Monday, September 17, 2018

IPT Blogs: House Acknowledges the Need for a National Terrorist Registry/Article Explores Why Somalia Deserves to be on U.S. Travel Ban List



Steven Emerson, Executive Director
September 17, 2018

House Acknowledges the Need for a National Terrorist Registry

by Patrick Dunleavy  •  Sep 17, 2018 at 11:46 am
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A bill that passed the U.S. House last week would create a vital tool to help the United States track dozens of convicted terrorists whose prison terms are nearing completion.
The Terrorist Release Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act (TRACER) would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to inform state and local authorities about anticipated release dates and the locations where the terrorists would live post-release.
It's an idea the Investigative Project on Terrorism has advocated for more than a year.
Since the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, hundreds of people have been arrested and convicted of terror related offenses.
Most were motivated by a radical Islamic ideology which calls for the destruction of the United States and Western democracies. The Bureau of Prisons and the Justice Department have struggled to develop a viable de-radicalization or post release program.
The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., acknowledges that failure and offers a way to fill in the gap.
"TRACER would actually do the same thing [as a sex offender registry] and be providing notification that someone has been released," said According to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
McCaul also wants a viable program "to ensure that radicalization is not taking place because it is."
I testified about prison radicalization in 2011 before the House Homeland Security Committee. Recognition that Islamic radicalization occurs in prison, I said, was a necessary first step.
I also encouraged committee members initiate a comprehensive program that included information sharing among federal, state, and local authorities. It is necessary component for public safety, and this bill will do just that.
The bill passed on a voice vote which may indicate strong bipartisan support. But it has not been without its naysayers. Karen Greenberg, director of Fordham University's Center on National Security, demonstrated her naïveté when she said, "I do not distinguish them [terrorists] as any more dangerous than other people who might have been apprehended before they committed a crime or people who were convicted of committing a crime."
It is absurd to think that an individual who indiscriminately mows down innocent pedestrians on a New York City walkway or who travels overseas to join a terrorist organization and fight against U.S. coalition forces is no more a threat to society than a third rate burglar or confidence artist.
Thankfully, House members did not agree. A companion bill in the Senate is awaiting action in the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The very real threat of recidivism by a released terrorist or a prison-radicalized parolee must be dealt with effectively and the Tracer Act is a step in the right direction.

Article Explores Why Somalia Deserves to be on U.S. Travel Ban List

by IPT News  •  Sep 17, 2018 at 11:41 am
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U.S. immigration officials face serious challenges addressing refugee claims from Somalia, given that country's lack of systematic record keeping throughout its civil war and history of failed governments since 1991. As a result, Somalia deserves to stay on President Donald Trump's travel ban list, argues Todd Bensman in a recent article for the Center for Immigration Studies.
For more than two decades, few Somalis received formal birth certificates, driver's licenses, or other government-issued identification. Under these circumstances, Bensman asks, how could American officials secure a proper identity check or criminal history for any Somali adult seeking asylum in the U.S.?
Last month, federal prosecutors in Tucson, Ariz. charged a married couple - Mohamed Abdirahman and Zeinab Abidrahman Mohammad - with eight counts of making false statements throughout his refugee and legal permanent residency application process.
Zeinab faces three counts of providing false information in support of her husband, but was released on Aug. 10 after the judge did not deem her a danger to the public or a flight risk.
The government claims that Osman used a fake Somali passport and lied about many crucial details, including his real name and nationality. Osman allegedly lied about a relationship with the Somali-based terrorist organization al-Shabaab.
He claimed to have lost his hands after a 2010 terrorist attack before being abducted by al-Shabaab. But prosecutors assert that the couple has provided contradictory accounts at different points in time.
Osman's story eventually unraveled. Speaking with FBI agents last year, Osman acknowledged he was from Ethiopia, that he was recruited by al-Shabaab, and that his brother is an active member of the terrorist organization. He also reportedly admitted that he lost his hands while holding a homemade explosive in 2009.
The government could not definitely prove whether Osman had a criminal record or whether he had participated in terrorist activities, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Anderson.
These issues may cause some difficulties for the prosecution during the trial, which is set for Sept. 18.
"There can be no doubt that some real Somali citizens have suffered persecution at the hands of the ubiquitously present al Shabaab or that country's military-backed government. Such individuals may well deserve American sanctuary if their stories of suffering and claims of torture if returned could possibly be investigated and verified enough. But, very unfortunately, most involving Somalis probably can't be verified. And so the value of security must be carefully weighed against the value of providing sanctuary," writes Bensman.
The IPT accepts no funding from outside the United States, or from any governmental agency or political or religious institutions. Your support of The Investigative Project on Terrorism is critical in winning a battle we cannot afford to lose. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here to donate online. The Investigative Project on Terrorism Foundation is a recognized 501(c)3 organization.  

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