Fox News has been described, in the Center for American Progress' report "Fear Inc.," as an echo chamber for America's cottage industry of Islamophobia. But now that the so called "Ground Zero Mosque" is no longer an issue, the steady drumbeat of Fox Islamophobia has diminished. But it has not totally disappeared as shown by Fox & Friends' recent embrace of a "security expert" from a radical, fringe anti-Muslim group who used his Fox platform to spread more Fox fear and loathing of Islam. It's no surprise that Ryan Mauro, whose work appears on anti-Muslim sites such as Front Page Mag, would be playing the hate card given that his previous job was with the Christian Action Network, a virulently homophobic organization. So he's perfect for "the morning happy-talk show that Ailes uses as one of his primary vehicles to inject his venom into the media bloodstream."
On February 20th, Mauro was hosted by the curvy couch cretins. He warned about new show bomb threats and discussed how the Clarion Project discovered the existence of a terrorist enclave in Texas - one of 22 Muslim enclaves in America. He claimed that this conclusion was reached via declassified FBI documents and was verified by "Act for America" which is an anti-Muslim group founded by Brigitte Gabriel, so, I guess, that proves it. Mauro told the pals that jihadists from the enclaves have wreaked havoc with "all sorts of murders and bomb plots" and are still following a radical jihadist preacher. But "because most of what they do is legal," law enforcement has its hands tied. He also complained that the State Dept. doesn't consider the group to be a "foreign terrorist group." Steve Doocy said it was "troubling."
Given that most of the information about these "terrorists" is from anti-Islamic sites, it's difficult to verify Mauro's claims although the actual FBI document provided says the TX group "may be engaged" in terrorism. But an article, by the mainstream Washington DC news source WUSA 9, does have a story about one such enclave which, according to local law enforcement was peaceful.
Chyrons: "Terrorists in our Back Yard, Jihadist Enclave Discovered in Texas;" "Dangerous Discovery New Terror Compound Found in Heart of Texas;" "National Security at Risk, 22 Islamic Villages Uncovered in our Backyard;" "Homefront Hazard, FBI Documents Show Link to Terrorism;" "Trained to Kill, FBI Documents Reveal Jihadist Camp in US."
This morning, Mauro returned to Fox & Friends where Steve Doocy immediately framed the propaganda: "Under the command of President Obama the United States military is recruiting a new batch of Muslim chaplains, only problem we're recruiting them from a group with ties to terror" which, according to Doocy is "the Islamic Society of North America" and tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. If you weren't scared by that comment, you would be after hearing Doocy quote from a 1991 Brotherhood statement about "grand jihad" to "eliminate Western civilization from within." He asked if Obama could be "putting our bravest in danger." He then tossed to Mauro who told us exactly why that is happening.
A grinning Mauro claimed that even the government knows that ISNA, which is advising the military on the choice of chaplains is a "Muslim Brotherhood entity." A photo was shown of two Muslim chaplains over a chyron that read "Preaching Terror." Mauro whined about how taxpayer dollars are being spent on ads, from this alleged terror tied group, in military magazines. After prompting from Doocy, he added that he doesn't have a problem with Muslim chaplains, just the ones from this group. He then blithered about how this group has a "doctrine" which preaches "Sharia in America" and "you don't military chaplains, out in the field, saying this is a war on Islam."
The chyrons: "A Defenseless Decision, US Military Hire Terror Tied Chaplains;" "Dangerous Recruits, Military Chaplains Linked to Terror Group;" "Radical Recruitment, Military Hasn't Used ISNA Chaplain in 15 years." "Preaching Terror, ISNA is a Front Group for Muslim Brotherhood."
The Islamic Society of North America is a mainstream group which worked with the Bush II administration after 9-11. But when you're playing the be scared of Muslim card, which Mauro did with the "terrorist" Muslim enclaves, unfounded fear trumps reality any day!