MidnightWatcher's Blogspot

By Erick Stakelbeck – “WASHINGTON — They were the first modern terrorists and the forerunner of al Qaeda. But these days, the Muslim Brotherhood is becoming mainstream not only in Egypt, but in Washington, D.C.

While the final chapter of the so-called Arab Spring has yet to be written, it appears that radical Islamic forces could emerge as the big winners. None more so than the Muslim Brotherhood.

In Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria and Jordan, the Brotherhood has used unrest to increase its influence.

The group is also making inroads closer to home, according to one expert.

‘Their goal is primarily deception, manipulation and intelligence gathering,’ former FBI Special Agent John Guandolo said.

Guandolo said Brotherhood operatives have infiltrated the halls of power in Washington, D.C.

‘What we’re seeing not just inside the White House, but inside the government entities, the national security entities, the State Department — is a strong push by the Muslim Brotherhood to get their people not just into operational positions, but policy positions — deeper, long term, bureaucratic positions,’ he told CBN News.

Chief among their operatives is the Islamic Society of North America or ISNA, according to Guandolo.

In 2007, ISNA was named as an un-indicted co-conspirator in the largest terrorism financing trial in American history.

Likewise, the FBI has uncovered internal Muslim Brotherhood documents naming ISNA as ‘one of our organizations and the organizations of our friends.'” Read more.

Three Muslim Brotherhood members employed by the White House, influencing policies of President Obama – “Rashad Hussain is Obama’s special envoy to the 52-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference. His background is entrenched in the Muslim Brotherhood… Dalia Mogahed is a speech writer and chief advisor on Islamic affairs for Barack Obama. Numerous sites provide information that show Ms. Mogahed is pro-Sharia and deeply entrenched with the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoot, Muslim American Society… Azizah al-Hibri was appointed by the president to the Commission on International Religious Freedom. She is an intellectual professor and lawyer who defends Islamic law. She once served on the advisory board for Mohammed Alamoudi of the American Muslim Council, defending Alamoudi even after he made public statements supporting terrorism.” Read more.

Flashback: U.S. to Resume Formal Muslim Brotherhood Contacts – “The United States has decided to resume formal contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, in a step that reflects the Islamist group’s growing political weight but that is almost certain to upset Israel and its U.S. backers.‘The political landscape in Egypt has changed, and is changing,’ said the senior official …” Read more.