Ex-Islamist responds to threat, criticism
Walid Shoebat, ex-Islamist, responds to threat, criticism over anti-terrorism talk circuit
A Muslim student threatened a former terrorist's life at an Air Force Academy event in Colorado Springs, Colorado last week, sources confirmed to PRB News Wednesday, Feb. 13.
The threat is one of many Walid Shoebat, Kamal Saleem and Zak Anani deal with continually, along with criticism of their campaign to expose the world of terrorism from the perspective of being former terrorists themselves.
An organization presenting itself as opposed to Islamist Muslim terrorism, supposedly in favor of moderate Muslim religion, the Counsel on American Islamic Relations, is on the critical side of the ledger, opposing the work of the three former terrorists.
Shoebat, who began a foundation in his name dedicated to stopping the threat of Islamist Muslim terrorism, shrugs off the threats as to be expected in the life he has chosen: a “new life,” by the way – following his own conversion to Christian faith.
Keith Davies, Executive Director of the Shoebat Foundation, said those who help Shoebat and his friends focus on all those death threats in behalf of the three men.
"The men receive threats of this nature all of time and we take each one very seriously," he said.
Shoebat spokesman Rod Mitchell said the most recent threat came at last week’s event at the Air Force academy. “It was against one of his fellow speakers that day,” he said.
Jordanian Omar Khalifa, a student of Metro International, approached Kamal Saleem and said to him in Arabic, "you are an enemy of Islam and you must die."
Against academy requests to let the incident go unnoticed in the media, Shoebat and friends followed their policy of putting all that side of their struggle out in the public.
“He felt he had to do that; he gets death threats all the time,” Mitchell said. “That’s why all three live in hiding.”
Insult on injury: the CAIR campaign:
The statements of CAIR and numerous popular media sources are seen by Shoebat and friends as a “smear campaign” to divert exposure of Islamist Muslim jihad, or Islamic terrorism.
Davies said CAIR’s stance discredits them as a moderate Muslim group – exposing their actual advocacy in favor of Islamist jihad.
“We would think they should be on the same side, on Walid’s side,” Davies said. “Instead, it seams they oppose exposure of the jihad agenda.
“If they’re against terrorism, they should be on our side,” he added. “I see this situation as proof of their radical stance…They complain of so-called ‘Islam-o-phobia,’ well if they would only come out and really fight terrorism, most of that Islam-o-phobia concern would go away.”
Shoebat released a statement, noting he is going to continue his work of exposing the insider-perspective of terrorism, in cooperation with U.S. federal agency leaders. He is scheduled to take part in hearings for that purpose later this month.
He confirmed he is hoping to keep PRB News and the members of the Christian Action Network informed as well.
Shoebat explained “the smear campaign” by named media sources as “libelous” and “included such false statements as that we call for ‘eradicating all Muslims,’” he said.
He added the smear reporting states: “we are ‘frauds’ without a single statement of any evidence for any of such claims.”
He said falsehoods go as far as to state, “Walid’s entire biography is a manufactured fabrication,” a statement later retracted in the face of “overwhelming facts,” Shoebat added.
Mitchell explained the irony of Shoebat’s fight to prove he was a terrorist. He said the three are now helping U.S. leaders – they are repentant and want to end the threat of Islamist Muslim jihad.
“The truth of the matter is, all three have been thoroughly investigated by U.S. intelligence,” Mitchell said.
Shoebat’s stated history includes disputes over his birth records, doubt shed on an arrest for pro-terrorist subversive activities in Israel, his involvement in a bank threat incident and if family members collaborate his stories even though they continue to support pro-terrorist beliefs.
He presented collaboration of his claims in the form of a fact statement, and he said his documentation has been part of the thorough checks he has undertaken in the past.
Shoebat, Saleem and Anani addressed cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, during their 50th annual political forum. They shared their experiences as terrorists and helped cadets understand the Islamic fundamentalist mindset.
Media outlets present included the New York Times, the Associated Press, The Colorado Springs Gazette and the Rocky Mountain News.
Shoebat characterized their coverage as focused on inaccurate statements distributed by CAIR.
"We have all been told that Islam has been hijacked by extremists,” he said. "Yet CAIR, who professes to be ‘Moderate Muslims’ are our biggest critics, and pull out all stops to try and keep our voices from being heard.
“I beg to ask the question,” he added, “if CAIR is indeed moderate as they claim, then why are they not supporting our campaign against 'extremists?’ If they are sincerely against the Fundamentalist Muslim agenda why do they appose us?”
Shoebat has spoken at more than 50 events, including many prestigious organizations and venues. He has also addressed audiences at numerous government agencies.
The advisory board of the Walid Shoebat Foundation is comprised of Generals and other senior officers from the U.S. Military.