Frightening Film on U.S. Terrorism Training Camps
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," February 16, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: The group is responsible for over 50 attacks on U.S. soil and has over 35 compounds right here in our very own nation. Now, a new investigation by the Christian Action Network has uncovered some disturbing information about the spread of homegrown terrorists and what they mean for America.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HANNITY (voice-over): It's a frightening thought: Islamic terrorist training camps right here in America in our backyards. The group Muslims of America, or Jamaat ul-Fuqra, as they're called in Pakistan, have established over 35 communities across the U.S.
The group claims to be peaceful, but a videotape uncovered by the Christian Action Network shows that they can have a much more sinister side.
The video, called "The Soldiers of Allah," features Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani, the mastermind and the leader of the group here in the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are establishing training camps. You can reach us. At you know, Quranic open university offices in New York, or in Canada, or in Michigan, or in South Carolina or in Pakistan. Wherever you are, you can reach us.
HANNITY: The tape goes on to teach Gilani's American followers tactics in guerilla warfare, including scaling mountains, subduing enemies, murdering guards, hijacking cars, kidnapping, weapons training, and setting off explosives.
Gilani is a Pakistani national best known for allegedly setting up journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearl was on the way to meet with him when he was abducted and eventually gruesomely beheaded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Armed with the, quote, "Soldier of Allah" training video and a history of Gilani's terrorist rhetoric, investigators went to several of the compounds to confront his followers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a liar, and you are a liar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't say another word.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HANNITY: They were met with denial, hostility, and in some cases, even violence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clearly looks like either knife holes or bullet holes.
HANNITY: And the question remains: why have these communities been left to flourish here in the U.S.? And is it only a matter of time before this anger spills on over into a violent incident?
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HANNITY: And Martin Mawyer now joins us.
Thirty-five facilities in the U.S. Tell me this — tell me this is not true, and how does this continue to exist?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}• Video: Watch Sean's interview
MARTIN MAWYER, CHRISTIANACTION.ORG: There's 35 compounds, villages, communities that Sheikh Gilani has inside the United States. They range anywhere from the East coast of New York to South Carolina to the West Coast, Seattle, Washington, and from New York down to Texas.
HANNITY: Knowing the extremism that you're talking about, that he advocates here, and this is not in dispute, correct?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MAWYER: No, it's not in dispute.
HANNITY: Then why would the United States government allow these facilities to stay open?
MAWYER: Well, we spent two and a half years investigating this group, and during that time we interviewed law enforcement about why these groups, why these facilities were allowed to exist in the United States.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}We got a host of reasons, but the No. 1 reason is they are protected by the U.S. Constitution, and they are protected by state constitutions in the United States. Really, law enforcement's hands are tried in trying to shut these groups down.
HANNITY: I want you to explain to our audience here, because you're describing this particular man, his involvement, you say, in the Daniel Pearl, you know, beheading. How certain are you that every one of those compounds shares the radical views?
MAWYER: We went to seven of these compounds. We had the "Soldiers of Allah" videotape, which your viewers just watched. And we said, "We're going to set out on a mission. We're going to visit the seven compounds we were aware of and ask their leaders to watch this tape, either accept or reject Sheikh Gilani's call to be an Islamic guerilla warfare training camp." None of them rejected the tape.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HANNITY: How is he connected specifically to each and every compound?
MAWYER: Well, each and every compound is owned by a group called Muslims of America. Muslims of America in the United States is their American name for a group based in Pakistan called Jamaat ul-Fuqra.
HANNITY: Which is the one that he is — and these are his words, and this is what his advocacy is.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}So in other words, let me guess, and you tell me if I'm wrong here. So that when you went to the seven compounds, of the 35, if you were to — if they were to condemn the statements of him, that would mean to them what? For them what?
MAWYER: Well, actually, none of them would condemn them. These people believe Sheikh Gilani is the direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, that he speaks for the Prophet Mohammed. They file — follow him with utmost loyalty. They believe basically, he's speaking for the word of Allah. They will not condemn him. They will not criticize him. That's what we learned.
As a matter of fact, in one camp in Georgia one of the leaders watched the "Soldiers of Allah" video tape and said what's wrong with Sheikh Gilani setting up paramilitary training camps inside the United States? I encourage your viewers to watch this tape to see what happens.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HANNITY: Do you think — you think Gilani's facilities in the U.S. are planning attacks on American cities and — it's almost unimaginable in a post-9/11 world that that could exist. You're saying you think that they're planning, plotting, scheming the next attack against the Americans?
MAWYER: Not only do I believe that, not only would people who watch this documentary believe that, but even the law enforcement officials that we have spoken with, not the ones based in Washington, D.C., but the field officers, they believe that. We've had law enforcement tell us they have weapons of mass destruction, that they...
HANNITY: What — what kind of weapons of mass destruction?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MAWYER: Well, in some cases I can't even tell you, Sean, because the confidential information that was given to me by these particular law enforcement officials.
HANNITY: You're saying without a doubt you can look in these cameras tonight and tell the American people that there are terrorist training camps on our soil, we're not doing anything about it, and they're planning, and they will hit America?
MAWYER: I would say without a doubt al Qaeda would love to have such compounds that range from 25 acres to 300 acres sitting on American soil in order to hide terrorists, hide weapons, and train future jihadists for the United States. It's shocking.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HANNITY: Mr. Mawyer, it's shocking. Thank you for being with us. Appreciate it. Thank you for your time.
MAWYER: Thank you.
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