American Jihad The Terrorists Living Among Us by Steven Emerson (New York: Free Press, 2003. 285 pages.)

Abstract

"Terrorism expert" Steven Emerson has done it again. With his usual exaggerated
style and hate-mongering rhetoric, Emerson has painted all
Muslims with the same broad brush. While trying to assure his readers at
the outset that not all Muslims are terrorists, the bulk of his new book,
American Jihad, is filled with brazenly over-simplified attacks on the entire
Muslim American community. This biased and heavy-handed portrayal of
Muslims is characteristic of Emerson's work - most notably his 1994 PBS
video "Jihad in America." In American Jihad, Emerson again presents a terrifying
picture of American Muslims as fanatical, violent people lurking
and plotting against the United States. It is thus hardly surprising that he has
gained a reputation, reminiscent of his friend Daniel Pipes, for advocating
grand Islamic conspiracies without any credible evidence.
In a rush to get to press, his latest book is a quick tabloid-style read.
The book is divided into eight chapters. The first chapter deals with
Emerson's "discovery" of"militant Muslims" and the subsequent making
of his PBS video "Jihad in America." The next six chapters attempt to
uncover the inner working of such groups as the Council on AmericanIslamic
Relations (CAIR), Hamas, and al-Qaida. He also spends one
entire chapter on the terrorist infiltration of American academic institutions.
Finally, in his concluding chapter, Emerson tries to encourage individuals
within the Muslim community to "fight back" against the threat
that he feels is facing the country.
The book is large on print and short on analysis. For a decade,
Emerson has been issuing dire, over-the-top warnings that Muslims in the
United States pose a catastrophic threat to the country, and in this book ...