investigative Project on Terrorism shows.

U.S. counter terror agencies have traditionally paid little attention to those groups, presumably because they represent a safe and legal outlet for the frustrations of young, aspiring Jihadists. Similarly, Islamist groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have minimized the danger of these individuals. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper wrote off the RevolutionMuslim.com site as "an extreme fringe group that has absolutely no credibility within the Muslim community." "In fact, most Muslims suspect they were set up only to make Muslims look bad," Hooper added. "We just have very deep suspicions. They say such outrageous, irresponsible things that it almost seems like they're doing it to smear Islam." But the new indictments show that some overzealous participants in the groups are increasing their radical activity, resulting in the groups' heightened threat. Their influence is growing.

The case of Abdel Hameed Shehadeh is the most recent example. Shehadeh was arrested Oct. 26 in Hawaii on charges of lying about why he traveled to Pakistan and his attempts to join the Taliban. Shehadeh, who operated three websites hosting extremist material and Al-Qaeda videos, enjoyed a close relationship with Revolution Muslim.

According to the criminal complaint, a June 28, 2008 visit by a federal agent to one of these websites revealed a blog post "introducing www.civiljihad.com to the Revolution Muslim online community."

"It is time for the Muslims to start practicing our freedom of speech… My brothers of revolution Islam [Revolution Muslim], I am with you as long as you keep struggling. Trust me there are many brothers and sisters in America that are ready to speak up. They just need a push," Shehadeh posted on his site. By August 03, 2008, www.civiljihad.com simply became a redirecting website, automatically sending viewers to Revolution Muslim's homepage.

Organizations like Revolution Muslim have been the "push" that many of these individuals needed to organize and act. These groups share a common belief in spreading their understanding of Islam through Da'wah [proselytizing]. They also promote a common narrative of a "War on Islam," and an identification with foreign terrorist organizations aimed at bringing down the West.

RM functions as one of the most visible English-language websites and organizations promoting al-Qaida's call to jihad. In addition to promoting the literature and videos of individuals like senior terrorist ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki, RM leaders have personally participated in all levels of the radicalization process, from identifying targets to providing advice about bombings.

For example, RM founder Yousef al-Khattab sparked heightened security at prominent Jewish sites by identifying them as sources of funding, spiritual guidance and material for Israel's January 2009 attack on Gaza. He also taunted law enforcement in his threat, noting that, "And Wallahi [really], New York City Police Department, CIA, and FBI, you can put me in jail for the rest of my life. As long as I got that information out there to people about what to do, I did something." The following picture on RM's website was linked to his threat.

An earlier posting featured a Jewish prayer book covered in what appears to be blood. Likewise, a posting concerning the Times Square Bomber stated, "I think people should be more careful when they plan operations. Try fertilizer, not firecrackers, Insha'Allah [Allah willing]."

Revolution Muslim has also been a stopover point for identification with larger terrorist groups like Hamas and al-Qaida, or an ideological breeding ground for homegrown jihadist sentiment. By giving would-be warriors a centralized place to review and discuss violent speeches by clerics such as Abdullah al-Faisal, RM gathers isolated individuals on varying levels of the radicalization process. It gives them "a push" to identify with the most violent extremes of Islamist theology and feeds the narrative that Muslims everywhere are the victim of a "War on Islam."

RM's efforts have registered with susceptible individuals, including Abdul Hameed Shehadeh, former RM leading member Zachary Chesser, and a host of other attempted terrorists.

Chesser, aka Abu Talhah al-Amreekee, recently pled guilty in Alexandria, VA federal court to providing material support to Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist organization. Chesser also echoed calls by Awlaki aimed at inciting violence against cartoonists for the animated show "South Park" and a journalist who initiated the "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day." In addition, he provided the personal information of several individuals involved with "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" on a jihadist forum. Other accused or convicted terrorists with noted Revolution Muslim ties include Colleen LaRose, Bryant Neal Vinas, Tarek Mehanna and Daniel Maldonado. Even Samir Khan, the suspected editor of Al-Qaeda's English magazine and the author of its second edition article, "I am proud to be a Traitor to America," gradually moved from the organization's circles to al-Qaeda.

RM is not alone in its connections to individuals who have carried out acts of terror. The Islamic Thinkers Society, another radical Islamist forum, promotes an identical message about a "War on Islam" and violent solutions. Islamic Thinkers Society went well beyond providing ideological support and identifying potential targets. According to CNN, "followers of the Islamic Thinkers Society not only helped radicalize [convicted terrorist Bryant Neil] Vinas, but also helped him connect with militants in Pakistan." Other accused terrorists affiliated with the movement include Mahmood Alessa and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, both reportedly negotiating guilty pleas for attempting to fight alongside Al-Shabaab

---30---

RELATED: On the trail to Hawaii Islam Day: Saudi money, Libyan assassins, Palestinian Jihad, London bombers, Malaysian sodomy, and laughing Islamists

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT