A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.
-Thomas Jefferson-

Abdel Hamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the attack dispatched eight terrorists to the City of Lights to kill as many people as possible and focus the world’s attention on ISIS. According to the ISIS claim of responsibility the terrorists “targeted sites that were accurately chosen in the heart of the capital of France.” The soft targets included restaurants, bars, a concert hall and a stadium. The first target was packed with over 81,000 individuals who were attending a soccer game between Germany and France. The three suicide bombers arrived at the National Stadium, north of Paris in the Saint Denis neighborhood. The plan called for the first suicide bomber to make his way inside the stadium and detonate his device. This would cause a panic and as fans exited the stadium the other two suicide bombers would detonate their suicide vests among the throngs of escaping panicked people.

Any explosion inside the stadium would have caused people to flee out of the stadium. At least that appears to have been the plan. But on that evening French President Francois Hollande was in attendance to watch the soccer game. Security at the stadium was at a higher level than normal with the French President and the German Foreign Minister in the stadium. Due to this higher level of security the suicide bomber was not able to gain entry without being searched by security.

But for the three suicide bombers at the stadium nothing went according to their plan. The three suicide bombers arrived late to the soccer match. Had they arrived early they could have attacked the thousands of fans making their way towards the stadium. The first suicide bomber attempted to enter the National Stadium at Gate D. Arriving late after the pageantry of the soccer game had concluded the suicide bomber armed with a ticket and a bomb was searched as he attempted to enter the stadium. The suicide bomber was able to step away from the security guards conducting the search once he realized he wouldn’t be able to enter the stadium. He then detonated his explosive device.

The second suicide bomber was expecting a panicked throng of people fleeing the stadium from Gate H. Ten minutes after the first explosion and when no panicked people exited the stadium, he detonated his suicide vest. After the two explosions outside the stadium, French officials decided not to tell the fans or the players about the danger and decided to just let the match play out. This way the fans would be sheltered in place. They didn’t want to panic the crowd and additional time could be used for police and security to sweep the area around the stadium. In the meantime the French President was moved from the stadium.

Bilal Hadfi, third suicide bomber had moved away from the stadium once he saw no crowds leaving the stadium. The 20-year old suicide bomber knew his two friends had martyred themselves. He was expecting a panicked throng of people fleeing the stadium. Thirty-three minutes after the first explosion outside the stadium, Hadfi detonated his suicide vest on Rue de la Cokerie, just outside a McDonald’s restaurant. Hadfi, a French citizen had been living in Belgium after he had traveled to Syria to fight for ISIS. Hadfi had to return to France to obtained what he sought in Syria-martyrdom.

Tourists and Parisians all go out for dinner on weekend nights. November 13, 2015 was just another busy night for numerous restaurants, cafes and bars. For the terrorists these businesses were just other soft targets crowded with unarmed people. The terrorists attacked diners sitting outside of Le Carillon and Bar shooting diners enjoying a nice Paris night sitting outside. After killing patrons there the terrorists moved to Le Petit Cambodge, a family restaurant entering and killing numerous individuals. This team of terrorists then shot people who were outside at Café Bonne Biere and anyone else who presented an easy target.

Ibrahim Abdeslam, did not look to escape like his younger brother Salah. Instead he sat down and placed an order at a café table outside of Comptoir Voltaire Café. After placing his order he detonated his device killing only himself outside the Café.

Two vehicles, a Volkswagen Polo and a SEAT Leon were rented in Belgium by Salah Abdeslam and his brother Ibrahim. Three of the terrorists armed with AK-47s and suicide vests exited the black Polo and entered the Bataclan Concert Hall. Ismail Omar Mostefai, Sami Amimour and one other terrorist began killing people the moment they entered. The sold out concert featuring the American band Eagles of Death Metal became a site of death and carnage. From 9:30 till 12:30 a.m. a total of 89 individuals lost their lives. Police assaulted the venue killing one of the terrorist and the other two detonated their suicide belts.

By 12:30 a.m. seven of the terrorists were dead. Only one remained alive and he quickly contacted someone in Belgium to arrange his escape from the City of Lights. By morning the police would identify him and the manhunt would begin. For some reason Salah Abdeslam didn’t want to martyr himself that night. Instead he sought to escape. Clearly this was not part of the terrorist plan. Just like with Amir Kasab, the Mumbai terrorist who was wounded and captured-Salah Abdeslam didn’t become a martyr like his brother Ibrahim.

Early Saturday morning about 3:00 a.m. a Volkswagen Golf crossed from the Belgium border into France. Five hours later the vehicle was stopped as it returned to Belgium. The police checked the vehicle and its occupants and when none were “wanted” the vehicle was allowed to enter Belgium. Abdeslam Salah one of the Paris terrorists and two others were the occupants of the vehicle. Until Abdeslam Salah is captured we can expect whatever follow on attacks that ISIS had planned might be sped up.

But France and Belgium might not be the only areas where the threat is heightened. John Brennan, the CIA Director stated that these may “not (be) the only operation that ISIS has in the pipeline.” It is quite clear that ISIS is exporting terror globally. ISIS today threatened attacks on Washington D.C. stating in a video:

“We say to the states that take part in the crusader campaign that, by God, you will have a day, God willing, like France’s and by God, as we struck France in the center of its abode in Paris, then we swear that we will strike America at its center in Washington.” Whether we like it or not once again we have a radical Salafist terrorist organization setting its crosshairs on the United States.

Anyone who has ever visited Paris knows why Thomas Jefferson loved to walk the streets of Paris. Some of those homegrown terrorists missed out on what Jefferson called the point of Life. France was the first country to aid our new nation seeking independence. Today France has declared war on ISIS. The United States needs to take a leadership position in the world and solve the problem once and for all.

While it is still early, the Paris attacks conducted on November 13, 2015 are similar to the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks. Both attacks utilized firearms attacks on soft targets. In both attacks none of the terrorists planned to escape and all were to become martyrs. The watershed moment of the Paris attacks is that the world needs to recognize that ISIS is now exporting global terror.

In October 2015, the ISIS affiliated group in Egypt claimed credit for downing a Russian aircraft in the Sinai killing all 224 people on the flight. From early reports it appears that a bomb was placed onboard the aircraft.

In August 2015, three Americans thwarted an attack on a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris. The gunman exited the restroom armed with an AK-47 but was captured after a struggle on the train. The master mind of the train attack also directed the Paris attack. Abdel Hamid Abaaoud, a Belgium citizen is a hardcore jihadist who even recruited his younger brother to fight in Syria. Abaaoud is the mastermind of the Paris attacks and is a close friend with Salah Abdslam, who is still on the lam. On January 15, 2015, Belgium police raided the cell he had set up in Virviers, Belgium discovering automatic weapons, police uniforms and chemicals needed to make TATP, the same explosive used in the Paris attacks.

Soft targets equal high casualties. Restaurants, cafes, bars, concert halls and stadiums are all soft targets. Terrorists know that they can do horrific damage before police respond and neutral the threat. One example of this is delay in police entering the Bataclan Concert Hall. Armed with the knowledge that the terrorists had AK-47s and suicide vests it appears that the first responders faced a number of challenges attempting to enter this venue.

Simple tactics and simple weapons can have devastating results. The terrorist were armed with AK-47s and suicide vests. They employed simple tactics of being mobile and using cover and reload techniques inside the Concert Hall. With one shooter covering individuals, the other terrorist could reload and then shoot individuals.

Security can stop and impede terrorist access avoiding greater casualties. At the National Stadium, one of the suicide bombers could not gain entry due to security wanting to search him. Instead he had to step back from security where he detonated his device. While we are unsure if the terrorists knew that the French President was in attendance at the Stadium, his mere presence raised the normal level of security.

Protecting certain soft targets will continue to create challenges. Stadiums are designed to move large numbers of people into and out of in a small amount of time. If the suicide bombers had targeted the flow of fans coming early into the stadium the casualties here would have been much higher.

News Media creates a feeding frenzy. Any complex terrorist attack will command the news cycle and is part of the terrorist feeding frenzy that encourages copycat and future attacks. There is a need to find a balance of reporting these incidents and not creating a feeding frenzy.

The United States has trained law enforcement and the first responder community to be prepared for incidents within a community. For the last five years all law enforcement has undertaken active shooter drills and training. The United States needs to prepare for simultaneous attacks in multiple locations in multiple cities.

Radicalization and Homegrown Violent Extremist

Radicalization takes many forms. There is no single pathway for someone to become radicalized. Brian Jenkins, speaking at one of the Terrorism Research Center’s training programs stated that “radicalization as a whole is a process of adopting for oneself or inculcating in others a commitment not only to a system of beliefs, but to their imposition on the rest of society.” Individuals here in the United States have been identified, manipulated, motivated and radicalized to undertake activities that have run the spectrum from raising money, providing material support, travel to fight jihad, to plotting operations in the United States.

Many of those radicalized have associated themselves with a spiritual mentor. This individual might be someone educated in the religion or even someone with more religious experience than the convert. Some mentors might be from a mosque or might be accessed via the internet. Major Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter exchanged more than a dozen emails with Anwar al-Awlaki. American citizens, Anwar al-Awlaki and Adam Yahiye Gadahn have both radicalize and recruited others for jihad. Virtual mentors have communicated with potential recruits and others deliver their message by audio tapes, books, videos, websites, blogs, chatrooms, and forums. Some of the more popular have included Abu Musab al Suri, Anwar al-Awlaki, Abu Basir al-Tartousi, Sheih Omar Bakri, Sheikh Abu Mohammad al-Maqdisi and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Adam Gadahn, in a propaganda video stated “I advise every brother who wants to work for this religion not to undertake any action before taking advantage of the wide range of resources available today on the internet. Particularly, the various manuals, encyclopedias and courses which deal with the mujahideen operational and electronic security and security in general.

The United States faces challenges from Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs) who have been radicalized to launch attacks here or to travel abroad for jihad.
Marc Sageman, in his book, Understanding Terror Networks stated that “The virtual community is no longer tied to any nation, a condition that corresponds to the mythical umma of Salafism, which specifically rejects nationalism and fosters the global Salafi jihad priority of fighting against the ‘far enemy’ rather than the ‘near enemy’”.

Whether the individual has been radicalized by another person or self-radicalized there is a body of work that we have seen often in the process that has incited them to undertake a path of violence. Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez had downloaded audio recordings of Anwar al-Awlaki.

Al-Qaeda has used English speaking propagandists like Anwar al-Awlaki and Adam Yahiye Gadahn to radicalize and recruit individuals for jihad. ISIS has a constant social media campaign aimed at English speaking individuals that includes its slick, glossy, and colorful magazine entitled DABIQ. ISIS in “The Return of Khilafah” (DABIQ, Issue 1) seeks to expand its recruiting by putting out a call for “All Muslim Doctors, Engineers, Scholars and Specialists.” Most terrorist recruiting efforts have focused on recruiting young fighters but here they are seeking others with special skills. Special skills are evident in the propaganda campaign being waged against the west by ISIS from the technical skills used to create the high tech videos, editing their colorful targeted magazine and their campaign style social media blitz.

While the concepts of radicalization and recruitment have changed with ISIS’ use of social media certain themes have been used by other terrorists groups in the past. The Salafi ideology that we have seen Anwar al-Awlaki (AQAP) and ISIS use is a driver that motivates young men to carry out violent acts of terrorism. ISIS has used the internet and social media as an enabler, providing a medium familiar to their targeted audience seeking the path of radicalization.

We have seen works like Millat (Path) Ibrahim by Abu Mohammad al-Maqdisi, Ma ‘alim fi Tariq (Milestones) by Sayyid Qutb, The Call to Global Jihad by Abu Musab al Suri, and Constants on the Path of Jihad by Anwar al-Awlaki are just some of the resources that ISIS and other terrorist groups have used in the radicalization of terrorists.

Today, the danger we face is that anyone with a smart phone or internet connection can be radicalized here in the United States. Jihadi social media will continue to increase and has become one of the major weapons in ISIS’ arsenal. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, chatrooms, blogs, messaging systems and numerous other social media platforms project the adventure and glorify the violent actions undertaken by fighters and martyrs as ISIS seeks others to follow in their footsteps.

We have seen too many individuals that have been radicalized and traveled overseas seeking to wage jihad. Moner Mohammad Abusalha from Ft. Pierce, Florida was radicalized and traveled to Syria where he became the first American suicide bomber in Syria. Shirwa Ahmed from Minneapolis traveled to Somalia where he became the first American suicide bomber there. A young man from Daphne, Alabama traveled and fought with the Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Omar Hammami made numerous videos and a rap song seeking to inspire other Americans to follow in his footsteps. The true number of Americans that have traveled to Iraq and Syria to fight is unknown. But we are constantly seeing the FBI and law enforcement identify those “stinging” some of these who are seeking to join and provide material support for ISIS and other terrorist groups.

The threat in the near future is that the United States could face a new generation of jihadists who make up part of the “Syrian-Iraqi Alumni.” These individuals having traveled overseas, fought with ISIS or other terrorist groups could return to the United States with skillsets and connections that give them a capability to undertake terrorist operations within the United States.

The Terrorism Research Center has trained thousands of law enforcement, military and intelligence officers and the threat now and in the near future continues to grow. We need to do more to equip law enforcement and our communities to understand and be able to identify this growing threat. James Comey, the Director of the FBI was on point when he stated “We have a very hard task” attempting to identify and interdict individuals inspired to launch terrorist attacks in the United States. But families of those radicalized often pick up on the changes of the person but don’t realize what they are seeing until it is often too late. Even with some intelligence or information about a person one can never know with certainty whether the individual will mobilize to violence once radicalized. The recent attack in Garland, Texas in May 2015 is a clear example of the task that law enforcement in the United States faces every day.

Even law enforcement has been targeted. On October 23, 2014, Zale Thompson, attacked four New York City Police Officers with an ax. On Facebook, Thompson had posted “Which is better, to sit around and do nothing or to wage jihad.” The threat will only continue. The United States has always been able to solve complex problems. I look forward to exploring some of the things we can do to counter the message that terrorist groups like ISIS is espousing and how working within our communities and with law enforcement we can communicate the ideas and concepts that have made America great. No ideology can compete with that.

Taken from my testimony before the Subcommittee on National Security, United States House of Represaentatives on October 28, 2015.

Special thanks to Chairman DeSantis, Ranking Member Lynch and Chief Counsel Dimple Shah.

Thirty-six years ago Iranians stormed the American Embassy in Tehran. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage over the next 444 days. When the Iranians stormed the Embassy, a small number of Americans were able to escape and four days later they contacted Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. The Americans were hiding in Tehran but felt that they soon might be discovered. Few people during their lifetime ever have an opportunity to save someone else never mind save six people. Ambassador Ken Taylor placed himself at great risk and sheltered the six Americans for the next 79 days in Tehran. Tehran during the revolution became a lawless city and anyone going against the revolution was at risk. Ambassador Ken Taylor like so many true heroes always downplayed the danger he faced. Modest to a fault he once said, “the consequences, I just didn’t dwell on.”

Last week, this valiant man, the best of Canada and her diplomatic service passed away. But besides offering sanctuary to the Americans, he provided reconnaissance, information and planning for the raid that would later become known as Operation Eagle Claw. President Jimmy Carter later said that “Ambassador Ken Taylor became our greatest asset. He was our man in Tehran.”

On June 16, 1981, President Ronald Reagan presented Ambassador Ken Taylor with the Congressional Gold Medal and stated that “it’s my great honor to present the medal to Kenneth Taylor whose valor, ingenuity, and steady nerves made possible this one happy chapter in the agony of those 444 days of the hostage crisis.”

While many people know of this event in history because of the exciting Hollywood movie Argo, that movie as with many great movies takes liberties with the historical events that took place. A more realistic version of the events that took place can be viewed in the documentary entitled, Our Man in Tehran. Whatever movie version someone watches, the important thing is to honor the bravery of Ambassador Taylor and his wife and remember that thirty-six years ago our neighbor to the north stepped up and one of her diplomats not only provided sanctuary for six Americans but provided Canadian passports so that they could escape from Tehran. One neighbor looking out for the other and asking for nothing in return. That was Ken Taylor and Canada. Thanks to both for showing political courage and bravery. Taylor’s valiant act should never be forgotten.

On January 16, 2009, the U.S. designated four Al-Qaeda terrorists for sanctions under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Mustafa Hamid, Muhammad Rab’a al-sa Yid Al-Bahtiyti, Ali Saleh Husain and Saad Bin Laden were all sanctioned since they were enjoying Iranian hospitality and sanctuary in Iran. But these government sanctions have a limited impact since they target assets held by the individuals under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with them. What Al-Qaeda terrorists would have assets in the U.S.? None. Rather this mechanism was a shot across the bow of Iran for providing sanctuary to these four terrorists and a host of others. What other Al-Qaeda terrorists received sanctuary in Iran? These terrorists moved into Iran knowing that they would be out of reach from capture or being killed. Bin Laden and Zawahiri both moved some of their children to Iran after the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

While government officials pat themselves on the back for the most recent deal with Iran one can’t overlook that Iran wouldn’t even give up Al-Qaeda terrorists in their country. Instead and still to this day they provide a safe haven for Al-Qaeda terrorists. Iran should have been sanctioned severely for providing sanctuary to our enemy years ago. Besides quietly requesting that Iran turn these individuals over, the U.S. government issued a statement. “It is important that Iran give a public accounting of how it is meeting its international obligations to constrain al Qaida,” said Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence

Our government should take a page from Plain English Champion, Professor Joseph Kimble. One of my favorite law school professors, Kimble calls for Plain English. Instead of calling out Iran for providing sanctuary in Plain English, the U.S. dances around the issue sending subtle signals. We should have demanded that Iran hand over Sayf al-Adel and the rest of the Al Qaeda leadership living under “house arrest.”

Mustafa Hamid served as the primary negotiator between Al-Qaeda and Iran. Hamid better known by his kunya, Abu Walid al-Masri was one of the first Arabs to go and fight against the Russians in Afghanistan. He later served as an instructor at a terrorist camp near Jalalabad that trained in the use of explosives. Hamid is also the father-in-law of senior al-Qaeda Commander Sayf al-Adel. While in Iran, Hamid was harbored by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which served as Hamid’s point of contact for communications between Al -Qaeda and Iran. During the mid-1990s, Hamid reportedly negotiated a secret relationship between Osama Bin Laden and Iran, allowing many Al-Qaeda members safe transit through Iran to Afghanistan. Hamid negotiated on behalf of Al-Qaeda in an attempt to relocate Al-Qaeda families to Iran. In 2002, Mustafa Hamid facilitated contacts between the IRGC and another senior Al-Qaeda military commander. In mid-2003, due to a change in Iran’s strategic posture, Mustafa Hamid and other Al-Qaeda related individuals were arrested in Iran. Hamid was jailed for the first fifty days alone in solitary confinement then moved into a cell with other Al Qaeda members. After one hundred and fifty days he was moved to house arrest and was able to maneuver with surveillance.

Muhammad Rab’a al-Sayid al-Bahtiyti was a senior member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) and an Al-Qaeda member. Bahtiyti served as a trusted aide to his father- in-law,  Ayman al-­Zawahiri, the current leader of Al-Qaeda. After the September 11th attacks, Bahtiyti moved Zawahiri’s daughters to Iran, where he was responsible for them. In January 2003, Bahtiyti arranged housing on behalf of other Al-Qaeda members. Bahtiyti was arrested by Iranian Intelligence in mid-2003.

Ali Saleh Husain was a senior Al-Qaeda logistics operative and friend of Osama Bin Laden’s. Husain coordinated with Bin Laden on the training of fighters in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan who traveled to Chechnya. In November 2001 and beyond, Husain coordinate the movements of Al-Qaeda members into Iran via his logistical network in Zahedan, Iran. He was arrested in mid-2003 by the Iranians.

Saad Bin Laden and dozens of Bin Laden family members made their way to Iran. Omar Bin Laden, the fourth oldest son stated that the “Iranian government has showed very good caring to my brothers and sisters. While held under “house arrest” they didn’t lack comforts having frequent shopping trips, trips to swimming pools, computers and video games.

On July 21, 2013, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) kidnapped Nour Ahmad Nikbakht, an Iranian Diplomat as he drove to work from his residence in the diplomatic quarter in Sanaa, Yemen. This kidnapping was to provide leverage on the Iranian government. Recently, Saif al Adel, Abu Mohammed al Masri, Abu Khayr al Masri, Khalid al Aruri and Sari Shihab were exchanged for Nikbakht, the Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Yemen. This isn’t the first time Al-Qaeda has kidnapped an Iranian diplomat for leverage over Iran. In 2008, Al-Qaeda kidnapped Hesmatollah Atharzadeh-Nyaki, an Iranian diplomat in Hayatabad and used him to exchange for the release of Saad Bin Laden and Sulaiman Abu Ghaith.

Osama bin Laden once said that the “Iranians (are) not to be trusted.” What have we learned?

For over four years a Marine has been held as a prisoner in Iran. Once a Marine-Always a Marine. On August 14, 2011, Amir Hekmati went to Iran to visit his sick grandmother and relatives for two weeks. He was arrested and charged with “Espionage, Waging War against God and Corrupting the Earth.”  After a trial in 2012, he was sentenced to death. His sentence was overturned on retrial and Amir was sentenced to ten years on the charge of  “Cooperating with a hostile government.”  The alleged hostile government being the United States. He has been held in the notorious Evin Prison in northwestern Tehran ever since.

Amir Hekmati, a dual US-Iranian citizen was born in Arizona and grew up in Michigan. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 2001 and served until 2005. Sergeant Amir Hekmati was a Linguist and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Today, his family waits for their son and brother to be freed on these trumped up and almost laughable charges.  While our politicians make a deal with Iran, Amir Hekmati and three other Americans are being held in an Iranian prison. The other three Americans are Saeed Abedini, a Christian Pastor, Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post Correspondent in Tehran, and Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing in Iran since 207.

Once a Marine-Always a Marine. One of our Marines is being held and our government needs to step up and apply whatever pressure to bring our Americans home. This is like a broken record with Iran. Next we will have to tie yellow ribbons around trees and elect a President with a backbone.  Contact your Congressman or Senator and demand that they press the Administration to get our Americans home. This is the least we can do for a Marine Combat veteran.

In a September 19, 2013, Washington Post Op-Ed from the newly elected President of Iran entitled “Why Iran Seeks Constructive Engagement.”  Hassan Rouhani laid out a media campaign to improve Iran’s image in the west. Rouhani stated that “I will try to deliver the voice of the oppressed people of Iran to the world, and we should say that sanctions are an illegal and unacceptable path.”  The holding of American citizens on trumped up charges is illegal and unacceptable. President Obama should have made the release of these Americans a condition of any further negotiations with Iran. Lets get these Americans home before we enter into any agreements with Iran. After all, Iran has a history of seizing Americans.

For more information go to http://freeamir.org/

Life is precious. No one knows how long we have nor when we will depart from this earth. This morning as I sent my 14 year old daughter off to school, I spent an extra minute telling her I love her and reflected on how blessed our family has been. While my daughter has heard often about September 11th there are many individuals who don’t have a good understanding of what occurred that day and how our lives have all changed.

This week I invited two guest speakers to come talk about their experiences to a class I teach at George Mason University. The students had the opportunity to hear from my friend Bryan, who worked at Five World Trade Center 14 years ago. Bryan described in great detail what it was like that day and how he and so many others had to flee not once but twice from Ground Zero as the two towers collapsed. They heard of the initial shock, the wall of dust, particles, and debris and the smell of death that settled over lower Manhattan. During the days and weeks following the attacks, Bryan and so many others worked trying to save and then recover those lost that day. Today, Bryan and many others have health issues stemming from 9/11. Nearly 4,000 survivors and first responders have been diagnosed with cancers and other illnesses from breathing in ash, particles, chemicals, crushed glass and whatever else was in the air that day. For Bryan and those who survived at Ground Zero every day is a blessing.

The students then heard from Gary Berntsen, a retired CIA officer who spoke of the Al-Qaeda plot to attack the United States and his role after September 11th. Gary, spoke of his role in leading a group of CIA officers and Special Forces into Afghanistan. But with great passion he spoke of the bravery of those who deployed to take on Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Berntsen’s book, Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account By the CIA’s Key Field Commander, is a must read for anyone interested in the seven weeks it took to defeat the enemy on the battlefield of Afghanistan. Berntsen honestly spoke of why and how Osama Bin Laden was able to escape into Pakistan in December 2001. The students had an opportunity of a lifetime to speak with two individuals with great insight into the events of that day and the events that unfolded in Afghanistan. We all have a duty to make sure that this next generation understands what occurred on September 11th and the long term implications for those who gave so much that day and afterwards to keep our country safe.

Just like this morning when I sent my daughter off to school, September 11, 2001, was a sunny day that held so much promise for so many. We must never forget those who lost their lives that day and that every day there are people who are fighting for their lives due to the medical implications associated with that attack. We owe it to them to teach the next generation that with freedom comes responsibilities.

In November 2001, a New York City police commander told me of a boy from Ohio who had heard on the radio that first responders working at Ground Zero needed gloves. This boy got a box and went door to door in his neighborhood and collected over 400 sets of gloves. The boy’s father impressed with his son’s efforts drove his son and the gloves to New York City and they delivered the gloves to NYPD. Armed with knowledge this next generation will rise up like the new One World Trade Center building mirroring to the world that America is still the beacon of freedom and democracy. Today or sometime this month take some time and talk with a member of the next generation about terrorism, September 11th and the bravery of so many Americans. Fourteen years ago they were just young children but they are the future of America.

With the Obama Administration now worried about the fiscal costs associated with detainees at Guantanamo Bay we have reached a new low. Recently a senior official in the Obama Administration stated that it was costing $2.7 million for each detainee held at GITMO. What exactly is the cost of justice? Justice has been delayed for far too long for those individuals who have committed or assisted in the commission of terrorism against the United States.

While it is not surprising that the Obama Administration has released as many detainees as possible he is attempting to keep his pledge and close this facility. But at what cost to our future security? How many of those recently released or slated for release or transfer will go back to wage jihad or commit other acts of terrorism?

Just recently, the United States released four detainees back to Afghanistan. One of the four was Mohammed Zahir. Zahir fought against the Soviets from 1984 to 1989. He then worked as a clerk at the Police Department in Ghazni Province. Once the Taliban gained control of most of Afghanistan he worked for the Taliban Intelligence Directorate in Kabul. He returned to Ghazni in 1998 and worked for the Taliban Security Office before he was transferred to the Taliban’s Ghazni Intelligence Office. After the fall of the Taliban it was reported that Mohammed Zahir was a major weapons dealer in Ghazni Province and had Stinger missiles and uranium. Zahir’s compound was raided and he was arrested for his connections to weapons caches, weapons trafficking and his affiliations with the Taliban and members of the Haqqani Network. Items seized during Mohammed Zahir arrest included four passports, three identification cards, two Codan high frequency radios, a small sealed can marked “Heavy Water-U235 150 grams” in Russian as well as other items. Documents recovered showed that the uranium was intended for “use in a nuclear device.” More than anything else these items show intent and that Mohammed Zahir was part of these efforts on behalf of terrorists in Afghanistan.

In February 2008, the JTF-GTMO Detainee Assessment of Mohammed Zahir stated that the detainee failed “to disclose extensive details or the true nature of his Taliban activities and affiliations.” When Zahir was arrested he had pocket litter that included a memorandum to the Internal Affairs Ministry Department of Intelligence in which he identified himself as the Chief of Intelligence from Ghazni. During his detention Zahir had refused “to discuss the significance of official documents and other extremist-associated items found in his house during his capture.” The average Afghan did not have access or use Codan high frequency radios and that these were only used by Al Qaeda and the Taliban. In 2000, Mullah Omar had the Taliban’s Codan high frequency radios distributed to the “fifty-two key leaders in the Taliban.” Yet for political reasons Mohammed Zahir today is not being held in Guantanamo anymore. He is not the only individual who should never have been released from Guantanamo Bay.

In November 2001 Abdullah Mehsud was captured in Kunduz while fighting with the Taliban. Mehsud had a fake identification card and was able to convince his captives that he was an innocent Afghan. After two years in Guantanamo he was deemed to have “no further intelligence value to the United States and will not be seen for further intelligence purposes. Subject detainee has not expressed thoughts of violence or made threats toward the U.S. or its allies during interrogations or in the course of his detention. Based on the above, detainee does not pose a future threat to the U.S. or U.S. interests.” On January 18, 2003, Said Mohammad Alam Shah better known by his kunya Abdullah Mehsud was recommended for release or transfer to the control of Afghanistan. Abdullah Mehsud was able to fool those who captured him, those at Guantanamo who released him. Upon his release he immediately rallied the Mehsuds tribe in Southern Waziristan who then began kidnapping individuals, and conducted attacks on American troops, the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan government. Like Abdullah Mehsud, Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul, Mullah Shahzada, and Said Ali al Shihri, and others who were held at Guantanamo returned to the battlefield to undertake terrorist operations.

Lets not kid anyone. The prisoners still being held at Guantanamo Bay are a threat. While the most serious terrorists will be held and hopefully finally tried, this Administration has cleared 64 detainees for transfer or release. We will see terrorist attacks and a number of these individuals return to the battlefield in places like Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. To give one some background, I have selected two detainees randomly to highlight so that one may gleam some insight into those still being held. Shaker Aamer, a Saudi citizen was a member of Al-Qaeda and was close to Osama Bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Suri, Sheikh Abu al-Walid among other senior terrorist leaders. Aamer spent time in the United States and has been an Al-Qaeda recruiter, facilitator and financier. Aamer has been associated with Abu Hamza al-Masri, the former Egyptian cleric from the Finsbury Park Mosque, Richard Reid, the shoe bomber and Zacharias Moussoui. Aamer’s JTF-GTMO Detainee Assessment stated that “coupled with detainee’s membership in Al-Qaida, his desire for martyrdom and his assessed skills in recruitment and facilitation, detainee will pose a threat.”

Omar Saeed Salem al Daini was born in Hadramawt, Yemen. He is an Islamic extremist and Al-Qaeda fighter. He was recruited and travelled to Afghanistan in 2001 to attend the al-Faruq Training camp. He also recruited others to attend terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. In October 2001, he went from Kandahar to Jalalabad as Al-Qaeda emptied its terrorist training camps. While in Jalalabad he stayed in Abu Jihad’s safe house and then returned to Tora Bora as part of a small unit of fighters to take up defensive positions. Armed with Ak-47s and RPGs, Omar was present for the bombing by the US of Al-Qaeda positions in the mountains. He was part of a group of 60-70 Al-Qaeda fighters attempting to escape to Pakistan on December 13, 2001 when he was injured during the US bombing. Al Daini was knocked unconscious and his leg was broken. On December 15, 2001 he was captured and hospitalized. He spent time in various US prisons in Afghanistan before being sent to Guantanamo Bay. During his interrogation he used well known counter interrogation techniques to avoid answering questions. On May 11, 2008 he was found to be in possession of a small white piece of plastic with sharp corners.

These two random profiles shed some light into the mindset of those still being held in Guantanamo Bay. Unfortunately the Obama Administration in seeking a political solution places the closure of Guantanamo Bay ahead of protecting Americans and America’s interests abroad. These hardened terrorists and Islamic fighters if given the chance will seek to attack Americans where they can find them whether that is Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan or elsewhere. To think otherwise shows great ignorance.

ADST’s Oral Histories has a great interview with Thomas Boyatt, a Political Officer with the US Department of State who was enroute back to his posting when his aircraft was hijacked. The terrorists had the aircraft fly to Damascus, Syria where Boyatt was able to use his diplomatic skills.

Leila Khaled and Salim Issawi, had the plane fly to Damascus, where they forced all the passengers off the aircraft before they blew up the front of the aircraft. The interview provides great insight into the terrorist hijacking and the calmness this American Diplomat possessed.

http://adst.org/2015/08/the-pflp-hijacking-of-twa-840/

Today The Cipher’s (https://www.thecipherbrief.com/) Expert Commentary features three articles providing Prospectives on a Growing Threat.

                                    How to Defeat ISIS                                                                                                                                                      By John McLaughlin

                                    The Power of ISIS’ Message                                                                                                                                     By Patrick Skinner

                                      The Road to Jihad                                                                                                                                                          By Walter Purdy