4um: S.C. mom scoops al-Qaida with its videos

By SAGAR MEGHANI, Associated Press WriterThu Sep 20, 8:02 PM ET

Once her son is off to school, Laura Mansfield settles in at her dining room table with her laptop and begins trolling Arabic-language message boards and chat rooms popular with jihadists.

Fluent in Arabic, the self-employed terror analyst often hacks into the sites, translates the material, puts it together and sends her analysis via a subscription service to intelligence agencies, law enforcement and academics.

Occasionally she comes across a gem, such as when she found a recent Osama bin Laden video — before al-Qaida had announced it.

"I realized, oh my gosh, I'm sitting here, I'm a fat 50-year-old mom and I've managed to scoop al-Qaida," said Mansfield, who uses that name as a pseudonym because she receives death threats.

She sometimes spends 100 hours a week online, and she often finds items after word has begun spreading on the Arabic forums of an imminent release.

"It's really important to understand what the jihadists think and how they're planning on doing things," she said. "They're very vocal. They tell us what they're going to do and then they go out and do it."

Mansfield tips off her intelligence sources when she does find something new, part of an informal working relationship with the government.

"When I send them something, it's welcome," she said. "They thank me."

There have been times when an impending video release has kept her from a planned shopping trip with her daughter.

"It gets really challenging when you're trying to do that and cook spaghetti at the same time," she said.

In one of America's most ambitious events ever to expose the goals of Islamic terrorism, the Christian Action Network recently co-sponsored a major conference in the Washington, D.C. area called, “The Underlying Roots of Terrorism.”

The conference, hosted by America's Truth Forum, featured some of the best known counter-terrorism experts in the world.

“The work and effort of Jeffery Epstein and his America’s Truth Forum to host and orchestrate this event was not only worthy and commendable, but courageous,” said Martin Mawyer, president of Christian Action Network.

“The media has virtually covered-up the threat of radical Islam in the United States. And they have covered it up out of fear, not only out of fear of offending moderate Muslims, but out of fear for their lives if they offend hard-line, extremist Muslims,” Mawyer said.

“Mr. Epstein has shown no such fear. And the Christian Action Network was proud to be a partner and co-sponsor of this extraordinary event,” Mawyer said.

Held at the Double-Tree in Crystal City, VA, the event was attended by over 250 guests who jammed the conference to learn the goals, nature, plans and activities of militant Islam.

At times the conference was emotional, with some speakers detailing graphic testimony of life under the strong-arm tactics of Muslim extremists in foreign countries. At other times the conference was shocking, with reports that Osama bin Laden already has nuclear weapons deployed inside the United States.

In the end, speakers addressed a gambit of issues ranging from the roots of Islamic terrorism to how some groups and individuals in America are helping support and promote Muslim extremism inside the borders of the United States.

Below are some selected quotes and revelations made by many of the event’s speakers:

"Islamic terrorism is going to be with us a long time, for decades," Mr. Woolsey said, kicking off the conference.

America let down its guard against Islamic terrorism, because fighting terrorism was strategically different than fighting Communism and the Soviet Union during the cold war.

Islamic terrorists, on the other hand, want to die to promote their violent ideology.

America must stop its dependence on Middle East oil. Such dependence not only allows Islamic regimes to blackmail our nation but increases the amount of petrodollars going to Islamic regimes to promote terrorism.

"We must move away from conventional oil and start developing alternatives and using them now."

Author of "Future Jihad" and senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

"We don't want our children and grandchildren fighting the same war they are fighting in Iraq."

The network of Islamic terrorism is led by an ideology of Islam called Wahhabism. Wahhabism teaches that the Koran should be taken literally in all aspects, including the spreading Islam through violent jihad.

Countries (such as Iran) or individuals (such as Osama bin Laden) who use Wahhabism to engage in jihad are called Salafists.

"These Islamic terrorists have huge oil finances to spread this ideology. And they produce a political culture that allows al-Qaeda a base for recruitment."

Oil financing of the Salafist movement also allows money to pour into Muslim organizations inside Western democracies for the purpose of distorting the true meaning and goals of the radical Islamic movement.

"These organizations lobby their countries to mollify their intentions and they produce resistance in Western democracies which do not understand the movement and therefore cannot respond to what they are doing."

Arab-American journalist who survived a bombing in which her family's home was reduced to rubble by radical Muslim forces.

"Muslims came from all over the world to take over Christian Lebanon," Ms. Gabriel began.

Her home in Lebanon was bombed because she was born into the Christian faith. Survival meant having to crawl from a bomb shelter, through sniper bullets, just to get water. And it meant having to burn twigs to stay warm in a bomb shelter that had no bathroom.

"I watched Muslims pull children in half. They would defecate on the Christian alter and use the Bible for toilet paper."

She lived in the shelter beginning at age 10 and wasn't rescued until she was 17, when Israel came and delivered the Christian community by setting up parameters between Christians and Muslims.

"We are facing the same hate right here in the United States," she said, noting that the radical Muslim movement continues to spread throughout the world. She admonished Americans, "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. Oppose them in everyway. Wear your passion and patriotism as a badge of honor."

A clinical psychologist and publisher of articles on the psychology of terrorism

"Wherever Muslims are a minority they are silent. Wherever they are a majority they will cut off your head. There are no misguided Muslims. They are guided by Allah and the Koran."

"What kind of democracy are they practicing in Middle East countries? Brutal, fundamental Islam," Dr. Suseelan charged.

"I do not want to give up my freedoms so somebody can come back and cut my throat. We should not be ashamed to say Islam is an evil dogma."

Director of Jihad Watch and author of "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades)"

"It appears the best definition of a moderate Muslim is one that is not setting off bombs."

Mr. Spencer blasted Muslim organizations in the United States that call themselves moderate, but are in fact radical. In particular he cited the largest such Muslim group, the Council on America-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

"Five CAIR former officials are now in jail from this so-called moderate Muslim group. They share the same goal as Osama bin Laden. They are engaged in a large scale campaign of deception."

Their strategy for world domination comes straight from the Koran. First, invite the infidel country to accept Islam. Second, if they refuse to convert, impose a tax and relegate its citizens to second class status. Third, if the country still revolts, go to war.

"Iran, Wahhabis and Salafists are not the only Muslims calling for Islamic supremacy. There are also Muslim organizations driven by the ideology of the Koran."

As just one example of this claim, Mr. Spencer pointed to Muslim groups who protested the Mohammed cartoons, but have yet to demonstrate against Osama bin Laden.

"Why protest what they all believe? We must not allow ourselves to be fooled by half-truths and deception. And the Koran encourages deception."

Whalid Shoebat admits that he is a former PLO terrorists. His father was a Muslim, but his mother was a Protestant living in America. But he had the unfortunate experience of being born during a family trip to the Middle East.

At that point, his mother was forbidden to return to America and Whalid was deemed to be a Muslim.

He grew up in Islamic schools and taught to hate Jews and Christians. Everything he learned was anti-Semitic, from poems to lessons to prayers. The outcome was almost predestined -- he grew up to become a terrorist.

He therefore dismisses the idea that terrorists are a product of poverty, land or money, or even that terrorists seek out their recruits.

"We were not recruited by terrorists. We were recruited in the mosques and schools. We went looking for the terrorists and they gave us weapons."

Islam teaches a deep rooted hatred for Jews and Christians, he said, and any Muslim leader who speaks otherwise should be questioned by the listener. Islam teaches Islamic rule, Sharia law, oppression and that Jews deserve no compassion.

After emigrating to the United States, Whalid educated himself, read the Bible and eventually converted to Christianity. He now advocates Western democracy and warns the public of the dangers of Islamic terrorism.

Walid Shoebat, said he was asked in a BBC interview (immediately before it was terminated by the leftist interviewer) whether the problem wasn't really fundamentalists of all stripes. Mr. Shoebat responded that "A fundamentalist Christian will witness to you. As a fundamentalist Muslim, I will cut your head off."

Journalist and author of "Al Queda Connection: International Terrorism, Organized Crime, and the Coming Apocalypse"

Dr. Williams related how Vice-President Dick Cheney once said on the presidential campaign trail that a nuclear attack from al-Qaeda was imminent.

In 1992, Osama bin Laden began his quest to obtain nuclear material in Sudan, where he eventually bought highly enriched uranium, said Dr. Williams. By 1996, bin Laden had purchased 20 tactical nuclear warheads.

Causing further alarm, British agents discovered nuclear weapons being assembled in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, al-Qaeda nuclear labs have been discovered in the Balkans, Sudan, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Then in an alarming statement, Dr. Williams said some of these nuclear devices have already been deployed in the United States.

"Osama bin Laden has forward deployed nuclear weapons on American soil," he said.

Bin Laden has not detonated the nuclear devices for a number of reasons, according to Dr. Williams. The weapons have to be rebuilt, the site prepared, the codification remapped, terrorist cells need to be realigned and the timing has to be right.

Exactly when the devices would be detonated, Dr. Williams did not offer. He pointed out, however, that bin Laden has already obtained a religious ruling from Shaykh Nasir bin Hamid al-Fahd granting him permission to use nuclear weapons against the United States.

Author and counter-terror analyst who has extensive knowledge of the Arabic language

Laura explained the "heavy duty recruitment going on" in public schools to lure children into Islam.

In one rural South Carolina town, students at the Saluda Middle School take a website "journey through Syria following an Islamic family." The point of the lesson, the school explains, is to familiarize students with the faith of Islam before teaching them Islamic government and history. Yet no such lessons are provided to students to follow the people of Buddhist or Hindu faiths before teaching them about their governments or history.

In another South Carolina school near Columbia, students at Irmo High School are required to create a pamphlet to teach people about Islam and to listen to an instructor that informs students that all religions are based on Islam.

While in California, some classes demand children to simulate conversion to Islam, recite the Koran and offer a prayer of worship to Allah.

"What is most frightening is that this is done with the endorsement of the federal courts," she said, citing a federal judge in California who said schools have a right to bring in Muslims to educate others about Islam in the public schools.

Author and President of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture and founder of >http://Frontpagemag.com

There's not much difference between a "leftist" and an "Islamic extremist," Dr. Horowitz explained, though there is a difference between a "leftist" and a "liberal."

A classic liberal focuses on political, cultural, social and economic liberalism. But a leftist, says Dr. Horowitz, is a communist, intent on politically and socially engineering every construct of life. And in this sense, the "leftist" and the "Islamic extremist" have much in common, which explains why there's not much outrage among American leftists over radical Islam.

"The leftist believes redemption equals the elimination of social inequality, homophobia and that the lion can lie down with the lamb. Like the Islamist, they believe in God's kingdom on earth."

"Both look at America as the Great Satan. Both are against capitalism. Both want to end American hegemony and both believe that the planet will be destroyed unless America is destroyed.

"They are in agreement that a terrorist is a freedom fighter and that a terrorist killing or suicide is a result of an individual suffering injustice who is acting out of desperation."

"This is the sickest culture we've ever witnessed," Dr. Horowitz said, while warning, "We must separate the left from the liberals."

wow. must be nice to have that kind of time. too bad it's wasted on someone who's freaking insane

"He is a very shallow critic who cannot see an eternal rebel in the heart of a conservative." - G.K. Chesterton

maybe laura should step away from the computer and spend some of that time volunteering at her kids' school, just to ease her mind

No argument there...'ol Howlin' sure has packed on the pounds the last few years.

Remember...G-d saved more animals than people on the ark. www.siameserescue.org

.. look the pics of the others.. its a parade of neocons.. sure makes one wonder