Today’s Washington Post carries a chilling report on the front page that should be required reading for every politician on Capitol Hill. Last year, Shirwa Ahmed blew himself up in a homicide bombing in Somalia. What distinguishes Ahmed from other jihadists is that he was a 27-year old college student from Minneapolis and a naturalized American citizen. (Minneapolis has a large Somali Muslim population. In 2006, the region elected the first Muslim to Congress.) Ahmed’s unusual path to martyrdom got the attention of American counterterrorism officials, who now report that more than a dozen Somali American youths have disappeared so far this year. Concerned about the radicalization of Muslim youths in America, the FBI is running active investigations in at least five major American cities.
Muslim activists in Minneapolis are trying to blame the radicalization on poverty and unemployment. But two missing 19-year olds had been studying medicine and engineering at the University of Minnesota. And, as the Post reports, “…they became antisocial, speaking and eating less as they grew more devout.”
Today’s report is just another reminder of the nature of our Islamofascist enemy. No one worries when a Jew, an evangelical, a Catholic, a Mormon or a Buddhist becomes more “devout.” And while we occasionally hear news about jihadist terrorism in Iraq or Afghanistan, we cannot afford to lower our guard when it comes to threats here at home. Unfortunately, there has been disturbing news in recent days suggesting that the Obama Administration intends to cut back on enforcement of our immigration laws. I hope today’s report will force some in government to rethink that view. Meanwhile, we will continue to work with members of Congress who recognize the dangers and who are committed to strengthening our homeland security.
Tags: war on terror