Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hearing Focuses On Violent Extremism

CSPAN3 Hearing Focuses On Violent Extremism June 16, 2017

Park city tour. And sunday at 2 00 p. M. On hist, working with our cable afilliates and visiting across the country. The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on violent extremism and what the u. S. Can do to counterextremists ideology. Good morning. This hearing is called to order. I want to thank the witnesses for your testimony for taking the time, for your curage. The mission of this committee is pretty straight forward. To enhance the economic and National Security of america. And promote more efficient, effective and accountable government. The Committee Really is, in many respects, two committees in one from the house side. Homeland security and governmental affairs. This hearing is really focusing on the Homeland Security side of the committee structure. And within that structure we have four priorities. Border security, cyber security, protecting our Critical Infrastructure and countering extremism and violence in any form, including islamic terrorism. What we try and do, this committee is through this hearing process lay out a reality. I come from a manufacturing background. Solved a lot of problems. The only way you solve problems first, admit you have one, properly define it, describe it, gather the information. And admit to the reality. Theres no way anybody can deny we have a problem world wide in terms of extremism and violence. We witness it just a few hours ago on a practice field for a Charity Baseball event. And let me acknowledge the first of all our prayers are with those victims. Congressman scalise, the staff member, and the two members of the capitol Hill Security detail that were wounded and even having been wounded they continued to return fire and prevent a far greater tragedy. The appreciation we owe to the men and women in Public Safety that every day that they step out of the thresh hold of their door, they literally putting their lives on the line. That was demonstrated again this morning. So i appreciate anybody whos willing to step up to the plate, defend us, defend our freedom, protect Public Safety, but also stand up and tell the truth and describe reality in a world that is very, very dangerous, in a world that doesnt want to hear the truth and reality. Now previous hearings on this subject was talked to about the way radical islamist terrorists are using social mead edia, particularly isis and become incredibly effective at poisoning the minds of young people around the world to engage in these acts of terror and depravity. Weve held hearings on trying to understand the motives. What motivates this . What are they trying to accomplish . Weve learned that in america whats been incredibly important throughout our history, were a nation of immigrants. We welcome them. They made this nation great. But whats made this nation great is people have come embracing the idea and promise of america. To become american. Not rejecting their past culture. We never ask that. But we do ask them to come and accept constitutional law. To be able to taked a vantage of this wonder and marvel we call america and the american economy. Weve learned how important it is for us in government and our Public Safety officials to positively engage in communities, every community to make sure the people are welcome, they will assimilate. Its not perfect. I think weve probably done a better job as weve witnessed recently in brussels, paris or europe where the assimilation has not been effective. But its far from perfect here in america and well be talk about that. Again just keep an open mind. We need understand the truth. The reality if we have any hope of solving this problem. Were in a generation to struggle at least. Weve got to get to a point where people can feel free and safe to go practice in the morning on a baseball field. Or walk a street or raise their family. Thats what were trying to accomplish. Frrsh its not going to be easy. But the only way we do it is if we are willing to have the curage to face these truths and tell them. So thank you for saing that curage and with that ill turn it over to senator and ill submit my written statement into the record. I think all of us are waiting to exhail until we learn more details about our colleagues and our but make no mistake about it what we saw this morning was evil. And i hope that this hearing doesnt stray from the fact that we should be focusing on the evil. We should be focusing on violence. We should be focusing on enforcing our criminal laws against evil and violence. We should be focusing on those people who twist and destort any religion, be it christianity, buddhism, anybody who twists and destorts that relidgen to evil is an exception to the rule. It is not the rule. We should not focus on religion and the freedoms of country embraces. Our country was founded on many important premises but perhaps paramount among those was the freedom of religion. The earliest americans, aside from our native americans, came here because they were fleeing from purse cushion based on their religion. Our freedoms like freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion define us as a nation. And no evil should ever be allowed to distort those premises. Ever. And im hoping, although im worried, honestly, that this hearing will underline that. Im concerned that the president s Budget Proposal has taken its eye off the ball in terms of our fight against this evil extremism. And the violence that it fomentes. Im worried it has slashed homeland Counterterrorism Measures like the viper teams that have provided an extra measure of security at our airports. It also calls for the complete elimination of a Law Enforcement reimbursement program. It helps secure our airports. It would reduce security grant program, the Transit Security program. The Grant Initiative which helps prepare high density urban areas on how to respond would be cut by 150. The president s proposal would zero out grant program. Which are so essential as we face violent, evil criminals. While it is critical that we enhance our security and Law Enforcement with the resources they need to keep it safe, we also have to improve our efforts to stop americans from being radicalized. Our danger, at least to date, has not been from those who try to slip into this country unnoticed or try illegally cross our borders or seeking refuge in a crisis, a humanitarian cries. Thats not where the danger has come from. Its come from people who are americans or legally in this country who have been radicalized. We face a threat from a variety of sources on radicalization, including white supremacist, eko terrorist, al qaeda sympathizers, theres a long list. And the context of sunni inspired violent extremism is where this hearing appear fweez focussed on the witnesses, its absolutely vital that any effort our government takes is done in partnership and in full engagement of the peace loving Muslim Community. In order to combat isis and other extremists propaganda, we must have a healthy dialogue to insure that resources are arailable to family and friends that may have concerns about loved ones who have become attracted to extreme rhetoric. Unfortunately some of the rhetoric we hear including from some of the witnesses is at odds with this approach. It is also in complete conflict with the american principals and values and most importantly it would make the United States of america less safe. We need to spend less time stirring up rhetoric and working with a majority of muds lms here and around the country who are peaceful and law abiding. We are lucky to have Michael Latner ffs testifying today as the former director of the National Counterterrorism system, is the lighter or liter . Liter. Has extensive strategy to go after the people trying to do us harm. Im eager to hear mr. Liters analysis and what we can learn in the uk and elsewhere. I would appreciate his thoughts on the president s budget and im interested in recommendations to bolster the principals. We can do better to combat radical extremism as long as we Work Together under the umbrella of those important protections. Thank you, mr. Chairman. It is the tradition of this committee to swear in witnesses. So if youll all stand and raise your right hand. You wear the testimony you will give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Please be seated. Our first witness is ms. Ali or ms. Ali was born in somalia and migrated to the netherlands to escape a forced marriage. In 2004 wrote the script of a short film submission. Critical of islams treatment of women. The it director of the film was assassinated. And author of several books, political islam, its movement and how to conquer it. Shes currently a Research Developer and founder of the ali hearsy foundation. Ms. Ali. Chairman johnson, members Ranking Member mckachkal, ladies and gentlemen, i want to join you both in condemnic the violence of this morning and i wishing the congressman a swift recovery. Thank you for this opportunity to talk to you about the threat thats endangering our constitution, our freedoms and our way of life. Clearly not all muslims pose a threat but some do. How can we tell the difference . We can by understanding the nature of islam. Islam is part religion and part a political military doctrine. The part that is a political doctrine consists of a world view. A system of laws and a moral code that is totally incompatible with our constitution, our laws and our way of life. In 2017 there are two major governments that apply islamic law or sharia, saudi arabia and iran. As we sit here we are also fighting a rogue entity that goes by the name of the Islamic State of iraq and syria, or isis. Isis implements sharia in its most extreme or most pure form. Islamic law, as practiced in these places negates secular law and demands submission without question. Women are subordinates to men and are denied such basic rights as owning their own bodies and sexuali sexuality. They face discrimination in marriage, inheritance and custody. Victims of rape must produce four witnesses and if they dont, many are flogged or stoned to death. Religious minorities are subject to a second class citizen existence. Theres the Death Penalty for home sexuals and apostates. There are no checks and balances and no free and impartial courts. Theres no rule of law, descent is brutally suppressed. Not all muslims, not even those who live in these theocracies support sharia. I call those who do mudeena muslims because they invoke muhammad, the founder of islam in madina. I believe the vast majority of muslims i call them mecca muslims because they site muhammad and his legacy from mecca. Theres a third subset who eject the it military aspects of islam. I call them the reformers. Theyre different because they stand up to the madina muslims by openly rejecting sharia. Most muslims live in secular states or states with some form of sharia. There are also millions of muslims who live as considerable minorities in nonmuslim societies like ours. The madina muslims are not satisfied with this status quo. Their goal is to transform all muslim majority countries into islamic theocracies and to use muslim immigrant minorities as a beach head to transform nonmuslim societies, even free ones, such as the u. S. They have a longtime horizon and already have a foot hold. Madina muslims use a combination of force or jihad along with the desemination of the ideology through a mechanism known as doa. In theory its the call to islam and consists of postizing. Its a process of radical indoctrination. They use the cover of missionary efforts, relief work, education and cultural activities. They target the individual, the family, the education system, the workplace, the broader Economic Society as a whole. Its totalitarian, like communism and fascism, but different because its shrouded in religion. This quest by the madina muslims to establish sharia across the globe has led to repression, civil wars, to the exodus of people from their homes and free societies to decisiveness and debate now of social cohesion. We must stop not only the violent entities like isis, al qaeda, brooko haram and others t dismantle the networks of douau. Above all we need to challenge the principals of sharia law. I look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you. Our next witness is ms. Nastra. Shes the co founder of the Muslim Reform Movement. An american womans struggel for the spirit of islam and a student faculty investigation into her friend, danny pearl executed by members of al qaeda. Thank you so much. Thank you, chairman johnson, vice chairman and senators for this invitation to be here today. Our hearts are indeed gripped with the horror of this mornings shooting. I feel empathy and compassion for you because this day takes me back to a day 15 years ago when i felt the same gripping of my heart. I learned that day that my colleague and friend, danny pearl from the wall street journal had been kidnapped. We learned in the weeks that followed that he had been kidnapped by militants and it was 15 years ago that we learned that he was buried in the plot. His body cut to pieces. The men who believed in gentrification of my faith testified this brutal murder. They developed a passion that you were committed to after you learned the intentions, motivations of the shooter this morning. Ion lost a friend, i lost a friend. On that day i think to stand up against the ideology of extremists islam that motivated the men that took him from this earth. There was one that connected the 27 men involved in dannys kidnapping and murder and that was that they had all observed the dala or evangelism of an ideological interpretation of islam that is of the nature that ion is speaking about. I want tuse be really clear. This is not the islam that my parents taught me. The islam that my parents taught me led me this morning to stand shoulder to shoulder with my father and open my hands and pray for peace of mind for everyone in this world. What senator talks about is really important. We must make this distinction. And i think its the same time that means we are clear, as senator johnson is talking about. Related to the enemy that we face. The ideology of islamism or political islam contradicts the Constitutional Values of this country. The elements of islamismal are very clear. It demands we have political government according the laws of sharia or islamic law. Those standards are in complete contradiction with the laws of our country. I want to tell you from the trenches that this is a reality that we face in our country. In northern california, facebook promotes the page an organization whose meeting i attended in Northern Virginia last summer. Behind the speakers was a flag for the Islamic State. In michigan a man is preaching to advocate for child marriages in the name of islam. In Northern Virginia an imam just preached that it is okay to cut the cluterous of girls because it leads to then the ability to keep hypersexuality from expressing itself in the world. What is it that we must do . We must be clear as chairman johnson is saying, we must have moral curage and intellectual curage. We must absolutely separate the many muslims who do not practice islamism from those who do. And in that way the objective that we have to protect muslims and to be able to differentiate extremism from the large swath of the faith that my family and others practice will be realized. We will in fact protect muslims if we take this strategy of marginalizinging the extremists. We, as a nation must be committed to shut down the ideology of islamism, just as we defeated fascism, communism. The ideology of islamism denies us the right as men and women to sit in a room together as we are sitting today. It denies young girls the right to go to a concert and call them dangerous women. It denies a woman like myself to sit in a bakery in dockau, bangladesh without being separated and then killed. We have to understand that the future of our world depends on our Clear Thinking and our wisdom. I came here with fear in my heart because we also face a network that i call the honor brigade that wants to silence this conversation. Were under attack constantly. Between us i dont know how many Death Threats we have faced but we sit before you with our backs to both our friends and our enemies because it is our duty, it is our duty to stand up for the humanity in which we believe. When i have fear last night and my mother was beside me, she took my hand and she said do this for humanity. Step forward for humanity and i urge all of you to remain committed, remain committed to all the values in which we believe and the freedom and the beauty of this world that we want to see the next generation inherit. Thank you so much. Thank you. Our next witness is dr. John lin chel ski. Pretty close. Hes the founder and president of the institute of world politics. A graduate school on National Security and international affairs. He served at the state department from 1981 to 1983 and then with the National Security counsel from 1983 to 1987 where he was the director of european and soviet affairs and president regans principal soviet affairs advisor. Good morning, mr. Chairman. Ranking minority member and members of the committee, i am honored to have the chance to discuss how to protect ourselves against radical jihadism. We have spent trillions in this country fighting islamist terrorism as if its this consisted of the use of the truth to counter soviet propaganda as the basis and the and the problem is that we have virtually no ideological warriors in this war. We have a precedent in the cold war. Eliminating the sources of cold war tension required changing the core of the soviet s

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