Hearing Offers Eyewitness Accounts of Prison Radicalization

IPT News
June 14, 2011

 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMjk3Mi9oZWFyaW5nLW9mZmVycy1leWV3aXRuZXNzLWFjY291bn
RzLW9mLXByaXNvbg%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806>
http://www.investigativeproject.org/2972/hearing-offers-eyewitness-accounts-
of-prison


 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMjk3Mi9oZWFyaW5nLW9mZmVycy1leWV3aXRuZXNzLWFjY291bn
RzLW9mLXByaXNvbg%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806#PrintFriendly>
cid:[email protected] Print

 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZV9zZW5kLnBocD9pZD0yOTcy&m=4362&s=6806>
cid:[email protected] Send

 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMjk3Mi9oZWFyaW5nLW9mZmVycy1leWV3aXRuZXNzLWFjY291bn
RzLW9mLXByaXNvbg%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806#comment_submit>
cid:[email protected] Comment

 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZXNfcnNzXzIuMC54bWw%3D&m=4362&s=6806>
cid:[email protected] RSS

Share:
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm
9vay5jb20vc2hhcmUucGhwP3U9aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC
5vcmclMkYyOTcyJTJGaGVhcmluZy1vZmZlcnMtZXlld2l0bmVzcy1hY2NvdW50cy1vZi1wcmlzb2
4%3D&m=4362&s=6806> Facebook
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL2FwaS50d2VldG
1lbWUuY29tL3NoYXJlP3VybD1odHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmludmVzdGlnYXRpdmVwcm9qZWN0Lm
9yZyUyRjI5NzIlMkZoZWFyaW5nLW9mZmVycy1leWV3aXRuZXNzLWFjY291bnRzLW9mLXByaXNvbi
ZhbXA7c2VydmljZT1iaXQubHkmYW1wO3NvdXJjZT10aGVpcHQ%3D&m=4362&s=6806> Twitter
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5nb29nbG
UuY29tL2J1enovcG9zdD91cmw9aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC
5vcmclMkYyOTcyJTJGaGVhcmluZy1vZmZlcnMtZXlld2l0bmVzcy1hY2NvdW50cy1vZi1wcmlzb2
4%3D&m=4362&s=6806> Google Buzz Digg del.icio.us

 
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvZmFjZWJvb2tfbGlrZS5waHA%2FcmVmX2lkPTI5NzImYW1wO3Jl
Zl91cmw9aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5pbnZlc3RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmclMkYyOTcyJTJG
aGVhcmluZy1vZmZlcnMtZXlld2l0bmVzcy1hY2NvdW50cy1vZi1wcmlzb24%3D&m=4362&s=6806
> cid:[email protected]
cid:[email protected] Be the first of
your friends to like this.

 

cid:[email protected] former federal
prosecutor and a former New York state prison official who investigated
radical Islamist recruitment will discuss the threat of prison
radicalization during
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL2hvbWVsYW5kLm
hvdXNlLmdvdi9oZWFyaW5nL3RocmVhdC1tdXNsaW0tYW1lcmljYW4tcmFkaWNhbGl6YXRpb24tdX
MtcHJpc29ucw%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806> a House hearingWednesday.

Former prosecutor Kevin Smith likely will discuss a California case in which
inmates radicalized at Folsom prison plotted to attack Jewish targets in Los
Angeles and the LAX airport. Patrick Dunleavy, former deputy inspector
general for New York state prisons' criminal intelligence unit and
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvZG9jcy9hdXRob3IvUGF0cmljaytEdW5sZWF2eQ%3D%3D&m=436
2&s=6806> a contributor to the Investigative Project on Terrorism, has
emphasized the role prison chaplains play in the radicalization process and
the lack of effective oversight over their selection.

It is the second hearing called by Homeland Security Chairman Peter King,
R-N.Y., on radicalization within the American Muslim community. In March,
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMjY3NS9jb21wZWxsaW5nLXRlc3RpbW9ueS1wb2xpdGljYWwtdG
hlYXRlcg%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806> committee members heard from relatives of men
who became radicalized and from a Muslim who actively opposes Islamist
organizations.

"Prisoners in jail often are looking for a new alternative. Being converted
to Islam, there's actually nothing wrong with that. In fact in many cases
it's ideal for prisoners, it's the religion they are looking for,"
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wb2xpdG
ljby5jb20vbmV3cy9zdG9yaWVzLzA2MTEvNTY4MTUuaHRtbCNpeHp6MVBHWlByODAw&m=4362&s=
6806> King told Politico. "The problem is you get radical Muslims, radical
chaplains who then radicalize them and turn them toward terrorism, turn them
toward violence. It's not only in the prison itself. It's when they get out
of prison and go to the so-called rehab programs, often they are also
radical."

Despite this situation, the committee's ranking Democrat, Mississippi Rep.
Bennie Thompson, dismissed the hearing's premise out of hand. "The facts
have proven that prison radicalization is an unfounded fear in America,"
Thompson said in
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL2hzYy1kZW1vY3
JhdHMuaG91c2UuZ292L3ByZXNzL2luZGV4LmFzcD9JRD02NDg%3D&m=4362&s=6806> a
statement. "According to the Congressional Research Service, in the ten
years since 9/11, only one of the more than 40 attacks committed by violent
Muslim extremists involved radicalization in prison. The U.S. prison system
has not become a hotbed for radicalization and terrorist activity - nor is
it likely to become one."

The hearing's focus "on people who are already known and behind bars" is
misguided, Thompson said. Rather, it should be on homegrown terrorists and
possible "lone wolf" attackers.

The Los Angeles Police Department disagrees. In an article published in the
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mYmkuZ2
92L3N0YXRzLXNlcnZpY2VzL3B1YmxpY2F0aW9ucy9sYXctZW5mb3JjZW1lbnQtYnVsbGV0aW4vMj
AxMC1wZGZzL29jdG9iZXIxMGxlYg%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806> October issue of the FBI's
"Law Enforcement Bulletin," Lt. Dennis Ballas details the James case, but
concludes it "is not an isolated event."

Disaffected prison inmates are a captive audience for "charismatic extremist
leaders," Ballas writes. Many prison chaplains are poorly qualified and
poorly vetted, leaving wardens to trust local agencies for referrals or even
the inmates themselves.

"Of particular concern are people.who can be paroled into the community
after radicalization. Such individuals pose the threat of committing acts of
violent jihad," Ballas writes.

One of Ballas' bosses, LAPD
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5sYXBkb2
5saW5lLm9yZy9sYXBkX2NvbW1hbmRfc3RhZmYvY29tbV9iaW9fdmlldy83NTk4&m=4362&s=6806
> Deputy Chief Michael Downing, is among the witnesses at Wednesday's
hearing. Downing, however, has expressed views
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3BhamFtYXNtZW
RpYS5jb20vdGF0bGVyLzIwMTEvMDYvMTQvbGFwZC1kZXAtY2hpZWYtZG93bmluZy13ZS1zaG91bG
Qtbm90LWRlbW9uaXplLXRoZS1tdXNsaW0tYnJvdGhlcmhvb2Qv&m=4362&s=6806> minimizing
the ideology and objectives of the Muslim Brotherhood, telling a questioner
last month that "we should not demonize the Muslim Brotherhood."

Joining him on the panel is Smith, who now
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5sYXcud2
hpdHRpZXIuZWR1L2luZGV4L2RpcmVjdG9yeS9wcm9maWxlL2tldmluLXNtaXRo&m=4362&s=6806
'> teaches law at Whittier College in Costa Mesa. In the Los Angeles plot
that Smith helped prosecute, inmate
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvZG9jdW1lbnRzL2Nhc2VfZG9jcy8xMDg5LnBkZiNQQUdFPTI%3D
&m=4362&s=6806> Kevin James created"Jam'iyyat Dl-Islam Is-Saheeh ("JIS")
based on his radical interpretation of Islam," court records show.

The
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvZG9jdW1lbnRzL2Nhc2VfZG9jcy81MzcucGRm&m=4362&s=6806
> JIS considered it a duty "to target for violent attack any enemies of
Islam or 'infidels,' including the United States Government and Jewish and
non-Jewish supporters of Israel,"
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvZG9jdW1lbnRzL2Nhc2VfZG9jcy81MzUucGRmI3BhZ2U9MTM%3D
&m=4362&s=6806> James admitted in his plea agreement. It became a rallying
point for other Muslim converts in New Folsom Prison. Followers had to take
an oath of allegiance to James and the JIS. Once released, the group waged a
series of armed robberies to finance its thwarted terror plot.

Police investigating one of the robberies uncovered the true motive behind
the crime spree.

In that case, James created his own theological message. Elsewhere, however,
prisons have used chaplains who preach a radical interpretation of Islam.
That's what Dunleavy saw while working in New York state prisons. He was
part of an investigation dubbed "Operation Hades" that probed the radical
Islamic recruitment movement from both inside and outside prison walls.

His book,
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wb3RvbW
FjYm9va3NpbmMuY29tL0Jvb2tzL0Jvb2tEZXRhaWwuYXNweD9wcm9kdWN0SUQ9MjM3MjM0&m=436
2&s=6806> The Fertile Soil of Jihad: Terrorism's Prison Connection, is due
to be released in September.

He has focused on Warith Deen Umar, a radical imam who
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMzUxL3dhcml0aC1kZWVuLXVtYXItYmUtcHJlcGFyZWQtdG8ta2
lsbA%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806> has preached that Muslims should "be prepared to
fight, be prepared to die, be prepared to kill" for their religion. Umar
also made
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMTA4NS9tYWluc3RyZWFtLWlzbGFtaXN0LWNvbnZlbnRpb24tZm
VhdHVyZXMtaGF0ZQ%3D%3D&m=4362&s=6806> disparaging remarks against Israel and
Jews at the 2009
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvcHJvZmlsZS8xNzg%3D&m=4362&s=6806> Islamic Society
of North America (ISNA) convention and previously said the 9/11 hijackers
should be
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wYnMub3
JnL3dldGEvY3Jvc3Nyb2Fkcy9hYm91dC9zaG93X2hvbWVncm93bl9maWxtLmh0bWw%3D&m=4362&
s=6806> considered martyrs.

Prisoners who receive such messages from chaplains can be radicalized,
Dunleavy said.
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tc25iYy
5tc24uY29tL2lkLzMwODkxNzIxL25zL3VzX25ld3MtZmFpdGgvdC9ueS1wbG90LXJlbmV3cy1mZW
Fycy1yYWRpY2FsLWlzbGFtLXByaXNvbi8%3D&m=4362&s=6806> At least two of the
defendants
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvY2FzZS8zMjQ%3D&m=4362&s=6806> convicted in a
synagogue-bombing plot in the Bronx were radicalized while incarcerated.

"A terrorist is not hatched overnight," Dunleavy
<http://www.investigativeproject.org/list/track.php?u=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnZlc3
RpZ2F0aXZlcHJvamVjdC5vcmcvMTM4MC90aGUtcm9vdHMtb2YtcmFkaWNhbC1pc2xhbS1pbi1wcm
lzb24%3D&m=4362&s=6806> wrote for the IPT in 2009. "Long years of sowing the
seeds of Wahabbi/Salafist teachings in the fertile soil of prison are
starting to produce a crop of home grown jihadists."

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

--------------------------
Want to discuss this topic?  Head on over to our discussion list, 
[email protected].
--------------------------
Brooks Isoldi, editor
[email protected]

http://www.intellnet.org

  Post message: [email protected]
  Subscribe:    [email protected]
  Unsubscribe:  [email protected]


*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has 
not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of 
The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT 
YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the 
included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of 
intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, 
techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other 
intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes 
only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material 
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use 
this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' 
you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    [email protected] 
    [email protected]

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [email protected]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Reply via email to