Quack! Quack! Quack!

On one hand, good news: CDR Hesham Islam, USN (Ret) will leave the Government Civil Service after all the scrutiny brought in his direction after talking Gordon England into consorting with Islamic groups with tags as “unindigted co-conspirators” in Federal trials, and getting the contract for a know expert on radical Islamic elements, MAJ Stephen Coughlin, USAR, dropped as a “Christian zealot with a pen.”

Now, consider the issue at hand. CDR Islam grew up in Egypt, came to the US, became a naturalized citizen, rose to the paygrade of O-5 in the Navy, then retired and became a trusted advisor to a top level DoD office.

In reading the linked article, it seems Hesham England’s resume didn’t “add up.” I take that as parts of it were false. Bad idea for applying for any job, but in this case, it also seemed that he left out some “contacts” he had made, with some who are cozy with our enemies.

[…]
But as a result of the ensuing firestorm that played out in the conservative press – led by Washington Times Pentagon reporter Bill Gertz – Islam was put under a microscope, and questions were raised regarding his background.

For example, Claudia Rosett of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies wrote a column challenging key claims in Islam’s official biography. Within days, a Defense Department profile of Islam was removed from the department’s website.

A Pentagon spokesman said it was “taken down in an attempt to reduce the rhetoric and the emotion surrounding this issue while we try to determine the facts.”

A senior U.S. official says the life story Islam presented now appears sketchy.

“His resume didn’t add up, and he knows it,” the official said. “He’s voluntarily leaving the government in March.”
[…]

But: The scary part:

[…]
At the same time, a report by terror expert Steven Emerson revealed that Islam, as special assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, has scheduled at least two meetings in the Pentagon with Syrian-tied radicals – including a leading member of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood – in direct violation of U.S. policy.

As WND previously reported, FBI officials believe Islam is involved with the U.S. branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and is helping its front groups run “influence operations” against the U.S. government.

“He’s a Muslim brother,” an FBI official told WND. “He’s a bad actor, and he’s made other unreported nefarious contacts.”

Islam has worked closely in the Pentagon with Muslim chaplain Abuhena M. Saifulislam, who as WND also previously reported, received his training at a radical Islamic school in Northern Virginia that was raided by federal authorities after 9/11.
[…]

There you have it. Sad, but it fits the stereotype of one who came to this country and showed the patience to work his way into positions of access and authority, and along the way would be given an exceptional education in the operations at sea of the most advanced navy in the world. Trust me, as ship driver, you have to learn a lot of things, not just how to get around the oceans safely. I’d love to see his list of duty assignments, which wold alow me to futher analyze what CDR Islam was taught and trained for.

Then it gets more interesting: His son is currently a serving Navy Officer aboard ships, with a TS/SCI clearance. Long hand: “Tops Secret/Special Compartmented Information.” TS is one thing and seriously high enough. SCI is very specific information, but confined to functional “need to know” special topic areas.

The rest of the story:

[…]
The Pentagon had no comment. And Islam, who has not been accused of any crimes, has refused interviews.

Emerson says Islam prescribed a steady diet of Muslim Brotherhood-connected outreach for his unwitting boss, deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England….
[…]

Whispering in the ear of some of our highest DoD officials “there’s nothing to fear here…just move along.” Great.

The comments by the Congressional rep who had the cojones to stand up and ask hard questions: Rep Sue Myrick (R-NC) says this:

[…]
Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., who co-chairs the House Anti-Terrorism Caucus, has been fighting to keep Coughlin in the Pentagon, where she says his blunt analysis of the Islamic enemy is sorely needed….

“I know that some people will refuse to admit there is a subversive movement going on here, but let me remind you that we have underestimated the will and capability of our enemy for more than 30 years,” she added. “They are patient and determined to achieve their radical agenda.”

It looks like, before the fact, that a mole has been uncovered. Not reporting contacts with know groups sworn to our defeat. Directly violating State Dept regulations on meetings with specific countries. Your “resume” of where you grew up and what happened “don’t add up.” Oh, yeah, and what about his Islamic brothers-in-arms now in the service, who come from a background of anti-American training?

So he resigns from his civil service position. Where does he go next? That’s the really bad news. Between damage control training, ship engineering training, weapons systems training, small boat defense, internal security teams set up and operations, and detailed knowledge of command and control systems and their inner workings. I’m sure there’s a big paycheck out there waiting for him and it’s not with a US contractor. Armed with this type of insight, those not praying for the success and well being of our sailors, would have the increased opportunity to go for the weak points.

I guess, as one commenter likes to indicate, that we have no problems internally. This must have just have been an aberration and there’s nothing to it. I hope the FBI is burning the midnight oil to vett his entire background and all his recent activities. On the other hand, they missed the 9/11 hijackers, too, when they even had one in their hands.

There is a bright light here: Another victory for the power of the blogosphere to move important data to the right places and get the right people into action.

Update 2/12/2008: Just know, this type of tactic isn’t most likely anything new… Too Late the Hero trailer

Update 2/13/2008: Claudia Rosett of NRO has ferreted out some interesting info by fact checking Hesham’s own story… Big details don’t hold up to even a moderate level of scrutiny, and then it turns out he married a pen pal from the US, sight unseen. It gets more interesting with each scraping of the top coat.