Who The Hell Is Hesham Islam, Anyway?
We told you a while back about the firing of terrorism expert Steve Coughlin, the DoD’s main man on Islamofascists and their Jihad worldwide? How he ran afoul of Hesham Islam, assistant to Secretary Gordon England?
Well-heh-helllll…check this article by Claudia Rosett out at The National Review:
“(Hesham Islam) is an Islamist with a pro-Muslim Brotherhood bent who has brought in groups to the Pentagon who have been unindicted co-conspirators.”
In the sorry tradition of shooting the messenger, the Pentagon is cashiering its top expert on Islamist doctrine, Stephen Coughlin. Some members of Congress are now contemplating hearings to ask why. Along with drawing attention to Coughlin’s research, now circulating on the Internet, the growing controversy has thrown a spotlight on Coughlin’s alleged nemesis at the Pentagon, a top aide named Hesham Islam — whose tale deserves closer attention. Not least, as a reporter for the Armed Forces Press Service observed last year, it would make a great Hollywood blockbuster.
Certainly there are subplots here that seem made for the movies, including tales of Islam, in his youth, living through an air raid in Egypt, a ship sinking in the Arabian Sea, and now, years later, this scuffle under the Pentagon rug over how to deal with the chief threat to America today — Islamic extremism.
Hesham Islam is a native Arabic speaker, a Muslim, born in 1959 in Cairo and schooled in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. In 1980 he immigrated to the U.S. From 1985-2005 he served in the U.S. Navy, rising to the mid-level officer rank of commander. At some point after former defense-industry executive Gordon England joined the Bush administration as secretary of the Navy, in 2001, Islam went to work on his staff. In 2005, when England, after a stint in Homeland Security took over from Paul Wolfowitz in the Defense Department’s number two slot of deputy secretary, Islam came with him.
In England’s office, Islam’s official title is special assistant for international affairs. In that capacity he pops up as a man-about-town in Washington, making the rounds of embassies. But Islam also works as England’s point man for Pentagon outreach programs to Muslim groups. These include organizations such as the Islamic Society of North America, or ISNA, with whom Islam and England have forged ties — attending ISNA conventions, and hosting ISNA delegations at Pentagon events, and in England’s office.
That’s alarming to some, such as terrorism expert Steven Emerson, executive director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, who, for more than a decade, has been tracking Islamic extremist networks in the U.S. In a recent appearance on Fox News, Emerson described Hesham Islam as, in his view, “an Islamist with a pro-Muslim Brotherhood bent who has brought in groups to the Pentagon who have been unindicted co-conspirators.”
Read the whole freakin article here.
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“an Islamist with a pro-Muslim Brotherhood bent who has brought in groups to the Pentagon who have been unindicted co-conspirators.”
Me: I think this may end up telling the tale. Steve Emerson is brilliant when it comes to keeping track of Jihadis and their activities. I hope there are hearings on this matter. They just might find a terrorist among us
January 25th, 2008 at 3:23 pmtoday in the news,,,,, keith ellefson(muslim congressman(d)fm minnesota) just back fm gitmo reports that the conditions there are much better than being reported around the world. hmmmmm MSM wrong again,,
January 25th, 2008 at 3:40 pmAtchoo the apostate towel-wearer isn’t the only “infiltrator” in the Puzzle Palace. In addition to which there are many more of the evil ones in the Defense Industry who have managed to obtain a clearance no less.
DOD is so caught up in the PC web it is unwilling at this point to unravel itself from the PC trap. It is equivalent to cutting off your nose to spite your face.
On the plus side there are MANY Counghlins in DOD and in the Defense field who continue to enumerate the jihadist threat against us and point out who our enemies really are.
On the negative side, those that run the show are the least informed on the issue. Islam/Jihadi 101 is not a required
January 25th, 2008 at 5:18 pmcourse on the way up the career ladder at DOD or the Defense Industry. The word however is getting out and its comming from the lower echelons on command despite the effords of Achmed here to stop the truth of Islam from getting out.
“DOD is so caught up in the PC web it is unwilling at this point to unravel itself from the PC trap. It is equivalent to cutting off your nose to spite your face”
Dan there are internal watch groups that deal with sensitive matters in other ways leaving no connection to the DOD
January 25th, 2008 at 5:54 pmJim, I’d say it’s time to muster those guys.
January 25th, 2008 at 6:43 pmex You ever hear of one ME complaining about his lease not being extended whose gas station was close to a base?
The leaser had different ideas for his property….a parking lot in one case (but nobody seems to park there)
January 25th, 2008 at 7:05 pmStrange, fantastic read. Someone that gives a damn about America and can make things happen needs to take a closer look at Mr. England’s “confidant.”
January 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pmKeep in mind that sometimes things aren’t always as they appear
January 25th, 2008 at 8:49 pm@Jim
Obviously you missed my point. There are few in the DOD community that understand Islam and the threat that it poses to the west. Internal watchdog groups ain’t shit cause they don’t know shit….
So long as DOD wants to play the see no evil speak no evil PC game that ignorance of the threat will continue…and guys like Counghlin will get the short end of the stick.
I know what I’m talking about because I am part of that community. The difference is I know the threat…my bosses do not…nor do theirs but it isn’t for want of trying to educate them…it is because they are unwilling to rock the boat and disrupt their careers.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:02 pm“I know what I’m talking about because I am part of that community”.
Well I’m glad you work for that “community” and may be I’ll see you around their brother
” The difference is I know the threat…my bosses do not”
Is that right
January 26th, 2008 at 7:17 am“Internal watchdog groups ain’t shit cause they don’t know shit….”
I sure you missed my point, because I could give you a whole new perspective of what “shit” is
January 26th, 2008 at 7:19 am@Jim
Nice play on words. Got news for you. Try discussing the Islamo-facist threat with higher-ups…watch and see how few know it.
“I sure you missed my point, because I could give you a whole new perspective of what “shit” is”
Me: I doubt it.
“Well I’m glad you work for that “community” and may be I’ll see you around their brother
” The difference is I know the threat…my bosses do not”
Is that right”
Me: Yep. That’s right.
“Well I’m glad you work for that “community” and may be I’ll see you around their brother”
I doubt it.
And yeah…that’s right…I know more about than my bosses do. They can’t even intelligently discuss Islam….I can.
January 26th, 2008 at 8:29 amIF Mr. Emerson is concerned, then so am I. This guy could be a mole.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:31 pm