Summary

The House Committee on Homeland Security hearing entitled "The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response." Peter King, Chairman Witnesses Panel 1 John Dingell, A Representative in Congress from the 15th District of Michigan Keith Ellison, A Representative in Congress from the 5th District of Minnesota Panel 2 Frank Wolf, A Representative in Congress from the 10th District of Virginia Panel 3 Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, President and Founder, American Islamic Forum for Democracy Mr. Abdirizak Bihi, Director, Somali Education and Social Advocacy Center Melvin Bledsoe, Private Citizen Sheriff Leroy Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department REP. KEITH ELLISON: 10:00:03 MEMBER THOMPSON. IT'S A CHALLENGE TO PROTECT BOTH 10:00:07 SECURITY AND LIBERTY BUT CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON SEEMS TO 10:00:09 STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TALOT 10:00:17 HAMDANI WITH US TODAY. SHE IS THE BRAVE MOTHER OF A 10:00:20 FIRST RESPONDER WHO DIED TRYING TO RESCUE FELLOW AMERICANS ON 10:00:22 9/11. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THREE 10:00:27 POINTS TODAY, MR. CHAIRMAN. FIRST, VIOLENT EXTREMISM IS A 10:00:32 SERIOUS CONCERN TO ALL AMERICANS AND IS THE LEGITIMATE BUSINESS 10:00:35 OF THIS COMMITTEE. SECOND, THIS COMMITTEE'S 10:00:40 APPROACH TO THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT, I BELIEVE, IS CONTRARY 10:00:44 TO THE BEST OF AMERICAN VALUES AND THREATENS OUR SECURITY OR 10:00:49 COULD POTENTIALLY. FINALLY, WE NEED INCREASED 10:00:53 UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN 10:00:57 ORDER TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE. LET ME ELABORATE ON MY FIRST 10:01:01 POINT. UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS OF 10:01:03 DOMESTIC TERRORISM IS THE LEGITIMATE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 10:01:07 HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE. I SHARE THE CHAIRMAN'S CONCERN 10:01:09 ABOUT VIOLENT EXTREMISM. I VOTED FOR THE VIOLENT 10:01:14 RADICALIZATION AND HOME GROWN TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2007 10:01:18 AUTHORED BY REPRESENTATIVE JANE HARMON. 10:01:20 THIS BILL WAS A COMMON-SENSE APPROACH TO STUDYING VIOLENT 10:01:23 EXTREMISM IN THE UNITED STATES. AFTER GATHERING MORE FEEDBACK 10:01:27 FROM THE COMMUNITY, I EXPECT TO INTRODUCE A SIMILAR BILL IN THE 10:01:31 FUTURE. I RECENTLY MADE A PRESENTATION 10:01:33 SPONSORED BY THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS CALLED 10:01:37 STRENGTHENING AMERICAN SECURITY, IDENTIFYING, PREVENTING AND 10:01:41 RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC TERRORISM. 10:01:43 MY PRESENTATION THERE ADDRESSED CAUSES OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM AND 10:01:47 SOLUTIONS FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. 10:01:49 THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IS AT STAKE IN OUR 10:01:52 DISCUSSION TODAY. WE SHOULD APPLY THE UTMOST 10:01:55 PROFESSIONALISM TO THIS ISSUE WHICH LEADS ME TO MY SECOND 10:01:58 POINT. WE NEED TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH 10:02:01 FAIR ANALYSIS AND TO DO NO HARM. THE APPROACH OF TODAY'S HEARING, 10:02:06 I FEAR, DOES NOT MEET THESE STANDARDS. 10:02:10 TODAY'S HEARING IS ENTITLED, "THE EXTENT OF RADICALIZATION OF 10:02:16 THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND THAT COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE." 10:02:19 IT'S TRUE THAT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING SOME WHO 10:02:22 ARE MUSLIMS ARE VIOLENT EXTREMISTS. 10:02:26 HOWEVER, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS NOT ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. 10:02:31 INDIVIDUALS LIKE ANWA, FIZAL AND NIDAL WHO DO NOT REPRESENT THE 10:02:38 MUSLIM COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU ASSIGN THEIR VIOLENT 10:02:42 ACTIONS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, YOU ASSIGN COLLECTIVE BLAME TO A 10:02:46 WHOLE GROUP. THIS IS THE VERY HEART OF 10:02:50 STEREOTYPING AND SCAPEGOATING. THIS IS THE HEART OF MY 10:02:54 TESTIMONY TODAY. ASCRIBING EVIL ACTS OF A FEW 10:02:56 INDIVIDUALS TO AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS WRONG. 10:02:59 IT IS INEFFECTIVE AND IT RISKS MAKING OUR COUNTRY LESS SAFE. 10:03:05 SOLUTIONS TO THE SCOURGE OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM OFTEN EMERGE 10:03:08 FROM INDIVIDUALS FROM WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, A POINT I 10:03:13 ADDRESS LATER IN MY TESTIMONY. DEMANDING A COMMUNITY RESPONSE 10:03:16 AS THE TITLE OF THE HEARING SUGGESTS, A SEARCH THAT THE 10:03:20 ENTIRE COMMUNITY BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VIOLENT 10:03:22 ACTS OF INDIVIDUALS, TARGETING OF THE MUSLIM AMERICAN COMMUNITY 10:03:25 FOR THE ACTIONS OF A VIEW IS UNJUST. 10:03:28 ACTUALLY, ALL OF US, ALL COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 10:03:34 COMBATTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM, FOCUSSES OUR ANALYSIS IN THE 10:03:40 WRONG DIRECTION. THROUGHOUT HUMAN HISTORY, 10:03:42 INDIVIDUS OM A COMMUNITIES AND FAITHS HAVE USED RELIGION 10:03:46 AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY TO JUSTIFY VIOLENCE. 10:03:48 LET'S JUST THINK ABOUT THE KKK. AMERICA'S OLDEST TERRORIST 10:03:52 ORGANIZATION. SHOOTING AT THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM 10:04:01 BY JAMES VON BRAUN. DID CONGRESS FOCUS ON THE ETHNIC 10:04:09 GROUP OF THESE ACTS OF PUBLIC VIOLENCE AS PUBLIC POLICY? 10:04:13 NO. STOKING FEARS OF AN ENTIRE GROUP 10:04:16 FOR A POLITICAL AGENDA IS NOT NEW IN AMERICAN HISTORY. 10:04:19 DURING WORLD WAR II, THE UNITED STES GOVERNMENT INTERNED THE 10:04:25 JAPANESE AMERICANS. DURING JOHN F. KENNEDY'S 10:04:28 CAMPAIGN HIS OPPONENTS PORTRAYED A DIRE FUTURE FOR AMERICA WITH A 10:04:32 CATHOLIC PRESIDENT. WE VIEW THESE EVENTS OF OUR PAST 10:04:34 AS A BREACH OF OUR TREASURED AMERICAN VALUED. 10:04:37 LET'S TALK ABOUT FACTS RATHER THAN STEREOTYPES. 10:04:40 IN FACT, THE MUSLIM AMERICAN COMMUNITY REJECT VIOLENT 10:04:49 IDEOLOGY. A REPORT RELEASED LAST YEAR 10:04:52 STATES, "GIVEN THE LOW RATE OF WOULD-BE VIOLENT EXTREMISTS, 10:04:55 ABOUT 100 AMONGST THE 3 MILLION AMERICAN MUSLIMS SUGGESTS THE 10:05:00 AMERICAN MUSLIM PULATION REMAINS HOSTILE TO JIHADIST 10:05:06 IDEOLOGY AND ITS EXOTATIONS TO VIOLENCE." 10:05:11 AT A PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, ERIC HOLDER SAID, "THE MUSLIM 10:05:14 COMMUNITY HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE RESOLUTION 10:05:18 OF MANY THINGS THAT HAVE RESOLVED OVER THE LAST OR THE 10:05:21 COURSE OF THE LAST 12 TO 18 MONTHS, TIPS HAVE BEEN 10:05:26 CRITICAL TO OUR EFFORT TO DISRUPT PLOTS THAT OTHERWISE 10:05:28 MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED." LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FROM 10:05:37 DIALOGUES WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER TO COMMUNITY 10:05:39 MEETINGS WITH LOCAL POLICE IN MINNEAPOLIS, RECENTLY TIPS FROM 10:05:47 MUSLIM AMERICAN COMMUNITY FALL TO PLOTS INCLUDING THE TIMES 10:05:52 SQUARE BOMBER AND VIRGINIA FIVE. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DEPEND 10:05:55 ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY MUSLIM 10:06:00 AMERICANS HAS HELPED TO FOIL SEVEN DOMESTIC TERROR PLOTS AND 10:06:07 40% OF ALL PLOTS SINCE 9/11. A 2011 STUDY FROM DUKE 10:06:12 UNIVERSITY TRIANGLE CENTER ON TERRORISM REITERATED THAT 40% OF 10:06:15 THE DOMESTIC TERROR PLOTS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH THE AID 10:06:19 OF MUSLIM AMERICAN COMMUNITY. THIS COOPERATION WITH LAW 10:06:23 ENFORCEMENT IS ROOTED IN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST. 10:06:26 RELATIONSHIPS WE SHOULD NURTURE. A WITNESS AT TODAY'S HEARING, 10:06:30 LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF LEE BACCA TESTIFIED BEFORE THE HOUSE 10:06:34 HOMELAND SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE LAST YEAR. 10:06:36 HE SAID TO EFFECTIVELY DETECT AND MANAGE EXTREMISTS, POLICE 10:06:39 NEED TO HAVE TRUST AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MUSLIM 10:06:43 COMMUNITIES WHO LIVE WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES SIMPLY 10:06:45 POLICE NEED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. 10:06:49 AS LEARS, WE NEED TO BE RIGOROUS ABOUT OUR ANALYSIS OF 10:06:52 VIOLENT EXTREMISM. OUR RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDES 10:06:55 DOING NO HARM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE FOCUS OF 10:06:58 TODAY'S HEARING MAY INCREASE SUSPICION OF THE MUSLIM AMERICAN 10:07:01 COMMUNITY, ULTIMATELY MAKING US ALL A LITTLE LESS SAFE. 10:07:04 WE HAVE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANTI-MUSLIM SENTIMENT FROM 10:07:08 BACKLASH AGAINST PARK 51 MUSLIM COMMUNITY CENTER TO THE 10:07:11 HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC CENTER IN TENNESSEE TO A 10:07:15 THREATENED KORAN BURNING IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, ZONING 10:07:18 BOARDS AND COMMUNITIES IN ILLINOIS ARE DENYING PERMITS TO 10:07:20 BUILD MOSQUES. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PARK 51 10:07:23 CONTROVERSY, A MAN ASKED A CABBIE WHETHER HE WAS A MUSLIM. 10:07:28 WHEN THE CABBIE SAID "PEACE BE UNTO YOU," THE INDIVIDUAL 10:07:31 STABBED HIM. DENNIS McDONOUGH RECENTLY SPOKE 10:07:39 AT THE ADAMS CENTER AND THE ALL-DULLES AMERICAN MUSLIM SO 10:07:45 SIDE. HE NOTED AL QAEDA COERCED 10:07:47 RECRUITING ARGUMENT IS THAT THE WEST IS AT WAR WITH ISLAM, A 10:07:50 CHIEF GOAL OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY IS TO UNDERMINE 10:07:54 THIS ARGUMENT. THIS REQUIRES ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 10:07:57 WITH MUSLIM COMMUNITY AT HOME AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AS 10:08:00 PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID IN HIS CAIRO SPEECH, "ISLAM IS NOT PART 10:08:05 OF THE PROBLEM IN COMBATTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM. 10:08:08 IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PROM POETING PEACE." 10:08:11 THIS BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT AND I WILL TRY TO HURRY, MR. 10:08:15 CHAIRMAN, BECAUSE I SEE THE TIME. 10:08:19 THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST EXTREME IDEOLOGIES IS SOCIAL INCLUSION. 10:08:24 RALPH BOLTER, HEAD OF THE MINNEAPOLIS FBI ILLUSTRATES MY 10:08:27 POINT. HE LED A LARGE-SCALE PROBE INTO 10:08:32 COUNTERTERRORISM INVOLVING LOCAL SOMALI AMERICANS HEADING 10:08:36 OVERSEAS TO FIGHT WITH TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. 10:08:37 HE IS NOW COMING TO D.C. TO BECOME THE AGENCY'S DEPUTY 10:08:40 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF COUNTERTERRORISM. 10:08:44 BOLTER'S STRATEGY, TO FIND EXTREMISM, THE AGENCY NEEDS TO 10:08:48 ESTABLISH SINCERE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. 10:08:52 "WE HAD TO BE ABLE TO SHOW PEOPLE THEY COULD TRUST ME, 10:08:56 TRUST US," BOLTER SAID OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 10:09:00 FBI AGENT BOLTER, "SHOWED A SIDE TO THE FBI THAT PEOPLE DON'T 10:09:07 SEE," SAID MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CHIEF TIM DOLAN. 10:09:09 THEY NEEDED A LITTLE MORE TO MAKE THEIR CASE AND IT PAID OFF 10:09:12 BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTIONS HE MADE. 10:09:15 PEOPLE CAME FORWARD. HE BECAME SB THAT THEY WERE 10:09:20 WILLING TO GO TO." UNFORTUNATELY, I FEAR THAT THIS 10:09:25 HEARING MAY UNDERMINE OUR EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION. 10:09:31 RECENTLY ON A NEWS PROGRAM, IT WAS STATED, "HOW ABOUT THE 10:09:36 NUMBER OF YOUNG SOMALI MEN WHO WENT TO SOMALIA AND IMAM AND 10:09:42 LEADERS IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY WHO REFUSED TO COOPERATE? 10:09:45 THEY DENIED FOR A LONG TIME THEY EVEN LEFT." 10:09:49 THIS SWEEPING STATEMENT REGARDING THE COMMUNITY I 10:09:51 REPRESENT IS INACCURATE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHY WEREN'T LAW 10:09:54 ENFORCEMENTS FROM MINNEAPOLIS INVITED TO TESTIFY BEFORE THIS 10:09:59 COMMITTEE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE COUNTERTERRORISM WORK GOING ON 10:10:01 IN MINNEAPOLIS TODAY? I INVITE AND WOULD WELCOME SUCH 10:10:05 AN INVITATION. IN JANUARY, THE DEPARTMENT OF 10:10:08 HOMELAND SECURITY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES 10:10:13 CONVENED A YOUTH SUMMIT WITH SOMALI AMERICAN YOUTH AND LAW 10:10:17 ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN MINNEAPOLIS. 10:10:19 THE EVENT ATTRACTED OVER 100 PEOPLE INCLUDING U.S. ATTORNEY, 10:10:22 THREE SOMALI AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS, MYSELF, SEVERAL LAW 10:10:26 ENFORCEMENT SECURITY AGENCIES. THE MEETING PROVIDED AN 10:10:29 OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMALI YOUTH GROUPS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 10:10:33 VARIOUS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE U.S. 10:10:35 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND TO DISCUSS COMMUNITY ISSUES 10:10:38 AND CONCERNS WITH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. 10:10:41 THE MEETING PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED WAY WHICH YOUTHS CAN 10:10:47 IMPROVE WAYS OF COMMUNICATIONS. MUSLIM AMERICANS HAVE BEEN PART 10:10:50 OF THE AMERICAN SCENE SINCE THE NATION FOUNDING. 10:10:52 CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, IS HOME TO ONE OF THE OLDEST MOSQUES IN 10:10:56 AMERICA. THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IS LIKE THE 10:10:58 REST OF US. MUSLIMS SERVE OUR NATIONS AS 10:11:01 DOCTORS, LAWYERS, TEACHERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, CAB DRIVERS AND 10:11:04 EVEN MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS. MUSLIM AMERICANS LIVE IN EVERY 10:11:07 COMMUNITY IN AMERICA AND THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, IN SHORT, ON MUHAMMED HAMDANI 10:11:10 THEY ARE US. EVERY AMERICAN INCLUDING MUSLIM 10:11:13 AMERICANS SUFFERED ON 9/11. 29 MUSLIM DIED AT THE 10:11:17 WORLD TRADE CENTER. THREE DIED IN HIJACKED AIRPLANES 10:11:21 UNITED FLIGHT 175 AND AMERICAN FLIGHT 11. 10:11:25 MUSLIMS STOOD WITH THE REST OF THE AMERICA UNITED IN GRIEF AND 10:11:27 IN OUR RESOLVE TO PROTECT AMERICA. 10:11:29 ALONG WITH AMERICANS OF ALL FAITHS, MUSLIM AMERICANS RUSHED 10:11:33 INTO SAVE AND RESCUE VICTIMS OF AL QAEDA'S TERRORISM. 10:11:38 LET ME CLOSE WITH A TRUE STORY, BUT REMEMBER IT'S ONLY ONE OF 10:11:41 AMERICAN STORIES THAT COULD BE TOLD. 10:11:44 MUHAMMED HAMDANI WAS A 23-YEAR-OLD PARAMEDIC, A NEW 10:11:50 YORK CITY POLICE CADET AND MUSLIM AMERICAN. 10:11:52 HE WAS ONE OF THOSE BRAVE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO TRAGICALLY LOST 10:11:56 HIS LIFE IN 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS ALMOST A DECADE AGO. 10:12:01 AS "THE NEW YORK TIMES" EULOGIZED, HE WANTED TO BE SEEN 10:12:04 AS AN ALL-AMERICAN KID. HE WORE NUMBER 79 ON THE HIGH 10:12:08 SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM IN BAYSIDE QUEENS WHERE HE LIVED. 10:12:13 HE WAS CALLED SALBI HIS FRIENDS. HE BECAME A RESEARCH ASSISTANT 10:12:18 AT THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY AND DROVE AN AMBULANCE PART 10:12:23 TIME. ONE CHRISTMAS HE SANG HANDEL'S 10:12:27 MESSIAH IN QUEENS. HE SAW ALL OF THE STAR WAR 10:12:31 MOVIES. IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT HIS NEW 10:12:40 HONDA READ WITH THE YOUNG JEDI LICENSE PLATES. 10:12:45 YOU BRAVELY SACRIFICED HIS LIFE TO TRY TO HELP OTHERS ON 9/11. 10:12:51 AFTER THE TRAGEDY, SOME PEOPLE TRIED TO SMEAR HIS CHARACTER. 10:12:57 SOLELY BECAUSE OF HIS ISLAMIC FAITH. 10:13:01 SOME PEOPLE SPREAD FALSE RUMORS AND SPECULATED THAT HE WAS IN 10:13:04 LEAGUE WITH THE ATTACKERS BECAUSE HE WAS A MUSLIM. 10:13:09 BUT IT WAS ONLY WHEN HIS REMAINS WERE IDENTIFIED THAT THESE LIES 10:13:18 WERE EXPOSED. MUHAMMED HAMDANI WAS A YOUNG 10:13:27 AMERICAN WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR OTHER AMERICANS. 10:13:29 HIS LIFE SHOULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED AS JUST A MEMBER OF 10:13:31 AN ETHIC GROUP OR JUST A MEMBER OF A RELIGION, BUT AS AN 10:13:35 AMERICAN WHO GAVE EVERYTHING FOR HIS FELLOW AMERICANS. 10:13:37 I YIELD BACK. I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR HIS 10:13:48 TESTIMONY. MR. CHAIRMAN? 10:13:49 GENTLE LADY FROM TEXAS. BEING MOVED BY THE STATEMENT 10:13:54 OF MR. ELLISON, I AM WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD WAIVE 10:14:00 THE RULES OF THIS COMMITTEE TO ALLOW ALL MEMBERS TO HAVE 10:14:05 OPENING STATEMENTS? I WILL NOT. 10:14:08 I THINK, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH MY INQUIRY. 10:14:12 I THINK BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY OF THIS ISSUE AND THE PASSION 10:14:16 THAT IS BEING EXPRESSED AND THE CONCERN FOR DEMONIZING OF ONE 10:14:21 GROUP, THAT MEMBERS NEED TO BE ON THE RECORD TO BE ABLE TO 10:14:25 EXPRESS THEIR VIEW, THEIR OPPOSITION OR THEIR SUPPORT FOR 10:14:28 THE FORMAT AND THE STRUCTURE OF THIS HEARING. 10:14:30 RECLAIMING MY TIME. THE REGULAR RULES OF THE 10:14:34 PROCEDURE WILL BE FOLLOWED. I RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMAN FROM 10:14:37 VIRGINIA. I OBJECT, MR. CHAIRMAN. 10:14:39 I RECOGNIZE THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA MR. WOLF. 10:14:43 MR. WOLF SERVED LONG IN THE CONGRESS. 10:14:45 HE HAS SHOWN PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE AND HIS DISTRICT 10:14:47 HAD SEVERE CASES OF RADICALIZATION. 10:14:51 I RECOGNIZE MR. WOLF. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR 10:14:54 THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. I COMMEND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN 10:14:57 HOLDING THESE HEARINGS AND I WILL REVISE AND SUMMARIZE. 10:15:00 I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM FOR NEARLY 10:15:03 THREE DECADES. IN 1998, I AUTHORED LEGISLATION 10:15:07 CREATING THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORISM AND HIGHLIGHTED THE 10:15:11 THREAT FROM OSAMA BIN LADEN IN MY INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 10:15:15 I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS AND SUBCOMMITTEE 10:15:18 THAT FUNDS THE FBI ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, AND WORKED CLOSELY 10:15:25 WITH DIRECTOR MULLER FROM 2002 TO 2006 TO TRANSFORM ITS 10:15:29 MISSIONS TO DEAL WITH TERRORIST THREATS. 10:15:30 I AM, AGAIN, CHAIRMAN OF THAT SUBCOMMITTEE AND HAVE RECEIVED 10:15:35 REGULAR BRIEFINGS ON TERRORISM AND VISITED THE COUNTERTERRORISM 10:15:38 CENTER OFTEN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 10:15:41 THE NEW AND GROWING THREAT POSED BY DOMESTIC RADICALIZATION. 10:15:45 ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE, THERE HAVE 10:15:48 BEEN 43 HOME GROWN JIHADISTS TERRORIST PLOTS AND ATTACKS 10:15:53 SINCE 9/11, INCLUDING 22 PLUS WERE ATTACKED SINCE MAY 2009. 10:15:59 AS U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY 10:16:02 LEADERS SEEK TO COMBAT THIS EMERGING CHALLENGE, WE MUST 10:16:05 FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEACEFUL AND LAW-ABIDING 10:16:09 AMERICANS OF THE MUSLIM FAITH. MR. CHAIRMAN, OVER THE LAST 10:16:12 THREE DECADES, I'VE SEEN FIRST HAND THE VIOLENCE IN A 10:16:16 REPRESSION AGAINST MUSLIMS IN MANY COUNTRIES AND HAVE SPOKEN 10:16:19 OUT IN THEIR DEFENSE IN PLACES SUCH AS SUDAN, CHECHNYA, KOSOVO 10:16:25 AND CHINA. IN BOSNIA, WHAT IS ONE OF THE 10:16:29 ONLY MEMBERS TO VISIT A PRISON CAMP RUN BY THE SERBS WHERE I 10:16:34 SAW EVIDENCE OF MODERN DAY ETHNIC CLEANSING AND SUPPORT OF 10:16:38 LIFTING THE ARMS EMBARGO SO THE MUSLIM POPULATION TO DEFEND 10:16:43 THEMSELVES. I AM MINDFUL OF THE IMPORTANT 10:16:44 ROLE AMERICAN MUSLIMS PLAY TODAY, THEY ARE TEACHERS, 10:16:47 DOCTORS, POLICEMEN AND SOLDIERS. MOTHERS, FATHERS AND NEIGHBORS. 10:16:50 THEY ARE PATRIOTIC AMERICANS. SOME HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE 10:16:53 PRICE IN SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY. I'M REMINDED OF A YOUNG 10:16:58 PAKISTANI AMERICAN I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING AT WALTER 10:17:01 REED HOSPITAL. HE LOST BOTH LEGS IN COMBAT IN 10:17:05 IRAQ. HE WAS A PATRIOT WHO MAKES US 10:17:07 PROUD AND HE WAS A MUSLIM. MY OVERSIGHT OF THE JUSTICE 10:17:13 DEPARTMENT INCLUDING CIVIL RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY 10:17:15 PROGRAMS, I AM MINDFUL OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO 10:17:17 SAFE GUARD THE RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS. 10:17:20 THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY, ESPECIALLY 10:17:23 WHEN OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK, FOR THE CIVIL LIBERTIES 10:17:27 OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VIOLATED BECAUSE OTHER 10:17:30 PEOPLE WERE AFRAID. THIS IS INEXCUSABLE, BUT THIS IS 10:17:35 THE EXCEPTION AND NOT THE RULE. YET, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE CANNOT 10:17:39 IGNORE THE PHENOMENON THAT DOMESTIC RADICALIZATION. 10:17:42 IT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGE THAT MUST BE 10:17:46 CONFRONTED. ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT BY 10:17:50 RESPECTED COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERT BRUCE HOFFMAN AND PETER 10:17:52 BERGEN CALLED "ASSESSING THE TERRORIST THREAT," THEY SAID, 10:17:56 "THE AMERICAN MELTING POT HAS NOT PROVIDED A FIRE WALL AGAINST 10:18:00 THE RADICALIZATION AND RECRUITMENT OF AMERICAN CITIZENS 10:18:03 AND RESIDENTS. THOUGH IT HAS ARGUABLY LULLED US 10:18:07 INTO A SENSE OF COMPLACENCY THAT HOME GROWN TERRORISM COULDN'T 10:18:11 HAPPEN IN THE UNITED STATES." THEY WENT ON TO SAY BY NOT 10:18:15 TAKING MORE URGENTLY AND SERIOUSLY THE RADICALIZATION OF 10:18:19 RECRUITMENT THAT WAS ACTUALLY OCCURRING IN THE U.S., 10:18:22 AUTHORITIES FAILED TO COMPREHEND THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED 10:18:25 PHENOMENON. RATHER IT INDICATED THE 10:18:28 POSSIBILITY THAT EVEN AN EMBRYONIC TERRORIST 10:18:32 RADICALIZATION RECRUITMENT INFRASTRUCTURE HAD BEEN 10:18:34 ESTABLISHED IN THE U.S. HOMELAND. 10:18:37 CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN 10:18:39 RADICALIZED IN MY STATE OF VIRGINIA OR I WOULD EVEN SAY 10:18:42 HERE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. IN OCTOBER 2010, FARUQ AAEK MAD 10:18:51 WHAT ASHBURN, VIRGINIA, WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PLOTTING 10:18:56 ATTACKS ON THE METRO SYSTEM TO FIND TIMES TO KILL AS MANY 10:19:00 PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. JULY 2010, ZACHARY CHESSER, 10:19:04 GRADUATE OF OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL WAS ARRESTED IN NEW YORK EN 10:19:09 ROUTE TO SOMALIA. CHESSER PLED GUILTY TO CHARGES 10:19:13 PROVIDED MATERIAL SUPPORT TO TERRORIST, COMMUNICATING THREATS 10:19:16 AND SLIS TATING CRIMES OF VIOLENCE AND WAS SENTENCED TO 30 10:19:21 YEARS. NOVEMBER 2009, FIVE AMERICAN 10:19:23 MUSLIM TEENAGERS FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY WERE ARRESTED IN PAKISTAN 10:19:27 ATTEMPTING TO JOIN MILITANT ISLAMIST ORGANIZATIONS. 10:19:30 THEY'VE BEEN SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN A PAKISTAN PRISON. 10:19:34 IN NOVEMBER 2009, VIRGINIA NATIVE ARMY MAJOR NADAL HASSAN 10:19:40 KILLED 13 SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN IN FT. HOOD, TEXAS. 10:19:44 HASSAN GREW UP IN ARLINGTON, WENT TO WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL 10:19:47 AND LATER MOVED TO ROANOKE. IN 2004, ABDUL AL MOODIE FROM 10:19:55 FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, WAS CONVICTED ON THREE CHARGES OF 10:20:03 CONSPIRING TO SENATE THE CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH. 10:20:08 IN 2003, A NORTHERN VIRGINIA RESIDENT AND THE ISLAMIC SAIDIA 10:20:15 ACADEMY 1999 VALEDICTORIAN WAS ARRESTED IN SAUDI ARABIA AND 10:20:23 CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TERRORISM INCLUDING A 10:20:26 PLOT TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT BUSH. 10:20:27 HE WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRIS YOCHBLT ONE CANNOT OVERLOOK THE 10:20:34 PRIME ROLE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN PLAYED IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA 10:20:36 DURING HIS TIME PREACHING AT A MOSQUE IN FALLS CHURCH, 10:20:38 VIRGINIA. THIS IS PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY 10:20:43 BEGIN HIS RECRUITMENT OF THE FT. HOOD SHOOTER, THE CHRISTMAS DAY 10:20:47 BOMBER AND THE TIMES SQUARE BOMBER. 10:20:49 SOME EXPERTS SAY THE INTERNET IS THE CONDUIT TO RADICAL VOICES TO 10:20:56 CORRUPT MINDS WHILE OTHERS SAY IT IS THE IMPORTANT IMPORTATION 10:21:01 OF RADICAL TERRORISM. OTHERS TEMPERATURE TO STIFLE 10:21:14 DEBATE AND OBSTRUCT COOPERATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. 10:21:16 IN JUNE 2009, I SPOKE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR IN GREAT DETAIL 10:21:20 LAYING OUT MY CONCERN ABOUT CARE AND DISCUSSING THE HOLY LAND 10:21:25 FOUNDATION CASE. THE FOUNDATION AND FIVE OF ITS 10:21:28 FORMER ORGANIZERS WERE FOUND GUILTY OF ILLEGALLY FUNNELING 10:21:32 MORE THAN $12 MILLION TO HAMAS. WE KNOW HAMAS IS A TERRORIST 10:21:37 ORGANIZATION ON THE TERRORIST LIST BY THE EU, BY THE UNITED 10:21:41 STATES AND WANTS TO DESTROY ISRAEL. 10:21:44 THEY DESIGNATED A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND AMONG 10:21:48 THE UNINDICTED CO-CONSPIRATORS IN THE CASE WAS C.A.R.E. WHICH 10:21:53 IS ROUTINELY AND MISTAKENLY ELEVATED IN THE PRESS AS THE 10:21:59 VOICE OF MAINSTREAM AMERICAN MUSLIMS. 10:22:00 THEY HAVE BEEN GRANTED ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT 10:22:03 AT TIMES. LAST WEEK DURING A HEARING 10:22:05 BEFORE MY SUBCOMMITTEE, ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER RECOGNIZED 10:22:11 C.A.R.E.'S TROUBLED HISTORY, HE SAID, AND FBI DIRECTOR HAS 10:22:16 SUSPENDED ALL NONINVESTIGATIVE COOPERATION WITH C.A.R.E. 10:22:19 MY CONCERN IS NOT LIMITED TO ITS DISTURBING ORIGINS AND 10:22:23 CONNECTIONS TO TERRORIST FINANCES. 10:22:26 I'M EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT C.A.R.E.'S ROLE ATTACKING THE 10:22:32 REPUTATION OF ANY WHO DARE TO RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT DOMESTIC 10:22:35 RADICALIZATION. MAY 25, 2007, "WALL STREET 10:22:43 JOURNAL" OP-ED, A FORMER MEMBER OF A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION 10:22:47 DESCRIBED TERROR AS, "PERHAPS THE MOST CONSPICUOUS 10:22:51 ORGANIZATION TO PERSISTENTLY ACCUSE OPPONENTS OF 10:22:58 ISLAMAPHOBIA." IN 2008, THE EDITORIAL PAGE 10:23:01 EDITOR OF "THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH" SPOKE ON AN ACCUSATION 10:23:05 AS A MEANS OF MUZZLING DEBATE. THEY SAID, "FOR MANY YEARS 10:23:10 CONTRARY HAS WAGED A CAMPAIGN TO INTIMIDATE AND SILENCE ANYONE 10:23:13 WHO RAISES ALARMS ABOUT THE DANGER OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM. 10:23:17 THE GROUP ACTS PROPERLY WHEN IT HAMMERS HOME THE POINT THAT ONLY 10:23:21 A SMALL NUMBER OF MUSLIMS SUPPORT RELIGIOUSLY MOTIVATED 10:23:31 VIOLENCE." THEY WENT ON THE TO SAY WHERE IT 10:23:33 ERRS IS LABELING ANYONE WHO DISCUSSES ISLAMIC TERRORISM AS A 10:23:37 BIGOT AND HATE-MONGER AND ISLAMAPHOBE. 10:23:47 IN MANY CASES ITS NATIONAL AND STATE CHAPTER LEADERS ACTIVELY 10:23:52 DISSUADE AMERICAN MUSLIMS FROM COOPERATING WITH LAW 10:23:57 ENFORCEMENTS. AFTER MANY DISAPPEARED FROM THE 10:23:59 MINNEAPOLIS AREA IN 2009, C.A.R.E. ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE A 10:24:02 WEDGE BETWEEN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND THE FBI, WHICH WAS 10:24:07 SEEKING TO TRACK DOWN THE MISSING MEN. 10:24:09 ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL ESTIMATES, AT LEAST TWO DOZEN AMERICANS 10:24:12 HAVE MOVED TO SOMALIA IN RECENT YEARS TO JOIN THE TERRORIST 10:24:18 GROUP AL SHEBAB. ROUGHLY TEN AMERICANS THAT HAVE 10:24:24 GONE THERE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN FIGHTING OR ACTS OF TERRORISM 10:24:27 WHILE CONNECTED. IN 2011, C.A.R.E.'S CALIFORNIA 10:24:31 CHAPTER DISPLAYED AN OLD POSTER WHICH STATED, "BUILD A WALL OF 10:24:36 RESISTANCE, DON'T TALK TO THE FBI." 10:24:38 ALTHOUGH C.A.R.E. REMOVED THE POSTER ONCE THE MEDIA REPORTED 10:24:41 ON IT, IT REFLECTS A LARGER AND TROUBLING PATTERN. 10:24:46 WHEN THE TERRORISM COMMISSION LEGISLATION WAS MOVING IN 1998 10:24:51 AND C.A.R.E.'S OWN WORD THEY ASKED MUSLIMS TO CONTACT LEADERS 10:24:56 AND URGE THEM TO ELIMINATE THE NEW LEGISLATION THAT WOULD 10:25:00 CREATE A NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORISM THIS WAS MISGUIDED AND 10:25:03 FORTUNATELY NOT SUCCESSFUL. REGRETTABLY, THE COMMISSION'S 10:25:09 RECOMMENDATION SENT TO CONGRESS IN JUNE 2000 WERE GENERALLY 10:25:12 IGNORED UNTIL 9/11, WHEN 3,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, INCLUDING 10:25:18 MORE THAN TWO DOZEN FROM MY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 10:25:22 LET ME BE CLEAR. C.A.R.E. IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE 10:25:25 AND IT IS HURTING THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY. 10:25:27 I RAISE THE CONCERNS BECAUSE IF WE ARE TO SUCCESSFULLY 10:25:35 COUNTERRADICAL TERRORISM, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL NEED THE ACTIVE 10:25:37 ENGAGEMENT OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES. 10:25:39 I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE OF 10:25:41 DOMESTIC RADICALIZATION HEAD-ON. I COMMEND THE FBI AND DIRECTOR 10:25:46 MULLER AND ALL THE MEN OF THE FEBRUARY AND MEN AND WOMEN OF 10:25:49 THE FBI AND OUR SERVICES FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THEY HAVE DONE 10:25:52 IN INEPTING WOULD-BE TERRORISTS BEFORE THEIR ATTACKS. 10:25:56 DESPITE THE FBI'S SUCCESS, THE U.S. DOES NOT HAVE AN EFFECTIVE 10:26:00 OR COHERENT POLICY TO THWART RADICALIZATION. 10:26:05 THAT IS WHY I WILL SOON BE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO 10:26:07 CREATE A TEAM B TO BRING FRESH EYES TO U.S. DOMESTIC 10:26:12 RADICALIZATION AND COUNTERTERRORISM. 10:26:22 [ NO AUDIO ] WE LOST OUR VIDEO SIGNAL FROM 10:26:51 THE HEARING THIS MORNING. HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY HEARING 10:26:53 WITH PETER KING. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE COME 10:26:56 BACK. LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES HERE ON 10:27:00 C-SPAN3. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE SO 10:27:01 INUNDATED WITH REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS THAT THEY DO NOT 10:27:06 HAVE THE COMPASS I TO STEP BACK AND REEVALUATE THE THREAT 10:27:09 BEFORE US. I BELIEVE TEAM B WOULD PROVIDE A 10:27:11 TREMENDOUS SERVICE IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN 10:27:15 DISRUPT DOMESTIC RADICALIZATION. I WAS WORKING CLOSELY WITH 10:27:19 FORMER CONGRESSMAN JANE HARMON ON A BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL BEFORE 10:27:23 SHE RETIRED TO LEAVE TO GO TO THE WOODROW WILSON INSTITUTE. 10:27:27 FOR OVER A YEAR, I REPEATEDLY HAVE WRITTEN THE ADMINISTRATION 10:27:32 YOU ARE URGING THEM TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROPOSAL. 10:27:36 THEY HAVE NOT. MR. CHAIRMAN, I URGE SUPPORT OF 10:27:37 THIS LEGISLATION, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO 10:27:41 TESTIFY. I STRONGLY BELIEVE YOUR HEARINGS 10:27:43 WILL PROVIDE CONGRESS WITH A STARTING POINT FOR A NEW 10:27:47 DIALOGUE ABOUT FIGHTING EXTREMISM AND RADICALIZATION. 10:27:50 WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE SILENT. I'M REMINDED OF THE SONG BY 10:27:54 SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, "THE BOXER," THAT SAYS MAN HEARS WHAT 10:27:59 HE WANTS TO HEAR, BUT DISREGARDS THE REST. 10:28:02 WE CANNOT DISREGARD THE ISSUE OF RADICALIZATION IN OUR COUNTRY. 10:28:07 YOUR HEARINGS CAN PROVIDE A PRODUCTIVE FORUM FOR A 10:28:11 MUCH-NEEDED DIALOGUE ABOUT DOMESTIC RADICAL ZACHLGTS I WANT 10:28:13 TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. 10:28:16 THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN WOLF. YOUR TESTIMONY AND WE LOOK 10:28:20 FORWARD TO CONSIDERING YOUR LEGISLATION. 10:28:21 THANK YOU. PANEL IS DISMISSED. 10:28:27 I WANT TO THANK ALL THE CONGRESSIONAL WITNESSES FOR 10:28:30 THEIR TESTIMONY. I WOULD NOW INVITE THE WITNESSES 10:28:33 ON THE SECOND PANEL TO BE SEATED AT THE WITNESS TABLE FOR YOUR 10:28:36 TESTIMONY. LET ME AGAIN THANK EACH OF 10:30:04 THE FOUR WITNESSES FOR BEING HERE TODAY FOR GIVING US THEIR 10:30:09 VALUABLE TIME, THEIR INPUT AND THEIR VARYING VIEWS, BUT ALL 10:30:13 THAT IS ESSENTIAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 10:30:17 OUR FIRST WITNESS TODAY, DR. ZUDI JOSTER IS FOUNDER OF THE 10:30:24 AMERICAN ISLAMIC FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY. 10:30:27 HE FOUNDED AIFD IN THE WAKE OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS IN THE UNITED 10:30:31 STATES AS AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE AN AMERICAN MUSLIM VOICE 10:30:35 ADVOCATING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF 10:30:38 THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, I 10:30:42 REMEMBER YOU WHEN YOU WERE HERE. HE IS A RESPECTED PHYSICIAN AND 10:30:47 FORMER LIEUTENANT OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY AND WORKED IN THE 10:30:49 ATTENDING PHYSICIANS OFFICE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL. 10:30:51 FOR BETTER OR WORSE, HE KEPT US HEALTHY. 10:30:54 SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS MAY NOT BE TOO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. 10:30:58 YOU DID A GREAT JOB KEEPING US HEALTHY. 10:31:00 I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. 10:31:01 THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED. DOCTOR, IF YOU PUT ON THE 10:31:12 MICROPHONE THERE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. 10:31:14 THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN KING, 10:31:17 RANKING MEMBER THOMPSON, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE 10:31:20 COMMITTEE SEEKING MORTESTIMONY ON WAY FEEL IS THE MOST 10:31:23 IMPORTANT THREAT TO AMERICAN SECURITY IN THE 21st CENTURY. 10:31:26 AS CHAIRMAN KING SAID, I COME TO YOU AS A DEVOUT MUSLIM AND 10:31:30 SOMEBODY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COUNTRY. 10:31:33 NOT ONLY ITS POLARIZATION BUT ITS PARALYSIS DEALING WITH THIS 10:31:35 PROBLEM. WE FORM AN ORGANIZATION TO 10:31:41 ADDRESS THIS, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MOVE ONE STEP FORWARD 10:31:44 SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE OF THAT PARALYSIS. 10:31:46 ONE CAMP ON THE POLARIZATION REFUSES TO BELIEVE ANY MUSLIM 10:31:51 COULD BE RADICALIZED, YET WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN 10:31:56 THE NUMBER OF RADICALIZED MUSLIMS THAT MAY NOT BE FROM 10:31:59 WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE KNOW, BUT ARE MUSLIMS 10:32:04 NONETHELESS. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 10:32:12 POLARITY THAT ARE SEEK NOTHING SOLUTIONS. 10:32:13 THE MAJORITY IN THE MIDDLE IS MODERATE AMERICA LOOKING FOR A 10:32:17 SOLUTION. I THINK THESE HEARINGS OR AN 10:32:18 OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSLIMS TO ADDRESS THAT SOLUTION. 10:32:21 LET ME BE CLEAR AND STATE UP FRONT THAT THE U.S. HAS A 10:32:26 SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH MUSLIM RADICALIZATION. 10:32:28 I'M MUSLIM AND I REALIZE IT'S MY PROBLEM AND I NEED TO FIX IT. 10:32:32 THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU HAVE 10:32:36 SOME OF THE BEST WORK ON RADICALIZATION IS BEING DONE BY 10:32:40 NONMUSLIMS LIKE NYPD RECORD ON RADICALIZATION. 10:32:44 MOST MUSLIM GROUPS CONDEMN THAT REPORT WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 10:32:47 DOING THAT REPORT. LET ME STATE CLEARLY IT IS A 10:32:49 PROBLEM THAT WE CAN ONLY SOLVE. CHRISTIANS, JEWS, NONMUSLIMS 10:32:55 CANNOT SOLVE MUSLIM RADICALIZATION. 10:32:57 YES, THERE MAY BE OTHER TYPES OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM, BUT THAT 10:32:59 CANNOT BE SOLVED BY NONMUSLIMS. SO WE CAN CLOSE OUR EYES AND 10:33:05 PRETEND IT DOESN'T EXIST. WE CAN CALL EVERYBODY A BIGOT OR 10:33:11 ISLAMAPHOBE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND 10:33:13 THE PROBLEM IS INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY. 10:33:19 I HOPE WE CAN GET BEHIND THIS BLIND CONCEPT OF VIOLENT 10:33:23 EXTREMISM. RADICALIZATION IS A CONTINUUM. 10:33:25 COOPERATION IS A CONTINUUM. I PERSONALLY HAVE NEVER KNOWN A 10:33:30 MUSLIM THAT WOULDN'T REPORT SOMEBODY ABOUT TO BLOW SOMETHING 10:33:32 UP OR COMMIT AN ACT OF VIOLENCE, BUT THAT'S A FINAL STEP ON A 10:33:36 CONTINUUM OF RADICALIZATION. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SMALL 10:33:40 ELEMENTS, BUT SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS OF IDEOLOGY WITHIN OUR 10:33:47 COMMUNITY BASED ON THE LACK OF IDENTIFICATION AND SEPARATISM 10:33:51 AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF CERTAIN MUSLIMS FROM THIS 10:33:54 SOCIETY THAT MAKES THEM NOT BOND, NOT TRUST THE GOVERNMENT, 10:33:57 MAKES THEM DISTRUST THE FBI AND CREATES A CULTURE OF A LACK OF 10:34:01 COOPERATION. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED YOUR HELP IN 10:34:02 SOLVING. AMERICA'S CURRENT PARADIGM IS 10:34:06 FAILING. I'M A PHYSICIAN. 10:34:07 I WAS TRAINED AS A PHYSICIAN TO PATIENTS COME IN, THEY'VE GOT 10:34:11 THREE OR FOUR SYMPTOMS, TYPICALLY THEY HAVE ONE 10:34:19 DIAGNOSIS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PROBLEM OF 10:34:20 RADICALIZATION, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE PANOPLEA OF 10:34:29 EXCUSES WILL NEVER RUN OUT. AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S A 10:34:32 MORAL CORRUPTION WITHIN A CERTAIN SEGMENT THAT IS USING 10:34:36 OUR RELIGION, HIJACKING IT FOR A THEOPOLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT IS 10:34:41 NOT ONLY DOMESTIC BUT IS GLOBAL. THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY AND 10:34:44 TAKING THE TIME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY AND MY WORK TO DO THAT, 10:34:47 TO BE HERE WITH YOU, IS BECAUSE WE ARE FAILING. 10:34:50 WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THIS. WE ARE SO MUCH SOAKING UP THE 10:34:53 BANDWIDTH OF THE DISCUSSION IN THIS COUNTRY ON THIS WITH 10:34:57 VICTIMIZATION THAT WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE CORE PROBLEM AND 10:35:01 ROOT CAUSE. YET THESE HALLS, THIS GOVERNMENT 10:35:03 WAS BASED ON DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY. 10:35:06 OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, OUR ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE WAS BASED 10:35:10 ON BEING ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE FUNCTIONAL 10:35:13 ON RELIGION, YET ONCE A MOVEMENT, A THREAT HIJACKS 10:35:16 RELIGION, WE SEEM TO BECOME COMPLETELY DYSFUNCTIONAL AND WE 10:35:23 GET HISTRIONICS AND CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT. 10:35:29 I WANT MY CHILDREN TO HAVE THE GIFT I GOT FROM MY PARENTS THAT 10:35:32 FELT AMERICA, THE FIRST MINUTE THEY STEPPED OFF THE PLANE FROM 10:35:35 THE OPPRESSION OF SYRIA AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THEY COULD PRACTICE 10:35:39 THEIR BEAUTIFUL FAITH OF ISLAM MORE FREELY HERE THAN ANYWHERE 10:35:42 ELSE IN THE WORLD. WHY? 10:35:44 BECAUSE THIS GOVERNMENT IS NOT UNDER ONE FAITH. 10:35:46 IT'S UNDER GOD AND IT'S BASED ON LIBERTY. 10:35:48 THESE ARE THE PRINCIPLES JUST AS PRIME MINISTER CAMERON SAID, WE 10:35:54 CAN'T CONTINUE TO PLAY DEFENSE. WE NEED A MUSCULAR LIBERALISM. 10:35:59 OUR TAX MONEY, OUR RESOURCES HAVE BEEN SQUANDERED. 10:36:03 WE CONTINUE TO PLAY DEFENSE. UNTIL WE HAVE AN IDEOLOGICAL 10:36:06 OFFENSE INTO THE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES DOMESTICALLY AND 10:36:10 GLOBALLY TO TEACH LIBERTY, TEACH SEPARATION OF MOSQUE AND STATE, 10:36:13 YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. 10:36:15 WE ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT. I'M NOT SAYING YOU COULD SOLVE 10:36:27 THEOLOGY. WE NEED TO BUILD PLATFORMS YOU 10:36:29 CAN ADVOCATE FOR UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS BASED IN THE EQUALITY OF 10:36:33 MEN AND WOMEN, ALL FAITH BEFORE LAW. 10:36:35 THESE ARE PRINCIPLES THAT CERTAIN POCKETS OF ISLAMIC LAW, 10:36:40 ISLAMIC LEGALISMS WITHIN SYSTEMS IN THIS COUNTRY AND OUTSIDE ARE 10:36:45 ADVOCATING THAT ARE IN CONTRADICTION WITH OUR 10:36:47 GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY AND END UP RADICALIZING ON A CONTINUUM, 10:36:51 CREATE A CULTURE OF LACK OF COOPERATION, AND UNTIL YOU TREAT 10:36:54 THAT DIAGNOSIS, WHAT I CALL POLITICAL ISLAM, SPIRITUAL ISLAM 10:36:57 WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER. OUR FAITH COMMUNITY WILL SUFFER 10:37:01 AND THIS COUNTRY'S SECURITY WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER. 10:37:03 THE CURRENT GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN SPEAKING ON OUR BEHALF HAVE 10:37:05 BEEN FAILING. THEY MAY BE WELL INTENDED ABOUT 10:37:09 CIVIL RIGHTS, BUT THEY ARE APOLOGETICS, DISMISSALS HAVE 10:37:13 BEEN COMPLETELY FAILING. IF YOU LOOK AT NIDAL HASSAN, HE 10:37:16 DIDN'T BECOME RADICAL OVERNIGHT. IF YOU LOOK AT HIS RESUME, IT'S 10:37:20 FRIGHTENINGLY SIMILAR TO MINE, BUT YET SOMETHING HAPPENED IN 10:37:24 HIM OVER YEARS, OVER YEARS. YOU CAN'T JUST BLAME ALAQI. 10:37:31 BEFORE HE CAME A RADICALIZER, HE WAS GIVING SERMONS IN MOSQUES IN 10:37:36 DENVER, SAN DIEGO AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. 10:37:38 WHEN YOU TALK TO CERTAIN LEADERS IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY THEY SAY 10:37:41 WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. HE BECAME VIOLENT. 10:37:44 THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS. IT CREEPS UP OVER TIME. 10:37:51 THERE ARE ENABLERS. THE ENABLING THAT'S BEEN 10:37:54 HAPPENING IN SOME OF OUR, NOT ALL, NOT EVEN A MAJORITY, HAS 10:37:59 BEEN CAUSING A PROGRESSION OF THIS PROBLEM. 10:38:07 IF YOU COULD TRY TO COMPLETE IN 30 SECONDS? 10:38:10 YES, SIR. ULTIMATELY WE NEED SOLUTIONS. 10:38:12 OUR ORGANIZATION CREATED A MUSLIM LIBERTY PROJECT THAT 10:38:19 LOOKS AT INNOCULATING MUSLIMS. WE HAVE A RETREAT TO BEGIN THAT 10:38:30 PROCESS. THIS IS OUR HOMELAND. 10:38:31 WE WANT TO SET THIS SOCIETY TO BEGIN A COUNTERJIHAD, AND 10:38:36 OFFENSE TO COUNTER THE IDEAS I THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO USE OUR 10:38:40 RESOURCES AS A NATION, AND REMEMBER THAT THE FREEDOMS WE 10:38:44 HAVE DON'T COME WITH A CHEAP PRICE AND WE NEED TO GIVE BACK. 10:38:50 AND THAT THE SOLUTION ULTIMATELY TO FEAR OF MUSLIMS IS FOR 10:38:52 AMERICANS TO SEE MUSLIMS LEADING THE CHARGE AGAINST RADICAL 10:38:56 ISLAM. THANK YOU, DR. JASSER. 10:38:59 OUR NEXT WITNESS IS MELVIN BLEDSOE, FATHER OF JOAQUIN. 10:39:19 THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE TODAY 10:39:22 AND TO TELL THE COUNTRY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON. 10:39:27 THIS HEARING TODAY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO BEGIN THE 10:39:29 DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ISSUES OF ISLAMIC RADICALIZATION IN 10:39:33 AMERICA. MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THIS 10:39:37 COMMITTEE CAN SOMEHOW ADJUST THE ISSUE IN A MEANINGFUL, 10:39:41 PRODUCTIVE WAY. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY 10:39:44 DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF PRIVATE WILLIAM LONG AND THE 10:39:50 WOUNDED SOLDIER. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE 10:39:59 COMPLICITY IN PRIVATE LONG'S MURDER. 10:40:01 ISLAMIC RADICALS WHO PROGRAM AND TRAIN MADE SON CARLOS TO KILL. 10:40:06 I WANT TO TELL AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD WHAT HAPPENED TO 10:40:11 MY SON. WE SENT HIM OFF TO COLLEGE AT 10:40:15 TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE IN THE FALL 10:40:19 OF 2003. OUR DREAM ABOUT HIS FUTURE ENDED 10:40:22 UP IN A NIGHTMARE. CARLOS IS MY ONLY SON. 10:40:26 HE GREW UP IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. 10:40:28 WE OPERATED A TOURING COMPANY AND HE STARTED HELPING OUT AT 10:40:32 THE FAMILY BUSINESS AT AGE OF 8. HE LOVED TO TALK TO THE 10:40:35 TRAVELING PUBLIC AND HAD A LOT OF FUN INTERACTING WITH THE 10:40:38 CUSTOMERS. AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH 10:40:40 SCHOOL, CARLOS WANTED TO GET A DEGREE IN BUSINESS. 10:40:43 WE THOUGHT PERHAPS HE WOULD COME BACK TO MEMPHIS TO RUN THE 10:40:46 BUSINESS AND GIVE MY WIFE AND I AN EARLY RETIREMENT. 10:40:52 AFTER THE FALL OF 2005, HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR IN NASHVILLE, 10:40:57 CARLOS CAME HOME THAT CHRISTMAS FOR THE HOLIDAY. 10:41:00 WE WERE SITTING AROUND THE FAMILY ROOM AND CARLOS, HIS 10:41:04 SISTER MONICA, HER HUSBAND AND I WERE HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION 10:41:08 ABOUT LIFE. AT A CERTAIN POINT CARLOS AND 10:41:11 HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW GOT INTO A HEATED CONVERSATION ABOUT MUSLIM 10:41:16 RELIGION. THEN AND LATER WE FELT LIKE 10:41:18 CARLOS' PERSONALITY CHANGE WHEN WE SPOKE ABOUT ISLAM. 10:41:20 WE THOUGHT MAYBE HE HAD SOME MUSLIM FRIENDS AND WAS OFFENDED 10:41:25 BY THE COMMENT. THE NEXT TIME CARLOS CAME HOME, 10:41:29 WE SAW ANOTHER SIDE OF HIM THAT WE DIDN'T SEE BEFORE. 10:41:32 DURING THE NIGHT HE TOOK OFF ALL THE PICTURES FROM THE WALLS OF 10:41:36 THE BEDROOM WHERE HE SLEPT. HE EVEN TOOK OFF THE PICTURE OF 10:41:40 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR OFF THE WALL. 10:41:43 WE ASKED CARLOS, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU? 10:41:46 HE REPLIED HE IS NOW A NEW CONVERT TO ISLAM AND EVERYTHING 10:41:49 HE DOES FROM NOW ON WILL BE TO HONOR ALLAH. 10:41:56 CARLOS WAS GROWING UP WITH MARTIN KING'S PICTURE ON THE 10:42:03 WALL, BUT NOW HE IS TREATING THAT PICTURE AS IF DR. KING WAS 10:42:06 NOBODY TO HIM. WE ASKED CARLOS NOT TO TAKE THE 10:42:08 DR. KING PICTURE OFF THE WALL. HE TAKE IT OFF THE WALL ANYWAY. 10:42:12 THIS BECAME A BIG CONCERN TO US. WE WENT TO NASHVILLE TO VISIT 10:42:15 HIM MORE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WAS HE HANGING AROUND WITH 10:42:18 AND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH CARLOS. 10:42:21 CARLOS DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AT THE BEGINNING OF 2005 SEMESTER. 10:42:25 HE WAS WORKING AT A TEMPORARY J 10:42:33 JOB AND GOT A DOING. HE TURNED THE DOG LOOSE IN THE 10:42:41 WOODS BECAUSE HE WAS TOLD IT WAS A DIRTY CREATURE. 10:42:44 I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULD DO THAT BECAUSE HE GREW UP 10:42:47 WITH DOGS IN THE HOUSE SINCE HE WAS 5 YEARS OLD. 10:42:50 SOMETHING AND SOMEONE IS GETTING INTO HIS HEAD AND CHANGING HIS 10:42:53 WAIF THINKING. IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT HE 10:42:58 HAD NO INTEREST IN COMING HOME EVEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS. 10:43:02 ALL THIS WAS PART OF HIS BRAINWASHING. 10:43:05 CHANGING HIS THINKING A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. 10:43:09 HE HAD A JOB IN NASHVILLE WITH SOME MUSLIMS WHO TELLS HIM 10:43:17 ISLAMIC LAW, HIS EMPLOYER, HAD TO LET HIM PRAY CERTAIN TIMES OF 10:43:20 DAY REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HIS JOB. 10:43:24 AS A BUSINESS OWNER I TOLD CARLOS, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT 10:43:28 FOR EMPLOYERS TO DO THIS FOR ALL HIS EMPLOYEES. 10:43:31 AT THIS TIME, AT THE NEXT STEP ON HIS PROGRESS OF 10:43:35 RADICALIZATION, CARLOS WAS CONVINCED TO CHANGE HIS NAME. 10:43:38 HE CHOSE THE NAME ABDULLAH HAKEEM MUHAMMED. 10:43:42 AT THIS POINT HIS CULTURE WAS NO LONGER IMPORTANT TO HIM, ONLY 10:43:47 ISLAMIC CULTURE. SOME MUSLIM LEADER HAD TAKEN 10:43:50 ADVANTAGE OF MY SON. HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE BEING 10:43:52 TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. THIS IS AN ONGOING THING IN 10:43:56 NASHVILLE AND MANY OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA. 10:43:58 IN NASHVILLE CARLOS WAS CAPTURED BY BEST DESCRIBED HUNTERS. 10:44:03 HE WAS MANIPULATED AND LIED TO. THAT'S HOW HE MADE HIS WAY TO 10:44:07 YEMEN. CARLOS WAS HOPING TO GO THERE 10:44:09 FOR A CHANCE TO CROSS OVER TO SAUDI ARABIA AND VISIT MECCA. 10:44:13 HE WAS TAUGHT ALL THE TRUE MUSLIM MUST DO THIS ONE TIME IN 10:44:17 LIFE. HE WAS TAUGHT THAT HE WOULD GET 10:44:21 TO WALK ON THE GROUNDS WHERE PROPHET MUHAMMED WALKED AND ABLE 10:44:24 TO TRAVEL THE AREA. THEY HAD OTHER PLANS FOR HIM. 10:44:30 THEY SET HIM UP, TOLD HIM HE COULD TEAT ENGLISH IN A BRITISH 10:44:34 SCHOOL SOUTH OF YEMEN. THE SCHOOL TURNED OUT TO BE A 10:44:38 FRONT FOR CARLOS AND HE ENDED UP IN A TRAINING CAMP RUN BY 10:44:42 TERRORISTS. CARLOS JOINED WITH THE YEMENI 10:44:46 EXTREMISTS FACILITATED BY THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPART IN 10:44:51 NASHVILLE. WE HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT 10:44:55 FORMER M.I. IN NASHVILLE MOSQUE WROTE THE RECOMMENDATION LETTER 10:44:59 FOR CARLOS NEEDED FOR THE SCHOOLING IMAGE. 10:45:02 WE DISCOVERED THAT SCHOOL FUNCTION AS AN INTAKE FRONT FOR 10:45:07 RADICALIZATION TRAINING FOR WESTERNS FOR JIHAD. 10:45:10 FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE FBI HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CARLOS SINCE 10:45:14 AND BEFORE HE LEFT NASHVILLE, CONTINUED TO FOLLOW HIM AFTER HE 10:45:17 CAME BACK FROM YEMEN. CARLOS WAS ARRESTED IN YEMEN 10:45:21 OVEREXTENDING HIS VISA IN OCTOBER 2008. 10:45:26 HE WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE FBI AGENT IN NASHVILLE BEFORE THE 10:45:28 U.S. EMBASSY WAS ALERTED ABOUT HIS ARREST. 10:45:32 THE FBI WAS ALARMED ABOUT WHAT THEY LEARNED FROM CARLOS. 10:45:39 WE WISH THEY COULD HAVE TOLD US, HIS FAMILY, ABOUT WHAT THEY 10:45:43 LEARNED. IF WE KNEW HOW SERIOUS THE 10:45:46 EXTREMISM HAD BECOME, WE COULD HAVE PUT EVERY EFFORT TO STOP 10:45:53 THE TRAGEDY IN ARKANSAS. MY FAMILY CRIED OUT FOR HELP TO 10:45:57 BRING MY SON BACK FROM THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. 10:45:58 WE GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY, STATE 10:46:01 DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO ASKED FOR HELP FROM OUR U.S. 10:46:06 REPRESENTATIVE AND THE FBI SPECIAL AGENT WHO HAD BEEN 10:46:10 TRACKING MY SON IN NASHVILLE AFTER OUR SON WAS FINALLY 10:46:14 RELEASED AND BROUGHT HOME TO US. NO ONE SAID ANYTHING TO US ABOUT 10:46:19 WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IN YEMEN OR WHAT THEY MAY HAVE 10:46:22 LEARNED THAT SO ALARMED THE FBI TO INTERROGATE CARLOS WHILE HE 10:46:25 WAS IN THE CUSTODY OF YEMEN POLITICAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION. 10:46:30 CARLOS EXPERIENCED IN YEMEN'S POLITICAL JAIL WAS THE FINAL 10:46:33 STAGE OF HIS RADICALIZATION. HE WAS IN THERE WITH TRUE 10:46:37 EVIL-DOERS. HARDCORE AL QAEDA MEMBERS WHO 10:46:39 CONVINCED HIM TO GET REVENGE ON AMERICA. 10:46:41 SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MUSLIM LEADERS IN NASHVILLE. 10:46:44 WHAT HAPPENED TO CARLOS AT THOSE MOSQUES IS ENORMOUS. 10:46:48 I HAVE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE MUSLIM. 10:46:53 THEY ARE PEACEFUL LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE AND ARE NOT RADICALIZED. 10:46:57 I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL UNCLES AND BROTHERS IN THE MILITARY. 10:47:00 OUR FAMILY FOUGHT IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY WAR SINCE THE CIVIL 10:47:02 WAR. I HAVE NEPHEWS WHO ARE CURRENTLY 10:47:05 IN AFGHANISTAN FIGHTING FOR THE DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM FOR ALL 10:47:09 AMERICANS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AMERICANS 10:47:13 ARE SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING ABOUT EXTREMISTS, RADICAL 10:47:19 EXTREMISTS AS CARLOS' STORY AND OTHER STORIES AT THESE HEARINGS 10:47:23 AREN'T TRUE. THIS IS A BIG ELEPHANT IN THE 10:47:27 ROOM. OUR SOCIETY CONTINUES NOT TO SEE 10:47:32 IT. THIS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, YOU 10:47:36 CAN CALL IT POLITICAL FEAR. FEAR OF STEPPING ON SPECIAL 10:47:39 MINORITY POPULATION TOES EVEN AS A SEGMENT OF THAT POPULATION 10:47:42 WANTS TO STAMP OUT AMERICA AND EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR. 10:47:45 I MUST SAY THAT WE ARE LOSING AMERICAN BABIES. 10:47:49 OUR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER. THIS COUNTRY MUST STAND UP AND 10:47:52 DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. YES, MY SON YOU ARE HEARING 10:47:59 ABOUT TODAY. TOMORROW IT COULD BE YOUR SON, 10:48:01 YOUR DAUGHTER. IT MIGHT BE AN AMERICAN, 10:48:04 AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILD THAT THEY WENT AFTER IN NASHVILLE. 10:48:08 TOMORROW THE VICTIM MIGHT HAVE BLONDE HAIR, BLUE EYES. 10:48:11 ONE THING FOR SURE, IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. 10:48:16 IF YOU COULD JUST FINISH UP IN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS, PLEASE. 10:48:21 WE MUST STOP THESE EXTREMIST INVADERS FROM RAPING THE MINDS 10:48:30 OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. CARLOS GREW UP AS A 10:48:34 HAPPY-GO-LUCKY KID WITH A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. 10:48:37 LOVED TO CRACK A JOKE OR TWO. EVERYBODY LIKED HIM. 10:48:39 HE LOVED TO PLAY TEAM SPORTS LIKE BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL. 10:48:43 HE LOVES SWIMMING AND DANCING, LISTENING TO MUSIC. 10:48:48 TODAY, WE HAVE TWO FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. 10:48:51 THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING 10:48:54 CHANGE THAT NO OTHER FAMILY IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS HAS 10:48:57 TO GO THROUGH WHAT OUR FAMILY ARE FACING TODAY. 10:49:01 GOD HELP US. GOD HELP US. 10:49:07 THANK YOU, MR. BLEDSOE. OUR NEXT WITNESS ISES DIRECTOR 10:49:12 OF SOMALI EDUCATION AND ITS SOCIAL ADVOCACY CENTER IN 10:49:18 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, THE UNCLE OF BORHAN HASSAN. 10:49:22 I ASK YOU TO LIMIT YOUR REMARKS TO FIVE MINUTES OR SO. 10:49:26 THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY 10:49:36 THANK YOU TO CHAIRMAN KING AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR 10:49:39 ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MUSLIM SOMALI AMERICAN 10:49:43 COMMUNITY TODAY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE SOMALI 10:49:46 AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR HELPING US, THE FAMILIES OF THE MISSING 10:49:51 CHILDREN OR YOUTH, TO STAND UP AGAINST THE RADICALIZATION OF 10:49:56 OUR YOUTH. I WANT TO TELL YOU WHY I'M HERE 10:50:00 TODAY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ME. 10:50:03 I'M HERE BECAUSE OF MY BOREN HASSAN. 10:50:08 NOT ONLY HIM BUT 20 AND 40 OTHERS WHO ARE SOMALI AMERICANS 10:50:13 IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WHO HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED, 10:50:16 RADICALIZED BY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BACK HOME INTO A 10:50:26 B BURNING IN A CIVIL WAR. 10:50:27 I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY NEPHEW. I LOVE MY SISTER, AND HER FAMILY 10:50:32 WAS ALONG ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WHO FLED FROM THE 10:50:35 CIVIL WAR INTO THE NEIGHBORING KENYA WHERE IN THE CAMPUS THERE 10:50:38 WAS NO ORDER, BUT THE RAPE, MASS KILLING AND DISORDER WAS THE 10:50:45 DAY. EVERYBODY BEGGED AND LONGED FOR 10:50:46 THE DAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE HELPED BY THE INTERNATIONAL 10:50:51 COMMUNITY. FORTUNATELY, MY SISTER AND HER 10:50:55 FAMILY, SHE WAS ONE OF THE LUCKIEST ONES THAT MADE IT TO 10:50:58 THE SHORES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 10:51:03 MY NEPHEW IMMEDIATELY ADOPTED SLANG AND BECOME A STUDENT. 10:51:11 HE WAS LOVED BY THE COMMUNITY. HIS MOM AND I AND EVERYBODY 10:51:14 ELSE, THE BEST THING FOR US IS TO PUT HIM IN SUNDAY SCHOOL AND 10:51:20 THAT WAS THE MOSQUE, THE CENTER. WE INVESTED IN THIS CENTER WITH 10:51:24 ALL OUR MONEY TO MAKE IT BIGGER SO IT COULD HELP OUR YOUTH AND 10:51:28 INSTEAD OF BEING ON THE STREETS, TO BE INFLUENCED INTO BAD 10:51:33 BEHAVIOR. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED. 10:51:37 UNFORTUNATELY ON THE NIGHT ELECTION -- HISTORICAL NIGHT OF 10:51:44 2004-2008, 2004, MY SISTER KEPT CALLING THE FAMILY AND MISS HER 10:51:48 SON. WE KEEP CALLING EVERYBODY. 10:51:50 WE FINALLY END UP WITH OTHER FAMILIES, WE COME TO THE END OF 10:51:53 THAT, OUR KIDS WERE LURED BACK INTO SOMALIA. 10:51:57 WE WENT TO THE MOSQUE AND THE CENTER AND ASK FOR ANSWERS. 10:52:00 EVERYBODY PROMISE THAT THEY WILL MEET WITH US. 10:52:03 THE OTHER DAY WE WERE WAITING FOR THE IMAM AND THE OTHER 10:52:07 LEADERS, ALL WE DID WAS SAW UP IN THE SOMALI TV AND SEE THEM, 10:52:13 INSTEAD OF HELPING US FIND OUR CHILDREN, CONDEMNING US TO BEING 10:52:20 USED TO DESTROY OUR OWN MOSQUE AND RELIGION. 10:52:23 THAT WAS MORE HURTFUL THAN MISSING OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE NOW 10:52:27 WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE BIGGER COMMUNITY, TO DESTROY OUR FAITH 10:52:33 AND OUR COMMUNITY. THAT SET THE STAGE ON FOR TWO 10:52:38 YEARS OF STRUGGLE. AND THE BOTTOM WAS THE 10:52:45 COMMUNITY. WHOEVER WINS THE COMMUNITY, IF 10:52:46 THEY WIN THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE NOT MISSING CHILDREN, BUT LIARS 10:52:51 LIKE ME AND MY FAMILY AND 20 OTHER SINGLE MOMS WHO LOST R 10:52:59 THEIR -- AFTER TWO YEARS OF DEMONSTRATIONS, EDUCATING, 10:53:04 FIGHTING WITH BASIC AND PERSONAL MONEY AND EFFORTS OF SLEEPING 10:53:08 THREE HOURS A NIGHT, TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WE WON THE HEART AND 10:53:13 MINDS OF THE COMMUNITY. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SAGA, 10:53:16 THOUGH WE NEVER GET HELP, WE NEVER GOT HELP FROM OUR LEADERS, 10:53:21 FROM OUR ORGANIZATIONS, THROUGH OUR BIG ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS, 10:53:26 BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR KINNING, WHERE THE COMMUNITY 10:53:29 STARTED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH US, WHAT HAPPENED TO US, WHAT 10:53:31 HAPPENED TO OUR ENGINEERS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, MY NEPHEW 10:53:35 WANTED TO GO TO HARVARD, AND BECOME A LAWYER OR A DOCTOR, 10:53:39 JUST LIKE YOU, BUT WITH ALL THOSE THINGS, THEN BIG 10:53:43 ORGANIZATIONS COME TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE NEVER 10:53:46 SEEN. CARE, SUCH A BEAUTIFUL NAME. 10:53:50 ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS IS FILLED WITH MOSQUES THAT MOSQUES ARE 10:53:55 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL HURT US SO MORE THAN OUR KIDS MISSING 10:54:00 HURT, CALL US TOOLS. THE CENTER WE BUILT, THE PEOPLE 10:54:04 WE GAVE MILLIONS, OUR GOAL, OUR LIVES, OUR IMAMS WE TRUST. 10:54:10 I WANT TO WARN YOU IT IS ONLY ONE CENTER OUT OF 40 SOMETHING 10:54:14 CENTERS AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THE KIDS ARE MISSING. 10:54:18 ALL OF THEM. THIS ORGANIZATION COMES IN, 10:54:22 AGREES WITH OTHER LEADERS TOO THAT WE ARE LIARS, WE HAVE A 10:54:25 CLAN, TRIBAL PROBLEMS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME 10:54:29 FROM. WE HAVE NO CLAN, TRIBE OR 10:54:32 LANGUAGE PROBLEMS. WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY. 10:54:34 WE HAVE BEEN HURT BY OTHER MUSLIMS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 10:54:38 WE HAVE BEEN DENIED TO STAND UP. WE HAD TO DO THREE 10:54:42 DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE STREET IN THE RAIN, IN THE SNOW IN 10:54:47 MINNESOTA. MINNESOTA IT IS COLD. 10:54:51 ISLAMIC ORGANIZATION THAT IS CLAIMING IN THE HOUSE OF 10:54:54 CONGRESS THEY ARE SO POWERFUL THAT THEY ARE HELPING US, THAT 10:54:57 WE ARE TOOLS TO BE USED BY REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, LIBERAL, 10:55:04 BY CONSERVATIVE, BY NAZIS, BY THIS. 10:55:08 WE HAVE BEEN MUSLIMS SINCE MUHAMMAD. 10:55:12 I WANT TO TELL YOU, MY COMMUNITY IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY 10:55:17 IN THE WORLD I'VE KNOWN. THERE ARE 99.9% GOOD AMERICAN 10:55:23 CITIZENS THAT WORKDAY AND HARD, DAY AND NIGHT, 18 HOURS, 17 10:55:27 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS, TO CHASE AMERICAN DREAM. 10:55:30 THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE. WE HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED. 10:55:37 SO OUR CHILDREN, WE HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY LEADERSHIP THAT WE 10:55:41 HAVE NEVER SEEN. MR. BIHI, IF YOU CAN TRY TO 10:55:45 FINISH IN 30, 40 SECONDS. I WILL FINISH THAT. 10:55:47 I WANT TO CONCLUDE FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS THEY HAVE NOT DONE 10:55:51 ANYTHING ELSE. THE SOMALI COMMUNITY WANTS TO BE 10:55:54 HEARD AND I THANK YOU, MR. KING, CONGRESSMAN KING, AND OTHER 10:55:58 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR GETTING ME HERE, FOR PANELISTS 10:56:02 LIKE HIM, AND LIKE ME. MY COMMUNITY WANTS TO BE HEARD. 10:56:09 I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AND OPEN INVESTIGATIONS AS TO WHAT IS 10:56:13 HAPPENING IN MY COMMUNITY. WE ARE ISOLATED BY ISLAMIC 10:56:18 ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS WHO SUPPORT THEM. 10:56:21 TALK TO THE COMMON CHAIN, MUHAMMAD INDUSTRY OF CLOSE TO 10:56:26 100,000 MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY. I WANT TO TELL YOU, 85% OF OUR 10:56:30 VULNERABLE YOUTH DO NOT HAVE VIABLE EMPLOYMENT. 10:56:33 THEY ARE NOT ENGAGED IN CONSTRUCTIVE PROGRAMS. 10:56:37 AND IF WE STAND AND SPEAK UP FOR THEM, WE ARE LABELED AND HURT 10:56:40 INSTEAD OF BEING SUPPORTED. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT, WE NEED A 10:56:44 VOICE TO SPEAK UP. WE HAVE BEEN HURT AND WE ARE NOT 10:56:46 GOING AWAY. THANK YOU. 10:56:49 WHAT I WANT TO SAY LAST -- I ASK THE AUDIENCE TO REFRAIN 10:56:53 FROM ANY RESPONSE, PLEASE. WHAT I WANT TO SAY LAST, IT 10:56:55 IS IMPORTANT MISSION THAT THE SOMALI COMMUNITY -- AL SHABAB IS 10:57:02 KILLING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF MOGADISHU AND THE 10:57:08 WORLD MUST UNDERSTAND IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA, THIS 10:57:11 PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE. MY LAST STATEMENT IS, I NEVER 10:57:14 HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THE COMMUNITY 10:57:18 IS LACKING STRONG, VIABLE -- MR. BIHI, YOUR TIME EXPIRED. 10:57:26 THE NEXT WITNESS IS SHERIFF BACA. 10:57:30 YOUR TEAM WILL NOT BE LIMITED. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 10:57:36 SHERIFF LEE BACA IS A FORMER U.S. MARINE. 10:57:38 HE SERVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. HE SERVED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT 10:57:42 OFFICER FOR 46 YEARS. HE WAS ELECTED AS OUR LOS 10:57:46 ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF IN 1998. SHERIFF LEE BACA COMMANDS THE 10:57:51 LARGEST SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, LEADING OVER 10:57:55 18,000 BUDGETED, SWORN AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF, LAW 10:57:59 ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND SERVES OVER 4 MILLION PEOPLE. 10:58:03 MANY OF THE CITIES, TWO OF WHICH HAPPEN TO BE IN MY DISTRICT, 10:58:07 COMPTON AND CARSON. HIS JURISDICTION INCLUDES 40 10:58:10 CITIES, NINE COLLEGES, 58 SUPERIOR COURTS, AND A LOCAL 10:58:13 JAIL SYSTEM HOUSING OVER 20,000 PRISONERS. 10:58:17 SHERIFF BACA IS A RESPECTED WITNESS. 10:58:20 HE HAS BEEN TO THIS COMMITTEE TESTIFYING IN BOTH 2009 AND 2010 10:58:24 AND WAS INVITED HERE BY OUR RANKING MEMBER MR. THOMPSON. 10:58:27 PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING SHERIFF LEE BACA. 10:58:34 THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. 10:58:37 I THANK RANKING MEMBER THOMPSON AND YOUR COMMITTEE FOR THIS 10:58:42 HEARING TODAY. MOREOVER, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK 10:58:44 SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 10:58:47 SECURITY FOR THE SUPPORT LOS ANGELES HAS RECEIVED REGARDING 10:58:50 COMBATTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM. THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S 10:58:54 DEPARTMENT HAS LONG BEEN A LEADER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF 10:58:57 RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE VARIOUS ETHNIC, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS