Wednesday, December 17, 2014

The Genesis of ISIS

How and where does a terrorist organization begin and grow?   Not necessarily where you'd think.   The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,
more commonly referred to as ISIS is by far the most virulent terrorist organization of the 21st Century.  Its goal,  of establishing a Caliphate  in the area of Iraq and Syria,  is pursued by the deadly sword of hatred toward all who do not accept its form of radical Islamic theology.



Bow the knee or lose the head is the choice often put to whole cities or tribes in the area.

The current threat extends beyond the region since the call by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to individuals around the globe to maim, kill, or inflict fear (through acts of violence) to the unbelievers.
Examples of others heading his call have been seen most recently in Sydney Australia,  Toronto Canada, and Moore, Oklahoma.


We are now finding out that many of the current leaders of ISIS, as well
as al Baghdadi, were in fact incarcerated in prison together.
The facility known as Camp Bucca in the area of Umm Qasr in Iraq was operated by the U.S. military from 2003 to 2010 when the U.S. ceded control to the Iraqi government.  The name of the prison was after a New York City fire marshal, Ronald Bucca who died in the September 11th attack by
al-Qaeda.
It was during this time of the operation by American forces and consultants that prisoners utilized the free time given to them to congregate through out the day.  As reported by Martin Chulov's interview with a member of ISIS who uses the name, Abu Ahmed , upon al-Baghdadi's arrival in the prison all the inmates deferred to his leadership and authority.  They often met together without interference from prison administrators.  Ahmed stated; “We had so much time to sit and plan,” he continued. “It was the perfect environment. We all agreed to get together when we got out. The way to reconnect was easy. We wrote each other’s details on the elastic of our boxer shorts. When we got out, we called. Everyone who was important to me was written on white elastic. I had their phone numbers, their villages. By 2009, many of us were back doing what we did before we were caught. But this time we were doing it better.”

This is a typical jail wise tactic used by convicts around the globe to establish lines of communication beyond the wall.  That incarcerated terrorists learned these so quickly and were able to grow in the environment should come as no surprise to seasoned law enforcement officials.
What is disturbing is that they (Administrators) took no credible action to disrupt or impede the growth.  Allowing inmates to congregate freely is a security risk that cannot be overlooked in the name of "rehabilitation" or socialization.

The United States as well as the UK and France are now faced with an inordinate number of individuals who have committed terrorist acts currently incarcerated in their prison system.
Left to themselves and allowed to attract and influence other inmates will only produce a more deadly
group than ISIS.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Peacemakers Not Pundits Needed

In the current crisis of confidence regarding the Criminal Justice System, brought on by the recent Grand Jury decisions in Ferguson and New York City, it appears that the voice that yells the loudest gets the most attention irregardless of truth.
TV and Internet News organizations are scurrying to find a commentator to fit their mold while sending out cameramen and reporters to trail protesters for the latest in "what are you seeing"
What's really needed and what we are not currently seeing are peacemakers, individuals who will bridge the gap between those who have the perception that the scales of justice are tipped against them and those who are sworn to uphold the law.

It is not a popular time to be a law enforcement officer.  To balance the rule of law within the community you serve is no easy task.  Crime effects everyone not just the victim.  Left unchecked it will produce anarchy.  Yet in administering justice, the officer has to be part priest, part teacher, and part neighbor.  The greatest tool that an officer carries everyday to work is not the gun, or the handcuffs, or the citation book.  It is his (or hers) communication skills.  The ability to hear and understand what is being said to them and more importantly the ability to defuse tense situations.
Everyday thousands of law enforcement officers are called on to  "keep the peace" in the jurisdictions they serve.   And they do it admirably, often without thanks,  sometimes at the cost of their lives.
Pundits only talk.  And as the saying goes. "talk is cheap"
What is really needed now is more peacemakers.