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As you know, I found this article credible and disturbing; it is why I pinged you to the other copy of it.

However, someone on the other thread challenged part of it, and I have to say I think that person was right-- one incident in the article appears to simply be made up despite the fact that it is footnoted.

Ironically, pro-Islamist groups had been scheduled to meet with President Bush on the morning of September 11 to hear what he planned to do to deliver on his secret evidence campaign pledge.27 But that day, the executive mansion complex was shut down, for fear that a fourth hijacked aircraft was headed its way.I watched bemused as Grover Norquist and the White House official responsible for Muslim outreach, Suhail Khan, escorted the displaced Islamists into the conference room we share.(Al-Arian had arranged to participate in the presidential meeting via phone. According to his website, his teaching schedule at the University of South Florida would not allow him to be there in person.)28

We all know that Bush was not scheduled to meet with anyone regarding anything at the White House on the morning of Sept. 11. Like Al-Arian, he was in Florida.

And if this footnoted incident is incorrect, how much else of the information is incorrect?

At the same time, there is so much information presented that can or could be confirmed or denied by third parties that I can't fathom that most or all of it is made up.

We need to hear more. We need a substantive response from Norquist; charges of bigotry won't cut it any more. But I sure would love to hear Gaffney explain why he said Bush was to have a White House meeting with these people when everyone knows he was in Florida.

We all know that Bush was not scheduled to meet with anyone regarding anything at the White House on the morning of Sept. 11. Like Al-Arian, he was in Florida.

Good point. I've just sent the following e-mail to Frank Gaffney for clarification. I'll post any reply I receive.
Subject: A Troubling Influence - Footnotes 27 and 28
Dear Mr. Gaffney,
I've followed with interest your articles on attempts by various Islamist groups to access higher levels of the US Government in the past year.
I have a question about your recent article, "A Troubling Influence - An Islamic Fifth Column penetrates the White House," posted by Frontpage Magazine.com. You wrote:
"Ironically, pro-Islamist groups had been scheduled to meet with President Bush on the morning of September 11 to hear what he planned to do to deliver on his secret evidence campaign pledge."27
"But that day, the executive mansion complex was shut down, for fear that a fourth hijacked aircraft was headed its way. I watched bemused as Grover Norquist and the White House official responsible for Muslim outreach, Suhail Khan, escorted the displaced Islamists into the conference room we share.(Al-Arian had arranged to participate in the presidential meeting via phone. According to his website, his teaching schedule at the University of South Florida would not allow him to be there in person.)"28
As I recall, on September 11th, 2001, President Bush was in Florida at the time the World Trade Center was attacked, about 9 AM. Yet you wrote that "pro-Islamist groups had been scheduled to meet with President Bush on the morning of September 11 to hear what he planned to do to deliver on his secret evidence campaign pledge."
How is it that a meeting was scheduled for Islamist groups to meet with President Bush that morning, when he was in Florida at the time?
Can you clear up this apparent discrepancy?
Thanks for your time,
xxx xxxxx,
Los Angeles, California
ps. Since I'm uncertain as to how to best contact you, and couldn't find contact info at FrontpageMag.com, I'm sending a copy of this letter both to Center For Security Strategy.org, and to your contact at Townhall.com. Thanks again.