Father of Radicalized Recruit to McCaul: "They're waiting around to do it again to someone else's child"
March 10, 2011
Hearing Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWzi5Z4ObYU
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The father of a 23 year old Muslim-American who was radicalized by a mosque before he shot and killed an American soldier at an Army recruiting center in Arkansas, testified today that the mosque knew it was responsible for his son's drastic change in character.
“Sure they know, but they're waiting around to do it again to someone else’s child," Melvin Bledsoe told Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX) during today's House Homeland Security hearing on Radicalization. "That is why I am here today hoping that American people, you're listening. I hope you hear me. I hope you're learning something from that. I don’t think that any other child or any other parent in America should have to go through what I’m facing today.”
Carlos Bledsoe, of Memphis, TN, converted to Islam, changed his name to Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, and was sent to Yemen where he was radicalized prior to the 2009 shooting in Little Rock. It is one of 27 terror plots against the United States in the past two years, each involving extreme radicalization of the Muslim faith.
"The cases of our witnesses, along with Major Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, and many others show that the threat to America lies within our own country," said Congressman McCaul during the hearing which has been characterized as an attack on American-Muslims. "Let me be clear, it is not this committee that is doing that but Al Qaeda that is targeting and attacking our Muslim youth, as evidenced by the testimony of Mr. Bledsoe and Mr. Bihi." Abdirizak Bihi's nephew was lured to Somalia to join the Islamic extremist group Al Shabaab, where he was killed.
At issue during today's hearing is the strength of the relationship between the Muslim-American community and law enforcement in their attempt to thwart radicalization and subsequent violence. While some cooperation exists, Congressman McCaul, a former federal prosecutor and former Chief of Counter-terrorism at the US Attorney's Office in Texas, believes barriers to coordinated outreach need to be addressed. "I am very concerned that there are organizations out there speaking for the Muslim-American community telling them not to coordinate with the FBI and law enforcement as evidenced by the poster that we saw by the Council on American Islamic Relations," Rep. McCaul said. The poster, produced by CAIR, urges Muslim-Americans to "build a wall of resistance" and "don't talk to the FBI". (Click Here To View Poster Produced By CAIR)
TRANSCRIPT OF McCAUL AND WITNESS Q&A
McCaul: Before I ask the questions of the witnesses I want to read from Senator Lieberman’s letter to John Brennan, the assistant to the President for Homeland Security. What he said, “The failure to identify our enemy for what it is, violent Islamic extremism is offensive and contradicts thousands of years of accepted military and intelligence doctrine to know your enemy.” We have to know our enemy and it is radical Islam in my judgment.
I would like to ask Mr. Bledsoe and Mr. Behi, your children were kidnapped by these two Mosques, they were held hostage, they were sent overseas to both Yemen and to Somalia and their lives were destroyed. Have these two Mosque done anything to repair the relationship? Have they ever told you their sorry, and have they ever told you that they will change their practices?”
Bledsoe: “I’ll speak first. No I have not heard from a Mosque at all about whether or not they are sorry. Going back to the question from the lady from Texas. We’re not talking about all Muslims. We’re talking about Islamic radicalization and that I wanted to make clear because there is a difference. I have Muslim in my family I mentioned earlier I’m sitting beside two, in the middle, I am sitting in the middle between two. So we’re not talking about all Muslims we’re talking about the ones who are hiding behind the moderate Muslim, and they're the one who is a threat to America, a threat to our babies, a threat to our children and they are in the danger.”
McCaul: “Did the Mosque know that they were responsible for the radicalization of your son?”
Bledsoe: “Sure they know, but they're waiting around to do it again to someone else’s child. That is why I am here today hoping that American people you're listening. I hope you hear me. I hope your learning something from that, I don’t think that any other child or any other parent in America should have to go through what I’m facing today.”
McCaul: “ I agree with that. Mr. Behi, has the Mosque that radicalized your nephew ever apologized or taken responsibility?”
Behi: “Sir, No. Never have they apologized. They as matter of fact attacked us and call us names and tools of infidels. It seems that still nobody from the leadership or congress in the state of Minnesota the Islamic organizations, none of them have ever met 20 or more Somali-American families who were refugees get their kids from civil war, lucky enough to raise their kids in a college level, those families were hurt. Not a congressman, not CAIR, not any other organization, not the Mosque people none of them ever visited them or even mentioned them. As a matter of fact they call us liars.”
McCaul: “And infidels. One last question…”
King: “Time of the gentleman has expired.”
McCaul: “Ok. I will follow up with a written question. Thank you.”