Muslim victimization merges with black victimization in homegrown jihad

Washington Times Editorial:

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This is the second homegrown terror event by black Muslim converts in as many months. Four men were arrested May 20 for plotting to blow up a New York synagogue and use an anti-aircraft weapon to attack military aircraft in Newburgh, N.Y. Jim Kouri, vice president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, who has followed these incidents closely, says he is "surprised we're not hearing more reports about this."

According to Mr. Kouri, the problem of radical recruitment among the black population is severe. "They proselytize young people who are persistently being told by society that they have been victimized," he said. "And young people are constantly looking for structure in their lives. Islam provides that structure." He said this particular brand of Islamic radicalism "also appeals to the tough street mentality, the macho males and submissive females, and, of course, potential for violence." Jihadist recruitment in America's prisons is ongoing. Yet with respect to this most recent incident, Mr. Kouri says, "nobody seems to care, at least not in the media."

There is a fundamental blind spot in some circles as to the threat posed by homegrown Muslim radicals. The March Department of Homeland Security Domestic Extremist Lexicon, which was pulled quickly in the wake of controversy with other department publications, was noteworthy for listing Jewish extremism and various forms of Christian extremism but making no mention of any form of Muslim extremism.

In October 2002, when D.C. Beltway snipers John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were terrorizing the capital region, profilers claimed with some confidence that the perpetrator was a white male Christian veteran rather than a pair of black male Muslims, one of whom had military service. This politically correct profiling may have kept Muhammad and Malvo at liberty and killing longer than they may have been otherwise.

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One of the problems in the black community is the belief that all of their troubles are caused by racism. This tends to push all of life's difficulties into an excuse for failure. The radical Muslim community also is big on victimization. Most of their recruiting is based on the theme and they are exploiting those who believe their problems are caused by their race. It is an area that black leaders need to study if they are going to save those who would adopt the same course as Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad. Creating Islamic terrorist is easier than you would think. But our policies of resisting those terrorist should not be used as an excuse.