New Cases Test Optimism on Extremism by U.S. Muslims

New York Times ^ | December 11, 2009 | Scott Shane

[reaganaut1]

...

The detention of the Virginia men — ranging in age from late teens to mid-20s — [who went to Pakistan for jihad] would have prompted soul-searching no matter when it occurred. But it comes after a series of disturbing cases that already had terror experts speculating about a trend.

There were the November shootings that took 13 lives at Fort Hood, with murder charges pending against Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an American-born Muslim and an Army psychiatrist.

There was the arrest of Najibullah Zazi, born in Afghanistan but the seeming model of the striving immigrant as a popular coffee vendor in Manhattan, accused of going to Pakistan for explosives training with the intention of attacking in the United States.

There was David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American living in Chicago, accused of helping plan the killings in Mumbai, India, last year and of plotting attacks in Denmark.

There was Bryant Neal Vinas, a Muslim convert from Long Island who participated in a rocket attack on American troops in Afghanistan and used his knowledge of commuter trains in New York to advise Al Qaeda about potential targets.

There were the Somali-Americans from Minnesota who had traveled to Somalia to join a violent Islamist movement.

And there were cases of would-be terrorists who plotted attacks in Texas, Illinois and North Carolina with conspirators who turned out to be F.B.I. informants.

Bruce Hoffman, who studies terrorism at Georgetown University, said the recent cases only confirmed that it was “myopic” to believe “we could insulate ourselves from the currents affecting young Muslims everywhere else.”

Like many other specialists, Mr. Hoffman pointed to the United States’ combat in Muslim lands as the only obvious spur to many of the recent cases, especially those with a Pakistani connection.

[reaganaut1]

Looking at history of Islam, there is little reason for optimism. Even the Times may be awakening.

[ken5050]

It’s a weird headline....”optimism” is a funny word to use in this context

[rbg81]

Anyone who is “optimisitic” about extremism hasn’t been paying attention.

[PA-RIVER]

Islam, the satanic cult of violence and hatred.

Thats difficult to hide for very long. It tends to rear its ugly head.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“Mr. Hoffman pointed to the United States’ combat in Muslim lands as the only obvious spur to many of the recent cases, especially those with a Pakistani connection...”

Horsesh*t. It's always some excuse for Mooslimb outrage over something. Peace loving religion practitioners, here's your notice. You live in my country, you put loyalty to America first or I declare “JewHad” on you.

[bunkerhill7]

Head `em up, Move `em out!

[hal ogen]

Anyone who doesn't want to live peacefully and in a civilized manner asks to be eliminated. What's with these mooslim weirdos? Can't their apparently coagulated brains comprehend that because they and their culture are such depraved messes they will eventually be fertilizer? What inveterate losers.