From the IPT - CAIR, Academic Scheme to Inflate Book Sales

The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) has uncovered a link between CAIR and a University of Chicago professor to boost sales of his recent book on terrorism.

University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape, whose research finds religious extremism has a limited role in suicide bombings, is working secretly with a suspected Hamas front to pump up sales of his new book, the Investigative Project on Terrorism has learned. That includes a secret agreement by CAIR to have its chapters around the country to buy them in bulk so they can manipulate the sales to move up the bestseller ranks. Pape is also scheduled to appear at this weekend's national banquet for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

"Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It," is Pape's latest project touting his thesis that religion is not a prime factor in suicide bombings. Rather, it is a response to occupation, he argues. That's appealing to CAIR, which court records show was part of a Hamas-support network in the United States. Prosecutors say CAIR, which touts itself as the nation's leading Muslim civil rights organization, never withdrew from the conspiracy to support Hamas politically and financially. And the FBI cut off communication with CAIR in 2008, saying it won't resume until "we can resolve whether there continues to be a connection between CAIR or its executives and HAMAS."

Terror's supporters can be found on college campuses around the country. Read the full story CAIR, Academic Scheme to Inflate Book Sales.

Well, that's what I have to say.

Stephen M. Flatow

Domestic Terror - a fortunate fizzle

I have no doubt he will be caught but I wonder if his motives will ever be fully understood. The "he" is the would-be murderer who loaded a SUV in New York City's famous Times Square with components of an home made bomb.Fortunately, the bomb did not properly detonate and a sharp-eyed citizen notified a police officer when he noticed smoke coming from the car.

According to Raymond W. Kelly, the New York City police commissioner, the materials found in the Nissan Pathfinder — gasoline, propane, firecrackers and simple alarm clocks — also included eight bags of a granular substance, later determined to be nonexplosive grade of fertilizer, inside a 55-inch-tall metal gun locker. Had it exploded, he said it “would have caused casualties, a significant fireball.”

So, how do you track down the culprit? Today "good old fashioned police work" also includes the review of surveillance video tapes of the Times Square area. One has already succeeded in identifying what the police call a "person of interest" who is seen stripping off a shirt near the scene of the crime.

Claims from one Taliban related group are already being dismissed out of hand.

Where's this going to lead? No one knows and no one is placing bets on any particular ideology or group. As for me, I say let's see what happens when they round up some suspects. And they will, I have no doubt about it, get to the bottom of this.

Read coverage in The New York Times.

Domestic Terror Incidents Hit a Peak in 2009

Time Magazine details the scorecard on domestic terror for 2009.

"You may not have noticed because most of the plots were foiled, but 2009 saw an unprecedented surge in terror "events" on U.S. soil. When analysts tally these events, they refer to anything from a disrupted plot to U.S. citizens traveling abroad to seek terror training or a lone gunman running amok in the U.S."

Read more:Domestic Terror Incidents Hit a Peak in 2009