Jihad and the World

Hello and welcome to Jihad and the World. This is the second in a series entitled Islamofascism. In this episode, we will cover the origins of the term and the Fascist party. It builds a foundation for future podcasts in which we weave political Islam into Italian fascism to form a new ideology – Islamofascism. So, what are the origins of fascism? What is it? Fascism is a political philosophy shaped by Italian intellectuals soon after the First World War. In its formative years, fascism blended socialist and authoritarian ideas and offered an avant-garde artistic aesthetic. In literature, Ezra Pound’s Cantos showered praise on the Fascist regime. Pound embraced fascism as a “political religion based on elements of duty, blood, and national sacrifice.” Fascism was anchored in nationalism and a cult of heroism. The Italian poet and unofficial bard of early fascism, Gabriele d'Annunzio, designed a stark black uniform and proposed the Roman-style salute adopted by the Fascist Party. Beyond his nationalist prose and verse, D’Annunzio distinguished himself as a dashing aviator in war, losing an eye in combat. He was politically active between the world wars and earned the moniker “lyrical dictator,” a title that inspired Mussolini's seizure of power in 1922. Though he fell out of favor with the collapse of the Fascist regime, he is still acclaimed as one of Italy’s greatest poet-novelists. Early Italian fascism was both futuristic and atavistic. Writer and art critic F.T. Marinetti wrote, “Futurism is a man-made optimism opposed to all chronic pessimisms; it is a continuous dynamism, continuous becoming, and tireless.” Futurism glorified cars, industrial machines, and modern cities, while praising violence as a means of leaving behind imitations of the past and projecting itself most efficiently into the future. Italian fascism also looked backward. While it identified itself with the Roman Empire and rediscovered rural traditions, Marinetti was still appointed to the Italian Academy, which held moonlight in high regard. As we will see in future podcasts, Muslims also look backward to a golden age of Islam. This is the first generation of Muslims. They also look forward to a new golden age as Islam takes root throughout the West. Political Underpinnings of Fascism In the 1830s, Giuseppe Mazzini--still revered as one of Italy's founding fathers--saw the individual as less important than the state. Giovanni Gentile denied that democratic ideals had been part of the Risorgimento. Italian fascism was the first fascist dictatorship to seize a European country. It was the first to establish a military liturgy, a folklore, and even a distinctive way of dressing. Italian fascism convinced many European liberal leaders that the new regime was implementing progressive social reforms and offering a mildly revolutionary alternative to the Communist threat. German National Socialism, the Romanian Iron Guard, and the French Nouvelle Droite. Some Muslim intellectuals liked what they saw in fascism, which is the subject of detailed commentary in future podcasts. Giovanni Gentile defined the term as a spin on the French revolutionary "fraternity" and on Marxist communism. Italian fascism was less totalitarian than Nazism or Soviet communism because it did not control every aspect of society. The regime established in Italy in the 1920s was supposed to operate on behalf of the entire nation in the name of the people. Mussolini tried to keep different social classes and the church happy. As dictator, he had the tools to distribute resources to allies and harm enemies. This became clear when the Depression devastated the Italian economy. Mussolini had his economic policymakers move swiftly in key sectors. FDR looked to Mussolini on several issues. In 1929, after the Great Depression had hit Germany, an opinion poll of German voters found that, in their view, the greatest statesman of all time, aside from Adolf Hitler, was Benito Mussolini. According to the poll, Mussolini was even more popular than King Frederick the Great of Prussia. This contrasted the Weimar Republic's weakness with the the strutting and beefy Mussolini as a strong and decisive leader who had made Italy great again. Giovanni Gentile – Father of Fascism So, who was Giovanni Gentile? He was born on May 30, 1875, in Sicily. He began his university studies in Italian literature and philosophy. Gentile's work focused on education and, secondarily, on policymaking. His dissertation examined native Catholic thinkers and the German Idealists. His second book was a critical examination of Karl Marx. While writing it, Gentile became acquainted with Benedetto Croce. In 1900, Gentile wrote his important essay. In 1906, he became a professor of the history of philosophy at Palermo. In 1917, he moved to the University of Rome. In 1922, Gentile became minister of education in Benito Mussolini's first Cabinet, where he reformed and reorganized the entire Italian school system. He was the first president of the National Fascist Institute of Culture and remained, for the rest of his life, the regime's most prominent "philosopher of fascism." Gentile wrote numerous books and essays. After Mussolini's fall in 1943, he returned to public life as a supporter of the Fascist Social Republic established by the Germans. He was assassinated by an Italian communist in 1944. His ideas were foundational in developing Italian fascism and Hitler’s National Socialism. After Italy’s defeat in World War II, younger intellectuals, led by Ugo Spirito, formed the Gentilian "left," which emphasized class struggle over racial or national struggle. Italian Fascism was not entirely totalitarian. There was room for debate on certain elements of socialism, and some freedom in art and literature. The early Italian Futurists were nationalist, but many were very free-spirited; they celebrated speed, dynamic art, masculinity, and youth. Many future intellectuals of the Communist Party were educated by the fascist university students’ association. This drift from fascism to leftism would make political Islam attractive in some circles. It is a recurring theme in many of our podcasts, as you will see. We will begin to define fascism with more granularity in the next podcast on Islamofascism. To summarize, the term "fascism" was coined by an Italian intellectual soon after World War I. For one generation, it thrived in Italy and elsewhere. After it was discredited and purged from European politics, elements took root in leftist political circles. The hard left expropriated and revised key fascist principles. Some Muslims also adopted key fascist ideas to develop something new. This is Islamofascism. This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. It was the second in a series of podcasts focusing on Islamofascism. If you like it, please subscribe and hit the like button. Nothing in this podcast expresses the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, on behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Dogs have been integral to armies throughout history. Ancient warriors deployed them to intimidate and attack enemies, with civilizations such as the Romans and Vikings relying on their canine companions. Over time, dogs became not just combatants, but also mascots and friends to soldiers. The United States Army officially commissioned dogs in 1942 with the creation of the Canine Corps. The Army partnered with civilians to house and train the dogs. After basic training, the dogs were assigned to soldiers and then deployed to units. The Soviets also mustered up dogs and sometimes assigned them suicide missions. Dogs would have satchels of explosives strapped to their back. Then, as per training, they crawled under German panzers where their bombs were detonated. The Germans caught on quickly and gave orders to kill all dogs they saw in Russian combat zones. Other armies used dogs for military and non-military purposes. Soldiers recovering from physical or psychological trauma enjoy the devotion and snuggle factor of their four-legged friends. All this brings us to Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Dogs are highly valued in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Their training, care, and combat-related activities are treated with seriousness and affection. Many of these dogs have served in Gaza, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice in combat. The Israeli Canine Corps, known as the Oketz unit, comprises Belgian Malinois dogs, each with a specialized role. Some are trained to detect explosives, while others are skilled at identifying various threats. Many of these dogs are also used to track terrorists. In Gaza, they played a crucial role in navigating the complex network of tunnels to locate the enemy. In the Oketz unit, each dog is assigned a specialized role: some are trained to sniff out explosives, others to locate hidden threats and tunnel entrances, and others to track and apprehend terrorists. The Oketz unit’s expertise has been essential for years, and their capabilities are now being utilized in the streets of Gaza and within Hamas’s extensive tunnel system. The word Oketz means sting. Joining Oketz is a challenge for both soldier and dog. Soldiers are rigorously tested and, if selected, pair with a dog. Both go through training where they work and bond. Both train on agility courses and in simulated battlegrounds. Israeli war dogs served with distinction during the October 2023 war with Hamas. Oketz was scrambled and sent with their human partners to Gaza and kibbutzes where they showed bravery. An Israeli officer recounts his loss and love for Nero, who served in a commando unit to hunt down terrorists. The officer relates, “'A dog who was with one of our men went into a house. He revealed the location of two terrorists, was hit by a burst of gunfire from them, and was killed. 'That's how the men in the force realized that there were terrorists in the house, and human lives were saved.” And Ziggy was there when it counted, too. Another Israeli tells Ziggy’s story. "I remember exactly what happened - I entered the house with the 101st Battalion of paratroopers and engineering soldiers. We scanned the first floor, and I insisted that my devoted dog, Ziggy, also scan the second floor of the residence. As soon as he came down the staircase of the house in Khan Younis, the terrorists shot at him, and Ziggy was killed on the spot. My heroic and beloved dog Ziggy, who was close to me for a year and a half, saved my life and the lives of the other soldiers. Thanks to him I'm sitting here and talking to you.” Some dog stories, in fact, many dog stories, have happy endings. One is the warm rescue of Billy, a three-and-a-half-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Billy was probing for food in the rubble of Rafa when he heard Hebrew being spoken. A soldier embraced him and cared for Billy. Billy’s microchip paired him with his caretakers at a kibbutz, leading to a joyous reunion. .....Hamas and Dogs Hamas uses dogs in its operations, though it is not known to have any training program. Rather, Hamas encourages dogs to wander around Israeli units in the hopes that they would attract and distract IDF dogs. After the IDF secured Gaza, they came across hungry and abandoned dogs. There was a campaign to save the dogs in Israel, and it was successful. Many found loving new homes. Several American soldiers who served in Israel during the Iron Swords adopted dogs and, working with NGO friends, took them back to the United States. Today, the dogs — Rocky, Ghost, Amy, Rak, Pak, Serge, Baby Face, Smokey, Kylie, and Shekel have a happy home in the USA This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it please consider subscribing. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World – Five Hundred Days in Gaza, will be available for purchase in the summer of 2026. Nothing in this podcast reflects the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting``

Hello and welcome to Jihad and the World. In today’s episode, we look at the Swedish celebrity activist Thunberg, whom we feature in our upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World – 500 Days in Gaza.” The episode is titled “Greta – The Swedish Nightingale.” How have Ms. Thunberg’s activist energies, or Greta’s as she is known worldwide, been channeled to the Middle East? Who listens to her voice, and has that voice made a difference in world opinion and among national decision-makers? First, who is this famous Greta of Sweden? Born in 2003, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg soared to international fame in 2018, at age 15, when she organized a school strike in front of the Swedish parliament to protest, among other issues, climate change. She accused the West of indifference to environmental and humanitarian concerns. By her account, her passion for activism was initially sparked by school walkouts in the United States following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. She certainly gained the attention she sought. Time Magazine named her Person of the Year for 2019, making her the youngest recipient of that title. Among the many honors bestowed on her is the naming of a species of beetle, “Nelloptodes gretae.” She has spoken around the world and before the United Nations. She earned these and myriad other honors despite significant childhood disabilities. At age 11, she was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism. She has been open and candid about these challenges, particularly her Asperger’s. All this has earned her a legion of admirers. In February 2019, 224 academics signed an open letter of support, stating that they were inspired by Thunberg's actions and by the schoolchildren who went on strike to demand social justice. Thunberg’s influence is sometimes called the “Greta effect.” It certainly increased public awareness of climate change. And her views on the Middle East? They are very clear. She despises Israel and took her cause and herself to the high seas in solidarity with Palestine. She and other social justice activists sailed on the Global Sumud (Arabic for “steadfastness”) Flotilla in September 2025 to break Israel’s blockade of supplies into Gaza. It began with quite a fleet of 50 boats setting sail from Barcelona. It was quite an adventure, and Greta claimed that her craft was harassed by an unidentified drone. There is no evidence that this occurred. When she and her crew crossed into Israeli waters, they were intercepted by the Israeli Navy. They were not given a particularly warm reception, but neither are there any confirmed reports of abuse. Israel's Foreign Ministry filmed the event, and footage proved that Greta and others were handed water and a life jacket. Greta was also given a turkey sandwich. Announced an Israeli spokesman, "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy." But there was a very serious moment in this nautical drama. The Israelis wanted the passengers and crew to watch a 43-minute movie consisting almost entirely of videos taken by Hamas members on October 7, 2023, showing them raping, mutilating, and murdering Israelis. However, Greta Thunberg and her pro-Hamas collaborators refused to watch the movie. So, what did the world think of all this? There was divided opinion. A Hizbullah-affiliated media outlet hailed her heroism and lamented the perceived attacks on her character. The article read, “Greta, who was once applauded at the United Nations, is now insulted, arrested, and forced to kiss the Israeli occupation’s flag. The West, which sanctified her as a symbol of the ‘new moral consciousness,’ found itself facing a mirror exposing its hypocrisy.” The article underscored Thunberg’s statement, “No climate justice without human justice.” However, other observers slammed the flotilla as yet another publicity stunt. They accused her of skippering a “selfie yacht.” The food the flotilla brought amounted to less than a truckload, compared with the 11 million meals Israel provided to Gazans in the two weeks before. Senator Lindsey Graham snickered about Greta’s intent to break the blockade, saying, “Hope you can swim.’ Other comments were more shrill. Journalist Christine Douglass-Williams opined, “Greta Thunberg’s trip to Gaza is more leftist idiocy and an exhibit of the left’s alliance with Islam. Even prior to October 7, Greta Thunberg was posting pro-jihad and anti-Israel propaganda on X. Her distribution of this propaganda only intensified following October 7.” And more barbs followed on social media. Mike wrote, “Yes, she has become a pathetic little demented dwarf. She’s gonna spend the rest of her sad life skating by on her virtue-signaling glory days as a leftist environmentalist. David M agreed. “If the globalists decided to roll out a teenage Swedish girl as their spokesperson, they could have chosen a good-looking, typical Swedish blonde girl, not a nasty little midget with self-professed mental disorders. Maybe they approached all the normal Swedish girls & none of them were stupid enough to do it.” ….and the comments get worse. Well, it's clear that Greta has both admirers and detractors. Did she boost the plight of the Palestinians? The food was of no consequence. Did the publicity help? We at Kensington have no evidence of that. Much of the world is tired of Greta. Most see her, at best, as a pathetic figure who has become increasingly bitter. It is unlikely that many people wish her harm. But it is likely that many would like her to seek psychological help, pause her activism, and reflect on her behavior. That is the way we at Kensington see it. This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Greta’s profile appears in our upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror, which will be available in summer 2026. Nothing in this or any other Kensington podcast represents the official view of the United States government. Until our next podcast, goodbye, and thank you for listening.

Hello and welcome to Jihad and the World, a product of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. The author is Mark Silinsky. This episode is part of a series on Muslim-non-Muslim relations in Europe. This is a Polaroid of France, two years 50 years apart, namely 1968 and 2018. We selected these years because the 50-year difference offers a quick, though very incomplete, picture of France’s demographic and cultural transformation. Future Jihad and the West will feature podcasts that offer examples of friction between Muslims and non-Muslims in Europe. So, now let’s turn to France in 1968.   “Egalité! Liberté! Sexualité! A fun take on “1968” values France erupted in protests in 1968. A general strike spread across factories and industries nationwide, shutting down businesses, airports, public transit, and newspapers. Revolutionary students temporarily seized the Paris Stock Exchange and raised a red flag atop the building. President de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and called for national elections. Nothing like this had occurred in recent history. The philosopher Jacques Derrida was developing a uniquely French school of Critical Theory. Michel Foucault, well into middle age, was enjoying his fame as a leading left-wing philosopher. He returned to Paris from Tunis, where he was teaching, and was warmly received by the left. His essays are still widely read in Europe and the United States. At the Grenoble Olympics, French hero Jean-Claude Killy won the downhill skiing event. The 1968 Winter Olympics also marked the first time officials conducted gender and doping tests at the Winter Games. Popular movies that year included Roger Vadim’s “Barbarella,” Claude Chabrol’s Les Biches, and François Truffaut’s “The Bride Wore Black.” Patrick Modiano wrote his debut novel, “La Place de l'Etoile,” in 1968. In 2014, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature for this work. French fashion was dominated by Christian Dior, Lanvin, Ungaro, and Yves Saint Laurent. However, American-style blue jeans became popular among young, more rebellious people, leading to the phasing out of school uniforms in 1968. For decades, tourism has been a key source of national income. The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Orsay Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the restaurants, nightclubs, and walking tours drew millions of visitors. Disneyland Paris would not open until 1992. “The happiest place on earth.” By 1968, Muslims, especially those from North Africa, had found new, though not necessarily comfortable, homes in the French "banlieues," or impoverished, government-funded suburbs. But as in Britain, many Muslims had prospered in France by 1968, even though many did not feel fully French. Others, meanwhile, were curious about the social and sexual freedoms in France that were unthinkable in the Islamic world. 2018 Paris, the “City of Love,” had changed over 50 years. Officials built a protective barrier around the Eiffel Tower. But that did not stop angry extremists from breaching the defenses and shouting “Allah akhbar” in an attempt to kill a soldier in 2017. Disneyland Paris hotels require body scanning for its guests. Outside the Louvre museum, a machete-wielding man shouting “Allahu Akbar” attacked Korean tourists. All this gave Paris a new infamy as one of the world’s most dangerous capitals, hurting tourist revenue. Many tourists booked vacations elsewhere because of constant headlines about killings there. In summer 2016, families celebrating a national holiday near the French Riviera were run over by a Jihadist in a 20-ton truck. One year earlier, Islamists shot and gutted satirists like sheep for drawing cartoons of Mohammed. A trendy Parisian nightclub became a slaughterhouse when Islamists fired automatic rifle shots into the crowd. Ninety people were killed on the Bataclan floor. The decline in tourism was especially hard on France because tourism accounted for 9% of its gross domestic product in 2015. As a result, Paris lost 1.5 million tourists in 2016. Fashion has changed over the past 50 years. French women's hairstyles, such as Brigitte Bardot's pompadours and Catherine Deneuve's looks, came in and went out of style. The bikini remained popular, but a new swimwear option was introduced for French Muslim women: the "burkini"—part burqa, part bikini. One enduring fashion became too risky for many men to wear: the leader of Marseille’s Jewish community urged male Jews to stop wearing the skullcap, or kippah, “until better days,” to avoid being beaten by Muslims. By 2018, many parts of Paris felt Middle Eastern. In Paris bars and coffee shops, men played cards and bet on horse races—women were not welcome. “Au Jockey Club” is clearly a male-only space, but it serves alcohol and resembles a high-street bookmaker more than a place for Islamists. Licensed as a betting shop, it mainly drew French Arab patrons who watched intently on giant screens showing races from Deauville. The banlieues remain a world apart. The public housing projects that surround French cities, known as the banlieues, led to the declaration of a state of emergency. Since then, as much as €35 billion ($48 billion) has been spent demolishing grim 1960s tower blocks and replacing them with lower-rise housing, complete with landscaped paths and trees. New glass office buildings have emerged in low-rent business districts. Gilles Kepel, an Arab specialist, and a team of researchers spent a year in two areas northeast of Paris. The French are sensitive to such empirical studies, not only because they may be exploited by the far-right—Marine Le Pen of the National Front criticizes the "occupation" of the streets by Muslims during Friday prayers—but also because cultural explanations of immigrant behavior often clash with the belief in the integration model. And today? How are relations in France today? Have things gotten better? We will see in future podcasts. This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and consider giving a like. Also, our latest book, “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World,” will be available for purchase in summer 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Thank you for listening. Until our next podcast, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Tariq Ramadan – The Search for Moderate Islam in the Ivy Halls of Europe   One scholar of Islam whose star has risen and fallen is Tarik Ramadan, who shot to movie-star fame among Europe’s burgeoning Islamic population, particularly its young. He garnered a large following among young Muslims and helped establish what has been called the European "Muslim Pride" movement, similar to Black Pride in the US during the 1960s. His rise in the European academy was as astonishing as his influence. So, who is this Tarik Ramadan? Well, Ramadan was born in 1962 in Switzerland. His parents were native Egyptians, and his father, particularly his paternal grandfather, was heavily involved in the Muslim Brotherhood. So he grew up in an eclectic environment. In his words, he is “Swiss by nationality, Muslim by religion, Egyptian by memory.” And what is he “by politics”? Was he Muslim Brotherhood by politics? Perhaps he was a moderate Muslim whose political philosophy could be used to tame the more vocal elements of Europe’s Muslim population. Many Westerners found this very attractive. Ramadan stressed what he called “points of intersection” between Muslim and Western civilizations. But some observers of the Euro-Muslim scene were skeptical of his sincerity. First, fairly or unfairly, they point to his bloodlines. He is Islamist royalty – his maternal grandfather, Hasan al-Banna, founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in 1928. We at Kensington Security Consulting have spoken at length about the Muslim Brotherhood. For now, we argue that the Muslim Brotherhood is the fountainhead of political Islam in the 20th Century. Tarik’s father, Said Ramadan, was heavily involved with the Brotherhood. So, should this, in any way, sully the image of Tarik Ramadan? No. But his critics point to his hagiographic books, articles, and speeches about these men. Nobody can choose their father or grandfather, but we can distance ourselves from their actions and ideas. In any case, Ramadan became a celebrity among the West’s intelligentsia some thirty years ago. He cast Islam as misunderstood and Muslims as victims of Islamophobia. As for the blood-curdling chants of death to the Jews and Americans, he assured his Western listeners that these were aberrations and extremist. But he cautioned that the few extremists were empowered by Western policies, particularly untethered bigotry against Muslims, the failure to curb insulting comments about Islam and its prophet, and support for Israel. Absent all three of these maladies, Muslims and Westerners would be free of much of the cultural friction that grinds away at relations. And what about Islamic views on women, non-believers, and gays? What about the prohibition of leaving Islam? What about stoning women for adultery? He suggested a "moratorium" on the stoning of adulterers. This concerned a few feminists. Why didn’t he simply state that women should not be stoned to death, period? Well, Ramadan assures the West that Islam is much more tolerant than is understood. Well, the West’s smart set liked what it heard. Time magazine named him one of the world's top hundred intellectuals in 2004. And listed to what it wrote, “ Few observers deny the seductive brilliance of Swiss philosopher and Islamic theoretician Tariq Ramadan, but disagreement over his true agenda is ferocious.” Yes, many people would agree with that assessment. He did have a “seductive brilliance,” as proven by his large following. And the second part of the sentence is equally true. There is a ferocious disagreement over his true and one journalist who has thought about this carefully is Caroline Fourest. Caroline Fourest, a French feminist writer and journalist, has written many books on topics such as the conservative right, the pro-life movement, and religion. Fourest examined Ramadan’s lectures, books, and public pronouncements to understand his true political philosophy. The task was difficult, and she found what she called a “double discourse.” One set of ideas was proffered to a French, Western audience, and another to Europe’s Muslims. She cites a handbook titled “Comprehension, Terminology and Discourse,” edited and largely written by Ramadan. “For each word,” Mme. Fourest writes, “the book explains how the word could be understood by Westerners and proposes a ‘conceptual formulation.’” Other observers argue much the same thing in plainer language. Ramadan practices double-talk to deceive Western audiences. Fourest presents many examples with extensive citations. These detailed citations show that Ramadan advocates very fundamentalist principles.             Other times, his thoughts sound like mistranslations. On British television, he responded to the question of whether it was acceptable to kill children. His answer, “I don't believe that an eight-year-old child is a soldier. These acts are condemnable; therefore, one has to condemn them in themselves. But I say to the international community that they are contextually explicable, and not justifiable.” What does he mean by “contextually explicable?” Many were confused. Well, confused or not, Notre Dame offered him a prestigious, full-time professorship at the Kroc Institute. However, the Department of Homeland Security scotched the offer by revoking his visa on the grounds of his associations with extremist organizations. A Notre Dame spokesman responded, “We know of no reason why he shouldn’t be allowed in. If we did, we wouldn’t have hired him.” However, “The fact that it was revoked at the 11th hour seems like a calculated political move by his opponents.” Well, Oxford University hired him for a position in which he later developed a large following. At the time, Daniel Pipes pointed out his praise for extremists and his proven associations with them. He noted that France banned him from entering in 1996 on suspicion of links to an Algerian Islamist who had recently launched a terrorist campaign in Paris. He also revealed some of the circumlocution and babble that Ramadan excels at. Along with nearly all Islamists, Mr. Ramadan has denied that there is "any certain proof" that Bin Laden was behind 9/11. He publicly refers to the Islamist atrocities of 9/11, Bali, and Madrid as "interventions.” Interventions? Why not a full-throated condemnation of the attacks? Why not call them terrorist attacks? Over the past 20 years, he has moved between universities. In the United States, his visa revocation was lifted, and he spoke at Cooper Union in New York City in 2010. But then came charges of rape. A blizzard of charges began in 2017. A 45-year-old disabled French convert accused him of rape. Then came four Swiss women. In November 2017, Oxford asked him to leave. When he went to France, he was arrested on charges of rape. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. To boot, he has multiple sclerosis, so his stay in a French prison will likely be agonizing. What to make of all this?             Well, this was the worst possible timing for Ramanda. It coincided with the middle of the Me Too movement, when many women were very vocal in their accusations. He faced the same scrutiny and fate as Oscar Wilde. Wilde had an impressive, very literary following. But when the charges and scandal hit, they abandoned him, and Wilde died in genteel poverty in Paris, pathetically alone. Epstein, Maxwell, and others suffered the same fate. Years after his death, Wilde was rediscovered and rehabilitated. But his satire was timeless. It may be that someone will rediscover Ramanda’s writings and find gravitas among them. I doubt it. His message is today worn and unpersuasive. In any case, he will have years to philosophize and reflect on how he treated women who look to him for spiritual guidance. This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World.

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of the Western and Islamic worlds. This is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and we begin a ten-part series called Islamo-fascism. This first episode is called, “What is Islamo-fascism?” It examines the intersection of Islam and fascism. Of all the unanswered questions of our time, perhaps the most important is: ‘What is Fascism?’” George Orwell, “What is Fascism?” 1944 Without success, George Orwell struggled to define “fascism.” He served with communists during the Spanish Civil War, barely surviving a bullet that grazed his neck. During the fight, he and others referred to Francisco’s Franco soldiers as fascists. Over time and reflection, he found similarities between the core principles of fascism and Stalinism. He despaired of finding an adequate definition of fascism. Orwell explained, “I have heard it applied to farmers, shopkeepers . . . corporal punishment, fox-hunting, bull-fighting . . . astrology, women, dogs, and I do not know what else.” Today, defining fascism remains challenging. According to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s grandson Caio Mussolini, “You can’t define it as good or bad . . . The era of Italian fascism was a complicated, nuanced period.” Other writers avoid classifying fascism as either right- or left-leaning on the standard political spectrum. Many commentators use the term fascist interchangeably with far-right politics. However, journalist Jonah Goldberg popularized the term “liberal fascism,” citing progressive President Woodrow Wilson’s Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 as serious attacks on U.S. civil liberties. The political philosophy of fascism was first developed during World War I by Giovanni Gentile. His slogan was, “All within the state; none outside the state; none against the state.” The first fascist movement to come to power was Mussolini's Blackshirts in Italy in 1922. For George Orwell and other political analysts, it was not easy to categorize Germany, Japan, and Italy under the same political framework. During World War II, the Soviet Union labeled the German military and political systems as fascist enterprises. Hitler admired fascism but considered National Socialism a distinct, yet related, political ideology. When fascism took root in Europe in the 1920s, Islamist groups, or those groups that emphasize political and legal elements of Islam, gained a foothold in the Middle East. While different from their European counterparts, Berman notes they "had similar mythology, paranoia -- a cult of hatred and a cult of death." In the 1920s, Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood aimed to unify Muslims, expel non-Muslims, establish a unified Islamic theocracy, and crush the Zionist movement. President Bush's use of the term "Islamic Fascists" to describe al-Qaida-influenced terrorists underscores points of similarity between European fascism and the political elements of al-Qaida. Paul Berman and Orwell pointed out that fascism and communism share important traits. They highlighted the similarities between fascist and communist governments. Journalists from the influential London newspaper, The Times, referred to the Soviet Union as a fascist country. The state controls most aspects of politics and society and seeks to impose uniformity of thought and action, whether through force or coercion. All the essentials of society must align with a leader's dictates. Colombia University Professor Robert Paxton emphasizes fascism’s focus on group identity, superiority, and victimization. James Gregor argues that ideologically diverse regimes like the Stalinist Soviet Union, Maoist China, and Fascist Italy share fascist-like traits, especially political absolutism. During its early phases, fascism was exclusively European. Italian fascist leaders did not actively seek followers from the Islamic world. However, Hitler’s foreign office reached out to Muslims who shared hostility toward Jews and the British and French empires. Some Muslim intellectuals were drawn to National Socialism, a German combination of fascist and racial doctrines. Muslims also fought in Himmler’s SS divisions. As European empires dissolved in the 1950s and 1960s, many Muslims turned to the Soviet Union as a model. Fascist political parties were banned in Europe, and Moscow’s anti-imperialism message resonated on university campuses in the Middle East. However, some Muslim leaders, like Haj al Amin Husseini and Anwar Sadat, remember European fascists with a nostalgic warning. A prolonged conflict arose between religious and secular Muslims, particularly in North Africa during the 1970s and 1980s. In Iran, Islamic revolutionaries formed a new government in the early 1980s, causing responses across the Shia world. Among Sunni Muslims, long-dormant fundamentalism was revitalized and heavily financed by rulers of oil-exporting countries. Some policymakers in Washington praised Afghan fundamentalist insurgents as freedom fighters, while others remained skeptical. Many observers were unsure how to interpret the numerous killings carried out by Muslims. Westerners hesitated to link the term fascism with Islam out of fear of appearing hostile to the religion. Journalists, politicians, and public officials avoided being seen as opposed to Islam. Fifty years after World War II, large Muslim communities remained unassimilated in European countries, especially in Britain, France, and Germany. “Fascism with an Islamic face” “. . . we love Adolf Hitler . . . Adolf Hitler was an Arab . . . Eva Braun is also our cousin.” Shouts of young males at a rally in Germany, 2017. British historian Malise Ruthven described authoritarian Muslim governments in the Middle East as Islamofascist. After the September 2001 attacks in the United States, some journalists, including Stephen Schwartz and Christopher Hitchens, used the term to characterize the extreme authoritarian aspects of Islam. The late conservative Catholic commentator Joseph Sobran dismissed Islamofascism as an “empty propaganda term.” Islamofascism refers to the use of Islam as a cover for totalitarian ideology. Today, this radical phenomenon is represented among Sunni Muslims by fundamentalists like the Saudi-funded Wahhabis, Pakistani jihadists known as Jama’atis, and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Shia Islamofascism is exemplified by Hezbollah in Lebanon and the group around the revolving leaders of Iran. But the term entered mainstream media when President George W. Bush referred to a thwarted suicide attack on airplanes as “a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists.” President Bush used the term on October 6, 2001, when speaking to the National Endowment for Democracy. He described this "murderous ideology" of Islamic radicals as "the great challenge of our new century." But the answer was anything but simple. Some academics favored the term "Islamism," but Bush's aides thought it sounded too much like America was fighting the entire religion. Another option was jihadism, which many Muslims see as a positive word that doesn't necessarily bring to mind bloodshed. Some preferred the conservative buzzword "Islamofascism," which was catchy and fit well with Bush's historical view of the struggle. But when national-security adviser Steve Hadley called the CIA, the Pentagon, and the State Department, the experts rejected the idea of using a single phrase for such a complex war. "There was a conscious desire not to use just one definitive word, because there wasn't a perfect one," recalls Michael Gerson, Bush's chief speechwriter at the time. The result was a confusing mix of words. "Some call this evil Islamic radicalism," Bush explained, "others, militant jihadism; still others, Islamofascism. Whatever it's called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam." Five years after 9/11 and more than three years after invading Iraq, President Bush is still searching for the perfect phrase to define the enemy in the war on terror—and to reassure Americans who will soon head to the polls. Other Republicans—including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum adopted "Islamofascism" as shorthand for terrorists. The term gained currency in the early '90s in reference to radical Muslim clerics and was popularized after 9/11 by neocons. In the same year that President Bush compared Islamism to fascism, the top U.S. military official in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, compared the rise of Islamist ideologies to the explosion of fascism in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. He stressed the importance of confronting it. ‘If we don’t have enough guts to confront this ideology today, we’ll go through World War Three tomorrow.’ Abizaid gave this speech at Harvard University. Another military official, Colonel Dale C. Eikmeier from the U.S. Army War College, stated that Qutbism is a variant of ‘Islamic-Fascism,’ and the ‘War on Terrorism’ is also a war against ‘Islamic-Fascists’. Intellectuals such as Norman Podhoretz and Christopher Hitchens also used the term ‘Islamofascism’ to describe al-Qaida-and other jihadist groups. Podhoretz warned that the West will need to fight a ‘fourth world war’ against the ‘Islamofascists’, while Hitchens defended ‘Islamofascism’ as a valid term and more than merely propaganda for the Bush regime. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the USA, Hitchens argued that al-Qaida-represented a ‘fascism with an Islamic face’. In 2007, the neo-conservative activist David Horowitz launched a series of lectures and protests on college campuses in the USA under the banner of ‘Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week’, which led to accusations of Islamophobia by some Muslim students and anti-racist groups. Decades later, the debate still rages, which is the subject of the podcasts you will soon here. Thank you for listening to this first, episode of Islamo-fascism. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello and welcome to the podcast Empire of Terror. Its author is Mark Silinsky, president of Kensington Security Consulting. This episode is a follow-up to the reading of the book by that name. It is called A Tale of Two Persians. It drills into the story of a very fashionable, if emotionally unstable, Iranian woman who is being defenestrated by U.S. immigration officials. She and her daughter have clearly worn out their welcome in the United States. It also examines the confusing case of a cancer researcher linked by blood to the Laranjani clan in Iran. Both women hail from Iranian revolutionary royalty. Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and her 25-year-old daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, have been in the news a lot lately. This scantily dressed pair is quite the fashion plates in Los Angeles. The two were issued deportation notices and are currently detained by ICE. So, what gives? In particular, who is Mom - Hamideh Soleimani Afshar? Why is she being deported? This is the answer offered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of the deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan." This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter's legal status, and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States. The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.” How did all this happen? Afshar entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in June 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and obtained her green card in 2021. On the surface, she appeared to be a credible candidate. But when the surface was scratched, many problems emerged. In a 2025 naturalization application, Afshar disclosed that she had visited Iran four times since receiving her green card. “Her trips to Iran illustrate that her asylum claims were fraudulent,” a DHS official said. She also has an Iranian revolutionary pedigree. She is the niece of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's expeditionary force. Soleimani, known as “supermani,” was killed in a deadly 2020 U.S. airstrike. This was not necessarily disqualifying. But her shrill anti-American rhetoric seems to echo that of her uncle and the regime he fought for. According to the State Department, Soleimani Afshar, a prolific social media user, referred to the US as the “Great Satan” and celebrated attacks on US soldiers in the Middle East. The New York Post reported that Soleimani Afshar published messages of support for the Iranian regime, including since the ongoing war that started in February, and welcomed the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader to take over from his father, who was killed on the first day of the US-Israel campaign. Then there is her temper. She is also hot-headed and prone to emotional outbursts. After she was incarcerated in a federal deportation center, she reached out to an old beau, who refused to take her call. He claimed she abused and kicked him. In his words, “I don’t want anything to do with her. She scares me. I was so afraid of her. She knows how to make herself seem like an angel, and you feel like the devil. I wanted someone to take her away – now it’s happened.” Perhaps her impulsivity stems from unresolved issues with her father, as this old boyfriend speculated. “She takes advantage of every man she knows. She was saying ‘I love you,’ but I was so afraid. She said I reminded her of her dad. All these years, I was suffering. I wanted to have my life back.” And be careful with her hair. Her LA hairdresser obtained a five-year restraining order against her, claiming she became unhinged and stalked him at his home. “Thank God,” he said, exasperated, upon hearing of her ice arrest. “That’s good. She’s a stalker.” Others who do not know her personally resent her perceived hypocrisy. She gives full-throated support to the Revolutionary regime, which would have little time for her shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive. Others, particularly Iranians who have built new homes in the United States, are part of Los Angeles’s thriving Iranian-American community, most of which views the Revolutionary regime as a toxic force. They cannot understand her cheerleading for a regime that might toss acid in her face if she wore the pink poodle dress she displays on her TikTok account. A neighbor said, “She also drove a black Tesla, which on Saturday was stuffed with luxury goods, including a Miss Dior bag, some Hermes cushions, a Sephora makeup bag, and another gray leather handbag in the front seat.” What do others think about the deportation? The Persian princess did not receive much support online. One Internet observer cautions, “Enter kooky, leftist judge to put the kybosh on this endeavor.” Another observer, Infidel, says, “Well done, Sec Rubio, for revoking their Green Cards. Now that the template has been set, maybe his department can also revoke the Green Cards of every Islamic activist there in the UK. And also work w/ DHS to see whether Ilhan Omar’s fraudulent citizenship can be revoked?” The move comes just days after Emory University fired Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani. If the name sounds familiar, it is because she is the daughter of former Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and the wife of Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. As with the Soleimani clan, the Larijani offspring cannot be held responsible for their parents' behavior. But was it Fatemeh's behavior that earned her the door? A physician, Dr. Larijani, was an assistant professor at Emory’s prestigious Winship Cancer Institute. No longer. After 100,000 people signed a petition calling for her deportation, she was notified that she had to leave. How influential was this petition or other popular efforts in the decision to dismiss her? We at Kensington do not know. But we are concerned because, despite searching the Internet, we could not find much valuable material. The university released this memo: “Emory is committed to advancing patient care, research, and education. Our employees are hired in full compliance with state and federal laws and other applicable requirements.” OK, fair enough. This is standard bureaucratic piffle. But why did they fire her? Here we can only speculate. Emory may have uncovered something serious about her that they disliked. Were her comments subversive or anti-American? Maybe, but where are they? Wouldn’t someone have posted them to support the demand to fire her? Also, universities are chockablock with America-hating and anti-Semitic professors whose rants are heard all over campuses. How often are they fired? Finally, this would be a cause to celebrate for civil libertarians of all political philosophies. It is highly likely that some civil rights lawyers investigated this case. It is also likely that they determined she had neither a strong legal nor an ethical basis. Wouldn’t you agree? But we at Kensington stress that this is rank speculation. Do you have thoughts or inside baseball on this? If so, contact us at Kensington Security Consulting, and we will post your ideas. Also, you may be interested in a book we published that profiles Qasem Soleimani. The book is Empire of Terror – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This concludes an episode of Empire of Terror, which is a service of Kensington Security Consulting. Nothing in this episode or any episode on this podcast represents the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye and thank you for listening.

Hello and welcome to the podcast of Jihad and the World, which explores the intersection of Western and Islamic Civilizations. Its author is Mark Silinsky, president of Kensington Security Consulting. This episode is called A Tale of Two Persians. It drills into the story of a very fashionable, if emotionally unstable, Iranian woman who is being defenestrated by U.S. immigration officials. She and her daughter have clearly worn out their welcome in the United States. It also examines the confusing case of a cancer researcher linked by blood to the Laranjani clan in Iran. Both women hail from Iranian revolutionary royalty. Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and her 25-year-old daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, have been in the news a lot lately. This scantily dressed pair is quite the fashion plates in Los Angeles. The two were issued deportation notices and are currently detained by ICE. So, what gives? In particular, who is Mom - Hamideh Soleimani Afshar? Why is she being deported? This is the answer offered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of the deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan." This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter's legal status, and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States. The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.” How did all this happen? Afshar entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in June 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and obtained her green card in 2021. On the surface, she appeared to be a credible candidate. But when the surface was scratched, many problems emerged. In a 2025 naturalization application, Afshar disclosed that she had visited Iran four times since receiving her green card. “Her trips to Iran illustrate that her asylum claims were fraudulent,” a DHS official said. She also has an Iranian revolutionary pedigree. She is the niece of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's expeditionary force. Soleimani, known as “supermani,” was killed in a deadly 2020 U.S. airstrike. This was not necessarily disqualifying. But her shrill anti-American rhetoric seems to echo that of her uncle and the regime he fought for. According to the State Department, Soleimani Afshar, a prolific social media user, referred to the US as the “Great Satan” and celebrated attacks on US soldiers in the Middle East. The New York Post reported that Soleimani Afshar published messages of support for the Iranian regime, including since the ongoing war that started in February, and welcomed the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader to take over from his father, who was killed on the first day of the US-Israel campaign. Then there is her temper. She is also hot-headed and prone to emotional outbursts. After she was incarcerated in a federal deportation center, she reached out to an old beau, who refused to take her call. He claimed she abused and kicked him. In his words, “I don’t want anything to do with her. She scares me. I was so afraid of her. She knows how to make herself seem like an angel, and you feel like the devil. I wanted someone to take her away – now it’s happened.” Perhaps her impulsivity stems from unresolved issues with her father, as this old boyfriend speculated. “She takes advantage of every man she knows. She was saying ‘I love you,’ but I was so afraid. She said I reminded her of her dad. All these years, I was suffering. I wanted to have my life back.” And be careful with her hair. Her LA hairdresser obtained a five-year restraining order against her, claiming she became unhinged and stalked him at his home. “Thank God,” he said, exasperated, upon hearing of her ice arrest. “That’s good. She’s a stalker.” Others who do not know her personally resent her perceived hypocrisy. She gives full-throated support to the Revolutionary regime, which would have little time for her shopping sprees on Rodeo Drive. Others, particularly Iranians who have built new homes in the United States, are part of Los Angeles’s thriving Iranian-American community, most of which views the Revolutionary regime as a toxic force. They cannot understand her cheerleading for a regime that might toss acid in her face if she wore the pink poodle dress she displays on her TikTok account. A neighbor said, “She also drove a black Tesla, which on Saturday was stuffed with luxury goods, including a Miss Dior bag, some Hermes cushions, a Sephora makeup bag, and another gray leather handbag in the front seat.” What do others think about the deportation? The Persian princess did not receive much support online. One Internet observer cautions, “Enter kooky, leftist judge to put the kybosh on this endeavor.” Another observer, Infidel, says, “Well done, Sec Rubio, for revoking their Green Cards. Now that the template has been set, maybe his department can also revoke the Green Cards of every Islamic activist there in the UK. And also work w/ DHS to see whether Ilhan Omar’s fraudulent citizenship can be revoked?” The move comes just days after Emory University fired Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani. If the name sounds familiar, it is because she is the daughter of former Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and the wife of Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. As with the Soleimani clan, the Larijani offspring cannot be held responsible for their parents' behavior. But was it Fatemeh's behavior that earned her the door? A physician, Dr. Larijani, was an assistant professor at Emory’s prestigious Winship Cancer Institute. No longer. After 100,000 people signed a petition calling for her deportation, she was notified that she had to leave. How influential was this petition or other popular efforts in the decision to dismiss her? We at Kensington do not know. But we are concerned because, despite searching the Internet, we could not find much valuable material. The university released this memo: “Emory is committed to advancing patient care, research, and education. Our employees are hired in full compliance with state and federal laws and other applicable requirements.” OK, fair enough. This is standard bureaucratic piffle. But why did they fire her? Here we can only speculate. Emory may have uncovered something serious about her that they disliked. Were her comments subversive or anti-American? Maybe, but where are they? Wouldn’t someone have posted them to support the demand to fire her? Also, universities are chockablock with America-hating and anti-Semitic professors whose rants are heard all over campuses. How often are they fired? Finally, this would be a cause to celebrate for civil libertarians of all political philosophies. It is highly likely that some civil rights lawyers investigated this case. It is also likely that they determined she had neither a strong legal nor an ethical basis. Wouldn’t you agree? But we at Kensington stress that this is rank speculation. Do you have thoughts or inside baseball on this? If so, contact us at Kensington Security Consulting, and we will post your ideas. Also, you may be interested in a book we published that profiles Qasem Soleimani. The book is Empire of Terror – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This concludes an episode of Jihad and the World, which is a service of Kensington Security Consulting. Nothing in this episode or any episode on this podcast represents the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye and thank you for listening.

       Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. This is Episode Three in a ten-part series about a mass murder attack at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. In this episode, we look at Hasan’s early life and early career in the U.S. Army. The series is titled “Rampage – Mass Murder at Fort Hood.”        Hasan was born on September 8, 1970, in Arlington, Virginia, to Jordanian parents of Palestinian descent. His mother, Hanan Ismail “Nora” Hasan, was born in Israel in 1952 to an Arab family and remained dedicated to her Palestinian identity. His father, Malik Awadallah Hassan, was born in Palestine. Malik Hasan immigrated to Virginia in 1962 at age 16, and “Nora” Hasan arrived around the same time. They owned Mount Olive Grill and Bar, as well as a grocery store in the Roanoke area. The family lives on Lancelot Lane in Northwest Roanoke. They also owned the Community Grocery Store on Elm Avenue in Roanoke.             The Hasans operated the Capitol Restaurant in the Roanoke City Market from 1987 to 1995. A local newspaper described it as “a dive beer hall and diner with a bad reputation and many down-and-out regulars.” For the next eight years, customers enjoyed greasy blue-plate specials and sipped Old Milwaukee in the worn wooden booths, while a jukebox played Motown tunes. In a 1995 interview with The Roanoke Times, Malik Hasan, Nidal's father, admitted that "the reputation of the Capitol wasn't that good." Nora died in 2001. She managed the now-closed Capitol Restaurant in the Roanoke area. According to her obituary, she was “known for her ability to keep sometimes rowdy customers out of trouble and always had a warm meal for someone who otherwise would not have anything to eat that evening,” and she was highly valued for her kindness and dedication.         The family opened an upscale restaurant, Mount of Olives Bar and Grill, on Jefferson Street, named after his father's olive grove in Jerusalem. The restaurant featured an elegant atmosphere and served imported beers, lamb kebabs, and stuffed grape leaves. The Hasan family also owned the Hot Dog Queen on Church Avenue, Parrish Grocery on Fourth Street, and Community Grocery on Elm Avenue. Malik Hasan died in 1998 at age 52 from a massive heart attack. His wife, Nora, passed away three years later at age 49. Both were very proud of their accomplished and promising son Nidal.             Boyhood             Nidal Hasan spent one year at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, as a freshman in 1986 before transferring to William Flemming in Roanoke, from which he graduated in 1988. He attended Virginia Western Community College from 1990 to 1992 and graduated summa cum laude with an associate degree in science. Afterward, he enrolled at Virginia Tech as a pre-med major. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in biochemistry from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, minoring in biology and chemistry. Before attending Virginia Tech, Hasan completed coursework at both Barstow Community College in California and Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke. Hasan was not affiliated with the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets or any ROTC program at Tech.             Hasan obtained a concealed weapons permit in 1996, according to Roanoke County Circuit Court records. The Roanoke Times archives indicate he graduated from Virginia Tech in 1995. He later attended the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, where he completed his studies in 2003. He finished his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in 2007. He was also a fellow at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Bethesda military medical school, specializing in disaster and preventive care psychiatry.           “He would tell us that the military was his life," Hasan's aunt recalled. “He did not make many friends.” He was unmarried and had no children. Colleagues at Walter Reed reported he avoided contact with women. He remained a devout Muslim, praying daily at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Md., sometimes arriving in his Army fatigues. Since September 11, 2001, the aunt said, he had been harassed because of his Muslim faith and sought to be discharged from the military. He even hired a lawyer to see if he could get out of the Army before his contract expired. This was his aunt’s account. Others who knew him would dispute it.             While an intern at Walter Reed, Hasan faced some "difficulties" that needed counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time. He remembered Hasan as a "mostly very quiet" person who never spoke badly about the military or his country. Others described Hasan as blunt about his opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This pent-up resentment, alienation, and anger toward the United States would surface in November 2009. Hasan’s difficulties will be discussed in the next episode of Rampage – Mass Murder at Fort Hood.         Thanks for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we start a 10-part podcast series about the mass murder at Fort Hood, which was a killing in the name of Islam carried out by an American soldier in Texas. The series is called – Rampage – Mass Murder at Fort Hood. On the afternoon of November 5, 2009, the balding, portly 39-year-old US Army Major Nidal Hasan strolled into Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. He turned to the only civilian in the waiting area and calmly asked her to leave. Hidden in his clothing were an FN 5-7 pistol with green and red laser sights and a .357 revolver, which he carried as a backup weapon. Also concealed were nearly two dozen magazines, each holding 20 rounds, which he claimed would be enough to ‘accomplish his mission.” Now inside the Base, he watched soldiers talking and filling out paperwork for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. He shouted "Allahu akbar!" and opened fire on his fellow soldiers, who were completely caught off guard. At first, Private Second Class Alan Carroll chuckled at Hasan’s Arabic shouts. Later, he would say, “I thought he was just joking around.” Another soldier thought it was a paintball game. But soon, heads turned to the pop-pop-pop of firecrackers and then to screams of pain. Unarmed and unsuspecting, Hasan’s victims were defenseless against his brutal attack. In the chaos, some soldiers realized that they had been struck by bullets only when they saw their own blood. Others recalled the rounds feeling like sledgehammers or baseball bats slamming into them. The shots tumbled through flesh, shattered bones, and ruptured organs. Many of the injured remain haunted by the cries of dying and the acrid smell of the blood. The first to take a bullet at 21 years old was PFC Najee Hull, who was hit twice in the back and once in the knee. He shuffled into a nearby cubicle and hid. Reservist Dorothy "Dorrie" Carskadon was shot four times while completing paperwork. Both soldiers survived. Coukoulis saw from his hiding spot that Hasan looked at his victims, some of whom “. . . just stood their ground. They didn't flinch and they didn't whimper. They were looking at fate and they knew it." PFC Kham Xiong, 23, continued his family’s military tradition. During the Vietnam War, his father fought communists in Laos. His younger brother served in the Marines. His 8th-grade teacher recalled, “his greatest attribute was his ability to make everybody smile." Xiong was among the first to be killed at Fort Hood while waiting in line for a flu shot. Soft-spoken and determined, SSGT Amy Sue Krueger had already served in Iraq and was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. Earlier, she explained to her family, “we need more people” to serve there. Hasan shot and killed her. Trying to make sense of the chaos, soldiers realized that the attacker was wearing an Army uniform. "He's one of ours! He's one of ours!" a female lieutenant yelled as Hasan kept spraying rounds into soldiers. Many of the bullets hit their targets. Twenty-one-year-old PVT Francheska Velez was expecting a baby. “Cheka,” as she was affectionately known, became pregnant in Iraq. Hasan shot her as she pleaded for the life of her unborn child. "My baby! My baby!" were her last words. A generation older than Cheka, LTC Juanita Warman, who was shot in the abdomen, begged to be allowed to tell her family that she loved them. She never got the chance because she died at the scene. The gunfire continued relentlessly. Witnesses described how Hasan sprayed bullets in a fan-shaped pattern before targeting individual soldiers. Psychiatric nurse CPT Russell Seager requested to be sent to Afghanistan to help emotionally distressed combat personnel. His front-line experience gave him insight into his emotionally traumatized comrades. Now at Fort Hood, CPT Seager tried to save lives by rushing at Hasan, who shot and killed him. Eyewitness SGT Michael Davis said: "The rate of fire was pretty much constant shooting . . . it sounded like an M16." Bright red and green beams from the shooter’s laser gunsight illuminated the dust particles. Rounds tore through backs, arms, and necks as the wounded crawled for cover. Hasan changed magazines too quickly for anyone to stop him. He had practiced at the range. But some personnel in the Center confronted the shooter. Grizzled senior Michael Grant Cahill, armed with a folding chair, charged at him, and Hasan shot him dead. The 62-year-old took six shots. Posthumously, he was awarded the Army Medal for Valor. As a boy, soft-spoken Spc. Frederick Greene of Mountain City, TN, was active at Baker’s Gap Baptist Church. A church superintendent said, “He was one of the finest boys you ever saw.” His fellow soldiers called him the Silent Soldier because he never complained and often volunteered to help. Hasan shot him 12 times, and he died. At 19 years old, Aaron Nemelka from West Jordan, Utah, was the youngest to die. Like Frederick Greene, Nemelka was also a man of faith. PFC Nemelka was shot three times while lying on the ground. SSG Justin Michael DeCrow was the son of a Vietnam War veteran and father to a 13-year-old daughter. He wrestled and played football in high school. But this sturdily built soldier had no defense against the bullets that killed him. MAJ Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, the youngest of seven children from a poor Mexican family that immigrated to Texas when he was a boy, put himself through college and earned a doctorate from the University of Arizona. Deeply patriotic, he pledged, “If God helps me, then I am going to help people.' He died that day on the killing floor. Passionate guitarist PFC Michael Pearson, 21, of Bolingbrook, was shot three times—in the spine and the chest. Surgeons worked desperately to save Pearson, even bringing him back to life twice on the operating table, but he had lost too much blood and died. However, many of those shot survived. SGT Alonzo Lunsford saw the laser train on his face, and he instinctively closed his eyes. He was shot seven times, collapsed to the ground, and started to sing Amazing Grace but could not get past the first verse. Hasan searched for those hiding. He trained his laser sight on Theodore Coukoulis, who was concealed under a desk. Coukoulis hoped Hasan would shoot him in the back of the head so he could die instantly. Instead, the major moved on, and Coukoulis survived. After Hasan left the building, Coukoulis emerged from his hiding spot and began assisting with triage. Later, he would Describe the wide grin Hasan wore as he gunned down soldiers. Nurse Shemeka Hairston called 911 for help. She was crouched under a desk at the processing center where the shooting started. “Oh God, help me,” Hairston said as the operator kept asking her for the location of the shooting. She opened her eyes and saw a soldier stand up during a pause in the gunfire. “His eyes got big, and he fell.” All active-duty soldiers at that time were preparing for deployments to either Iraq or Afghanistan. One of the victims, retired Lt. Col. Randy Lee Royer, was shot in the leg, breaking his femur a few inches above the knee. Royer needed a cane to walk to the stand. He described hiding in a cubicle during the shooting. Unable to walk, he stayed inside the processing center throughout the entire incident. When it was over, he said the building was “deathly quiet.” Soldiers Down, Shooter Down Michelle Harper had worked at the center for six years drawing blood. Startled by the gunshots, she turned and saw Michael Pearson fall as he took his last breaths. Along with several others, she dialed 911. Captured on tape, Hasan’s gunshots were heard, as were Pearson’s dying breaths and moans. "Oh, my God! There are a lot of people—15, probably more," cried nurse Kimberly "Regina" Huseman, who also called 911. "He's a soldier! . . . Oh, my God!" Calmly, Major Hasan exited 42003 and reassured surprised civilians that the chaos of screams and gunshots was just an exercise. But he, like many of his victims, would leave Fort Hood on a gurney, near death, and permanently crippled. After Hasan left, survivors began shouting, "Mass casualty! Mass casualty!" and "Soldiers down! Soldiers down!" SSC Maria Guerra yelled, "You train for this, you train for this, let's go.” Medics and nurses quickly emerged from hiding to help their fallen comrades. A medic marked the foreheads of several dead with the letter D to indicate who needed aid. By coincidence, a documentary filmmaker was there filming a school graduation, but instead, he captured footage of the wounded, using their gowns as makeshift bandages. PFC Amber Bahr, 19, applied a tourniquet to a soldier and carried him a short distance before realizing she had been shot. The bullet entered her abdomen and exited through her back. She survived. Nurses and medics entered the building and secured the doors to prevent Hasan from reentering. They then turned to the wounded and rushed to help them. Some later remembered that the floor was so soaked with blood it was too slippery to quickly reach the screaming and pleading victims. Outside, Hasan searched for more soldiers to attack. The police had been compromised, and two officers sped to the scene. Ford Hood police officer SGT Kimberly Munley and her partner started their shift that day by washing their squad car. Responding to urgent calls for help, she arrived at the center to see soldiers shouting, “He’s that way! He’s that way!” She saw Hasan, who aimed his weapon at her. “Then I saw a red flash of a laser cross my eyes. I pulled the hammer back on my weapon to get an accurate shot,” Munley said. “We began to blindly exchange fire.” Hasan was faster to draw, and Munley’s gun jammed. Hasan’s rounds hit her in the hand, thigh, and knee. As she lay wounded on the ground, Hasan kicked away her weapon. But before he could fire a killing shot, Munley’s partner, Mark Todd, shot at Hasan. Later, Todd recalled, "... he turned and fired a couple of rounds at me. I didn't hear him say a word; he just turned and fired." The two exchanged gunfire, and Hasan was hit by five rounds from Todd, who kicked the pistol out of his hand and placed handcuffs on him as he fell unconscious. Someone yelled, “Shooter down!" Hasan was rushed to a hospital, received treatment, and was later incarcerated. By the end of the shooting, he had fired 146 rounds inside the facility and 68 outside. Blood donation centers in Waco, Killeen, and Scott and White Hospital in Temple became overwhelmed with people donating blood. The list of those murdered and wounded at Fort Hood includes individuals of many different ethnicities, different religions, genders, national origins, and races. Some were soldiers, and some were civilians. All were members of the U.S. Army who were murdered during an Islamist rampage at Fort Hood. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. Next week, we will cover Fort Hood and Killeen, Texas, the last home of Nidal Hasan and those he murdered. If you have firsthand knowledge of the Fort Hood attack, please reach out to us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. This is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today’s podcast revisits topics discussed in Jihad and the West – Black Flag over Babylon, released ten years ago. Here, we provide brief biographies of two men who were in the news several years ago. Both were Americans who answered the call of Jihad and traveled abroad to fight against the West.   Anwar al Awlaki was born in New Mexico in 1971 to Yemeni parents and moved to Yemen when he was seven. He lived there until he enrolled at Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in civil engineering. His true calling was Islam, and he served as an imam at mosques in California and Virginia, though he was not formally trained in Islamic jurisprudence or qualified as a sheikh. In 1994, he married a cousin from Yemen and worked part-time as an imam at the Denver Islamic Society. He was charismatic and persuasive. He preached on college campuses and aimed to present a positive view of Islam to the world. He ran into trouble after engaging with prostitutes in San Diego. When the FBI started tracking him, they found he visited prostitutes at least seven times and paid up to $400 for sex each time. He preached in mosques in San Diego and Falls Church, Virginia. During investigations into the December 2001 Islamic attacks in the United States, the FBI discovered that three of the hijackers had attended his mosques. Awlaki left for Britain in September 2001, claiming he felt unsafe in America after the al-Qaeda attacks. He became radicalized and started preaching there. He moved to Yemen in 2004 but was imprisoned on charges of aiding terrorists. During his time in prison, he immersed himself in the writings of the Islamic Brotherhood and devoured the works of Sayyid Qutb, which intensified his fervor. After his release, he headed to Yemen's mountains, where he built his website and propaganda center. U.S. officials believe he shifted from simply inspiring to actively planning terrorism in the West. He definitely inspired Farouk Abdulmutallab, the underwear bomber who failed to detonate explosives on a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day 2009. The group also ramped up its online recruitment efforts, issuing an English-language magazine featuring articles such as "Make a Bomb in Your Mother's Kitchen."  Inspire features articles about how to harm non-Muslims. One example is from an American, Samir Khan, titled "I am Proud to be a Traitor to America." Khan grew up in North Carolina and New York City. Much of the propaganda was effective because its creators were native Americans who understood social idioms and nuances of American society. Awlaki used references to pop stars like Michael Jackson in his sermons. For other audiences, he quoted Dickens and upscale authors. His message resonated deeply, inspiring the Christmas Day airplane plot and the 2009 Fort Hood shooting by a U.S. Army psychiatrist. Unlike the reclusive and mild-mannered bin Laden, Awlaki was engaging and extroverted. He also had more credibility as a sheikh than bin Laden. He was involved in planning attacks in Britain, Australia, and the U.S. before he was killed. Security officials believe that al-Qaeda aimed to target London's transportation system, the Sydney Opera House, and New York's Grand Central Station. In November 2009, he inspired U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan, a radicalized soldier, to attack fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas. Their correspondence was uncovered by federal law enforcement before the attack, but no action was taken. Some of the September 11 hijackers were inspired by Awlaki. Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, who flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, attended a mosque where he preached. They include the July 7 bombers in London, who used to meet in a bookstore that sold lectures by Awlaki, and the Canadian terrorists known as the Toronto 18, who plotted to bomb the stock exchange. Court records from 2009 show that three of the five men convicted of plotting to attack soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey, two years earlier, had also been inspired by Awlaki's sermons. His contribution to terrorist strategy helped facilitate numerous, independent, lethal attacks. Death in Yemen At age forty, Awlaki was killed by a Predator drone in Yemen in September 2011. Jonathan Evans, head of MI5, labeled him as the West's Public Enemy Number One, noting that Awlaki's involvement with al-Qaeda "is of particular concern given his wide circle of followers in the West, including in the U.K." Attorney General Eric Holder approved Awlaki’s assassination. Other strikes also killed Awlaki’s sixteen-year-old son, Abdulrahman, who, like his father, was born in America. Jude Mohammed, from North Carolina, was killed in a drone attack in Pakistan. Congressman Dennis Kucinich said that the White House “crossed a dangerous line” and set a troubling precedent for how the U.S. handles terrorism cases. "Mr. Awlaki’s allegedly violent rejection of America was not acceptable in any way. Neither is it acceptable to bypass the Constitution through extrajudicial killings." Anwar al-Awlaki was a persuasive and influential media figure for militant Islam. The impact of his efforts cannot be mistaken for that of the less convincing Adam Gadahn. Awlaki set a deadly record by directing and inspiring attacks on Western targets. Though he is gone, his legacy persists through social media. His sermons still motivate Muslims willing to kill and sacrifice for their cause. Some continue to do so. Meet the Beatle - Jihadi John             This John of the Beatles had very little in common with John Lennon, who sang that the world should give peace a chance. No, this Beatle, whose real name was Mohammed Emwazi, shared only an everyday North English accent with this Jihadist and not much else. So, who was Jihadi John? This John was Mohammed Emwazi, born in Kuwait in 1988, who moved with his family to Kensington, London, when he was six. His father started a new life in London as a taxi driver. In Iraq, he belonged to an outcast tribe as a former Kuwaiti police officer. But he was clever and hardworking, and he became a successful taxi business owner. His son Mohammed was shy and studious. He was also athletic and dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. In late adolescence, he turned to religion and enrolled at the University of Westminster, where he studied computer programming and graduated with high marks. At the same time, his intense Islamic radicalism began to develop. Westminster University was filled with radical Islam, and he was part of The London Boys, a network of British and East African Islamist extremists. His younger brother Omar was also an extremist and was linked to what was called the Muslim Mafia. Dead Man Walking             Emwazi’s calm persona persisted into early adulthood. In 2009, he relocated to Kuwait and began working for an information technology company, where colleagues described him as conscientious and self-disciplined. However, he had a secret agenda, and MI5 was aware of him. They believe he and other London boys planned to travel to Somalia to join a terrorist group. British intelligence questioned him about his terrorist connections and plans. He told a reporter that he was afraid the British would try to kill him. In his words, "Sometimes I feel like a dead man walking.” He couldn’t go back to Kuwait, and he didn’t want to live in Britain. So, in 2013, he went to Syria.             In his new home in Syria, he led the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham, also known as ISIS. It was there that he earned the nickname Jihadi John, as one of four Britons with English accents. They were also called the ISIS torture squad, and for good reason. One captive describes his imprisonment, “It was like being under the control of psychopaths and lunatics.” The prison cells were cramped and cold, and prisoners were often shackled. The guards sometimes slept in an adjacent room, and the prisoners’ screams could be heard from rooms away. To their amusement, the guards waterboarded and zapped captives with tasers. Guards enjoyed staging fights among the inmates. The losers were beaten. This was The Fight Club.               Emwazi was known as a guard, torturer, and killer of Western hostages. He appeared in videos seeming to enjoy the terror and pain he caused his captives. Emwazi began his killing spree in August 2014 when he beheaded American photojournalist James Foley. He recorded this event along with other murders, including those of Steven Sotloff, another American journalist; Peter Kassig, an aid worker; and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. He also killed others, mainly Syrian captives, and took pleasure in doing so. In his heavy London accent, he threatened President Obama with mass murder unless he stopped the airstrikes on ISIS targets. The president was not convinced, and he wanted him dead. Death came for the killer in November 2015. Emwazi had become careless in his murderous activities. Some of his routes were too predictable. His signature baseball cap gave him away and allowed British and American intelligence to track and kill him. A Predator missile ended his life. The other Beatles were tried in Western courts and received lengthy prison sentences. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.           

Welcome to Jihad and the World, a podcast by Mark Silinsky, presented by Kensington Security Consulting, offering education on national security. In this excerpt, we will focus on one incident from October 7 that shocked Israel and parts of the Western world. It was a celebration of violence where a young Hamas operative boasted to his mother, father, and the world about his murders of men, women, and children. This episode is titled, “The Jewish woman is dead.” October 7, 2023, was a pivotal day in Israeli history. It was not a military operation; it was a massacre with 1,500 Hamas and Jihad terrorists infiltrating Israel to kill as many people as possible. Operatives went house-to-house, killing men, women, and children, sometimes burning entire families alive. In a gruesome ritual, they danced and sang over bodies. One participant in this slaughter was Mahmoud Afana, and one victim was Liraz Assulin. Mahmoud Afana came to world attention when he called his parents to boast that he had murdered ten Jews. With uncontained joy, he gushed to Mom and Dad that he killed 10 Jews! These are direct words of the exchange. “Dad… I killed [them] with my own hands. Your son killed Jews.” The father replies ‘May God protect you.’ The terrorist repeats himself over and over again, then addresses his mother. ‘I swear… I killed 10 with my own hands.’ The terrorist’s mother can only finally muster, ‘May God bring you home safely.’ While the father adds, ‘I wish I was with you.’ Afana underscored, ‘Mum, your son is a hero,’ he insists. ‘Kill, kill, kill!… Open WhatsApp on your phone and see how I killed them.’ This exchange was one of many collected on that day from call recordings, security cameras, Hamas terrorists’ body cameras, victim dashboard cameras, Hamas and victims’ social media accounts, and cellphone videos taken by terrorists, victims, and first responders. Israeli authorities crafted a documentary mixed with these exchanges and showed it to journalists. Later, Israel showed it to the United Nations. The disturbing conversation in which Afana repeatedly boasted about his killings became public two and a half weeks after the massacre, when it was presented during a United Nations Security Council session. And what about his victims? They did not capture the headlines worldwide. This author cannot verify whether Afana killed 10 Jews, 5, or 15. His claim might have been mostly bragging, but it is very likely that he killed some, including Liraz Assulin. The 38-year-old woman was dancing and enjoying the pulsating music at the Nova Festival when a Hamas operative shot and killed her. Then, Assulin acquired her cell phone. Did he kill her himself, or was she dead or dying when he took her phone? We will probably never know. We do know that he gleefully participated in the mass shooting at the festival. We also know that Liraz Assulin had a full life, mourned by those who knew her. With her friends, she went to Nova and never came back. For several days, her fate was unknown. Was she alive and kidnapped or dead and unidentified? On 9 October, her body was found. Who was she? She was single, had no children, and had five siblings. She was a CPA and an MBA, served as head of accounting at the Neto Group, and, in addition, acted as a board member of Tamar Water Consortium. Liraz was known for saying “Always be smiling” and “Life is good.” On the day of her death, her sister called her to see if she was alive. She was not, and her probable killer had her phone. Afana answered her sister’s call by saying, “The Jewish woman is dead.” Her killer would die, too, by an Israeli airstrike, nearly two years later Remembering her life and death, someone remarked, “She will always be remembered as a blessing, someone who cherished life. Mahmoud, meanwhile, has now joined the ranks of Goliath, Haman, Titus, Hitler, and Sinwar—all of whom sought to wipe out the Jewish people, and all of whom failed. Never forget how this ugly war began: with an attack on those who cherish life by those who worship death. This is a battle between good and evil, and good will prevail. Liraz, may you rest in the palm of God. May the angels carry to you the news: justice has been served.” ` This concludes a profile from "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World," by Mark Silinsky, published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed this, please consider subscribing to continue listening to this podcast. The book will be available for purchase in early spring 2026. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Who was Moshe Dayan? Yossi Argaman, an Israeli military historian, offered, "In all the years of Israel's history, there has not existed a military hero or dominant figure like him. Moshe Dayan symbolized the national and military rebirth and the revitalization of Jewish strength, the myth of the Jewish fighter. He climbed so high that he became a kind of god. His clerks at the Ministry of Defense even dressed like him. He would walk around in a brown suede coat, and everyone followed suit. He had a magical influence. I don't remember anyone, not even military heroes, who had such an influence and who were elevated to such heights on a national level". High praise indeed, and this view was widely shared. But how does this esteemed legacy relate to the Hamas-Israel conflict? First, let’s look at the man and his enduring ideas. Born in 1915, he lived in the country’s first kibbutz and, in 1936, joined the Haganah. The British arrested and imprisoned him for a time. In June 1941, he lost his left eye in battle in Lebanon, after which he wore a distinctive eye patch. He formulated a doctrine for both conventional and insurgent warfare. His ideas still influence Israel today. Long before becoming a legend, he worked under his military mentor, the controversial yet effective British officer, Orde Wingate, who developed an innovative tactic for hunting and eliminating Arab militants, especially those attacking civilians. Wingate taught and inspired Dayan to lead his men from the front and to strike the enemy where and when it’s least expected. He also advised Dayan to respect Arabs who avoided hostilities. Wingate valued intelligence, and both focused on action-oriented soldiers. Dayan’s ambivalent attitude toward the Arab population developed during his service with the British. He took orders from Ode Wingate and was determined to understand Arab customs and ceremonies. While serving in the Wingate-led strike units, he learned to be tough yet respectful toward Arabs in Palestine. In the 1950s, he developed tactics against insurgents that reflected Wingate’s methods. He shaped the Israeli Defense Forces' culture first as chief of staff during the 1956 campaign and later as defense minister through both the 1967 and 1973 conventional wars. However, before, between, and during these major conflicts, the IDF carried out ‘Current Security Operations,’ small military actions against the Arab insurgency. His crowning achievement was his performance in the 1967 war, which strengthened his reputation. After 1967, the IDF faced the challenge of managing the population in the West Bank and Gaza. Moshe Dayan developed policies for the population from the founding of the IDF through the critical period after 1967; his ideas and practices in counterinsurgency have become a tradition in themselves. Dayan and Open Bridges Dayan’s policy of ‘open bridges’ aimed to maximize economic and political freedom while minimizing interference in daily life. First, it emphasized cooperation and accommodation with the Arabs. He did not present a specific plan to resolve the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. He was openly opposed to annexation because that would either force Israel to make the Arabs full voting citizens or keep them in a quasi-Apartheid state of lesser citizenship. In hindsight, this policy seems to have been effective. There was stability for nearly 20 years despite Israel's expansion of housing in the occupied territories. However, his governance faced criticism. First, many religious Jews were disappointed and resentful because they were denied full access to the Temple Mount, which also serves as a holy site for Muslims. In June 1967, Israeli paratroopers captured the Old City, the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount—the holiest site in Judaism—all of which are located within. As Defense Minister, Dayan, a secularist, blocked access to accommodate Arabs. A major complaint was that Jews could not pray at the Mount, and that the Arabs, whom Dayan sought to appease, were ungrateful. Some critics went further, arguing that this accommodation could be seen as a sign of weakness. The second criticism of Dayan was related to the first: his approach to Arabs regarding the Temple Mount. This criticism was broader and questioned the perspective he used to view Arab-Israeli relations. After October 2023, his earlier policies were widely condemned as naive and harmful to Israel. Given his stature and legendary status, Dayan’s view of accommodation carried significant weight. His critics accused him of promoting a “peacenik” policy with those committed to wiping out Israel. To support their claims, critics pointed to Dayan’s policies and rhetoric. They sometimes misattributed his eulogy at Roi Rotberg’s 1956 funeral. Terrorists from Gaza murdered and mutilated a young Kibbutznik, and Dayan delivered a eulogy in which he urged his fellow Jews to show compassion toward Arabs rather than revenge. His critics interpreted his speech as weak and naive. However, the core message was far from spineless. He advised showing compassion while staying vigilant. He said, “Let us not be deterred from seeing the loathing that is inflaming and filling the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Arabs who live around us. Let us not avert our eyes lest our arms weaken. This is the fate of our generation. This is our life’s choice: To be prepared and armed, strong and determined, lest the sword be stricken from our fist and our lives cut down.” Are these the words of a pacifist? However, after the October 2023 attack, his speeches and conversations were carefully examined. In a speech Dayan gave in 1969, he also clarified that he did not blame Arab hostility on supposed “forcible dispossession.” He said, “We purchased the land from Arabs and set up Jewish villages where there had once been Arab villages.” In response, his critics contended that Muslim hostility was fueled by a deadly hatred of Jews and a desire to remove their presence from the area. Some claim that Dayan used his influence to promote his secular and naive “peacenik” policy, which they say jeopardized Israeli security and, in turn, led Hamas to launch its attacks in 2023. But what do you think? We value your opinion.

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. This podcast is one of several follow-ups to a 10-part series on a mass murder at Fort Hood, Texas. The series is titled “Rampage – Mass murder at Fort Hood.” This first follow-up examines the possible execution of the murderer, Nidal Hasan. We at Kensington are sharing it now, before all 10 episodes have been published, because Nidal Hasan may be scheduled for execution in 2026. This episode is called “An Execution Party and a Cocktail.” By way of background, Hasan was an Army psychiatrist when he opened fire at a crowded Soldier Readiness Processing Center at what was then Fort Hood, killing 13 people and wounding 31 others. This incident is the subject of the series Rampage. Hasan was sentenced to death and remains incarcerated at the United States Disciplinary Barracks. The USDB's mission is to detain U.S. military prisoners who have received lengthy sentences, oversee correctional and treatment programs to maintain order and discipline, reduce recidivism after release, and, when directed, provide trained soldiers for global deployment to support contingency operations. All types of offenders have spent time behind bars there. It housed Mennonites who objected to military service during World War I, and 14 German prisoners from World War II were hanged there in 1945 for murdering other POWs they believed to be traitors. The old prison also held Lt. William Calley, convicted of murder over the My Lai Massacre in 1968 during the Vietnam War, and the pugnacious middleweight, Rocky Graziano, who received a nine-month sentence during World War II for going AWOL after decking an officer. Many inmates can better themselves by earning vocational certificates in barbering, carpentry, embroidery, engraving, graphic arts, laundry and dry cleaning, printing, sheet metal work, and welding. The most difficult cases are held in a special unit where inmates are confined for 23 hours a day. They do not share meals with other inmates, nor can they walk the halls without being shackled. There are no pick-up basketball games in the yard or weightlifting routines for maximum-security prisoners. If exercise facilities were available, Nidal Hasan would not be able to use them because he is confined to a wheelchair after being paralyzed from the waist down due to gunshot wounds. He resides in one of several small, secure cells called Death Row, waiting for the day he will be strapped to a gurney and executed. Military Executions The United States Army executed 36 soldiers during World War I by hanging. Eleven of these hangings took place in France, while the remaining 25 were carried out in the continental United States. In World War Two, the military executed 142 soldiers and other members of the armed forces. The U.S. Navy has not executed any of its servicemen since 1849. The prisoners were usually shot or hanged. Today, he will likely be killed by a cocktail of poisons injected into his veins. This is what awaits Nidal Hasan. Firing Squad – “The Execution Party” “Cause eight rifles to be loaded in his presence. Not more than three nor fewer than one will be loaded with blank ammunition. He will place the rifles at random in the rack provided for that purpose.” Instructions for officer charged with execution by firing squad. So, what was it like to be executed by a firing squad during World War II? The officer responsible for the firing squad rehearsed the procedure with the team. The team consisted of eight men and one sergeant. A chaplain would accompany the prisoner and confirm that a medical officer was present at the scene. The officer would check that the post securing the prisoner was sturdy and that the rings were secure. He would decide how many of the rifles would have blanks, randomly selecting between 1 and 3 of the 8 rifles in the designated rack. A black hood covered the prisoner's head. A 4-inch round target was placed above his heart. The prisoner's arms should be secured either behind his back or at the waist in front, either before or immediately after being received by the guard. The Dead March and a Lively Air Sometimes, music accompanied the execution. If so, the escort will then proceed to the execution site, with the band playing the "Dead March." The officer read the charge, findings, sentence, and orders aloud to the prisoner. He then raised his right arm vertically overhead, palm forward, fingers extended and joined, and the execution party will come to the "Ready" position. When the officer raises his arm to a straight, horizontal position and shouts “aim,” he then drops it, commanding "FIRE." At this signal, the men in the party fire into the prisoner's heart. The officer then examines the now-shot prisoner and administers the "coup de grace" if necessary. He then dismisses the men. The execution “party” is over. This is generally what happened to Private Eddie Slovak toward the end of World War II, when he was executed for desertion. Since January 31, 1945, no American soldier has been executed for desertion. We at Kensington believe that the execution scene in the movie “The Execution of Eddie Slovak” was accurate. Death by Hanging Most Army executions in the United States have been conducted by hanging. The officer in charge may secure the prisoner’s arms in front or behind him and fasten them to a belt. In consultation with a medical officer, he will determine the drop necessary for a “proper execution.” The lightest weight listed on the standard drop chart was 120 lbs or less. The required drop is 8’1”. For much larger men and women, the heaviest weight is 220 lbs, and the height is just 5’0”. One day before, the execution is rehearsed with a sandbag. The most well-known U.S. Army hangman was Master Sergeant John C. Woods. During 1944 and 1945, the tough Master Sergeant Woods, with a questionable background, executed about thirty U.S. soldiers sentenced to death. After the war, he hanged dozens of Nazi war criminals at Landsberg Military Prison, often working alongside the German Johann Reichhart, an official executioner of Nazi Germany. Woods claimed to have carried out 347 executions over a 15-year career. The British movie, Pierrepoint, captures the career of executioner Albert Pierrepoint, Britain’s last hangman. One scene focuses on the hanging of German war criminals, and we believe that it, and the movie in general, is accurate. Lethal Injection All of this history is not relevant to Nidal Hasan's planned execution. He will not be hanged or shot; instead, he will be poisoned with a lethal cocktail. The last time the U.S. military executed a service member for a capital crime was on April 13, 1961. Since then, the federal government and state governments have moved to lethal injection. Traditionally, lethal injections have used a three-drug cocktail: sodium thiopental for sedation, pancuronium bromide to paralyze the muscles, and potassium chloride to stop the heart. However, in 2011, the only U.S. manufacturer of sodium thiopental, ceased production due to its use in executions. That same year, the European Union banned the export of sodium thiopental along with other barbiturates used in executions, requiring companies to ensure that their exports would not be used for lethal injections. Etomidate is the latest drug to be used in capital punishment in the U.S. Etomidate is a type of intravenous anesthetic that knocks the prisoner unconscious. Another chemical, rocuronium bromide, paralyzes the inmate before the third, potassium acetate, stops his heart. When all three of these drugs course through Hasan’s veins, he will be dead. Who looks forward to Hasan’s execution? Many survivors, friends, and family of victims look forward to the day of death. Am I going to leave here in a body bag? Are they going to cut my baby out of my corpse?" And what of Nidal’s thoughts? His letters reveal that he is as committed as ever to killing those whom he sees as enemies of England. If he is executed, he will die as a martyr and go directly to heaven. Will he be executed in 2026? We at Kensington have no inside information, but we think it is very likely. Secretary of War Hegseth has advocated for his execution. If he hasn’t already, President Trump will likely sign off on the death warrant. Then, some 21 years after the killing, he will die, perhaps with the words Allah Akar on his lips. These may be his last words, and these were the last words some of his victims heard on the day of his rampage at Fort Hood.

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. In this, our second of ten episodes, we look at Fort Hood and the immediate environs. part podcast series about the mass murder at Fort Hood. The series is titled “Rampage – Mass Murder at Fort Hood.” The Great Place “I, Nidal Malik Hasan, having been appointed a major in the U.S. Army . . . do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the   Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and . . . domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same . . . So help me God.” Nidal Malik Hasan   Located in Texas, Fort Hood is one of America’s largest military installations. Its moniker is “The Great Place,” and it was opened in 1942 to train soldiers how to destroy German and Japanese tanks. The Fort became home to the Third Corps, which moved the “Red Ball Express” supplying Patton’s Third Army. It produced the soldiers who captured the legendary Remagen Bridgehead, securing a foothold in Germany. Fort Hood is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. Some residents and non-residents are uncomfortable with this continuing salute to the Confederacy. Fort Hood is an important part of both Texas and the U.S. Army. It is one of America’s largest military bases, located in the biggest state in the continental U.S. Camp Hood officially opened in 1942 to train soldiers to destroy German and Japanese tanks. The symbol of the Third Corps was the black panther, as seen on the shoulder patch of tank destroyers. The fort became home to the Third Corps, which had previously served in World War I. During World War II, it transported the “Red Ball Express” and fought alongside Patton's Third Army to capture the Remagen Bridgehead, gaining a foothold in Germany. The Soldiers Readiness Center is located on Battalion Avenue, between 75th and 77th streets. It runs parallel to Hell on Wheels Avenue and Tank Destroyer Road, near Support Avenue, and is also close to Hospital Road. The center is near the commissary, the main post exchange, a bank, small shops, and a gas station. Copperas Cove and West Fort Hood are to its west. Central Texas College is across US Highway 190 to the south, while the stables and Killeen are to its east. According to one study, Killeen is the most stressful city in Texas. This is due to several factors: “The high cost of housing, long work hours, and relatively high crime.” Especially when you think of the cities around us. Austin, 67 miles south, has battled a property- Life on Fort Hood “Scuffy!” That word has haunted Killeen since the Washington Post described the city as "a scruffy (military) town of tattoo parlors and auto body shops, Chinese restaurants, and pawn shops" in 2004. The Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce plans to change that image during Maj. Nidal Hasan's upcoming court-martial. "The community gets a lot of coverage because of Fort Hood," said John Crutchfield, president and CEO of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce. "A lot of those stories are not complimentary." As part of an effort to improve the city's image, the chamber will provide visiting media with a kit consisting of fact sheets, contacts, third-party articles, and dining options. "We will highlight some of our unique places on our list that the media might not be aware of," Crutchfield said. “Let Us Do the Cooking Cafe and Catering Service” is one of the local businesses featured in the restaurant guide. Owner Meredith Viguers said she believes Killeen deserves the improved public relations effort. "I think it is." Islamic Killeen             Killeen has a small but lively Muslim community. There are halal supermarkets and restaurants listed on a Muslim-friendly website. A dating site for Muslims in Killeen is also available. Muslima.com features profiles of Muslim men of various ages looking for long-term relationships. The brief bios of these men resemble lonely-hearts ads found elsewhere. One reads, “I am happy with my life in most respects, but am missing excitement and passion. I would like to meet someone to share fun, laughter, and maybe some romance . . .” About 70 Muslim families, many connected to the military, pray at the Killeen mosque. For them, their co-religionist’s 2009 murder has been a heartbreaking betrayal, according to congregant MAJ Dawud Agbere. The shooting caused, in the words of mosque leader Osman Danquah, “tremendous pressure. We are in a state of mourning for what has transpired, and at the same time, you have the media swarming down and the FBI swarming down." Mosque president Manzoor Farooqi condemned the shootings as a "shameless attack" and said he cooperated with federal investigators. Farooqi, a pediatrician, stated that Hasan gave no signals to him or other mosque leaders that he was planning to kill fellow soldiers.             Many of Killeen’s Muslims wistfully recall the days before the November 2009 killings drew unwanted and mostly negative attention to the community. “It goes into your head, and it twists you around," said Nabil Sutherland, 68, a retired steelworker who prays at the mosque. "People come here, you think they're peaceful, humble, and praise God. You don't think anybody would have any connection with radical extremism. To kill other soldiers and innocent human beings... it's beyond comprehension."   Murders occur in Killeen just like in many other places. These crimes often originate from domestic disputes, financial struggles, revenge, or long-term mental health issues. Many murders in Killeen are committed by residents living in poverty. Some are planned, while others happen suddenly. Texas experienced one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. About 25 years ago, the scene was Austin, 50 miles south of Killeen, near the University of Texas tower. Charles Whitman, a 25-year-old architecture student, fired from his observation tower at students and bystanders, causing nearly two hours of chaos. Sixteen people died, and 31 others were wounded on August 1, 1966, during the attack, which ended when police quietly entered the tower and shot Whitman. There was also a killing in Killeen when a troubled individual drove his pickup truck through a window of Luby's Cafeteria and fired at anyone he could see. All these events foreshadowed Nidal Hasan's mass murder in 2009. Guns Galore – “No Idiots Allowed” There is a strong gun culture in Texas with folklore connected to it. Six-shooters, cowboys, soldiers, and shootouts are all part of the state’s history. Fort Hood, a large Army post, is a key part of this tradition. Guns Galore is about 2 miles outside Fort Hood. It’s one of the few places in the area, besides pawn shops, where you can buy firearms. Longtime salesman Gregg Ebert, a former police officer from Killeen, said the store serves local law enforcement and has a good record of following federal regulations. Guns cover the walls of the shop near Fort Hood, along with posters that say: No Idiots Allowed. This Isn't a Place for Children to Play. Firearm Trafficking is Illegal. Ebert also said he has refused to sell guns to certain individuals before. "We've refused to sell to a handful of people based on their mannerisms, their overall behavior — left you with the uncomfortable feeling that I'd rather not sell a firearm to this person," Ebert said. Guns Galore is also where a soldier accused of planning to bomb Fort Hood troops at a restaurant in 2011 bought gunpowder and ammunition. And then there was Nidal Hasan. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. If you have any firsthand knowledge of the Fort Hood attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.   

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. Today, we begin a 10-part series on a mass-murder attack at Fort Hood, Texas. A trust U.S. soldier murdered and tried to murder scores of his countrymen whom he declared enemies of Islam. The series is entitled “Rampage – Mass murder at Fort Hood. Episode One presents the attack. On the afternoon of November 5, 2009, the balding, portly 39-year-old US Army Major Nidal Hasan strolled into Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. He turned to the only civilian in the waiting area and calmly asked her to leave. Hidden in his clothing were an FN 5-7 pistol with green and red laser sights and a .357 revolver, which he carried as a backup weapon. Also concealed were nearly two dozen magazines, each holding 20 rounds, which he claimed would be enough to ‘accomplish his mission.”             Now inside the Base, he watched soldiers talking and filling out paperwork for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. He shouted "Allahu akbar!" and opened fire on his fellow soldiers, who were completely caught off guard. At first, Private Second Class Alan Carroll chuckled at Hasan’s Arabic shouts. Later, he would say, “I thought he was just joking around.” Another soldier thought it was a paintball game. But soon, heads turned to the pop-pop-pop of firecrackers and then to screams of pain. Unarmed and unsuspecting, Hasan’s victims were defenseless against his brutal attack.             In the chaos, some soldiers realized that they had been struck by bullets only when they saw their own blood. Others recalled the rounds feeling like sledgehammers or baseball bats slamming into them. The shots tumbled through flesh, shattered bones, and ruptured organs. Many of the injured remain haunted by the cries of dying and the acrid smell of the blood.             The first to take a bullet at 21 years old was PFC Najee Hull, who was hit twice in the back and once in the knee. He shuffled into a nearby cubicle and hid. Reservist Dorothy "Dorrie" Carskadon was shot four times while completing paperwork. Both soldiers survived. Coukoulis saw from his hiding spot that Hasan looked at his victims, some of whom “... just stood their ground. They didn't flinch, and they didn't whimper. They were looking at fate, and they knew it."             PFC Kham Xiong, 23, continued his family’s military tradition. During the Vietnam War, his father fought the communists in Laos. His younger brother served in the Marines. His 8th-grade teacher recalled, “his greatest attribute was his ability to make everybody smile." Xiong was among the first to be killed at Fort Hood while waiting in line for a flu shot. Soft-spoken and determined, SSGT Amy Sue Krueger had already served in Iraq and was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. Earlier, she explained to her family, “we need more people” to serve there. Hasan shot and killed her.             Trying to make sense of the chaos, soldiers realized that the attacker was wearing an Army uniform. "He's one of ours! He's one of ours!" a female lieutenant yelled as Hasan kept spraying rounds into soldiers. Many of the bullets hit their targets. Twenty-one-year-old PVT Francheska Velez was expecting a baby. “Cheka,” as she was affectionately known, became pregnant in Iraq. Hasan shot her as she pleaded for the life of her unborn child. "My baby! My baby!" were her last words. A generation older than Cheka, LTC Juanita Warman, who was shot in the abdomen, begged to be allowed to tell her family that she loved them. She never got the chance because she died at the scene.             The gunfire continued relentlessly. Witnesses described how Hasan sprayed bullets in a fan-shaped pattern before targeting individual soldiers. Psychiatric nurse CPT Russell Seager requested to be sent to Afghanistan to help emotionally distressed combat personnel. His front-line experience gave him insight into his emotionally traumatized comrades. Now at Fort Hood, CPT Seager tried to save lives by rushing at Hasan, who shot and killed him. Eyewitness SGT Michael Davis said: "The rate of fire was pretty much constant shooting . . . it sounded like an M16." Bright red and green beams from the shooter’s laser gunsight illuminated the dust particles.             Rounds tore through backs, arms, and necks as the wounded crawled for cover. Hasan changed magazines too quickly for anyone to stop him. He had practiced at the range. But some personnel in the Center confronted the shooter. Grizzled senior Michael Grant Cahill, armed with a folding chair, charged at him, and Hasan shot him dead. The 62-year-old took six shots. Posthumously, he was awarded the Army Medal for Valor.             As a boy, soft-spoken Spc. Frederick Greene of Mountain City, TN, was active at Baker’s Gap Baptist Church. A church superintendent said, “He was one of the finest boys you ever saw.” His fellow soldiers called him the Silent Soldier because he never complained and often volunteered to help. Hasan shot him 12 times, and he died. At 19 years old, Aaron Nemelka from West Jordan, Utah, was the youngest to die. Like Frederick Greene, Nemelka was also a man of faith. PFC Nemelka was shot three times while lying on the ground.             SSG Justin Michael DeCrow was the son of a Vietnam War veteran and father to a 13-year-old daughter. He wrestled and played football in high school. But this sturdily built soldier had no defense against the bullets that killed him. MAJ Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, the youngest of seven children from a poor Mexican family that immigrated to Texas when he was a boy, put himself through college and earned a doctorate from the University of Arizona. Deeply patriotic, he pledged, “If God helps me, then I am going to help people.' He died that day on the killing floor. Passionate guitarist PFC Michael Pearson, 21, of Bolingbrook, was shot three times—in the spine and the chest. Surgeons worked desperately to save Pearson, even bringing him back to life twice on the operating table, but he had lost too much blood and died. However, many of those shot survived. SGT Alonzo Lunsford saw the laser train on his face, and he instinctively closed his eyes. He was shot seven times, collapsed to the ground, and started to sing Amazing Grace but could not get past the first verse.             Hasan searched for those hiding. He trained his laser sight on Theodore Coukoulis, who was concealed under a desk. Coukoulis hoped Hasan would shoot him in the back of the head so he could die instantly. Instead, the major moved on, and Coukoulis survived. After Hasan left the building, Coukoulis emerged from his hiding spot and began assisting with triage. Later, he would describe the wide grin Hasan wore as he gunned down soldiers. Nurse Shemeka Hairston called 911 for help. She was crouched under a desk at the processing center where the shooting started. “Oh God, help me,” Hairston said as the operator kept asking her for the location of the shooting. She opened her eyes and saw a soldier standing up during a pause in the gunfire. “His eyes got big, and he fell.” At that time, all active-duty soldiers were preparing for deployments to either Iraq or Afghanistan. One of the victims, retired Lt. Col. Randy Lee Royer, was shot in the leg, breaking his femur a few inches above the knee. Royer needed a cane to walk to the stand. He described hiding in a cubicle during the shooting. Unable to walk, he stayed inside the processing center throughout the entire incident. When it was over, he said the building was “deathly quiet.”             Soldiers Down, Shooter Down             Michelle Harper had worked at the center for six years drawing blood. Startled by the gunshots, she turned and saw Michael Pearson fall as he took his last breaths. Along with several others, she dialed 911. Captured on tape, Hasan’s gunshots were heard, as were Pearson’s dying breaths and moans. "Oh, my God! There are a lot of people—15, probably more," cried nurse Kimberly "Regina" Huseman, who also called 911. "He's a soldier! . . . Oh, my God!" Calmly, Major Hasan exited 42003 and reassured surprised civilians that the chaos of screams and gunshots was just an exercise. But he, like many of his victims, would leave Fort Hood on a gurney, near death, and permanently crippled. After Hasan left, survivors began shouting, "Mass casualty! Mass casualty!" and "Soldiers down! Soldiers down!" SSC Maria Guerra yelled, "You train for this, you train for this, let's go.” Medics and nurses quickly emerged from hiding to help their fallen comrades. A medic marked the foreheads of several dead with the letter D to indicate who needed aid. By coincidence, a documentary filmmaker was there filming a school graduation, but instead, he captured footage of the wounded, using their gowns as makeshift bandages. PFC Amber Bahr, 19, applied a tourniquet to a soldier and carried him a short distance before realizing she had been shot. The bullet entered her abdomen and exited through her back. She survived. Nurses and medics entered the building and secured the doors to prevent Hasan from reentering. They then turned to the wounded and rushed to help them. Some later remembered that the floor was so soaked with blood it was too slippery to quickly reach the screaming and pleading victims. Outside, Hasan searched for more soldiers to attack. The police had been compromised, and two officers sped to the scene. Ford Hood police officer SGT Kimberly Munley and her partner started their shift that day by washing their squad car. Responding to urgent calls for help, she arrived at the center to see soldiers shouting, “He’s that way! He’s that way!” She saw Hasan, who aimed his weapon at her. “Then I saw a red flash of a laser cross my eyes. I pulled the hammer back on my weapon to get an accurate shot,” Munley said. “We began to blindly exchange fire.” Hasan was faster to draw, and Munley’s gun jammed. Hasan’s rounds hit her in the hand, thigh, and knee. As she lay wounded on the ground, Hasan kicked away her weapon. But before he could fire a killing shot, Munley’s partner, Mark Todd, shot at Hasan. Later, Todd recalled, "... he turned and fired a couple of rounds at me. I didn't hear him say a word; he just turned and fired." The two exchanged gunfire, and Hasan was hit by five rounds from Todd, who kicked the pistol out of his hand and placed handcuffs on him as he fell unconscious. Someone yelled, “Shooter down!" Hasan was rushed to a hospital, received treatment, and was later incarcerated. By the end of the shooting, he had fired 146 rounds inside the facility and 68 outside. Blood donation centers in Waco, Killeen, and Scott and White Hospital in Temple became overwhelmed with donors. The list of those murdered and wounded at Fort Hood includes individuals of many different ethnicities, different religions, genders, national origins, and races. Some were soldiers, and some were civilians. All were members of the U.S. Army who were murdered during an Islamist rampage at Fort Hood. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. Next week, we will cover Fort Hood and Killeen, Texas, the last home of Nidal Hasan and those he murdered. If you have firsthand knowledge of the Fort Hood attack, please reach out to us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we examine Islamist infiltration in the United States military. We will profile several Army soldiers who killed or tried to kill their fellow American soldiers. We will also look at some Pentagon Jihadis who did not physically harm military personnel but betrayed the country they swore to serve. Finally, we will try to make sense of the homicidal rampages and betrayals. Ali Mohammad - "He has a lot of chutzpah, no question," Tom Corrigan, of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, in reference to Ali Mohammad, the US Army trainer for al Qaeda Ali Mohammad, also often spelled Mohammed, was unquestionably the most well-known Islamist infiltrator in any US military branch. Athletic, handsome, intelligent, charming, and treacherous, Mohammad served in the Egyptian Army until he was discharged for aligning himself with an Islamic Brotherhood offshoot. As a soldier, he visited the United States during military exchanges, where he worked as a translator. Without steady employment, he moved to the U.S., married an American, and enlisted in the US Army, where he served at Fort Bragg, giving lectures on Islamic culture among other duties. What is clear is his Islamist bona fides, which he earned through teaching martial arts and small-unit tactics at Osama bin Laden’s training camps in Afghanistan. He also trained Islamists based in the US, in New York and New Jersey, one of whom was later convicted of murdering an American rabbi. Ali Mohammad’s talent and intelligence starkly contrast with the US government’s and the US Army’s ineptitude and confusion about Islamism. Is Ali Mohammad professing his allegiance to Islam and his willingness to fight anyone, including Americans, who threaten Islam? SGT Mohammad was openly contemptuous of Sadat, US foreign policy, and Israel, and he freely spoke about the virtues of political Islam. If anyone questioned his commitment to the Islamist cause, they only needed to see him on a US Army-produced television show. Although many soldiers familiar with Mohammad discussed his anti-American rants and dedication to the Islamist cause, they were wary of being labeled bigots if they brought up the issue. Additionally, many soldiers assumed that because Mohammad was teaching Islam courses at Fort Bragg, his Army superiors were aware of and approved his course content. Why else would they assign him to teach such a course? It's no surprise that many soldiers chose to remain silent. Hasan Akbar - Despite his academic qualifications, SGT Hasan Akbar never became an officer. Born in difficult circumstances to a radical-leftist father turned Muslim, Mark Fidel Kools, who changed his name to Hasan Akbar, left the mean streets of Los Angeles to study engineering at UC Davis. There, he was engaged in the small Muslim community and regularly attended MSA meetings. In the Army, he felt isolated and complained about being taunted. However, the teasing from fellow soldiers might have come from his odd behavior, not his Islamic faith. He acted unpredictably, doing karate chops spontaneously and blurting out angry, inappropriate comments, which made his fellow soldiers uncomfortable. He also unexpectedly and repeatedly fell asleep during training. Long before Akbar threw grenades into the tents of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 326th Engineering Battalion, he wrote in his diary about killing Americans as an Islamic duty. His behavior was strange, but he could function as a soldier, if not a very good one. He also did not seem to have trouble telling fantasy from reality. Because of this, a court-martial convicted him and sentenced him to death. Akbar’s defense lawyers argued he was too mentally ill to plan the attack. They claimed that, like his unpredictable karate chops, the grenade attack was spontaneous, which could reduce his sentence. But prosecutor CPT Robert McGovern said during closing arguments that his attack was carefully planned, entirely voluntary, and carried out with full knowledge that it was illegal. "He (Akbar) sought maximum carnage." He achieved it and, as a result, was sentenced to death. Nidal Hasan The most notorious and deadly US Islamist soldier is Nidal Hasan, about whom we have a future 10-part podcast series. On the afternoon of November 5, 2009, the balding, portly 39-year-old US Army Major Nidal Hasan walked into Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Hidden in his clothing were an FN 5-7 pistol with green and red laser sights and a .357 revolver, which he carried as a backup weapon. Also concealed were nearly two dozen magazines, each holding 20 rounds. His mission? To kill as many of his fellow American soldiers as possible in the name of Islam. Pentagon Jihadis - There have been other Islamists, whom Daniel Pipes calls the “Pentagon Jihadis." They include Semi Osman, who served in both the US Army and Navy Reserves and was charged with providing "material support for terrorists." Abdul Raheem Al Arshad Ali, a Marine convert to Islam, was charged with aiding Osman. Jeffrey Leon Battle, an Army member who converted to Islam, was convicted of terrorism-related charges. Hammad Abdur-Raheem, who served in the Army, was convicted of using his military skills to train fellow Islamists for Jihad. Hassan Abujihaad, a naval communications specialist and convert to Islam, was convicted of aiding the Taliban. Yusuf Khalil Jackson, a civilian contractor for the DoD, admitted to producing fake military IDs and may have been involved in the counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan. Sadeq Naji Ahmedan, an Air Force sergeant who was discharged for making statements condemning the US and praising bin Laden, later worked as a baggage handler at an airport. Among the senior Islamist citizens is Rafat Jamal Mawlawi, in his 50s, who served 12 years in the Navy and was later found with a small arsenal of weapons, passports indicating passage to Iran, extensive Jihadist literature, and videotapes suggesting involvement in Jihad, likely in the Balkans. These are only the known Islamists who have been arrested or convicted.  

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode shares updates on Western women who joined the Caliphate. It revisits topics covered in Jihad and the West – Black Flag over Babylon, released ten years ago. This episode provides a more detailed biography of a very confused English woman who turned to Islam and the Caliphate in search of a new life. I will also speculate on why four Western Islamists went to the Caliphate, where they were killed by their former countrymen. "Because she is a Muslim, she will come here and never leave." Sally Jones’ friend Aisha Raised in Kent, England, Catholic Sally Jones was a practicing Christian through her early twenties. When she was ten, her father, a van driver, committed suicide. Times were tough, and by sixteen, she left school to become a beautician. She also played bass in an all-girl band named Krunch. A bandmate impregnated her. She lost her husband to liver cancer two years after their son was born. Now a widow, she started using dating apps in 1996 and met Junaid Hussain. She fell for him and quit her job selling cosmetics, then the couple traveled to Syria to join ISIS. They became known as Mr. and Mrs. Terror. She left her older son in Britain but took ten-year-old JoJo, whom she groomed to become an executioner. In Syria, she married Hussain and converted to Islam. Hussain died in fighting in 2015, but her influence and power continued to grow. Yesterday’s punk rocker became the leader of the female wing of the Anwar al-Awlaki battalion of ISIS in Raqqa. She decided who would live and who would die. The United Nations listed her as one of the most-wanted terrorists in 2015, and the U.S. government added her to its death list.             She fled Raqqa after Coalition forces positioned themselves for an attack. A friend of hers said Jones converted to Islam and that she will never leave Syria. A convert will hold Islam tightly and not let it go. "Because she is a Muslim, she came here and will never leave.” As for JoJo, he joined the Cubs of the Caliphate youth club, where he learned how to kill captives. She pressed her son to decapitate goats as training to behead prisoners. JoJo’s grandfather in England feared that the then-eleven-year-old boy was becoming, in his words, a “lost soul.” A lurid video shows JoJo blasting a bullet into the head of a prisoner.                         Mom was prolific on Twitter as a leading propagandist for the Islamic State. She was compared to a British recruiting sergeant. In an iconic image, she superimposed her face onto a photo of a nun holding a revolver. She aspired to become a suicide bomber. She wrote in 2015, “I know what I am doing. Paradise has a price, and I hope this will be the price for Paradise.” That price came in October 2017, when she and JoJo were blown to pieces by a Predator missile while fleeing Raqqa. JoJo was twelve at the time of his death. There is no known evidence that mom or son reached paradise.             What do the American Adam Gadhan, Awar al Awlaki, the British Muhammad Emwazi, and Sally Jones have in common? Several things. By the turn of the millennium, Islamic terror was no longer rare, exotic, or distant. Among the four terrorists, two were born in the United States and two in Britain. Two had unconventional backgrounds: Adam Gadahn grew up immersed in California counterculture, while Al Awlaki spent much of his youth in Yemen before returning to the United States. Sally Jones and Muhammad Emwazi both had common English backgrounds before turning to radical Islam. Two were well-educated—Awlaki was an engineer and Emwazi an IT professional—while Jones and Gadahn did not graduate from college. Several had challenging childhoods, but there was no evidence that they lived in exceptionally cruel circumstances. These were ordinary people.             One commentator suggested that Emwazi symbolized the successful and subtle infiltration of Western nations. Looking at his childhood, there is no indication that he would embrace violent Islam. His childhood friends described him as well-dressed, confident, polite, and intelligent. He had no criminal record and showed no signs of sadistic zeal. Until he left for Syria, he was considered a success story in Britain. The Muslim Briton escaped poverty and danger in the Middle East to build a new, prosperous life in Britain as a computer scientist. But then, something changed.             Something also happened to Gadahn and Jones. Gadahn might have been prone to some violence. He explored Death Metal music in his late teens, but that could have been a fleeting phase. Did he bully or harm others? There are no records of serious incidents. Something also changed for Sally Jones. Raised Catholic and interested in music, Ms. Jones shifted from a chaotic lifestyle to a highly disciplined and strict routine. She decided who would live and who would die. She hardened her young son's heart so he would kill mercilessly. And he did. Al Alwaki probably experienced more grooming to become an extremist. He was immersed in Islam in Yemen and brought it with him to the U.S. But he could have chosen a different path. He didn’t have to endorse violence and salute killers. All four of them joined militant Islam, and they never left.  But, what are your ideas? What do you think happened? Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.   

       Hello from Jihad and the World—a podcast that explores the link between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is the ninth episode in a series centered on a single terrorist incident—the December 2, 2015, husband and wife mass shooting of health inspectors in San Bernardino, California. This episode looks at the immediate aftermath of the attack.           "American blood . . .”              Before the blood was washed from the floors of Building 3, ISIS propagandists tweeted their glee over the "blessed attacks" that killed one-third of San Bernardino County's health inspector force. An ISIS leader pleaded, "May Allah Accept Our Brother & Sister who were martyred after carrying out an operation against Crusaders in the USA."  The following month's edition of Inspire would praise them for leaving behind a comfortable lifestyle and being an only child for martyrdom. It showed a montage of pictures of mutilated corpses with a background narrative explaining, “We did this for Allah. The killings filled us with joy.”                 ISIS propagandists boasted of connections to the San Bernardino massacre and threatened more. Leaders promised, “. . .  when we say we'll kill you in ur countries, we mean it." ISIS praised the husband-and-wife killers, calling them martyrs. "May Allah Accept Our Brother & Sister who were martyred . . .  "The American Blood Is Best and We Will Taste It Soon." "We bless the Islamic Umma for this great slaughter today. The blood of Crusaders was spilled in Paris, and tomorrow, with God's will in the heart of Washington," Musharraf tweeted in Arabic. ISIS's self-congratulation filtered out for days. But in San Bernardino, on December 2, there was panic, despair, and pleas for information. Who is alive, and who is dead? Who was shot? Were they in the hospital or the morgue? Where were they?              Renee Wetzel, wife of supervisor Michael Wetzel, turned to her women's group, the Lil' Mamas, for help in finding her husband. However, they couldn't assist, and she had to wait eight hours to learn that she was now a widow. Meanwhile, Nicholas Thalasinos’s sister grew worried about her brother. She knew he could be flamboyantly political on his media account. Would he be a prime target for an assassin’s bullet? Ryan Reyes, Daniel Kaufman’s partner, waited for news. He described Kaufmann to local hospitals as "Just under six feet tall and around 195 pounds . . . and one earring on each side-- rainbow bars for gay pride." The following day, the death notice arrived.             As hours passed, parents and siblings sank into despair. Yvette Velasco's and Tin Nguyen’s parents knew their daughters would call home immediately if they were alive. By late afternoon, these parents correctly assumed that their children were dead. Mandy Pifer, Shannon Johnson's love interest, texted him earlier that day. She did not receive a response because he was likely dead by then. Inspector Anies Kondoker’s husband Salihin was working in Northern California when he heard about the shooting. He tracked Anies via her cellphone's GPS, which told him she was in the heart of the slaughter site. He explained, "I got sick in my stomach and my brain." His wife had been shot, but she would fully recover. But the killers were still on the loose, and dozens of men and women were struggling for their lives near Build 3 of the Inland Regional Center. The Look of Death             Medical professionals refer to the first sixty minutes after a serious injury as the golden hour. In San Bernardino, it took fifty-seven minutes to evacuate twenty-two wounded survivors, some critically injured, to a hospital. Initially, the wounded were moved to a spot directly outside the building, but that was deemed too close to an active crime scene. They were then guided to a golf course across the street, which was converted into a command post and triage center. The first fairway served as a helipad, transporting the most critically injured to local hospitals. Victims and witnesses were led on foot, while the injured were transported in golf carts.                   People milling around the golf course waited quietly to be debriefed or receive medical treatment. Many stood in stunned silence, while others shared their grief, fear, and tears, reflecting on what had just happened. Conditions on the golf course were rough for the still-shaken survivors. There were no bathrooms, little shade, and the debriefing lasted for hours. Additionally, cell phone batteries were dead or dying, making communication difficult. The main goal was to get the wounded to safety.             Medics marked the ground with chalk - Immediate, Delayed, Minor, and Deceased.  Those declared immediate often had, what some medics called, the look of death. Characteristics of this look were ashen skin, gasping for breath, and very rapid breathing. Delayed injuries were those to the shoulder and extremities. Many had minor injuries and were treated on site. Many of those released left for home. Most of the injured had been taken to local hospitals. Loma Linda University Medical Center receives the most severe patients because it is the only level-one trauma center in the region.               Just before 2:00 operations, first responders shifted their base of operations from the golf course to the Rock Church, located about one mile away. Police and other first responders continued to debrief witnesses. Residents and businesses offered services and provided food, water, and supplies. Inside the Center, members of Counseling Team International offered psychological counseling. The counselors also helped pen death notifications to the families of the dead. San Bernardino school board members partnered with teachers to protect the children and inform the parents of the situation.             Victim advocates from the District Attorney's office and the FBI Victim Specialists contacted the families of the deceased and provided them with information on services. They fielded phone calls, made field visits, and began assisting families with funeral/burial assistance. Victim Advocates traveled to various hospitals to meet with the injured victims and FBI Victim Specialists to go over the various services available together. In several cases, a strong connection forged that day between advocates and victims' families led to enduring relationships. Clergy came to minister to the wounded, the traumatized, and those in mourning.                 Political analyst Ian Oxnevad remembers the day clearly. He prevented his mother from leaving his home. As soon as he heard that there were two shooters, he knew it was a terrorist attack. Oxnevad studied ISIS and its tactics in depth. “One shooter may be a man going postal. Two shooters are terrorists.” Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing to hear more podcasts from Jihad and the World. If any listener has firsthand knowledge of the San Bernardino attack, please contact us. This is very important to us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.     

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is the tenth in a series of podcasts focused on a single terrorist incident - the December 2, 2015, husband and wife mass murder of health inspectors in San Bernardino, California. This episode concludes the story with a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style shootout in the streets of San Bernardino. This ends the series – The Killing Floor. “Thelma and Louise”             While friends and loved ones frantically searched hospitals and clinics for information, law enforcement officers scoured the streets for a black rental Explorer with Utah plates. Federal and local authorities are now looking for suspects who were driving through the nearby cities of San Bernardino and Redlands. There was a time they vanished from surveillance and records. After the rampage, the couple visited a local lake at 11:45 a.m. and then appeared to zig-zag across the area.             The assailants kept geographically close to San Bernardino and Redlands in what appeared to be aimless circling with intermittent stops. Several people noticed a black SUV with Utah license plates and called the police. Detectives spotted Farook and Malik driving toward Redlands and followed them.             A Redlands Police Department squad car signaled to Farook to pull over, but he did not come to a complete stop. Nick Koahou, a narcotics officer with the San Bernardino Police Department, thought to himself, “They're not gonna stop; they're gonna shoot it out with us,” and he was right. Suddenly, Farook’s rear window shattered as he fired his weapon toward the police. Koahou exited his vehicle, approached Farook, and went prone at seventy yards from Farook’s SUV. Armed with an AR-15 and years of experience as military police in the Marines, Koahou returned fire, causing Farook to stumble and fall. Koahou kept firing. At the same time, San Bernardino Police Sgt. Ryan Schuelke fired at Farook with his rifle. Sgt. Schuelke used the red dot sight on his weapon to aim as accurately as possible at Farook, mindful that they were in a residential neighborhood with people likely in the surrounding homes. Sgt. Schuelke fired five or six shots at Farook’s chest. One round went through Farook’s torso, creating a mist of blood upon impact. Several armored vehicles responded to the scene. More than 175 law enforcement officers from various local, county, state, and federal agencies had arrived by the time of the exchange. Altogether, 24 officers fired at least 440 rounds at the vehicle. Riddled with bullets and collapsed on the ground, Farook lay lifeless. But his wife began to fire blindly in short bursts from the SUV’s window. Police at the scene used every gun in their arsenal, including a Mini-14, a shotgun, and a handgun. The barrage of gunfire eventually stopped her attack after thirteen bullets hit her body and two bullets struck her head. Farook and Malik had fired at least eighty-one shots at the police. The killers were now dead. But Koahou felt like someone had punched him hard in the thigh. He had been shot, and as his adrenaline waned, he began to limp. The shootout was a frightening experience for nearby neighbors who watched in confused horror.  Middle-aged Billy Sirk was trimming a tree in front of his house when gunfire erupted nearby. Seeing Malik shooting at the police, he dropped from the ladder to take cover inside his home. Teenager Mahir Rahman saw his house on TV and immediately realized that the suspects were being chased across the street. He protected his mother by hiding with her in a room until the gunfire stopped. “It felt timeless. It felt like an eternity.” Nearby, local resident Michael was inside a liquor store when police prevented him from leaving. Less than two blocks from the shootout, he heard police sirens passing by the store. Shocked, he looked out the door only to be told by an officer that he had to stay inside because shooters were still at large. Michael later said, "I heard later that day that it was like in that movie... you know, Thelma and Louise. They just went down shooting." The San Bernardino District Attorney's report stated that at least twenty-seven rounds hit Farook, while his wife was struck by fifteen. Ghost Town During the afternoon of the shooting, county leaders shut down all non-essential public services, including schools. For several hours afterward, officials closed many stores and public places and blocked off streets. Residents had never experienced anything like this before and did not understand what was happening. A journalist described the scene as a police state, and others spoke of desolation. Soon after the shooting, armored police vehicles rolled through downtown streets, some of which were empty of pedestrians. One observer said, “It’s like a ghost town right now.” Redlands also went into lockdown. Farook’s neighbor, “Squeaky,” recalls that afternoon as law enforcement took control of the block where he and the Farook family lived. The sixty-four-year-old, grumpy construction worker, peeked out his window when a team of officers arrived at the perpetrators' home. Squeaky lives seven houses up the block and casually knew Farook and his mother. “I used to wave at her (the mother), and the boy (Sayeed) seemed like a regular kid. He was brought up right.” Thank you for listening to this series of The Killing Floor. If you enjoyed it, please Consider subscribing to hear more podcasts from Jihad and the World. If any listener has firsthand knowledge of the San Bernardino attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

           Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. The podcast series is called The Killing Floor. This is the episode where the killing continues as blood pours, seemingly without pause, onto the killing floor. Phones from the Injured             Twenty-four-year-old Kevin Ortiz was taken to the hospital with three bullets—two in his legs and one in his shoulder. Despite his injuries, he called his new bride to profess his love and reassure her that he would survive and return to her. He also contacted his father to promise he would not lose his son. "I'm in pain. Don't worry. There's a policeman with me." Shortly after, the call dropped. Meanwhile, Garrett Lacroix called his father as shots were fired, and panic spread through the center. The fire alarm sounded, and he feared there might be bombs. Terry Petit was worried about his daughter. Then she texted him: “People shot. In the office, waiting for cops. Pray for us. I am locked in the office." The father responded with a text: "Hide. Find a good spot. Hide now." She did exactly that.             Co-worker Anies Kondoker was walking down a hall when she was hit by three bullets in her arm and stomach. She never saw the shooters and didn't know where the bullets came from. Party-goer Anies Kondoker attended the same mosque as Farook. Both were practicing Muslims, but that didn't protect her from his bullets, which hit her in the stomach and arm. Now injured, she crawled to a bathroom with the help of a coworker who shouted, “There’s a shooter!” Bleeding from several wounds, Kondoker took cover in a bathroom and crouched beside Sally Cardinale—a moment forever etched in her memory. The shocked expressions on the faces of the wounded haunt Cardinale. Their contorted faces capture the exact moment they realized they had been shot and might die.             Then came screams and prayers in Spanish and English, pleading for God's mercy and for help for the trapped and injured. In the bathroom, bullets slammed into a wall near her, and a cleaning lady yelled in Spanish. Cardinale snapped, “Shut up. You’re gonna draw them here.” The gunfire stopped. Case manager Jamile Navarro whispered that she was hiding in a locked room. “I said, ‘All right, I’ll be there, turn off the lights, don’t make a sound,'” Navarro said. “And that was it.” Her daughter survived. The pair reports that Ortiz was able to make two calls from inside the Inland Regional Center, where the shooting occurred, after he had been shot.               From her office in a building next to the Center, Sandra Wood heard twenty-five to thirty bursts of automatic gunfire. "You could tell the person stopped and reloaded and started again," Wood moved away from the windows and called 911, explaining that there were several dozen people next door and that she feared for their lives. As interim director of the Center, she put her school on lockdown.             Julie Swann-Paez and lead environmental health specialist Hal Houser were standing for a group photo near a Christmas tree. Houser heard what he thought was a nail gun outside. In reality, he heard the gunfire from the Center’s job coach, Daniel Kaufman, and Isaac Amanios. It was a proud day for Swann-Paez as she was awarded a prestigious honor for her year’s work. Now, she was lying on the floor in pain after being hit in the pelvis. But after a moment, she texted her family, “Love you guys.” It was 11:20. She took a picture of her face as she lay on the floor and sent it to them. But it would not be a goodbye message. Curled up on the ground, she thought, Please, please – just be quiet. Eyes closed, she hoped he wouldn’t come over to this corner of the room again. Her friends and co-workers were dying around her. Benneta Betbadal, who would die that day. The Iranian woman, who came to America at age eighteen to escape religious persecution, died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. She had also been hit in the legs and chest.             Olivia Navarro received her first call at 11:00 from her daughter, Jamille, a case manager at a large facility that provides services to people with disabilities across the region. “It was one hour until I learnt my daughter was OK,” she said. A text message finally arrived, informing her that her daughter was among those evacuated to safety at a nearby golf course.             Facing the back of the conference room as gunfire erupted, she texted what she believed might be her final words to her family: “Love you guys. Was shot.” That message haunts her. Houser heard five or six loud bangs outside—what sounded like a nail gun to him, but were actually the sounds of coworkers being killed. After hearing gunshots inside, Houser assessed the situation. “He ran out of bullets and I said, ‘Go,’” Houser recalled. He first moved into a small storage room already filled with two hiding coworkers. As Houser headed out another door, he saw the other side door open, and a shorter person dressed in black entered and began firing.             Houser ran to a nearby room where 20 others were hiding. There was no way out. Some coworkers hid inside cabinets and under Kaufman’s coffee cart. Houser, Vector Control Program Manager Jason Phillippe, and Public Health Assistant Director Corwin Porter held the doors shut. Minutes later, rescuers led by San Bernardino police Lt. Mike Madden entered and signaled the group to escape to the next building while police searched for the attackers. Two officers, ready with guns, guarded the survivors in another room for 10 to 15 minutes until the building was cleared and they were escorted to the San Bernardino Golf Club across the street.             Like others nearby, Salihin Kondok dove to the ground when the shooting started. She initially didn't realize she had been shot in the stomach, and she was also hit in both arms. "Bullets were flying all over the place," she remembered. Crawling into a bathroom, she realized she had been shot but didn't know how badly. Elsewhere in the center, hundreds of employees barricaded themselves in offices. Melinda Rivas, a social worker, helped others by stacking furniture inside a conference room and against the door. “I had no idea if I was going to get out alive,”             After she sustained shrapnel wounds to her head, Amanda Gaspard collapsed while sheltering under a table. She closed her eyes and stayed still. One of the attackers stood over her and shot her in the arm and leg. Then another shooter passed by and shot her again. “They stood over her and could have easily shot her in the head, but we are so grateful to God that they shot her in the leg and arm.” Gina Kuruppu hid at the first sounds of gunfire and screams. She prayed while texting her mom, her niece, and her sister. “Gina, stay low,” her mother replied. “I love you.”             Twenty-four-year-old Kevin Ortiz was taken to the hospital with three gunshot wounds: two in his legs and one in his shoulder. Despite this, he called his new bride to tell her he loved her and to reassure her he would survive and come back to her. He also called his father and promised he wouldn't lose his son. "I'm in pain. Don't worry. There's a policeman with me." Shortly after, the call dropped. Garrett Lacroix called his father as gunfire erupted, and panic spread through the Center. The fire alarm sounded, and he feared there might be bombs.              Denise Peraza struggled to call her sister from the conference room. She had been shot in the back and crawled under a table for cover. "I remember it being quiet, and me just trying to control my breathing so that if they were still there, they would think I was dead." Trying to hold back her tears, Peraza called her sister and told her she was shot in the lower back. She said, “I just want to tell you that I love you,” and then she had to go, hanging up quickly.             But Peraza was not alone. Shannon Johnson held her and reassured her, “I got you.” Peraza, hiding under a desk, was struck in the lower back. Peraza later described how Johnson kept his "left arm wrapped around me, holding me as close as possible next to him behind that chair," Peraza said. "I believe I am still here today because of this amazing man. This selfless individual who always brought a smile to everyone’s face in the office with his lively stories about his hometown back in Georgia... my friend, my hero."          Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. If you have any firsthand knowledge of this attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

  Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. The podcast series is called The Killing Floor. This is the episode in which the family and a friend plan to kill non-believers at a party. Practicing and Preparing             Both husband and wife carried 9mm pistols during the attack. Malik used the Llama Model X!-B, which gun enthusiasts describe as solid and well-priced. Farook’s sidearm was a Springfield Armory XDM 9mm with a stainless slide. As the holiday party approached, the couple practiced firing their weapons at local ranges. Instructors at Riverside Magnum Gun Range remember the two and were not impressed with their marksmanship. After the attack, one instructor was devastated to learn he had given shooting advice to the pair. A spokesman for Magnum Range remembers that nothing about Farook stood out. “He seemed so calm.” On a video surveillance film, he was smiling, joking, and firing at silhouette targets. The spokesman asked and answered, “Could we have done anything different? I don’t think so.”             The couple dry-fired their weapons in their backyard to prepare for the party and assembled pipe bombs, which are improvised explosive devices often used by terrorists. Like grenades, pipe bombs release shrapnel in all directions when they explode. The Irish Republican Army used them, as did Eric Rudolph in the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing in Atlanta, Georgia, which killed two people. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine High School fame had also experimented with pipe bombs. Farook and Malik did not use the bombs they made. However, after the attack, police found nineteen pipes in the couple’s home in Redlands. They also bought GoPro cameras to attach to their body armor before starting their jihad massacre. Likely, they, like other jihad attackers before them, wanted to inspire the faithful with scenes of bloodshed. Their martyrdom would be remembered forever, and they believed they would enter heaven.             They then went to the garage, which held what the FBI called a “bomb factory” and arsenal. Over 4,000 rounds of ammunition, a dozen pipe bombs, and numerous weapons and explosive components were later discovered there.   A To-do List             They prepared thoroughly for the attack. Farook took out a bank loan of $28,500 in November 2015. He gave half of the money to his mother and spent the rest on household goods. He probably had no intention of repaying it because he and his wife planned to die on the day of the attack. Farook and Malik planned the incident in detail. Mapping out the attack route, Farook drew the venue’s conference room, tables, chairs, and podium, as well as the entrances and exits. His notes included terms like “cover fire” and “suppressive fire.” On November 25, he scribbled to himself, “Transfer $5,000," referring to moving money to his mother’s account. Later that day, he wrote, “2 cars, 3 (unintelligible)” and “10 elbow, 20 caps,” which were pipe elbows and end caps. On November 27 and 28, he was to practice shooting and buy “the rest of the materials.” The next day, he reminded himself to “destroy all electronics," meaning computers and cell phones. On December 1, he wrote “delete email accounts.” On December 2, the husband and wife were ready. They left their child with Farook’s mother, Rafia, and drove to the party armed and prepared to kill. Where is Sayed?             Situated near the Sizzler and IHOP restaurants, the venue was the Inland Regional Center. It is a large complex of buildings on Waterman Avenue in an area undergoing some industrial gentrification. New office buildings have appeared in the weed-filled, empty lots and among abandoned homes. Its name is “Serving Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.” Its stated goal is to assist Inland Empire residents with developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. The county rents out the Center’s facilities for professional and social events, some of which are listed and publicly accessible on its calendar.                 In the 1960s, parents of children with disabilities in San Bernardino collaborated with county leaders to establish a facility for local residents with disabilities. Today, the center employs hundreds of staff members, including counselors, therapists, case managers, social workers, and others. Currently, nearly 670 Inland Regional Center employees serve over 30,200 people with developmental disabilities and their families across San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The center also rents out its No. 3 building conference room for holiday parties. The latest data shows it has nearly 670 staff and over 30,000 clients. The center moved to its current location in 1996. It remains active with events like a Holiday Boutique scheduled for Thursday and a Winter Dance for those over 16.             During the holiday season, the Center is filled with festive activities. Photographs on the Center’s website show employees of all backgrounds dressed in Christmas attire, smiling in group photos and cuddling with Santa Claus. On this day, Wednesday, December 2, 2015, the county’s Division of Environmental Health Services held a training session followed by a holiday party. Attendees placed their potluck dishes on red tablecloths. A large green Christmas tree decorated with ornaments stood in a corner, and holiday decorations hung from the walls and ceiling.             At 8:00, attendees began settling into their seats while sipping coffee and enjoying pastries and bagels. They were scheduled to leave at 4:30. Chris Nwadike brought doughnuts. His colleagues sat around him at a folding table with a brightly colored tablecloth and a decorative fir branch. They played board games for gift cards. The roughly seventy-five workers in the room held wireless clickers to answer yes or no questions displayed on a large screen.             Elsewhere in the Center, Daniel Kaufman, the popular manager of the Center’s coffee bar, texted his partner and prepared to open his business. Health inspector Jennifer Stevens looked forward to mingling with her new colleagues and making a good impression. The recent hire shared the party's warmth with her new colleagues. Long-time inspector Damian Meins enjoyed these holiday parties, too. Years earlier, he taught school and liked dressing as Abraham Lincoln at Halloween and Santa Claus at Christmas. A practicing Catholic, Meins loved the Christmas season.             But not all inspectors wanted to attend the party. Some assumed it would be a repeat of the often tedious training sessions, forced conversations, and tiresome luncheons. Others were cynical about a working party and did not want to listen to lectures. Inspector Michelle Saltis considered calling in sick that day. “You know when you wake up in the morning, or you know something’s wrong, or off? That’s kinda how I felt that day.” Burly, middle-aged Shannon Johnson chuckled to twenty-something Denise Peraza that the large clock on the wall might be broken because time seemed to be moving so slowly.             Around 8:48, Farook arrived and sat a few feet from Saltis, who remembered, “The whole time, he was kinda quiet ... he was looking at his cell phone ... And then the next thing I knew, I saw him stand up and walk away.” Inspector Patrick Baccari, who considered Farook a friend, approached him and joked, “Ready to be bored?” This was a common joke about the training part of the day. “I’m ready,” Farook replied. The usually reserved Farook was silent that day, speaking only when colleagues greeted him. Farook placed a bag on a chair and suddenly left at 10:37. Later that afternoon, police found a bomb in the bag.             Reginna Kuruppu sat at her desk on the second floor of Building 3 at the Inland Regional Center. As a 19-year veteran of the organization that helps people with developmental disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy, Kuruppu was finishing her pre-vacation emails and sending thank-you notes to the center’s supporters.             Veteran employee Chris Nwadike sat next to Farook, whom he knew well as a coworker. He did not notice anything wrong with his behavior and respected Farook as a dependable worker. “He’s serious with his job . . . He doesn’t play around.” Colleagues saw Farook glance at his phone before he left, but no one was worried. Then, Farook bolted, leaving his bag on the table. They thought he would return soon to get it. It never occurred to anyone that there might be something dangerous inside.             Bennetta Betbadal was excited about presenting a case study before lunch. She texted her husband about the day’s chores, including withdrawing money from the bank and Christmas shopping. As a practicing Roman Catholic, she loved the Christmas season. In Iran of her youth, she and other Christians quietly and cautiously celebrated in the shadows of fear. But in America, she prayed openly. Statistician Harry Bowman was preparing for his scheduled lecture at the Center. This was to be his first presentation, and he wanted it to be strong and flawless.                 The office leaders began the meeting by reviewing the year’s accomplishments and announcing plans for 2016. It was a proud moment for health inspector Julie Swann-Paez. With a big smile, she was just presented with the employee of the year award. Her supervisor, Michael Wetzel, recommended her for this honor. Wetzel was the supervising environmental specialist at the Department of Health and a father of six.              By mid-morning, approximately eighty attendees had gathered in one of the Center’s large rooms. They watched a training video and then moved on to a team-building exercise. More technical training in smaller groups was scheduled throughout the morning. Afterward, they would enjoy lunch. Just before 11:00, the group took an unscheduled break due to a technical issue. Some headed to the restrooms, others moved toward the food, while some remained seated, checking their phones or chatting with colleagues. Elsewhere in the Regional Center, free spirit and job coach Larry “Daniel” Kaufman left his coffee cart and stepped outside. Known for his compassion and patience, he was popular in the Center and loved by the children he helped. His empathy was likely rooted in his own challenging childhood. The division chief had just finished a talk about statistics. The county supervisor announced more hiring for the next year and then gave everyone a five-minute bathroom break. Now, it was time to have some fun. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you liked it, please consider subscribing. If you have any first-hand knowledge of this attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

  Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we begin the second in a series of podcasts focused on the terrorist killing in San Bernardino, in which a husband-and-wife pair of Islamists murdered 13 health inspectors in 2015. The podcast series is called The Killing Floor. This is the episode in which the family and a friend plan to kill non-believers at a party. “We pledge allegiance to Khalifa abu bakr al bhaghdadi al quraishi.” Standard pledge to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State.             In 2011 and 2012, two young residents of San Bernardino planned to kill their neighbors. Long-time friends Sayeed Farook and Enrique Marquez shared many interests common to American teenage boys, such as fixing cars, sports, and girls. But they also confided in each other about their desire to strike out at America, which they came to loathe. The lanky and shy Marquez felt emotionally empty and turned to Islam to fill a spiritual void. At age sixteen in 2007, he became a Muslim and was soon radicalized. He directed his anger towards enemies of his newly embraced religion. With Farook, he watched morbid footage of al Qaeda’s killings. Both drew inspiration from the sermons of the firebrand cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and the Al Qaeda magazine, Inspire.             The new convert to Islam spent hours in Farook’s home listening to Awlaki’s lectures and reading Inspire magazine, the al-Qaeda publication. Other American terrorists were inspired by Awlaki. Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born imam who had joined Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, often pontificated about the global evil of Western imperialism or the everyday aspects of a proper Islamic lifestyle. Awlaki’s tone was measured, and his sermons were clear. He connected with many Americans because his English was unaccented.             The charismatic preacher spoke in metaphors about life being a preparation for eternity. “This world is but a station . . .it is the Hereafter, that matters . . . We are travelling . . . We need to prepare for death.” Awlaki called for jihadists in the West to attack soft targets, particularly in the United States.             Many Westerners drew inspiration from him, including the London Tube and bus bombers of 2005 and Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who killed thirteen and wounded dozens at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the airline underwear bomber; Faisal Shahzad, the Times Square van bomber; and the Tsarnaev brothers, who carried out the Boston Marathon bombing, were all followers of the sheik. An American drone strike killed Awlaki in Yemen in 2011, but his message continues to spread on the Internet. His martyrdom status is secure, and his sermons will likely be circulated for years.             Inspire, like much of the Islamic State’s propaganda, is directed at disaffected youth. Across a double-page photograph of a brooding young man in a dark room is a caption in verse: That issue included an article called Car Bombs Inside America, which had detailed instructions for building such a device at home. The objective was “maximum carnage” in order to “strike terror into the hearts of the enemies of Allah.”             Marquez breezily shared his opinions on religion and politics at the local bar where he worked. The tavern has a nautical theme, and its Facebook ads invite locals with pirate slang. “Arrrrrrrr! Ahoy, me mateys! If you haven't stopped in lately, come on in!” Marquez cleaned the bar and checked IDs at the door. After a few drinks, he fell into self-pity, lamenting his obesity and lack of career direction. The bar’s owner described him as “goofy.” When drunk, he confided in regulars that he knew of Muslim sleeper cells in town ready to launch attacks. He hinted at an upcoming major assault, but patrons dismissed his words as bravado. One patron said, “We took it as a joke. When you look at the kid and talk to him, no one would take him seriously about that.” They would be proven wrong. It would be a very serious attack.             In August 2011, Farook confided in Marquez about his interest in joining Al-Qaida in Yemen. Soon after, they scouted local targets to attack, such as Riverside City College and the 91 Freeway, using guns and explosives. Marquez purchased the two assault rifles that were used in the San Bernardino massacre.             Farook and Marquez discussed attacking Riverside Community College’s main library or a cafeteria. They both knew the campus layout because they had taken courses there. Perhaps, they would lob pipe bombs into rooms and randomly spray fire. Alternatively, they could toss explosives from an overpass onto cars traveling on Route 91. After disabling several cars, the two would spring from the overpass and aim rounds at stunned motorists. They would then shoot first responders. Police were priority targets.             Nothing came of these plots. But the basic plan of trapping and killing a large group of San Bernardino residents framed the December 2015 attack. Marquez was not meant to be the trigger man, but he would supply his friends with deadly weapons. This wave of murder would be a husband-and-wife operation, and it would happen at the annual Christmas party amid candy canes, eggnog, and photos with Santa Claus.             A few of Farook’s close associates understood how deep his hatred for America, the West, and especially Israel ran. However, his coworkers had no clue that he was considering killing them. Nothing in his behavior suggested pent-up anger or any plans to commit murder. Colleagues described him as reserved. Griselda Reisinger said, “He was very quiet, I would say hi and bye, but we never engaged him in conversation. He didn’t say much at all.” Neither his neighbors nor his wife suspected that he or they would cause harm to anyone.             According to their accounts, co-religionists at his mosque were shocked by his homicidal rage. Those who prayed with him were stunned by his killing. Both he and his wife were quiet individuals. Nizaam Ali, a student who got to know Farook after he started attending the San Bernardino mosque, remembered Farook saying his wife was fully veiled, which pleased him. Planning – Varmint Rifles and Pipe Bombs             “A small-caliber rifle, usually 5.56mm caliber, is used to hunt small game.” Varmint Rifle Definition             The husband and wife carefully planned their attack in advance. There is no recorded moment when the couple decided to commit mass murder. While Farook was distant from Malik, they texted each other about martyrdom operations. As the annual office party approached, the husband and wife prepared to act, and their plan was thoroughly organized.             Marquez legally purchased the weapons he needed. Farook selected rifles chambered for the 5.56 caliber to kill his coworkers. He obtained one for himself and one for his wife. The 5.56 round can pierce the standard protective vest worn by police officers. He chose variants of the AR-15, a highly controversial weapon. AR-15-style rifles were used in the mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado, and in Newtown, Connecticut. The twin rampages sparked a surge in sales of military-style weapons and calls for bans. Gun control advocates refer to these weapons as assault rifles, while others dispute the term. Regardless of what they are called, few doubt the devastating effects that the .223 or 5.56 mm round has on the human body.             Much of the round’s lethal power results from its tumbling effect inside a human body. When the bullet enters a target’s torso, it tumbles in different directions, puncturing and ripping apart vital organs. This causes massive internal damage. The 5.56 remains the round of choice for Western militaries.             The rifles the husband and wife would carry at the Christmas party were the DPMS Panther Arms A15 and a Smith & Wesson M&P15. Malik used the Panther, which weapons experts praise. The National Rifle Association bestowed it with the honor of Gun of the Week in 2013. It is a tactical precision weapon that fires a 5.56 NATO round and has a 30-round magazine capacity. In 2021, it retailed for $1,350 at many stores. Some American veterans chat nostalgically about this rifle, which reminds them of their combat experience in the Middle East. Other shooters are less complimentary, describing it as an adequate entry-level tactical weapon.             Farook’s weapon, the Smith and Wesson, also had a capacity for thirty rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. This is the same round as the Panther. It is marketed as an easy-to-use varmint killer and target rifle that can be customized for many purposes. Farook tried but failed to modify it to fire in full auto mode to kill his coworkers more efficiently. He proved to be an inept rifle smith. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you liked it, please consider subscribing. If you have any first-hand knowledge of this attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. The podcast series is called The Killing Floor. This is the episode where the husband and wife deposit their daughter with their grandmother and attend a Christmas party to shoot at anything that moves. Party Time             Farook, who left abruptly about twenty minutes earlier, returned to the Center driving a rental SUV with Utah plates. He was accompanied by his wife. They exited the vehicle and approached the patio, where an environmental health inspector, sixty years old and a father of three, Issac Amanios, was sitting and enjoying his break. One or both fired, hitting him in the chest and shoulder. The bullet from the chest traveled through his muscles and into a lung, killing him. He probably had no idea what had happened. Amanios was the first to die that day. Inside the Center, several people noticed soft, staccato popping sounds outside. Fireworks? A car backfire? One person thought someone had fallen from the roof. A few recognized the distinct crackling sound as gunfire. Suddenly, a door swung open, and a masked figure, wielding an automatic rifle and dressed in all black, entered. It was Farook who turned to face coworkers standing next to a buffet table, filling their plates with bagels and pastries. A few were taking pictures for the staff. Everyone was completely surprised, and several people turned to stare as they heard the sound of breaking glass and loud banging outside the IRC’s building 3.            Without saying a word, Farook scanned the room and paused. Seconds later, another smaller figure followed him into the Center. Witnesses could not tell at the time, but it was Malik who took a firing stance and shot several partygoers standing next to the Christmas tree. Following his wife’s lead, Farook began firing indiscriminately. Someone screamed “get down” as others took cover under tables. Several froze in fear or stood stunned in confusion. Some thought it was active shooter training, which they had attended in that very room earlier. But the shrieks and cries confirmed it was a mass-casualty attack. This was not a drill. Partygoers now realized they were under fire. “Somebody is shooting! Lie down! Lie.” Some scrambled for the doors. The police received the first calls. “Five rounds heard.” It was 10:58 a.m.  Another call reported two or three black-clad assailants firing wildly. Then came more and more calls flooding in. One of the earlier calls to the police went like this. “Operator (Female) 911.[i] Caller (female) We have an active shooter here. Operator: Okay, ma'am, listen to me, take a deep breath. Okay, is he still shooting? Caller: Oh, my God. Operator: How many rounds did he fire? Caller: Oh, my God, a million.”             Like her husband, Malik wore all black, and together they fired more than a hundred rounds at anyone they saw. As the chaos unfolded, a round hit a fire sprinkler pipe, causing water to burst from the ceiling. The water and smoke filling the room made it hard for people to see. The shooters moved slowly between tables, picking their targets. When someone moved or made a sound, they sometimes fired one or more shots at them.             One of the party’s organizers, Diana Almond, saw Tashfeen cradling her weapon but did not recognize her. She was the shorter of the two and had her pants tucked into her boots. As Malik fired, the empty casings sprayed from her rifle. Almond recalled poetically, “bullet casings fell around her head like snow.” Twenty-four-year-old Kevin Ortiz remembered, “The doors opened up, and they started shooting.” One of the rounds hit Ortiz in the leg, and he took cover under the table. But one of the shooters came around and shot him several more times. Sure, he was dying, Ortiz called his father and wife Dyana, whom he married two weeks earlier. He did not die, though he took five rounds. Ortiz suffered panic attacks while recovering in the hospital, convinced an attacker would shoot him there.             Daniel Kaufmann, who tended the Center’s coffee cart, acted immediately. Screaming “Get out! Go! Get out now! Hurry!” he opened an exterior door, grabbed people, and pushed them out to safety, likely saving four lives. But he was shot dead. Michelle Saltis panicked under the noise of gunfire. The young woman, whose gut instinct told her to call in sick that day, witnessed the mass murder. “All of a sudden, I heard gunfire . . . I looked behind me, and I saw a person standing there. And I saw him lifting the rifle up and start spraying the room right-to-left.” Saltis collapsed to the ground and pretended she was dead. “The firing went on, I don’t know how long, it seemed like forever to me,” said Saltis. And the next thing I know, the firing stopped.” Farook came by, kicked her leg, and shot again. Still alive, she prayed to God, saying she was ready to meet him if it was time, but she wanted to live. Her prayers were answered, and she survived. Patrick Baccari, who had teased Sayeed earlier in the morning, was in the men’s room when he heard soft explosions—pop, pop, pop. As he looked around, he saw the damage from bullets ripping through the walls. What was going on? Did someone set a trap on the towel dispenser? Maybe a cruel joke. Baccari reached for a towel to dry his hands when a bullet tore through the dispenser, sending shrapnel flying across the room. An Air Force veteran, Baccari dropped to the floor and took cover. Pieces of the ceiling fell on both men, who then pushed the bathroom door closed with their legs. There were muffled screams coming from the conference room, about twenty feet down the hall. “It was like the world was ending in there,” he said. “We had no idea what it was.”             Then, drawing on his military training, Baccari shouted to others in the men’s room, “Get down . . . secure yourself in place.” Nwadike, who was also inside when he heard gunfire, was confused and thought he smelled gunpowder. They then barricaded the door with their feet until help arrived. "That may have saved me," Baccari risked. Later, when he exited the building through the conference, the sight of water pouring from pipes and a blaring fire alarm was hauntingly surreal, much like a movie set.             Paula Harold was standing in the conference room, waiting to pose for the group photo when she saw a man in black walk into the hall with a rifle. When the shooting started, she crawled into a nearby room and found herself trapped. She squeezed into a storage cabinet and prayed that the shooting would stop. She recalls her confusion as bullets flew. Marilyn Krichbaum dropped to the ground after a bullet grazed her stomach. Coworkers hid in other cabinets while Hal Houser, Jason Phillippe, and Corwin Porter held the doors closed. Porter recalled, " . . . we were hoping that it was an exercise that someone tried to spring, to test our readiness . . ."               Trudy Raymundo was pouring herself a cup of coffee when she heard a noise. "I heard some pop, pop, pop sounds that sounded like fireworks going off ... you know, playing a joke." She and coworker Corwin Porter hid beneath a table when they heard the first blasts. Porter said the shooter did not appear to be firing at anybody in particular. "It looked to me like (he was) spraying the room. We were under the tables ourselves, doing what we were trained to do."               Vietnamese-American Tin Nguyen was shot and killed. A few days before the party, the thirty-one-year-old health inspector brought a wedding dress and shared her immense joy about becoming a married woman. Today, she lies dead in the center. Later that evening, family and friends gathered to eulogize her at St. Barbara Catholic Church in Santa Ana, where she was supposed to get married. Sierra Clayborn also died that day. At twenty-seven, she was one of the youngest victims of the day. People were screaming and calling out for help. More people fell and lay sprawled on the killing floor. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. If you have firsthand knowledge of this attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.    

             Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that examines the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we promote education on national security. Today, we start the fourth episode in a series focused on the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, where a husband-and-wife pair of Islamists killed 13 health inspectors in 2015. The series is called The Killing Floor.            Courtship             Malik was raised in a small town in southern Pakistan, about 270 miles from Islamabad. The city is partly named after a saint who, according to legend, recited a passage from the Koran ten million times while standing in the Indus River. The area is filled with religious seminaries and farms. Known as a nursery for Islamist militant organizations, this heavily agricultural region has many religious seminaries. A community elder explained, “Ours is a rural area, and honor killings have taken place in a remote village.”             As a young adult in Multan, Pakistan, she was known as the Saudi Girl because she had spent years living in Saudi Arabia and adopted a very strict dress code. As a Pakistani in Riyadh, Malik held second-class status. She found refuge in a passionate study of religion, which gave her a sense of purpose. It may have been in Saudi Arabia that she embraced radical Islam. After she returned to Pakistan, she continued to cover almost all of her face and body.             From 2011 to 2013, Multan was filled with anti-American protests, especially against U.S. drone strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan’s tribal areas. She saw burning effigies of American leaders and felt a strong revulsion toward American culture. This view developed long before she became a legal resident of the United States. She studied pharmacy in Multan for a time but became withdrawn and stopped attending classes. She was drawn to Al-Huda International Welfare Foundation, a deeply religious organization for women. As her religious passion grew, she asked her family to become more devout. She started dressing more conservatively. A housekeeper recalled that a year before her marriage, she began wearing a scarf that covered everything but her nose and eyes. "She used to talk to someone in Arabic at night on the Internet,” said the relative, speaking anonymously from Malik's hometown of Karor Lal Esan, Pakistan. “None of our family members in Pakistan knows Arabic, so we do not know what she used to discuss.” Neighbors and classmates remembered her as quiet, studious, and unassuming, with her face usually veiled. “She was religious, but a very normal person as well,” a professor, Nisar Hussain, told the Los Angeles Times. “She was a very hardworking and submissive student.” Police said Malik gave a social media shoutout to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi around the time she and her husband carried out their attack. They were killed hours later in a shootout with authorities.           A Married Couple             After they married, they moved into a middle-class neighborhood in Riverside. Farook advanced his career as a health inspector and took online professional courses. In his free time, he visited local shooting ranges. However, religious observance remained the central focus of his life and his new bride's. His father recalled, “He would go to work, come back, go to pray, come back.         Malik lived with Farook and his mother at 53 North Center Street. She remained an enigma, with no identifiable online or social media presence. The only known photo of her is the 2014 image taken by immigration officials. Her minimal public profile might have been typical for a devout Muslim woman or a deliberate strategy to stay under the radar and avoid attention from authorities. Three weeks after her arrival, Malik and Farook married at the Islamic Centre mosque in Riverside, 32 km southwest of Redlands. The marriage certificate allowed her to obtain a permanent resident visa. With a green card, she was in the U.S. to stay. The wife did not want to drive. She avoided talking to men and staying near them. Even around other men in her family, she kept her face hidden. Those who knew her only superficially assumed she was a traditional, conservative wife whose main focus was on family. Her behavior matched the pattern of earlier generations of American women whose husbands were the sole breadwinners. Malik became pregnant soon after they married. The couple registered for gifts at Target for their newborn, due in May: diapers, swabs, baby wash, a car seat. Many of her friends chipped in for baby presents.             A family attorney later stated, "There was nothing to show that she was extreme at all.” "She was a practicing Muslim, she believed in the religion, and she was just doing the five prayers a day, fasting... there was nothing to indicate she was out of the ordinary." Abuershaid mentioned that Farook's sisters "would talk to [Malik], and they would see her occasionally. But it wasn't something they did every single day or every week." Abuershaid also said there was no evidence to suggest she was responsible for radicalizing her husband. Octogenarian Doyle Miller, the couple’s landlord, reflects on Malik’s role as he surveys the damage after the FBI had smashed down the door and punched holes in the walls. “She did not like to be seen,” he says. “She did not seem to like people around here. He seemed ordinary, no worries for me at all. I’m only now thinking that maybe she wore the pants. It could be that she was behind it all.”             Whenever Malik was caring for the baby, the attorneys said Farook would be in the garage tinkering with things, especially his car. Farook once built a shoe rack for his sister. But eventually, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik started making other plans beyond their family. Relatives knew they kept two guns locked up at home. Nothing in the newlyweds' lifestyle suggested the crime they would commit in December 2015. Their simple townhouse in the quiet town of Redlands was peaceful, and no one recalls any outbursts of anger or suspicious activity from them. Their landlord seemed completely shocked by their killings. In his words, Farook and Malik appeared like model tenants.      Items found in the house included “miniature Christmas tree lamps.” An issue of Inspire, an online al-Qa’ida magazine, contained an article titled “Designing a timed hand grenade” with instructions to make a delayed igniter using a Christmas tree lamp. The FBI found evidence that, in their last days, the couple tried to erase their electronic footprints by destroying devices. Two broken mobile phones were discovered in a trash bin near the home; Malik had what appeared to be a “burner phone”—a device used for short-term use and then discarded—on her body. In an online radio bulletin on Saturday, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, praising Farook and Malik as “martyrs.” James Comey, the FBI director, said the couple showed signs of “potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations,” but there was no evidence they were part of a larger terror cell.      Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you liked it, please consider subscribing. Also, if you have first-hand information on this attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

       Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is the third in a series of podcasts focused on a single terrorist incident - the December 2, 2015, husband and wife mass murder of health inspectors in San Bernardino, California. This podcast examines the occupation, mind, and values of Syed Farook and introduces his wife, Tashfeen Malik.   Sayeed Farook – “Religious but Modern”                 All of these health inspectors worked with Syed Farook, and none expected him to harm them. They saw Farook as a quiet yet approachable friend. “He smiled, but he didn’t laugh,” Christian Nwadike said. According to most accounts, Farook was very professional. A coworker described him as a “by-the-book” food safety inspector. He graduated from Cal State San Bernardino in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental health. Since then, he has inspected restaurants and more than 40 elementary, junior high, and high schools. Sue Ann Chapman, a cashier and waitress at China Doll Fast Food, a restaurant Farook inspected earlier this year, said he didn’t seem unusual when he arrived. “He was really quiet,” Chapman said. “He checked the food and said he was here because somebody complained... He looked completely normal.”              His coworkers appreciated Farook’s gentle and cooperative manner. Patrick Baccari described him as sheltered and reserved but always willing to assist colleagues. He rarely discussed his wife or family. Baccari observed that he seemed “quiet and sheltered,” mostly keeping to himself and seldom talking about his wife and their new baby. "I thought I made a connection with him, talking about preparing cars and things like that. Asking some of his experiences, things like that," Baccari said. "Usually, I'd greet him, and I wouldn't get anything back. It's like you're trying to start a conversation, and it just doesn't go anywhere or develop further."             Fellow inspector Juan Espinoza shared his interest in fixing cars and would brainstorm ways to revive nearly dead cars. Some in the office teased him about his beard, but he “usually shrugged off any jokes about this facial hair.” A few office workers understood the depth of his religiosity and anger at US foreign policy in the Middle East. A neighbor in Riverside described him as “quiet but always polite.” “Maybe two years ago (2013) he became more religious.” “He grew a beard and started to wear religious clothing—the long shirt that’s like a dress and the cap on his head.”                 He was not always very religious. Born in Illinois, Farook moved with his family to Southern California and settled in the working-class neighborhood of Riverside. The family was practicing Muslims and observed some unusual religious customs, such as slaughtering chickens and goats in their backyard. His parents’ marriage was dysfunctional. His father was often unemployed or only marginally employed and frequently physically and verbally abusive. His mother, Rafia, was involved in the local Muslim community and attended meetings at the Islamic Circle of North America. She held a clerical position at Kaiser Riverside. His mother was more religious and conservative than his father.             His father did not regularly attend the mosque, but he adhered to Pakistani cultural traditions such as wearing the shalwar kameez. He had a degree in mechanical engineering but worked intermittently as a truck driver. The family faced financial difficulties, filed for bankruptcy in 2002, and narrowly avoided foreclosure on their house. In 2006, Rafia filed for divorce. According to her, her husband was "irresponsible, negligent, and an alcoholic.” In court, he denied these accusations but could not refute the claim that he was unable to maintain long-term, stable employment.             Fever Dreams of Israel             The younger Sayeed attended services and religious events at the Islamic Center of Riverside. He used to listen to my sermons and talks there. I sat up last night thinking about him and what happened (referring to the murders of December 2015).” Nizaam Ali, who knew Farook through the Islamic Center, could not recall him expressing any extremist ideology, and neither could his coworkers. However, his father was worried that his son harbored at least one dark obsession. He voiced intense hatred for Israel and wanted it erased from the map. He criticized Israel and Jews and rhetorically supported ISIS when it appeared on the international scene in 2014. As early as 2012, Farook posted radical content on Facebook. Christian Nwadike, who worked with Farook for five years, told CBS that his coworker had changed since returning from Saudi Arabia. “I think he married a terrorist,” Nwadike speculated.      Aside from his occasional shrill rhetoric, Farook was usually calm, measured, and often polite. Responsible and studious, he worked hard to put himself through college. He studied at community colleges and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental health science in 2010. Now holding steady employment, he began to search for a wife and turned to Muslim lonely-hearts dating services that reached singles worldwide. He described himself as coming from a "religious but modern family" whose values were an "Eastern and Western mix." Six feet tall, he enjoyed "working on vintage and modern cars" and reading about religion, and liked to "just hang out in the backyard doing target practice with younger sister and friends." He unscored his American citizenship on his posting.             He was registered on at least three online dating sites. On ArabLounge.com, a site for Arab singles "looking for dating, friendship and love," Farook described himself as single, "Allah fearing," calm, thoughtful, and simple. "I try to live as a good Muslim," he was casting about for a young woman who shares the same outlook — one who wears a hijab but lives life to the fullest. Behavior he disapproved of included dishonesty and impulsivity, particularly buying sprees. He listed his income as $30,000 to $45,000. He posted his hobbies as working on vintage and modern cars, reading religious books, and eating out on occasion.             People at his mosque knew him by his middle name, Rizwan. He attended prayers twice a day, often alone, and left without lingering to speak for more than a few minutes. 'He's a mosque-goer," a congregant said of Farook. "He comes to the mosque regularly. Something might have happened to him mentally, physically, or whatever that made him change." He added, "I never thought of him as someone who is violent."             His biography attracted the attention of a young woman who was born in Pakistan and raised in Saudi Arabia, and she would later become his wife. Tashfeen Malik responded, and they began an online courtship filled with numerous emails. Their attraction was immediate. They shared a common faith and a set of values rooted in core Islamic principles. However, few understood the extent of their radical beliefs or their support for Islamic militancy. In hindsight, the FBI determined that Farook and Malik each became radicalized online as early as 2011. They were independently drawn to sermons and other materials posted online by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Early in their online communication, they discussed martyrdom operations and expressed their mutual disdain for the United States.             Malik sent at least two private messages on Facebook to a small group of Pakistani friends in 2012 and 2014, pledging her support for Islamic jihad and expressing her hope to join the fight someday. Messages showing religious extremism on her Facebook account in late 2014 alarmed her family in Pakistan. Tashfeen Malik studied pharmacology during the day and the Quran at night at a conservative religious school, or madrassa, in Multan, Pakistan. She never completed her pharmacy course but was passionate about religious studies. Their courtship resulted in a meeting in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in October 2013. Accompanied by his mother, Farook went on his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, one of Islam’s Five Pillars. Malik’s parents lived in Riyadh, making it easy for her to go to Mecca. The suitor proposed to Malik the first time they met, and they got engaged.             Farook completed a K-1 fiancée visa application to bring Malik to Riverside so they could marry the following summer. First, his bride needed to pass security checks to verify the marriage was genuine and that she did not harbor anti-American sentiments. Malik was able to answer enough questions about Farook to demonstrate that she knew him well and that they had a personal relationship, which is a main focus of the consular interview, according to two senior State Department officials. Once the visa was approved, he returned to Saudi Arabia in 2014, and the couple arrived in the United States in July.       While filling out the government paperwork, Malik denied having any militant sympathies or intentions against the U.S. Constitution, its people, or its way of life. Malik and Farook did not raise any red flags among authorities as potential Islamic State militants. They discussed Jihad and martyrdom before marriage, but there is no evidence they publicly expressed those thoughts on social media. Former FBI director “showing signs in the communication of their joint commitment to jihad and to martyrdom.”             The couple had two wedding ceremonies. One was in Mecca at Masjid al-Haram, which is the largest mosque in the world. Malik then waited six months for the visa to be approved, and afterward she flew to America. On August 16, 2014, the couple obtained a marriage certificate from Riverside County. Malik later applied for a lawful permanent residency visa. They then married at the Islamic Center in Riverside with a celebration for an estimated 250 to 300 people. Congregants later said they saw nothing unusual at the wedding. The event was filled with joy.         Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. If any listener has firsthand knowledge of the San Bernardino attack, please contact us. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.   

        Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we begin the second in a series of podcasts focused on the terrorist killing in San Bernardino, in which a husband-and-wife pair of Islamists murdered 13 health inspectors in 2015. The podcast series is called The Killing Floor. The story of San Bernardino is connected to the history of the American West. In 1810, Franciscan missionary Father Dumetz named the area around the mountains and the nearby lower desert San Bernardino. Spaniards built a mission to convert the locals to Christianity and to develop farming. As the town grew in the late nineteenth century, so did its need for rugged, hardworking men. This led to the Earp Brothers of Tombstone fame settling in San Bernardino to farm and take part in the town’s affairs. The town started to thrive. John Steinbeck's classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath, popularized the term Mother Road for Route 66. Today, there is a Route 66 Museum. In the post-war era, Americans flocked to California, and many built new lives in San Bernardino. Richard and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened a hamburger restaurant in 1940 on the southwest corner of 14th and E streets, near San Bernardino High School. It did brisk business and grew into the world's largest restaurant chain. Since 1998, the site has been home to the Original McDonald's Museum, dedicated to preserving the McDonald's legacy. By the mid-1970s, Mafia families faced rival street gangs that were encroaching on their markets. The new gangs started breaking the Italian code of ethics by shooting women, children, and police. Today, Latin gangs operate in the county. In 2010, the FBI reported that San Bernardino ranked thirty-fourth in overall crime among the nation's 30,000 cities. A former resident said, “I think I would take my car and not walk (in the city of San Bernardino). There are too many drive-by shootings in that town. It is gang-infested. I moved the hell out after I got carjacked by three gang members.” Drugs are widespread, and there is a slang of code words related to trafficking. For example, a “taco” is a gram of heroin, while an “enchilada” is an ounce. The FBI considers San Bernardino a safe haven for gang members.              Its sputtering economy became a target of sarcasm. Mayor Tom Minor snickered in confusion, “Why does San Bernardino have more homicides than larger cities? I guess we have meaner people in San Bernardino.” Police joined in the mordant humor with a fundraising T-shirt campaign. The shirt featured two vultures sitting on the San Bernardino city limits sign, with the word "population" crossed out and replaced with "diminishing." At one point, San Bernardino was the murder capital of the U.S. On a less satirical note, one resident explained, "San Bernardino is home to many who have been beat up by life. Others don't realize that they soon will be hitting rock bottom."  Many of those who died in December 2015 were part of San Bernardino’s small group of county health inspectors. County residents enjoy safe water, uncontaminated food, and food prepared safely, along with dining facilities free of pests like vermin and cockroaches, largely because public health inspectors serve as their advocates. Many San Bernardino’s health inspectors grew up in Southern California, and some attended the local state university, California State University San Bernardino, and took degrees in health sciences. The coursework required to become a health inspector is rigorous and anchored in science. Some inspectors, such as Robert C. Adams, graduated with a degree in public health education.  Others take courses similar to those of students preparing for medicine or dentistry. Yvette A. Velasco. Juan C. Espinoza and Michael R. Wetzel graduated with degrees in biology.  Other inspectors took degrees in chemistry or environmental engineering. Little United Nations in San Bernardino               “No talking politics. No interoffice drama,” Amanda Adair, referring to the harmonious atmosphere in the health inspectors’ office.                San Bernardino‘s health inspectors come from all over America and the world. One health department supervisor sometimes referred to her band of inspectors as a Little United Nations. They come from Colombia, Eritrea, India, Iran, Mexico, Vietnam, and other distant places around the world. The potpourri of ethnicities, religions, and political opinions can bring disputes. “No talking politics. No interoffice drama,” were the implicit office rules.             Nonetheless, there were political flare-ups, and coworkers noticed the tension between two inspectors - Nicholas Thalasinos and Sayeed Farook. Nicholas Thalasinos was active in his messianic church, where he served as a Shamashim, or deacon. A prolific commentator on social media and an ardent supporter of Israel and Jews, his Facebook account featured a Star of David. He was also a social conservative and avid fan of Rush Limbaugh. Fellow parishioners described Thalasinos as a big, gentle man of faith. His widow would recall, “My husband was very outspoken about ISIS and all of these radicalized Muslims.” Farook, a devout Muslim, despised Israel, and he would pledge open support for ISIS and serve its cause. On December 2, both Zionist and anti-Zionist would die by gunfire. Coming to the Gate City             The Health Inspection office welcomes men and women from diverse social and educational backgrounds. Rough-hewn, burly men and intellectual social scientists work together as environmental health specialists. Big, brawny Shannon Johnson had mementos of his childhood tattooed on his skin. He had pictures of his first wife, both grandfathers, and his father, who died in a grain silo accident in Georgia when Johnson was a boy. He also had tattoos of the Virgin Mary and Vivien Leigh, who played Scarlett O’Hara. He planned to add another to his collection. This would be of his girlfriend, Mandy.               A recent hire, the more refined and scholarly Harry Bowman was a welcome, if eclectic, fit in the office. With a doctorate in statistics, he had a promising future as a social scientist in the office.  This National Merit Scholar helped develop the Center for Risk Analysis of Terrorism Events at the University of Southern California. He, like many of his officemates, was a man of faith. He was a Renaissance man who devoured comic books, history, and Disney films.   Blacks are well represented among San Bernardino’s health inspectors, several of whom died in December 2015. At twenty-six, Aurora Godoy, was the youngest victim. Facebook captured her beaming smile as she hugged her infant son and her male love interest. Sierra Clayborn was a vibrant member of the office. On the day of her death, she was slated to receive a prestigious award for stellar service. Generations older, inspector Isaac Amanios was sixty when he fell, leaving a wife and three adult children. In the next episode, we continue to offer brief biographies on those who were murdered, and the husband and wife team did the killing on the killing floor. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you liked it, please consider subscribing. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

         Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the connection between Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we begin a series of podcasts focused on a single terrorist incident. On December 2, 2015, a husband and wife carried out a mass murder at an office party in California. They fired together, sparking the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States since September 11, 2001. In its aftermath, fourteen Americans were killed, and twenty-two others were wounded, some crawling to safety or begging for medical help. The attack bore the hallmarks of organized terrorism. It was inspired by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS, and resembled shooting sprees seen in European cities. No one but the killers expected anything like it. Nothing like this had happened before in Southern California. It was the most lethal attack on American soil since September 11, 2001. Here we begin the podcasts to try to make sense of the attack and understand its implications for the future. The location in the slaughterhouse where the stock is killed and then butchered.” -   The definition of the killing floor.          .        San Bernardino is a tough, hard-scrabble town, but many residents are comfortable there. They are men and women of faith and family who participate in civil society, school boards, and charitable projects. They attend church, synagogue, or mosque, and their children take part in sports, scouting, choir, and other after-school activities. Local and state civil servants keep the city running, if sputtering. There are low-profile, often-uncelebrated jobs that keep the city safe and clean. One of those jobs is environmental health inspection.        Inspectors may not be as muscular or dashing as police or firefighters, but they are professionals with extensive training and credentials who protect the public every day. Health inspectors come from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. Immigrants with a talent for college-level science can earn degrees that prepare them for a thirty-year career with steady pay and solid benefits. Many enjoy their work and the camaraderie in the office. This was true in San Bernardino in December 2015.               The Party Christmas Party Massacre              It was the annual working party, and nobody expected significant problems. As in previous years, San Bernardino’s health inspectors would review the work schedule plans for the upcoming year, hand out awards and recognition pins to top performers, and enjoy a buffet and potluck. Not everyone wanted to be there. Bored, one attendee chuckled to a coworker, "The large clock on the wall might be broken because time seemed to be moving so slowly." The more ambitious new hires saw it as an opportunity to shine in front of colleagues and supervisors. However, there were signs of underlying tension at the Center. One inspector later remarked that twenty-eight-year-old Syed Rizwan Farook, an environmental health specialist, appeared fidgety and snapped at a coworker over a perceived slight. Then, according to a partygoer, Farook suddenly left the building “out of the blue." This was unusual for the normally private but friendly professional. He returned before lunch with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, both dressed in black tactical gear.             Pious and shy, Malik usually veiled herself when she left her home to follow her faith's rules. Outside San Bernardino’s small Muslim community, few residents had socialized with her. Still, Farook’s coworkers threw a baby shower for her the year before. They couldn’t imagine she would try to kill them at Christmas. They had no idea that, years earlier, her husband and a close friend had planned to lob pipe bombs into a college cafeteria and library and spray fire on students. Nothing came of that plan, but now, at the annual training party, Farook and his wife were ready with a large stockpile: 2,000 rounds of 9-mm handgun ammo, 2,500 .223-caliber rifle rounds, and explosive devices. Today, they came to the party to kill.             They entered the Inland Regional Center but were not dressed for Christmas celebrations. The San Bernardino Police chief later described their outfits as “assault-style clothing,” and a coworker said they looked “like they were on a mission.” And they were. Around 11:00, they began firing randomly. They shot over one hundred .223 rounds in a rampage that killed fourteen and wounded twenty-four in less than four minutes. The first victim was shot while relaxing at a picnic table. He was talking on his cellphone, which he still held in his hand as he died. Initially, some partygoers thought an exercise was happening. Denise Peraza was completely surprised when she saw the doors fling open and two black-clad attackers with weapons start shooting. “The guys opened fire for thirty seconds, randomly, then paused to reload and began firing,” again."             When they realized they were under attack and captivity, the targets hid in bathrooms and crouched under tables. Some broke through the back door of the Center and escaped to safety. But many could not escape the barrage of bullets, which pierced walls and tore through furniture. Lying wounded, a woman shot in the head asked someone to call her mother to say goodbye. A coworker assured her that she had just been grazed. The wounded woman replied, "I'm not. I'm bleeding from the mouth." She then closed her eyes and died. Three of the victims had come to America to escape despair and start new lives. One woman fled mullah rule in Iran when she was eighteen. A man nearing retirement emigrated from war-torn Eritrea, and another killed that day left Vietnam as a child to escape communism. America called to them as a land of opportunity. All three were shot dead on the killing floor.        But this was also a time for heroes, and Shannon Johnson was one of them. Under attack, forty-five-year-old Johnson, a heavily tattooed, rough-looking environmental health specialist, grabbed coworker Denise Peraza and held her tightly to protect her, which he succeeded in doing. However, he could not save himself. Peraza's sister lamented, "This angel of a man was sitting next to my sister when the shooting happened. He helped protect her from the bullets, and we are so grateful for his heroic love." Larry Kaufman, the gay, warm-hearted manager of the Center’s coffee shop, warned others to leave or they would be killed. He was fatally shot. Others holed up with officers, using makeshift barricades, and texted their love to friends and families. Some prayed to God for mercy as they lay injured.             The assailants held fire and bolted from the Center, giving momentary calm. A Christmas tree in the corner still stood, but holiday decorations lay strewn on the hall’s floor, lying next to the injured and dead. Ceiling tiles had collapsed on the floor, and victims were scattered across the 3,400-square-foot conference hall. Blood mixed with water on the floor, and the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the hall and corridors.             The manhunt for the murderers began immediately. City officials locked down stores, office buildings, and schools. Police blocked off streets. More than 175 law enforcement officers from local, county, state, and federal agencies rushed to the scene. Now, the husband and wife were prey, and police officers engaged with them, opening fire and riddling their black vehicle with gunfire. The couple fired about eighty rifle rounds and one handgun round at the officers, who responded with 380 rounds. At least twenty-seven gunshots hit Farook, while Malik was struck by at least fifteen. Their combat clothing now soaked with blood, the husband-and-wife attackers lay dead. They were shot nearly beyond recognition, and newspaper headlines depicted images of their Bonnie-and-Clyde-style deaths.             There were no fatalities among the first responders, but two police officers were hit by bullets. Their courage was acknowledged by two American presidents and local residents. The police response was later cited as a case study in law enforcement preparedness and competence.             San Bernardino went into shock                        For San Bernardino County’s core group of health specialists, the devastation on December 2 was heartbreaking. Thirteen of the fourteen victims were county employees. Immediately and openly, residents of San Bernardino mourned their loss. As one local sighed, "... nothing like this ever happened in San Bernardino. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, neighbors, and coworkers were killed and injured. Survivors initially felt relief at being alive, then guilt. “A lot of people are dead. Somehow I’m alive,” said Denise Peraza to her sister.          Amid the pile of bodies on the floor lay men and women of various backgrounds—Black and white, Asian and Latino, gay and straight, young and old, single and married, ages ranging from twenty-six to sixty. One had a Ph.D., and most were college graduates, though some had less education. One had six children, while others had none. Some were born in the United States, and others abroad. Immigrants built new lives in America and raised families, only to be shot dead by a man they knew as a colleague and friend.         Though residents of San Bernardino were distraught, ISIS leaders were elated and praised the shooters as "martyrs." Leaders of the Islamic State saluted the two shooters as martyrs and called them "soldiers of the caliphate.” The attack came just weeks after ISIS terrorists killed 130 people across Paris in a wave of violence. But nobody in San Bernardino expected such fetishized murder in the Gateway City. The family’s lawyer mused, "It just doesn't make sense . . ." Farook had an infant daughter; he was a dependable worker; he had an extended family and showed no signs of mental illness or psychopathy.             Many local Muslims who knew the assailants were confused and outraged by the bloodshed, fearing it would unfairly cast blame on their religion. Fellow Muslims questioned why the two had fired point-blank into a fellow Muslim they worshipped at a local mosque. However, some observers of radical Islam were not surprised that extremist hatred would flare up again in the United States. Since September 2001, numerous attacks have taken place across the country. At Fort Hood, an American soldier aimed and opened fire on fellow soldiers and civilian Army workers. The year after the San Bernardino attack, a Muslim militant targeted a nightclub in Orlando filled with people dancing, talking, and drinking. Recently, a militant armed with a knife attacked renowned and knighted author Salman Rushdie in New York because he satirized Muhammad decades earlier. All these acts of homicidal hate against the United States—shared by Sayeed and Malik—were publicly revealed on December 2, 2015.              Life after Death             Invisible wounds and loss haunt survivors today. When asked if he lost friends that day, survivor Patrick Baccari replied that he had - "Everybody that died." Including the murderers, Farook and Malik? Were they friends? "I assumed Sayeed (Farook) was our friend as well. The butchery was a deeply personal betrayal. Office mates celebrated the joy of welcoming their child into the world and bought them presents. But Farook and Malik died as self-proclaimed martyrs, orphaning their infant daughter, who will never have memories of her parents.              If the lives of some health inspectors ended on December 2, their lifelong struggles for the injured began. That day’s rifle blasts still echo in their bodies and minds. A bullet is lodged in Tracie Thompson’s thigh and likely will stay there. There is also immense torment. Hal Houser is among the many survivors living with emotional anguish. He finds some comfort in knowing that some coworkers died instantly and didn’t suffer long. But he cannot stop the recurring images of his friends and coworkers writhing on the floor of the Center, pleading to God for relief and mercy. He painfully sums up his loss: “I still miss my friends and coworkers.”             Operations and physical therapy provide some relief from physical pain. However, psychic trauma remains unrelenting. The screams of that day still echo constantly. Said one, “We were abandoned and betrayed by a coworker, and when we asked our employer for help, many of us were abandoned and betrayed by them (the employer)." Guilt weighs on survivors who curse themselves for surviving while so many others died. By a cruel twist of fate, they walked out the door unharmed while their friends and coworkers lay riddled with bullets, dead or dying in the death chamber. The world’s attention has long since shifted from San Bernardino’s scene. One who cannot escape the panic of that day lamented, “You feel forgotten, like our friends are forgotten... We deal with it every day, but the world has moved on.” But they are not forgotten. They live on in memory, and the following podcasts tell their story.        Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. If you liked it, please consider subscribing. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of the Western and Islamic worlds. This is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode continues to examine Westerners who have trekked abroad to fight for Islam, particularly a very odd American. This is podcast two, in which we revisit the books: Jihad and the West, Black Flag over Babylon, and The Taliban – Afghanistan’s Most Lethal Group. This podcast introduces a very confused California. To start, however, let’s revisit the Australians held captive in the Syrian Roj and Al-Hol camps, which are detention camps for Islamic State or ISIS prisoners. What to do with the Western prisoners who pine to come home? Shall we bring them back or let them wither under the baking sun of Syria? We brought this up in last week’s podcast.   In our last podcast, we divided the schools of opinion into two camps. The “bring them back” side was motivated by compassion and, to some extent, by domestic and international law. The opposite camp, the “keep them away” side, based its argument on security concerns. They claimed that the children or Cubs of the Caliphate have been indoctrinated with hatred and trained to kill infidels. The West cannot afford to bring these jihadist families into its societies, as they could pose significant risks to national security. In the last podcast, we mentioned the Australian Nettleton family that traveled to Syria to join the Caliphate. The parents were killed in airstrikes, along with two sons. The remaining three children became a national cause in Australia.   Well, the repatriation of the three Nettleton children might have set a precedent. In February 2026, 11 Australian families connected to ISIS left the Roj camp in northeastern Syria and were transferred to Australia. This was good news for their friends and family, but it shocked other Australians who see the returnees as potential threats. This happens at a time when Australia is dealing with issues related to antisemitism, as seen in the mid-December Bondi Beach massacre. We at Kensington Security Consulting will keep you updated on any new developments.   Now, let's go back a few years and shift focus to Afghanistan. Let’s trace the unconventional journey of a very confused California boy, Azzam the American. He was profiled in our book The Taliban – Afghanistan’s Most Lethal Insurgent Group.    Azzam the American "We love nothing better than the heat of battle, the echo of explosions, and slitting the throats of the infidels." Adam Gadahn AKA Azzam the American             His story was quite an odyssey. From goat farming and DJing heavy-metal bands in California to wandering the dusty streets of Pakistan as an al-Qaeda cadre, Adam Gadahn led a very unconventional life. We begin with his youth. His parents, Jennifer and Philip, settled near Southern California's Skinner Reservoir to shield their children from city pollutants. They adopted a rural, hippie-style counterculture. Adam’s father, Phil, became a born-again Christian. All of this probably would have surprised his grandfather, a Jewish physician married to a secular Protestant. Life on the Gadahn family farm meant no electricity from the grid, water was supplied only occasionally, and they read the Bible often. They raised goats and made cheese. Adam was quiet, disinterested in sports, and smart. When Adam was about twelve or thirteen, he played Little League baseball, and by seventeen, he shifted to Death Metal music and eventually to Islam. Death, Death, and More Death             “Yesterday, London and Madrid. Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne, Allah willing. Azzam the American             Death Metal didn't resonate with Adam. This California boy reinvented himself once again. The recluse-turned-Christian-turned-death metal fan now became a devout Muslim. In 1995, seventeen-year-old Gadahn started attending a mosque in Orange County, a traditionally conservative suburb. There are different accounts of his time there. Some say it was where he was radicalized. In 1998, he traveled to Pakistan or Afghanistan to begin al-Qaeda training and work as a translator. There, he married, had a child, and adopted a new name, "Azzam the American." There would be no further radical changes to his identity. He was Azzam for good. As the organization's chief propagandist, he gained fame or infamy, depending on your view of al-Qaeda. In his video appeals, he wore sunglasses and a keffiyeh.           His sermons emphasized several rhetorical themes, some of which overlapped. First, he called for confronting the enemies of Islam and the enemies of Adam. He urged Muslims to be innovative in their tactics and approaches. His primary enemy was the Zionist-Crusader alliance, broadly including America, Britain, and Israel. To oppose it, he pointed to 9/11 as a model for jihad attacks. He encouraged Muslims to demonstrate devotion "by killing or capturing people in government, industry, and the media."             He urged American service members to find inspiration in U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan, a psychiatrist who murdered thirteen fellow soldiers. Azzam called Nidal a pioneer and a role model. "Brother Nidal is the ideal role model for every repentant Muslim in the armies of the unbelievers and apostates." Only some people were impressed, and his rhetoric still won over fewer. Many believed his act was pompous and foolish. His speech was strained and slipped into a faux South-Asian accent. One observer compared his persona to an awkward character from The Lord of the Rings. The tone and content of his sermons were archaic and grandiose. For example, "The call has gone out. The era of jihad and resistance has dawned in all its" glory."             Among his duties as chief propagandist was the analysis of Western media. About ABC, he wrote, "Actually, it could be one of the best channels, as far as we are concerned." MSNBC used to be "good and neutral but has declined." He did not like Fox News; however, in line with Islamic protocol, he invited leading critics of militant Islam—particularly Daniel Pipes, Michael Scheuer, Steve Emerson, and Robert Spencer—to convert to his faith. As of this writing, none have done so. He was very loud and shrill, broadcasting to international media, and he definitely got the attention he wanted. Word of his new career spread through his old goat-farming town, and his parents didn't know what to think. His dad, Phil, said his son "had got married and was settling." "He is Indicted – The Million-Dollar Man             His relentless cries for killing became too much for American counterintelligence professionals and the U.S. Justice Department, which indicted him for treason. The Justice Department’s Paul McNulty explained, "A charge of treason is exceptionally severe, and it is not one we bring lightly." Conviction can result in anywhere from five years in prison to the death penalty. It would have been difficult for Gadahn to successfully contest the charge. He was prolific and strident. McNulty said Gadahn's support for the "propaganda machine" of al-Qaida merited the treason charge, which he called "perhaps the most serious offense for which any person can be tried under our constitution." Several cases of treason are historic. John Brown attempted to incite a slave revolt in West Virginia in 1959. His revolt failed, and he was hanged. Mary Surratt, who conspired to assassinate Lincoln, was hanged for treason. Ezra Pound was declared mentally ill, which prevented his trial and possibly a death sentence. Axis Sally and Tokyo Rose were convicted but not executed. After World War II, the British hanged a few Nazi collaborators, most notably William Joyce, also known as Lord Haw-Haw. The Rosenbergs were electrocuted for violating the Espionage Act of 1917, not for treason. Adam Gadahn, however, was executed for treason; he was killed along with two hostages held by Al Qaeda in January 2015. He was 36 years old. President Obama expressed regret over the deaths of the hostages but not over Gadahn's or another U.S. terrorist killed by his side. Postmortem What should we consider about the life and death of Adam Azzam Gadahn? He was clearly an unusual and dangerous individual. He promoted killing enemies of Islam, including Americans. Should President Obama have approved his assassination? Right after the Allies won in Europe, the British hanged very few people. The most notable was William Joyce, or Lord Ha Ha. He was an Irish-American traitor who broadcast from Berlin to Britain to try to demoralize the British. He was mainly seen as a laughingstock, providing comic relief for a nation desperate for a laugh. His nickname, Lord Ha Ha, was a pun. He used an exaggerated, affected royal accent that lengthened the “aaahs” in his speech. This is called received pronunciation. The Ha Ha plays on the onomatopoeic laugh – ha, ha, ha. So, if Joyce was just entertainment, should he have been hanged? Similarly, Adam Gadahn unintentionally appeared as a buffoon. If he didn't do serious harm to national security, should the president have killed him? It’s something worth thinking about. This is important because Westerners continue to travel abroad to embrace militant Islam, and militant Muslims are building new homes in the West. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode will examine the strange case of Monica Witt – from all-American girl to a traitor for Iran. Enjoy! “And sometimes they're (Iranian intelligence) successful, and Monica Witt is a good example of that.” Heather Williams, national intelligence officer for Iran under the Director of National Intelligence. This is a story with a twist. An all-American girl joins the Air Force, becomes an intelligence analyst, learns Persian, and defects to Iran. It doesn’t happen often. Let’s start the story with Iran’s 1979 revolution, which shook the larger Middle East and much of the Islamic world. Religious leaders who had been powerless and sheltered in Najaf, Iraq, gained influence in Tehran. Ayatollah Khomeini stated in his 1970 book Islamic Government, “You (the Iranian people) have a duty to establish an Islamic government.” Now in power, he and his followers carried out just that. The political and social upheaval caused many Iranians to flee the country. A wave of Iranian artists, free thinkers, Jews, Western-oriented intellectuals, businessmen, Christians, and Baha’i fled to Western countries that welcomed them. Over the years, this immigrant community enriched American cities with entrepreneurial talent and a young, ambitious, and educated population. Los Angeles earned the nickname Tehrangeles, and an Iranian Jew even became the mayor of Beverly Hills. However, very few Americans viewed the Islamic revolution positively or traveled to Iran to support it. Those who did include pro-Khomeini Iranian Americans who shared the new regime’s Shia fundamentalism and hostility toward the United States. Some felt comfortable promoting the Islamic Republic’s image on Iranian television and built new lives there. Among the relatively few Americans who defected to the Islamic Republic, Witt stands out. She claimed to use her intelligence background, knowledge of tradecraft, and personnel to support a higher purpose—serving the Islamic Republic of Iran. Monica Elfriede Witt was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to deliver national defense information to the Iranian government; prosecutors say Witt provided highly classified secrets to Iranian intelligence and helped them target operations after she defected to Tehran. She remains at large. Who is Monica Witt? A native Texan raised in Florida, Witt joined the Air Force in 1997 at age eighteen. She first deployed to the Middle East in 2002 and again in 2005, including nearly six months in Iraq amid the insurgency. Later, she completed a seven-month tour in Qatar. Her final assignment before leaving the Air Force as an E-6 on June 12, 2008, was with the 2nd Field Investigations Squadron at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. She was awarded an Air Medal for her efforts during the early days of the Iraq War. Years later, speaking on Iran's Press TV, Witt criticized a "boy's club atmosphere" and widespread sexual harassment that she claimed was systemic in the U.S. military. In June 2008, she left the Air Force and earned a degree from the University of Maryland, which offers online programs for service members. With her security clearance and bachelor’s degree, she was well-positioned to work for national security contractors, a role she held for several years. From November 2008 to August 2010, she worked as a Middle East Desk Officer at contractor Chenega Federal Systems in Virginia. She later worked for a nonprofit organization that connected Middle Eastern students with Fulbright scholarships. She enrolled at George Washington University and partially paid her tuition through an Iraq Fulbright scholarship. Early in her graduate studies, she began to express disillusionment with the United States’ foreign policy. In choppy English, she published an article in the university’s International Affairs Review. One passage read, “In enacting a policy of severe sanctions against Iran, the US should address the potential effects on other countries and not inadvertently alienate friends by making them choose between Iran and the United States." A classmate recalled that Witt’s commentary about the United States, the West, and Christianity grew increasingly shrill. She, like many other university students, was openly critical of the United States, and initially, her anti-American rhetoric was indistinguishable from that of other graduate students. Many Middle East studies departments have been very hostile to the policies of successive administrations, especially those of presidents Bush (both father and son) and Trump. One critic of Middle Eastern programs in higher education pointed to the $100 million that Muslim-majority states have given to George Washington University in gifts and contracts since 2011. A fellow student at George Washington later recalled, 'There weren't warning signs in terms of 'go to authorities' warning signs.' One student remembers that “everyone just kind of sat and watched” as Witt expressed strong feelings against American foreign policy in class. No one, it seems, pushed back with even a limited defense of America. According to some accounts, she was haunted by what she claimed were American war crimes in the Middle East. A classmate recalled having difficulty sleeping and reconciling her participation in the war effort. Witt would mention drone strikes, extrajudicial killings, and atrocities against children, all of which she claimed her colleagues in the military would brag about. She appeared distressed by what she called ‘gross incompetence’ by her superiors. The Hollywood Conferences 2012 and 2013 Her journey to becoming an agent for the Iranian government took a significant step in 2012 when she attended a highly publicized conference in Tehran. Notably, French left-wing philosopher Michel Foucault visited Iran in the fall of 1978, just before the revolution, to cover street protests. Since the 1979 revolution, the Iranian regime has arranged visits by many influential intellectuals to speak at conferences, most of which are closely monitored by Iranian intelligence services. New Horizon, an organization backed by Iranian intelligence, hosts events featuring anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and far-left speakers. It presents itself as an International Institute of Independent Thinkers and Artists, with leaders claiming there was Jewish influence in the U.S., while other speakers argued that the U.S. is a satanic force in the world. Witt explained that the conference, in her words, “opened her eyes to these conspiracies.” “I got a chance to think more about myself and the future,” she said. Kevin Barrett, a regular American speaker at Iranian events and outspoken critic of the U.S., stated, “What she said was she had been involved in horrific war crimes with the Air Force. And she just felt really bad about it.” Witt later returned to Iran to attend another New Horizon conference, also held in Tehran. A New Woman upon Return When Witt returned to the United States after the 2012 conference, she began wearing a hijab and often discussed her conversion to Islam. Some people found her comments on Iran concerning and openly supportive of the regime and its ideology. She delivered a class presentation that alarmed some students because of its sympathetic tone toward the Iranian government. A fellow student recalled that Ms. Witt's paper sounded like a ''love letter to Iran.'' The FBI also grew concerned. Several agents approached Witt and expressed worries that Iran’s intelligence services might try to recruit her. She met an Iranian-American spotter and recruiter for Iranian intelligence less than seven months after the New Horizon conference, according to an indictment charging her with multiple felonies. The indictment referenced a person known as Individual A, who approached her, built a relationship, and arranged for her to re-enter Iran in August 2013. Once there, Witt was provided with housing and computer equipment. Her defection was complete, and Ms. Witt, who had served ten years as an Air Force intelligence specialist, was now under the operational control of Iranian security services. She disclosed classified U.S. information and researched U.S. intelligence personnel she had worked with and knew professionally and socially. This information was used to create target packages. Monica Witt’s Espionage – The Grand Jury Indictment The grand jury indictment of Witt was unsealed during the week marking the fortieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. It charged Witt with betraying secrets to top Iranian officials. Some of these secrets involved classified programs and mentioned former colleagues. Once Iranian personnel received this information, they created fake online profiles to earn the trust of other intelligence officials. These are the kinds of schemes used by common criminals, but the indictment shows they can also be effective for sophisticated nation-state hackers. The hackers became "friends" on Facebook with at least four U.S. intelligence agents based in the United States and Afghanistan. They also joined a Facebook group heavily populated by agents, though it's unclear whether they compromised the agents' computers or mobile devices. A former FBI supervisor explained the Witt case, "Social media affords our adversaries the ability to harvest our trust with beguiling specificity. It allows them to beguile us into a false position of trust. You think because the person who approaches you has such specific information, it's someone to whom you should offer your trust.” In the same indictment, the grand jury charged four Iranian nationals with conspiracy, attempting to commit computer intrusion, and aggravated identity theft. These charges stem from actions in 2014 and 2015 that targeted Witt's former coworkers and intelligence colleagues. These individuals were referred to as cyber conspirators. They utilized fake and impersonator social media accounts, working on behalf of Iranian intelligence, and aimed to deploy malware that would give them covert access to the targets’ computers and networks. And what about Monica Witt today? I don’t know. Was she harmed during the spring 2026 US-Israel attacks on Iran? She may have been. She likely moved in IRGC circles. She is certainly one of the most prized American defectors to Iran. Can she make herself useful to the Islamic Republic? Or maybe she has fallen out of favor. Was she sent to Evin Prison to wither away? Perhaps she died or was executed. Maybe when the 2026 war is over, and the rubble of Tehran is cleared, we will learn about the fate and life of Monica Witt. What do you think? Do you have any inside baseball on this American traitor? Hope so. Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

           Some Westerners, probably very few, who traveled to Syria are happy and do not wish to leave. Some have died, often in combat, and are buried in what became their homeland. Many, however, have not found what they hoped for in the Caliphate and wish to return to the West after a tough experience. The hardcore British Jihadis fighting for the State refer to their homesick comrades as "mummy-boys.” It’s hard to know how many of the Western émigrés want to leave. Those trying to escape are often killed or threatened. Some are caring for their children and would not flee without ensuring their safety. The main reasons they want to come home are disappointment, fear, and realizing that cruelty was not in their nature.             The intense heat creates an ideal environment for exotic bugs and diseases, including tropical illnesses mostly unknown in the West. For example, a deadly flesh-eating bug is spread by sand flies, which feed on corpses left in the streets during fights. After feeding, the bugs can attack the living. Nasty business, these carnivorous bugs.             All this initially shocks the new recruit arriving in Syria. The harsh temperatures, rare diseases, and sand flies aren’t mentioned in the Caliphate’s recruitment brochures. Nor is the dull routine that many Western recruits are asked to perform. Some have written about their tasks being menial or unfulfilling. An Australian recruiter preparing to leave for Syria to join his comrades canceled his plans after hearing about the squalid conditions he would face. They slept on “spongy” mattresses and took showers with dirty buckets of water. Additionally, they had no toilet paper.             People who dream of becoming warriors often end up doing laundry, cooking, and cleaning up after others instead. One fighter complained about having to clean weapons and transport dead bodies from the front lines. He said, “Winter’s arrived here. It’s begun to get really hard.” A South African returning from the Caliphate remarked, “Much of the attraction of the Islamic State to outsiders is built on half-truths and propaganda. It’s no surprise that the reality did not live up to the illusion.”             Beyond worries about the weather, disease, and a dull lifestyle, many Westerners were also surprised by the hostility from locals. Westerners expect to be welcomed as liberators but are often seen as occupiers and thieves. They have heard comments like “You are here to sabotage my country; you are coming to force something on us.” Besides the violence, some Westerners are discouraged by the manners of their fellow countrymen. They find Middle Easterners, especially Arabs, to be rude and inconsiderate. One Briton blogged about his growing exhaustion from dealing with crude table manners, irritable behavior, and brazen theft of personal belongings. Still, many women and some girls packed their bags and headed for the Caliphate. One was Sharmeena Begum. When she was 15 years old, Sharmeena traveled from her home in Bethnal Green, east London, into the world of the Caliphate. Ms. Begum, who skedaddled with two schoolmates in 2015, joined ISIS, found a husband, and waged war against the infidel. She married an Islamic State fighter soon after arriving and went on to have three children, none of whom survived the Coalition attacks and the sweeping misery of the area. Well, the Islamic State became Hotel California or, more accurately, a roach motel.  She checked in, but she couldn’t check out. This is pretty much what happened, although the details are unclear. All three girls from London traveled to Raqqa, Syria, where they were paired with husbands. Sharmeena’s new husband was Yago Riedijk, 27, a Dutch convert to Islam. They married just 10 days after arriving in the city in 2015. By Western standards, it was an unusual courtship. They had known each other for less than ten minutes before getting engaged. In Shamima’s words, “We need to see if we clicked.” They clicked and married. Yago explained, "Basically, she asked for some freedoms, which I agreed to give her - going shopping, seeing her friends, very basic stuff. We agreed on a dowry, and all she asked for was an English translation of the Koran, which I agreed to." We don’t have details about the honeymoon, though that might make for an interesting podcast. We know they held their wedding in a park that was shown in ISIS propaganda footage. Then they had their first child, a girl, in January 2017.   The three moved frequently to escape advancing enemy forces. They had a son named Jerah before relocating again, and he died at eight months from an unknown illness and malnutrition. Imagine watching your son starve. She tried to take him to an ISIS hospital, but there were no drugs available, and not enough medical staff were present. She also lost another daughter who died in infancy. Soon after, her husband, Yago, was captured by Kurdish forces. Shameena claimed that he wasn't really a fighter. This is an interesting comment. While in prison, Yago explained, "I made a huge mistake. I've thrown away years of my life. It was not my life. Luckily, I didn't directly hurt other people. But my joining and supporting a group like that. It's something that's not acceptable." Yes, many people would agree that it's not acceptable. He didn’t hurt people? I don’t know about that. Why did he travel there? What was he expecting to do? I’d like some answers.   As for his wife, Sharmeena, it is hard for many of us to imagine this woman’s emotional torment.  She had to watch her children die slowly from deprivation and disease. Shameena had other losses. The London friends with whom she traveled likely died in Syria. The lives of Shameena’s friends were hauntingly similar to her own. Her friend, Amira Abase,  married an 18-year-old Australian jihadist in July 2016. His moniker was “Ginger Jihadi.” Well, Ginger was killed in a Coalition strike. Amir may be alive, but not likely. Sharmeena’s other travel partner, Kadiza Sultana, married an American ISIS fighter of Somali heritage. He was killed in an airstrike. She was killed, maybe in some unmarked location. There is a dispute about that.   So, among the three Bethal friends, Sharmeema alone survived, and she was imprisoned at al-Roj camp, which has filthy living conditions and frequent outbreaks of violence. It has been described as a living hell, and she wants out. It is hardly surprising that Sharmeema desperately pleads to be allowed to come home. Her husband, children, and friends are dead, and there is no future in a vast prison camp. For nearly ten years, she has pleaded to return to Britain. But she was stripped of her citizenship long ago for joining an enemy organization.   When she could, she sent coded messages for help. According to those who knew her in the camp, she hung out with her best friend, Hoda Muthana, an American woman who also lost her citizenship after joining ISIS. The two tried to use coded language to communicate with the outside world, but the code wasn’t hard to crack. Hoda wrote, 'Bring five thousand gummy bears with u, the American brand is better. S (Shamima) also likes mints, about the same amount.” Well, I can’t decode all of that, but I am fairly sure that 'gummy bears' is code for U.S. greenbacks. Sharmeena also failed in her efforts to retain British citizenship, highlighting a broader issue of ISIS brides still being held captive in Syria and Iraq. What should be done with them? Maya Foa, director of the human rights charity Reprieve, stated, "Exiling British nationals like Ms. Begum is about politics, not the law.” Some European courts side with Sharmeena, but they lack the ability to enforce their rulings. As for the many other European men and women still trapped in the Middle East, some cry, “We're humans, not animals.” Several journalists have spoken with women from Britain, Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Caribbean who say their children are punished for the sins of their parents. Many women captives claim they had been raped, tricked into going to Syria, or trafficked. All said they couldn't escape.  Among the remaining ISIS brides, there is a strong sense of nostalgia for their hometowns. In a part of the camp called Australia Street—named after the large Australian community there—rainbows and painted maps of Australia are displayed. A mother with two children from Melbourne said, "My kids have done absolutely nothing wrong. My daughter was two years old when we came here, and they know nothing. I'm trying to protect them from everything." Now, let’s turn to another case involving an Australian family that faced a similar tragedy. In Jihad and the West, we examined the Nettleton family and their descent into the hell of the Caliphate. This is the story of Australians Karen and Peter Nettleton, along with their daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. Their daughter Tara converted to Islam and, with her husband, took their five children to the Caliphate.               Australian grandmother Karen Nettleton wrestles with her memory to grasp what went wrong with her daughter, Tara. What caused it? How did it happen? A next-door neighbor described Tara as polite, attractive, and not very different from other girls in the neighborhood. One day, the neighbor noticed that Tara was wearing Islamic apparel. He said to her, “You are too pretty to wear those things.” After that, Tara never spoke to him again.             Tara met a Muslim when she was still a teenager. They were high school sweethearts. Her heartthrob was Khaled Sharrouf, a man with a troubled past who drifted in and out of petty crime and drug abuse. He was mentally ill, initially diagnosed with depression and later with schizophrenia. The son of Lebanese parents and raised in a dysfunctional family, Sharrouf served time for stockpiling weapons. Before his release, he was on medication, and in early 2009, doctors noted his “remarkable recovery.” Eventually, both Tara and Khaled embraced fundamentalist Islam and left for the Caliphate to start a new life. They, along with their children, became well-known. Karen Nettleton still cannot understand her daughter’s slide into sadism or her joy in attracting global attention.  While working with her husband, Tara was enslaved, raped, and beaten by women. Then they started killing on behalf of the Caliphate. It became a family affair. There is a sick picture of one of their sons, just seven years old at the time, holding a severed head for a photo. Proudly, Khaled shouted, “That’s my boy!” which drew worldwide disgust when posted on Facebook. At thirty-one, Tara died from complications of appendicitis. Their eldest daughter, Zaynab, who had a child, was killed in a drone strike. Had Tara lived, she would have been a thirty-two-year-old grandmother. Karen desperately tried to rescue her surviving grandchildren. She worried the girls could be turned into sex slaves or beggars. “I am devastated because I wasn’t able to be at my daughter’s side. I’m not able to be there for my grandkids and great-grandchild, who are suffering traumatic events outside their control.” That information was accurate ten years ago, and here is an update. Sharrouf was killed in an airstrike along with his two sons. His boys were eight and nine years old when they died. However, the three children were repatriated to Australia in April 2019 and rushed into the loving arms of their grandmother, Karen Nettleton. And today? What is their status? Are they healthy, educated, and employed? I really don’t know, despite searching the internet. If anyone has any information, please pass it along to us, and I will include it in a podcast. The topic remains relevant and is likely to attract attention for years. There are still ISIS brides and their husbands stranded in the Middle East. Should they be allowed to return to their homes in the West? This is a very controversial question that divides public opinion and political decisions.             One side appeals to compassion, especially for children stranded in the filth of the camps. They often claim that those hoping to return have given up their loyalty to the Caliphate and are eager to reintegrate into mainstream Western society. They point to Sharmeena Begum’s transformation during her imprisonment. She removed her full-face coverings, put on sunglasses, and wore a tank top. She promised to become again. OK. But what does that really mean in today’s Britain? She could become a liberal and advocate for Western values. Or, she may find a welcoming place among radical Islamists and promote ISIS’s beliefs. She wouldn't be alone. Those who want to prevent her from returning to Britain highlight the growing issue of Islamic militancy. Also, her claims that she did not take part in murder or torture are questionable. They echo those of her former Dutch husband, who said he never hurt anyone. Some freed Kurdish captives say she was deeply involved in the oppression. An ISIS slave described Begum as friendly but also as an ISIS slave master who sold girls as young as 14 into lives of sexual exploitation. Additionally, Sharmeena sent bloodied texts as an ISIS fighter and wore an ISIS badge on her school blazer to recruit fellow students. How many other Western ISIS brides have similar biographies and terrorist pedigrees? Well, Americans might want to follow the fate of Sharmeena’s prison pal, Hoda Muthana, who was raised in Alabama. As of now, the 30-year-old mother pleads, “I just want to go home.” This is the same woman who joined ISIS at age 20. During her time in the Caliphate, she tweeted to Americans that they should attack parades on national holidays and “spill all of their blood or rent a big truck n drive all over Them. 'Kill them.’ That’s pretty clear to me. President Obama didn’t like the tone of that message, so he revoked her citizenship, and the Supreme Court chose not to intervene. So, as far as I know, both Sharmeena and Hoda are still trapped in the prison or refugee camp. But what are your thoughts? Do you think we should bring them and their children back and give them a second chance? Also, do you have any updates on these women?