The October raid killed No. 1 and No. 2 leaders of ISIS. But was No. 2 a highly wanted American citizen? The U.S. government has quite purposefully gone dark about the second historically significant operation, made easier by the fact that the U.S. media appears wholly disinterested. By Todd Bensman as originally published December 16, 2019 by The Federalist Plaudits and media attention … [Read more...] about Did the al-Baghdadi Raids Take Out an American Citizen from Texas?
Terrorism & Homeland Security
Part IV of Townhall series: Five Ways America Should Secure the Border Against European-Style Terrorist Infiltration
Editor's note: This report represents the fourth and final installment of a series about what an epidemic of border-crossing Islamic terrorists who infiltrated Europe means for U.S. border security. By Todd Bensman as originally published in Townhall December 16, 2019 After working for years in Brazil as a “large-scale” smuggler of U.S.-bound Somalis, Mohammad Ahmad … [Read more...] about Part IV of Townhall series: Five Ways America Should Secure the Border Against European-Style Terrorist Infiltration
Part III: Like in Europe, America’s Broken Asylum System Enables Terrorist Infiltration Over the U.S.-Mexico Border
New research establishes the extent to which violent Islamic jihadists infiltrated over land borders as a new method to clandestinely reach targets in Europe, a first in contemporary terrorism history. This series explores the implications of Europe’s experience for U.S. border security. Read Part I here, "A New Terror Travel Tactic is Born, Read Part II here, “New Study Explains Why Islamic … [Read more...] about Part III: Like in Europe, America’s Broken Asylum System Enables Terrorist Infiltration Over the U.S.-Mexico Border
Part II: Why Islamic Terrorists Have Not Attacked Through the Southern Border but the Risk is Still High
New research establishes the extent to which violent Islamic jihadists infiltrated over land borders as a new method to clandestinely reach targets throughout Europe, a first in contemporary terrorism history. This series for Townhall explores the implications for U.S. border security. Read Part I of this series, "A New Terror Travel Tactic is Born," here. By Todd Bensman as … [Read more...] about Part II: Why Islamic Terrorists Have Not Attacked Through the Southern Border but the Risk is Still High
Part I Townhall Series: A New Terror Travel Tactic is Born
New research establishes proof of concept for a long-theorized terrorism threat to physical land borders: that violent Islamic jihadists could infiltrate them while posing as migrants to clandestinely reach targets. In Europe, the new study shows, between 104 and 140 jihadists finally did just that for the first time in contemporary terrorism history, conducting gruesome attacks in nine countries … [Read more...] about Part I Townhall Series: A New Terror Travel Tactic is Born
Appellate Court Agrees Terrorist’s Sentence Was Lenient; Kicks Back Nationally Consequential Case
Prosecutors, who’d asked for 20 years, were so outraged by the "extreme outlier" 18-month sentence of ISIS acolyte Asher Khan that they appealed to the U.S. 5th Court of Appeals. Now, with freedom looking him in the eye at just two months left on his federal prison sentence, Khan’s luck may have run out. Or has it? By Todd Bensman as originally published by TownHall on October 2, … [Read more...] about Appellate Court Agrees Terrorist’s Sentence Was Lenient; Kicks Back Nationally Consequential Case
Why Panama Must Investigate the Iran-Hezbollah Bombing of Alas Chiricanas Flight 901
It is all but official: Panama's promised investigation was never launched into Hezbollah and Iranian involvement in the mid-air bombing of a 1994 flight that killed 12 Panamanian Jewish business leaders. Months of inquest by me and the Uruguayan-Israeli journalist Jana Beris found an apparent determination in official Panamanian or Israeli circles not to speak of the promise, either on or off the … [Read more...] about Why Panama Must Investigate the Iran-Hezbollah Bombing of Alas Chiricanas Flight 901
First Known Convicted Terrorist Asked For ‘First Step Act’ Early Prison Release. Have More Followed?
This past March, Bureau of Prisons Inmate No. 9627173 – Plano, Texas wife and mother Sumaiya Ali – asked a federal judge for early release from her terrorism sentence under the First Step Act. It is the first such case that I know of, but if this has occurred once, more are likely in a pipeline emptying out potential terror recidivists into the nation. This law was hastily passed and needs to be … [Read more...] about First Known Convicted Terrorist Asked For ‘First Step Act’ Early Prison Release. Have More Followed?
After the El Paso massacre: Did America fight Islamic extremism too hard?
After the El Paso massacre, a narrative is emerging that America has fought Islamic extremism too hard, leaving white supremacists to flower. The Democrat narrative that President Trump suppressed national investigative efforts that would hurt his friends and supporters in the white supremacy movement is flat-out false. By Todd Bensman as originally published August 6, 2019 in The … [Read more...] about After the El Paso massacre: Did America fight Islamic extremism too hard?
Tough Post-9/11 Terrorism Sentencing Laws Under Assault
A consequential legal battle is underway with potential to decide whether tough post-9/11 sentencing laws will remain in place. Those who join and aid jihadist terror groups like ISIS, and (believe it or not) their supporters, hope against hope for as little consequence as possible when terrorists get caught. Homeland security leaders, federal prosecutors, and perhaps most Members of Congress … [Read more...] about Tough Post-9/11 Terrorism Sentencing Laws Under Assault