Home | Columns | Media Watch | Reports | Links | About Us | Contact

MEXIDATA . INFO
Column 040907 Brewer

Monday, April 9, 2007

Focus on ‘Radicalization’ of Terrorists Lauded

By Jerry Brewer

Announced initiatives by U.S. intelligence agencies, to

probe the existence of “domestic radicalization” threats,
are timely and commendable. Sleeper cell terrorists
and sympathizers need certainly not be of Middle
Eastern descent or promoting a jihad (holy war). The
existence of hatred, threat and death alone are the
prime ingredients of the diabolical schemes of fanatical
extremism.

Latin American nations too would be wise to seize upon

similar strategies in the protection of life and property
in their homelands. And the focus must not be limited
to radical Islamic Fundamentalists, such as those
known as Hizballah, Hamas and al-Qaeda.

Guerrillas, paramilitaries, drug enforcers and other

violent gangs also pose imminent threats considering
their violent propensities.

Extremist ideology, power struggles, gangster mentality

and anti-establishment cultures are a few examples of
sources of conflict and revolution. Their threat potential
is great, and their message is to command and control
by force and other extreme measures.

Sources of recruitment of extremists and mobs that

demonstrate on cue have been linked to covert leftist
regimes by intelligence services operating in other
nations. Much of this is then seen in the form of violent
protests against newly elected governments and visiting
foreign allies. This, in the concept of terrorism, is to
gain media coverage and focus attention on the
spectacle and agenda of terrorists — a worldwide
audience of influence for the zealots.

The recent confession by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,

who was captured in Pakistan in March 2003, is a
glaring example of this grandiose egotism. His
confession as the mastermind of 9/11 and other major
terrorist events could be considered suspect under the
media attention premise, and due to claims of CIA-
influenced interrogation techniques. However he was
quick to note that he had beheaded U.S. journalist
Daniel Pearl, anticipating a lack of credit if people would
claim his confession was induced. “For those that would
like to confirm it, there are pictures of me on the
internet holding his head,” he said.

The diligent pursuit of terrorists, in order to bring them

to justice, does not always gain front-page headlines as
terrorist acts do. A recent INTERPOL alert announced
the call for arrest of five Iranians and a top Lebanese
militant accused of masterminding the 1994 bombing of
the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, that killed over 80 people. Argentine
prosecutors say the attack was ordered by “the highest
authorities in Iran and carried out by Hizballah.” The
foreign intelligence services of Israel and Argentina
worked this case in an exemplary manner.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said last month that

the continuing (terrorist) violence in Iraq is to be
blamed on “a minority of extremists.” He called the
war part of “a global fight against terrorists.” Too, in a
heady statement, he said, “until the Western world
stops apologizing for its values, stops apologizing for
the work its troops are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan,
we’re not going to defeat this….” The intelligence
services of Great Britain — MI5 and MI6, along with
support of the CIA, have proven invaluable in terrorist
interdiction efforts in Britain.

Argentina took a bold approach in seeking to identify

and demand the extradition of former Iranian President
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for the Jewish Center
bombings. Accusing a nation of state sponsored
terrorism is a great zero-tolerance approach when you
have the evidence.

Pakistani Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in his confessions,

made claims of plots he “oversaw but were not carried
out.” Two of those plans were the assassinations of
Presidents William Clinton and Jimmy Carter. He also
claimed a plan to kill Pope John Paul II.

Homeland plots of any terrorist act lies within the

jurisdiction of a nation where the operational act is to
take place. There is no world police jurisdiction to
intervene other than the sharing and mutual
intelligence by free allied nations. Terrorist interdiction
begins at the local levels.

The recent Valerie Plame debacle, in which the

safeguarding of Plame’s covert identity became a major
media event and resulted in “House Committee on
Oversight” hearings, is a case in point.

The exploitation of her case to a worldwide audience is

a hindrance to effective intelligence services. Plame’s
CIA operational duties, covert or not, are not the issue.
A CIA employee, whether in administration, finance,
analysis, escort, clandestine services or another
position, should not find themselves the topic on every
major news network. These intelligence matters,
regarding sources and methods in open in lieu of closed
judicial sessions, benefits those that seek to destroy.

——————————
Jerry Brewer, the Vice President of Criminal Justice
International Associates, a global risk mitigation firm
headquartered in Miami, Florida, is a guest columnist with
MexiData.info. He can be reached via e-mail at
Cjiaincusa@aol.com. jbrewer@cjiausa.org