On May 21, I attended a lecture titled “Alarming Truths: Subversion and Security Threats to Our Society” delivered by the US strategic policy and intelligence expert Clare Lopez, a former operations officer with the CIA (the event was organized by Toronto’s Speakers Action Group).
It wasn’t a cheery event – the whole point of the lecture was to explain the threats we are facing as a society and to warn that many of us choose to ignore them at our own peril. There was something ominous in the dark picture of imminent danger painted by Clare Lopez through dozens of facts. That ominous feeling took a shape the next day when two Muslim savages beheaded a British soldier in London. It showed the inevitable result of our refusal to deal with the threats.
Clare Lopez covered most of the same topics that Pamela Geller talked in Toronto over a week ago. However, the delivery was very different – they spoke about the same Islamic cancer, but Pamela talked with the emotion of a family member discussing the cancer of a relative. Clare, on the other hand, sounded more like a physician clinicly describing the advancement of the same cancer, but of course the troubling impact on the listeners was the same.
She specifically stated that all the facts she shared were publicly accessible (for those willing to look for them), there was nothing classified.
Clare said in the beginning that the main problem we deal with is one of the basic pillars of Islam – jihad. It is the foundation of the activities of the “axis of jihad” – Iran, Hezbollah and al-Qaeda. Jihad is an obligatory action for all Muslims everywhere and in every era, which will end only when all the world is under Allah rule alone.
A lot has been written to figure out what we have done to deserve the Muslim hatred. Writers and journalists have been looking for years to find our shortcomings as a society. The sad truth is that the reason is our very existence, they see a dangerous influence of the free societies, which stands in the way of the universal Caliphate and shariah law. Jihad , as a tool of that offensive, is global, organized and encompasses nation states and sub-national groups. The mission is to overthrow non-shariah governments by force, targeting all “enemies” regardless of there they are. There is absolutely nothing we can do to accommodate Muslims demands other than complete surrender.
Islamists had always been very open about those goals. Al-Zawahiri said shortly after Obama was elected that he will be facing a jihadi awakening Renaissance, which is shaking the foundations of the Muslim world.
The threat is complex, dangerous and affects the whole world. In order to confront it, a long-term counter jihad strategy is urgently required. It should include education, understanding, and acknowledgement and will not be effective without an integrated international socio-political plan covering all diplomatic, economic, intelligence, legal, and military aspects of the problem.
At this time in history the main forces pushing jihad are Iran, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda, which work very actively and their attack is imminent in North America, as the intelligence sources show.
The jihad indoctrination starts at an early age. It is common to teach Muslim children at schools and mosques to hate. Clare Lopez gave an example with curriculum from a Toronto Imam that taught jihad warfare and Islamic Jew-hatred. Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi supports interfaith dialogue and at the same time demands death for apostasy and child marriage. The curriculum is derived directly from the Koran, Sunna, and sharia. That is the result of multiculturalism and cultural relativism.
There was a similar case at Lady Evelyn Alternative School (Ottawa), which used Farsi language textbooks authorized by the Iranian Ministry of Education. They glorified child ‘martyrdom’ and anti-Semitism. What must be done in such cases? Many people, even Muslims, have taken notice and reported that curriculum to school boards and the RCMP.
That extremist Muslim infection has affected even the government institutions. Recently free speech has been under fire in Canada: on May 13 a speech by Pamela Geller at Thornhill Synagogue was cancelled by the rabbi after York police threatened his chaplain position. The officer who did that was responsible for diversity, equity and inclusion, yet that didn’t include free speech.
The accusations against Pamela Geller were totally baseless. Lopez said that it’s enough to recall Aqsa Pervez (the Canadian honour killing victim) and what Pamela did in her memory. Even though her initiative for a memorial was refused because ISNA owns all plots in Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton, Ontario, the memorial was finally placed in a lovely grove in Israel.
CAIR-Canada is one of the main organizations battling for shariah in Canada. In November 2012, CAIR-Canada’s Amira Elghawaby (author, journalist, teacher, and Muslim Brotherhood operative) urged Muslims to use the Canadian multiculturalism and non-discrimination laws to defeat the Canadian secular legal system and insinuate shariah instead.
We are the target – the Islamic jihad presence throughout the Americas reflects Iranian regime policy to export revolution. That happened over many years and through several organizations. In 1980s-1990s Hezbollah rode vector of Lebanese Shiite emigration to South America. In the 2000s Iran’s diplomatic initiatives opened new opportunities for terror ties to cartels, gangs, and organized crime. The threat is not hypothetical, it is mature, robust, and is here now.
Iran is the focus of tension and threat across the Middle East through many different actions: nuclear weapons program; terror sponsorship; genocide threats vs. Israel; arming, funding, training Iraqi terror; narcotics trade and Taliban support in Afghanistan.
Its purpose is to influence Western governments, buy time for a nuclear program, increase geopolitical influence, and confront Israel. Its immediate objectives in the USA are to avoid harsh, coercive measures or attack; remove sanctions and unfreeze assets (imposed under the Iran Sanctions Act of 2008); remove terror designations (IRGC, banks); gain recognition, status for the regime without offering any concessions.
One of its tools is the Supreme Council for Iranians Living Abroad, formed in 2000, headed by the Iranian President. The goal is to win academic sympathizers; law enforcement; local Arab, Lebanese and Muslim communities; National security agencies; media and mosques. In Canada Iran has a fifth column, which operates in the information battle space and attempts to control educational institutions like the already mentioned Toronto East End Madrassah and the Ottawa Lady Evelyn Alternative School.
The Iranian ‘outreach’ in Canada also includes influence operations targeting the Iranian diaspora, and the Toronto Center for Iranian Studies, which was an Iranian front facility. It is suspected that Hamid Mohammadi, Iranian ‘cultural counselor’, likely had other “responsibilities”.
Al-Qaeda also has its presence in Canada. The recently uncovered VIA Rail terror plot, sponsored by the Al-Qaeda Shura Council in Iran, was preceded in August 2010 by the Ottawa parliament terror plot and earlier in 2006 by the Toronto 18. The accused in the railway attack plot (which the US media ignored) Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jasser worked for the Al-Qaeda Shura Council in Iran. Essenghaier declared in court he did not recognize Canadian law, but only shariah.
There is a strong evidence of an Al-Qaeda – Iran alliance. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri met the top Iranian leadership in Sudan in 1991. Bin Laden met Imad Mughniyah (prominent Iranian intelligence operative active in Hezbollah) in Iran and Sudan – wanted his explosives expertise. Iran tasked Mughniyah and Hezbollah to train Al-Qaeda. Later al-Zawahiri established personal relationship with the Iranian intelligence and the Qods force. The 9/11 Commission implicated Mughniyah and Iran in the 9/11 attacks. The 9/11 hijackers transited Beirut and Iranian territory; Mughniyah shared a flight with some of them from South America to Beirut in November 2000.
That developed a jihad alliance – Osama bin Laden was impressed with the Beirut bombings and the suicide bomber concept. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, the IRGC/Qods Force, Hezbollah/Mughniyeh set up 11 training camps for explosives training. The ties between Iran and Sudan expanded to Somalia – the alliance was behind the Somali warlord Aideed in 1993.
The same report also stated: “In October 2000, a senior operative of Hezbollah [Imad Mughniyah] visited Saudi Arabia to coordinate activities there. He also planned to assist individuals in Saudi Arabia in traveling to Iran during November. A top Hezbollah commander [Mughniyah] and Saudi Hezbollah contacts were involved.”
The Iran connection was confirmed by a court in the little-known Havlish Case. It was started by widows of people who perished in the 9/11 attack, who were not satisfied with the government’s investigation. Clare Lopez was an expert witness in the case. The government tried to cover up the proceedings, two of the witnesses were threatened and had to be taken to safety until the end of the trial.
Despite that, in December 2011 Judge George Daniels, Southern District NY, ruled that Iran provided “direct and material support” to Al-Qaeda in the 9/11 attack. The mainstream media completely ignored the findings.
IRGC and Qods Force, which deal with the Islamic expansion, have their role codified in the Iranian constitution as defenders of the revolution and in charge of the expansion abroad. They control all weapons of mass destruction, like nuclear arms and missiles. They have extensive liaisons abroad and own a large segment of Iran’s economy (over 30%). They have played a key role in the Iran-Iraq war due to their fervor and ideological fanaticism.
They and the IRGC comander Jafari directly command the Hezbollah terror cells. Qods Force has a global mission implemented by its 21,000 personnel.
Another player in Iran’s jihad is VEVAK – an intelligence institution with a wide reach. They have a virtual carte blanche on tactics and are provided with practically unlimited funds. VEVAK is under the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, but that is a ministry only in name, it is under the direct control of the Supreme Leader. It has a secret budget and no legal accountability. Up to 30,000 officers and support staff work for it, it is one of the largest in the Middle East. It’s responsible for protecting the regime and dealing with enemies (through assassinations, terror, and kidnappings).
Hezbollah is an arm of those organizations. It used to receive about $1 Billion a year after 9/11, now the amount they get is less. The Iranians operate smuggling networks for arms, drugs, explosives and use the embassies diplomatic pouches. Hezbollah is under direct Iranian control and funding.
That is clear from their political platform (February 1985):
“We view the Iranian regime as the vanguard and a new nucleus of the leading Islamic state in the world. We abide by the orders of one single wise and just leadership, represented by “Wali Faqih” and personified by Khomeini… Whoever offends the Muslims, offends in fact the body of our Umma, and we shall therefore endeavor to stand up against this threat, guided by a legitimate ruling and an all-embracing political doctrine determined by the leader, i.e. Wilayat al-Faqih.”
Hezbollah is an immediate threat. They work with Al-Qaeda, Iran, (what was known as) KGB, the North Koreans, narco traffickers, organized crime, and Syria. They also deal with explosives research and development, training, money laundering, weapons smuggling, and forged documents. They have a long rap sheet of terror before Al-Qaeda appeared and joint terror missions after that.
Other than the current leaders, like Nasralla, who have deep connections with Iran – it is necessary to mention again Mughniya, who was their most effective terror operative. He was assassinated by Mossad in Damascus in February 2008. For 30 years he was the head of Iran’s worldwide terror operations. 9/11 commission implicated Iran in attacks in part because of Mughniya’s involvement. Hezbollah promised revenge for his death.
In 2003 the former CIA Director George Tenet testified that 12 Hezbollah cells were operating in the USA. Hezbollah has sleeper cells in Canada. In June 2008 the US and Canadian intelligence warned that the Hezbollah sleeper cells had been activated. Their purpose is to strike Jewish targets in revenge for Mughniya’s killing.
Hezbollah is also increasing its presence in South America through support of criminal groups and anti-American regimes.
Under the regime of Hugo Chavez they widened their presence in Venezuela, with the purpose to expand their operations (in the past they were limited to Argentina bombings like the Jewish community Center in 1994 , and the Israeli Embassy in 1992, both in Buenos Aires).
Iran also has a direct military presence in Venezuela: Parchin Chemical Industries (produces explosive propellant); Qods Aeronautics Industries; Kimia Sanat (building unmanned aerial vehicles); Iranian Offshore Engineering Construction Co. (sanctioned for work on the Fordow enrichmnet site, operating on Paraguana Peninsula, where the Iranian IRGC Construction battalion is building in-ground missile silos).
Hezbollah is also involved in banking on Venezuela’s Margarita Island, where they have a finance center. It is also linked to the Mexican drug cartels to use their criminal trafficking channels into the USA. They are involved in human smuggling as well. In 2008-2010, according to the US intelligence and sheriffs’ information, over 180,000 illegals have entered the USA, including Afghans, Egyptians, Iranians, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Sudanese and Yemenis, possibly including terrorists.
In February 2011 a Lebanese Canadian Bank was identified by the US government as a Hezbollah money laundering front.
Iran and its proxies are also very interested in obtaining military equipment. The US-Canada Hezbollah network sought laser-range finders, aircraft-analysis software, GPS gear, night-vision goggles, blasting equipment, and mine-detection devices. In Colombia they trade in US military weapons stolen in Iraq, traded by Hezbollah with FARC for cocaine to sell in the USA.
Those forces even infiltrated the US government. A good example is the Prouty case. Nadia Nadim Prouty (nee al-Aouar) was a Hezbollah spy who penetrated both CIA and FBI. Despite her proven family terrorist ties and fraudulent citizenship, she was given security clearances. When discovered, she wasn’t even deported.
There are many such disturbing cases of willful blindness displayed by the media and the government. So far, they have stubbornly refused to discuss the Iran-Hezbollah role in the 9/11 attacks despite the strong evidence (see for example http://iran911case.com).
The attack from Iran or its proxies is imminent and will be triggered by possible Israel or US strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities or the fall of Bashar al-Assad or Iran judges US susceptible to coercion, deterrence.
In the end Clare Lopez mentioned the difficulties in handling the jihadist attacks. The Obama administration is less and less willing to acknowledge the danger to the USA. They are reluctant to use the terms terror and terrorism and obfuscate their links with Islam. The study materials for the army and the intelligence forces are purged from criticism of Islam. The purge affects personalities as well – people like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer are less likely to be used and the government even hires as experts on Islam and terrorism people who have connections with the Muslim Brotherhood.
It’s not a pretty situation, but this puts the burden of change on the ordinary people, who are the direct victims of the failed government policies. It is very unlikely that things will get better without their pressure, which can eventually influence the politicians.