Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. It is part of a series titled "Europe Has Fallen: Islam, Britain, and the Continent." The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode focuses on Britain and its challenge of balancing free speech with respect for the sensitivities of the country’s Islamic and pro-Hamas communities.

Today, we head to northern Yorkshire in Britain, where we meet Pete North, a man in his late 40s who has issues with Hamas, Muslims, and Palestine. He is very open and outspoken about his contempt for all three. His tweets “f_Hamas, f–k Palestine” and “f–k Islam earned him an arrest by the Yorkshire police. It also gained him support from people who share his opinions and from those who hold on to what little free speech remains in Britain. This is what happened:

Peter North posted a meme on social media using the F word three times in reference to Hamas, Islam, and Palestine. In response, police knocked on his door at 9:30 on 25 September 2025 to arrest him and take him to the police station. Two officers informed him that he was under arrest under section 19, which relates to spreading racial hatred. One officer explained, “So you've posted something online that we believe is spreading racial hatred." However, according to North, the police refused to disclose the offending post. Was it on "Twitter or Facebook?"

Responded a policeman, "Well, I can't explain too much. It's just to give you the context beforehand.”

"What, you're taking me away now?"

"Yes, so you're under arrest..."

"In the middle of the night, over a tweet?"

"I am, unfortunately."

And off North went to the police station, where he was interrogated.

North recalled, “The officer in the interview said, ‘Well, firstly, let’s start with the meme. You posted a meme that said f—k Hamas,’” North claimed. “I said, ‘yeah, I did post a meme that said f—k Hamas, because Hamas are a proscribed terrorist organisation internationally, including in Britain.“ ‘Just so we’re on the same page, you do know who Hamas are?'” “And he just … shook his head,”

North continued, claiming the officer was just as clueless when he asked if he knew about the horrors committed by Hamas on Oct. 7. “He was totally oblivious,” he claimed. “If you’re going to arrest people for memes, you probably need to pay more attention to current events.” North was later released without charges after a lengthy interrogation and has since accused authorities of trying to “terrorize” people into being politically correct online.

I was held in a holding area for some time before being taken for an interview. During the interview, to my shock and disgust, I had to explain to the interviewing officer what Hamas is. He was completely unaware. It seemed he didn't know what happened on 7/10. One of the questions was “Do you know who Tommy Robinson is?”—followed by “Are you aware that he was the first person to post this meme?” North responded that he did not believe that is what happened.

North then explained that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist group in the UK. In his words, “The Palestine flag is the flag of Islamo-leftist revolution, and the agenda it represents is committed to the extermination of Jews. If you want to stand in support of that, you should go to a Muslim country. As it happens, many Muslim countries would lock you up—both for supporting Hamas and for protesting.”

North expressed his disgust towards the police, stating: "I'm disgusted by the police because they could have handled this in an orderly, civil manner, but instead they chose the maximum intrusion, and it was essentially like being treated as an act of terrorism. "They were trying to find evidence that I intended to stir up racial hate with it, which is unbelievable. It's crass. The meme itself is controversial, but controversy isn't illegal, and it simply reflects my opinion.”

North did not back down. In fact, he double-downed. “I feel quite strongly that what political cartoons and memes I post on social media is none of the police’s business. Nobody should be facing police inquiries for posting memes on Twitter. “The whole point of this exercise is not to win convictions. It’s to terrorize people like me into thinking twice about posting spicy memes.”

North received support on social media. On Jihad Watch, many followers offered comments like these:

“Is this Communist China? Why do the people here speak English?

From MihaiI, “I have a genuine question for every police officer in the UK: Is this what your ancestors fought and died for?

One said, “Hamas is a terrorist group. Are the police defending Hamas now?

Lou C. asked, “When are the police in the UK going to wear Brown Shirts? This is the same path followed by the Nazis in late 1930s Germany... The UK is done. Put a fork in it.”

Tee Dee asked, “Since when did Hamas become a race???”

Said one Briton, “ISLAM GO HOME. You're not welcome and never were.”

Well, North was released by the police on unconditional bail but maintains that the tweet in question remains 'a sentiment I wholly endorse.' He continued: "I'm quite shaken by the whole thing right now. I haven't slept and probably won't. I've always known my tweets could be a bit spicy, but being snatched by a goon squad at night for a 'F*** Hamas' meme is just breathtakingly outrageous and absurd. My wife was mortified. She was left alone after I was taken out of the house and was in tears, but she is very stoic and is my rock."

When asked if he regretted his post, he responded: 'I don't regret at all expressing my solidarity for the principle of free speech. Not at all, because it was an act of solidarity with Tommy Robinson, who had been hauled over the coals for posting that meme.”

Thank you for listening to this episode of Jihad and the World. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hizballah - When the Beepers Went Boom!

On September 17 2024, explosions rocked Lebanon and Syria. These were not rockets launched from aircraft or shells from naval ships or ground-based artillery. Instead, they seemed to come from hand-held pagers, but witnesses and observers were not sure. Most of the explosions took place in Beirut, a stronghold for Hizbollah. Soon, the connection between the pager and Hizbollah was clear. But what on earth was happening? Why did the beeps go bang?

For many younger listeners, pagers are largely artifacts of the past. They belong to yesterday’s technology. Maybe their parents used them early in their careers. They appear in old TV shows from the 1980s and 1990s, when women had poofy hair, and men wore suspenders at the office. But today’s generation is the cell phone generation. So, what exactly are pagers?

Pagers are handheld communication devices that display short text messages relayed over telephone lines by a central operator. They operate on radio waves rather than the Internet. This makes them harder to monitor, which, in turn, makes them popular with terrorist groups, including Hizbollah.

Hizbollah turned to pagers after its leadership determined that cellphones were being monitored by Israeli intelligence. Israeli intelligence got wind of this intended switch in communications and saw it as an opportunity. It crafted an intelligence operation like no other and one likely to make a mark in the history of intelligence operations, because it is one hell of a story! And here it is.

When Israelis heard about the planned bulk purchase of cell phones, intelligence got to work. Technicians designed pagers with a battery that concealed a small but potent charge of plastic explosive and a one-of-a-kind, largely undetectable detonator. The Israeli pseudo-pager was significantly larger than other pagers to accommodate the mini-bomb. They crafted a marketing campaign to incite would-be Hizballah purchasers. Sure, the pager was bulkier, but that was because it was combat-tough – a real war pager. They dressed up the ads with military paraphernalia. But who would sell these pagers? Hizballah would not buy an Israeli pager or one connected to Israel. So Israel invented a company and the pager it claimed to sell. This company was BAC Consulting, ostensibly a Hungary-registered firm that partnered with a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo. In fact, these were shell companies created by Israeli intelligence.

But BAC Consulting would have to appear credible. Why didn’t it have significant sales? Why haven’t more people heard of it? What is this company, anyway? It is not well-known because it has very few clients. After all, it was military-grade. BAC needed only one client – Hizballah. And Hizballah took the bait and bought hundreds. Hizballah bought and distributed the pagers in the summer of 2022. The group’s technicians found nothing suspicious in the new product. Now, Israel would wait and wait for an opportune time to kill and maim.

The moment came when Israel claimed it had thwarted a Hizballah attempt to kill senior Israeli leaders in September 2024. When the Israeli attack struck, it did so like lightning. Hundreds of pagers exploded nearly simultaneously, killing dozens and maiming and disfiguring scores of others. While the largest number of casualties was in Beirut, many people were also wounded in the country's north and south.

But what were the mechanics of the attacks? Israeli intelligence sent a ring to each pager. The recipient then picked up the pager and, usually, saw the message “error.” This was followed by the message “Press OK,” which many did. This detonated the explosive inside the pager and usually killed or seriously injured the victim. Many lost fingers, which were blown off. Many suffered severe facial scars and blindness because they held the pager close to their face so they could read the message. The facial scars will remain clearly visible.

There was also the psychological trauma. Mohammed Awada, 52, and his son were driving when the boy saw a pager explosion. Awada said. “My son went crazy and started to scream when he saw the man’s hand flying away from him.” Elsewhere, a young girl, Fatima, had just come from school when she answered her father’s pager. The explosion killed the 9-year-old girl. How reliable is each story related to journalists? Some are certainly fabricated or exaggerated. However, local hospitals treated people of all ages.

Lebanese government officials and Hezbollah were quick to blame Israel. "After examining all the facts, available data, and information regarding the heinous attack this afternoon, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression.” The following day, hundreds of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives also exploded.

Hello from Jihad and the World – a podcast that explores the intersection of Western and Islamic cultures. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode will examine the strange case of Monica Witt – from all-American girl to a traitor for Iran. Here is an update to a podcast I made a few months ago. 

            So, an all-American girl joins the Air Force, becomes an intelligence analyst, learns Persian, and defects to Iran. It doesn’t happen often. Generally, defections go the other way, from autocracy to freedom. There are, of course, exceptions. Kim Philby and the other Cambridge spies skedaddled to Moscow when their cover was blown. A few Americans hightailed it to Cuba. But this was rare. Rarer still was defecting to Iran. Some Iranians who lived in the West for a while returned to Iran. Maybe they have very aged parents, saw business opportunities, or were seized by religious conviction. But they were not defectors.  However one was, and her name is Monica Elfriede Witt.

Witt was born in Texas, raised in Florida, served competently in the Air Force, earned an advanced degree at a top university, and then she defected. She claimed to use her intelligence background, knowledge of tradecraft, and personnel to support a higher purpose—serving the Islamic Republic of Iran. She was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to deliver national defense information to the Iranian government; prosecutors say Witt provided highly classified secrets to Iranian intelligence and helped them target operations after she defected to Tehran. She remains at large, with a $200,000 bounty from the U.S. Department of Justice.  

            So, What Happened?

            Well, she didn’t like it in the Air Force.  Years after her service and speaking on Iran's Press TV, Witt criticized a "boy's club atmosphere" and widespread sexual harassment that she claimed was systemic in the U.S. military. In June 2008, she left the Air Force and earned a degree from the University of Maryland. With her security clearance and bachelor’s degree, she was well-positioned to work for national security contractors, a role she held for several years. From November 2008 to August 2010, she worked as a Middle East Desk Officer in Virginia. She later worked for a nonprofit organization that connected Middle Eastern students with Fulbright scholarships.

She enrolled at George Washington University and partially paid her tuition through an Iraq Fulbright scholarship. You think she would be happy, but she wasn’t.  In choppy English, she published an article in the university’s International Affairs Review that was very critical of the United States.  

           She, like many other university students, was openly critical of the United States, and at first her anti-American rhetoric was indistinguishable from that of other graduate students. Many Middle East studies departments have been highly hostile to the policies of successive administrations. They are also well-financed by Middle Eastern states. But the key here is that she began to show signs of disloyalty to the United States, and these signs were noted but not reported. Something similar happened with an Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Hasan. He began to turn away from his country and embrace radical Islam. He unleashed his fury on his fellow American soldiers as they were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. On a rampage, he shot at anything that moved, killing 14 and wounding and crippling others.  

            It is vital to note that both Hasan and Witt were ostentatiously disdainful of America, and their fellow students were concerned. But they were also worried about being tarred as a bigot or Islamophobic. Referring to Monica Witt, a fellow student at George Washington, later recalled, 'There weren't warning signs in terms of 'go to authorities' warning signs.' One student recalled that “everyone just kind of sat and watched” as Witt expressed strong opposition to American foreign policy in class. No one, it seems, pushed back with even a limited defense of America. According to some accounts, Witt was haunted by what she claimed were American war crimes in the Middle East. A classmate recalled that she said she had difficulty sleeping and reconciling her participation in the war effort. Witt would mention drone strikes, extrajudicial killings, and atrocities against children, all of which she claimed her colleagues in the military would brag about. She appeared distressed by what she called ‘gross incompetence’ by her superiors. Well, they were certainly not competent enough to catch on to her. And I am very dubious about her alleged war crimes.

            The Hollywood Conferences 2012 and 2013  

            Her journey toward becoming an agent for the Iranian government took a significant step in 2012, when she attended a highly publicized conference in Tehran. Since the 1979 revolution, the Iranian regime has arranged visits for many influential intellectuals to speak at conferences, most of which are closely monitored by Iranian intelligence services. New Horizon, an organization backed by Iranian intelligence, hosts events featuring anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and far-left speakers.

            A New Woman upon Return

            After returning to the United States from the 2012 conference, Witt began wearing a hijab and often discussed her conversion to Islam. Some people found her comments on Iran troubling, viewing them as both concerning and openly supportive of the regime and its ideology. She delivered a class presentation that alarmed some students for its sympathetic tone toward the Iranian government. A fellow student recalled that Witt's paper sounded like a "love letter to Iran." The FBI also grew concerned. Several agents approached Witt and expressed concerns that Iran’s intelligence services might try to recruit her.

            She met an Iranian-American spotter and recruiter for Iranian intelligence less than seven months after the New Horizon conference, according to an indictment charging her with multiple felonies. The indictment identified a person known as Individual A, who approached her, built a relationship, and arranged her re-entry into Iran in August 2013. Once there, Witt was provided with housing and computer equipment. Her defection was complete, and Ms. Witt, who had served ten years as an Air Force intelligence specialist, was now under the operational control of Iranian security services. She disclosed classified U.S. information and researched U.S. intelligence personnel she had worked with and knew professionally and socially. This information was used to create target packages.  

            Monica Witt’s Espionage – The Grand Jury Indictment

            The grand jury indictment of Witt was unsealed during the week marking the fortieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. In the same indictment, the grand jury charged four Iranian nationals with conspiracy, attempted computer intrusion, and aggravated identity theft. And what about Monica Witt today?  I don’t know. Has she been harmed in the spring 2026 US-Israel attacks on Iran?  She may have been. But in May 2026, the FBI announced a $200,000 reward for information leading to Witt's apprehension and prosecution. Something to think about.

Eurovision Update Let’s revisit the Eurovision contest for an update. This is a good piece by a young Israeli, Yael Bar Tur. It gives a clearer picture of the voting rules and how they affected Israel’s strong performance. Each participating country — 35 this year — submits an original song, performed by a local singer or band. The real show begins when voting starts, and countries, through panels of judges and fans voting from home, unleash their lethal arsenal of soft power on one another. And unleash they do: Scandinavian countries all vote for each other, as do the Balkans. Ukraine won a landslide in 2022 amid international sympathy following Russia’s invasion.

Its artists have been snubbed by fellow performers, and countries have even dropped out of the competition altogether to protest their presence. Israeli singers reportedly rehearse to a soundtrack of boos and jeers to simulate what they’ll inevitably face onstage. But scratch the glitter, and a brighter picture emerges.

Amid all the controversy — and despite low points from judges’ panels (who wants to deal with all those mean Instagram comments?) — Israel has been reeling in record numbers of audience votes. In 2025, when judges ranked Israel’s entry 14th, the audience overwhelmingly picked it as their favorite, propelling it to the No. 2 spot overall. This year brought a similar result: The audience vote moved Israel from eighth place in the judges’ estimation to second in the final tally.

Anti-Israel critics claimed the public support was the result of a sophisticated campaign by those crafty Zionists, but voters in countries like Albania, Finland and Portugal — not exactly known for their thriving Jewish communities — each awarded Israel the majority of their points. They just love the song, “Michelle.” Iranians in the diaspora campaigned on Bettan’s behalf, and social-media viewing numbers for “Michelle” broke records.

Animal Kingdom

Let’s return to the animal kingdom I discussed in earlier videocasts and podcasts. In an earlier videocast, Kensington Security Consulting announced a competition for the best image of an Israeli super rat. Hope you will enter. The prize is a copy of my upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror. Well, today let’s turn to other animals that prowl and roar across the greater Middle East. Then there are wild boars. In 2012, wild boars in the West Bank, which the Zionists released, trashed Palestinian Arab crops and terrorized villagers. They were trained to distinguish Jews from Arabs and targeted only Arabs. Very intelligent animals. For animals of lesser intelligence, such as donkeys, sheep, and cows, Israeli intelligence attached eavesdropping and recording devices and cameras to monitor farm life in Arab villages. The Palestinian Authority did explain why Israelis have a continuing interest in Arab farm life. But there you have it.

Then there are hyenas that attack Palestinians in the Jordan Valley. They were released by the Israelis to cause terror and death. In 2016, residents of Hebron cornered one and stoned it to death. Let’s not forget the squirrels. These, like donkeys, sheep, and cows, are equipped with surveillance devices.

Well, you can draw your own conclusions, but I think these are hoaxes. Some animals can be trained for combat. Sure, there are war dogs, and I discuss them in Cauldron of Terror in the chapters on tunnel warfare. During World War Two, the Soviets used bomb-carrying dogs to crawl under Panzers and detonate themselves. The British give a Dick Award to animals who have fallen in service. Some of the stories are very moving. So I am sure that Israelis have used animals in war. You bet. But designing super-rats the size of large cats to kill Arab children? Or releasing boars to rampage through Arab villages? Until someone provides evidence, I say these are hoaxes.

            For college students, I see a few possibilities for term papers for Ms. Witt. For national security students, consider comparing and contrasting the lives and motives of Monica Witt and the Cuban spy Anna Montes, or of Witt and Nidal Hasan. Good topics! There is a lot there. Believe you me! If you don’t like that, think about a paper on the images of animals in the information warfare against Israel. Plenty of stuff out there. Send me an outline, and I will look it over. Kensington is an educational service, and I am here to help. No joke.  This videocast does not represent the official position of the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thanks for listening. Out here!

Hello from Jihad and the World. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. Today’s episode is called “Roger Waters and Medea Benjamin – Pretty in Pink.” It examines two colorful characters.

Roger Waters

“We, the ordinary people of the world, hugely outnumber the Israeli scum and the ruling Elites in the West. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters in Iran in the fight to end the occupation, oppression, and genocide in Palestine.” Roger Waters

For listeners over 50, the name Roger Waters is instantly recognizable. You likely know some of his songs by heart. Some songs were rebellious, while others were gentle. Pink Floyd blasted onto the London music scene in 1965 and stayed on the charts for over a decade. The iconic album The Wall was released in 1979. Waters, one of the group’s veterans, continues to make music and stir controversy. Like many entertainment celebrities, he is an activist. A very loud one, and his perennial hobby horse is Israel. He is certainly not alone, but his theatrical flair has drawn the attention he sought.

He appeared publicly in a Nazi uniform and performed with a giant inflatable pig bearing a Star of David on its side. The balloon also features words and symbols such as “kyke” [sic], “scum,” “follow the money,” and dollar signs. Waters is particularly incensed by the “religious supremacism” he attributes to “the Jews.” He says that “supremacy of all kinds is the key to understanding why people behave in these extremely evil ways, like the Israelis have done for the last 75 years and are continuing to do so with the support of the American empire, including my country, the United Kingdom, which is part of the American empire.” “And it’s deeply, deeply depressing to me.”

He repeatedly assures his fan base and others that, in his words, “I am not an antisemite.” But not everyone is persuaded. Polly Samson, the wife of his former Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, who has known Roger Waters for decades, is credited with texting, “Sadly, Roger Waters, you are antisemitic to your rotten core. Also a Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac.” It doesn’t help his cause that so many of his comments are captured on tape and that his cavalier insults annoy his bandmates more than he realizes.

Given all this, it surprised few that he wanted to weigh in on the joint American-Israeli attacks against Iran in 2025 and 2026. The Pink Floyd bassist texted, “March 1st, 2026, is day two of WW3. We, the ordinary people of the world, hugely outnumber the Israeli scum and the ruling Elites in the West. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters in Iran in the fight to end the occupation, oppression, and genocide of our brothers and sisters.”

This was a broadside against Israelis and Western elites, presumably Americans. He speculated that Donald Trump might have him assassinated. His contempt is not limited to Donald Trump. He loathed his predecessor. Iranian media referred to Waters as a “political expert” and quoted him on the Russian channel RT as saying, "Biden (is a) warmongering servant of the oligarchy that rules the United States of America and will continue to be so for however long he remains the president of the United States. He's not to be trusted on anything.”

On his television show, Piers Morgan unsuccessfully pressed Waters to condemn Iran. On his show, he said to the 82-year-old rocker: "(Roger) You like to stand up for one of the world's worst regimes in Iran and pretend that the only reason people there are protesting is because of the economy, and that's because of sanctions put on it by other countries, wrongly, because they don't prop up any terror groups. "So, when I look at your worldview, I don't see a guy - with all due respect, Roger - who's standing up for the voiceless and powerless. I see somebody trying to prop up terrorists and powerful dictatorships and regimes." That is what Piers said.

Medea Benjamin

There is another “pink” in this podcast beyond Pink Floyd. This is Code Pink, cofounded by Medea Benjamin. The website touts Code Pink’s involvement in many causes. These include Justice for Palestine, U.S. Out of Africa, China is Not our Enemy, Peace in Ukraine, and, for our purposes today, No War on Iran/Peace with Iran. The site requests, “Tell Congress we don’t want ANY troops sent to the Middle East, we want a complete halt in military equipment and aid to Israel, and we want peace with Iran. Over 60% of Americans want to stop arming Israel, and Americans certainly do not want to go to war with Iran. No more endless wars, we want peace!”

The website offers an “action toolkit” that is not easily accessible. But Ms. Benjamin and Code Pink call people of conscience to “Gather a group of people - reach out to your local anti-war coalition to broaden your base. Check out our basic events checklist. Gather your signs, art, chants, and other striking visuals. Review the CODEPINK Statement of Nonviolence. Take action! Host a rally, a street teach-in, a sit-in at your representative’s office, or something even more creative. Demand no war on Iran!”

As for the woman herself, Medea Benjamin has much in common with Roger Waters. She finds a kindred spirit in Waters’ focus on Israel as a central force of the world’s evil. Born Susan Benjamin in 1952 on Long Island to Jewish parents, she changed her name to that of the Greek mythological woman who killed her children to spite their father, who loved them. At Tufts University, she threw herself into left-wing activism. In the early 1980s, this trust-fund woman of privilege lived in Cuba and married the black coach of the country’s basketball team. But she was jailed and deported after rubbing Fidel’s regime the wrong way. On her return to the United States, she pursued a slew of anti-American causes.

Like Waters, Benjamin is highly theatrical. In 2024, during Israel’s war against Hamas, she appeared on video wearing striped pajamas that evoked the German concentration camps. She said, “I’m wearing these pajamas that are supposed to symbolize the concentration camp and the people in the Holocaust who died of starvation, to say people are starving right now in Gaza.” She makes similar claims about the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran today.

For those interested in her perspective on this war, please read Code Pink's webpage. For those seeking a more critical account of her advocacy, consider her profile on the Canary Mission website. For those interested in a sympathetic account of Roger Waters' politics, his videos are widely available online. Please consider watching the 37-minute film titled “The Dark Side of Roger Waters.”

This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello and welcome to Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is Mark Silinsky. In this podcast, we will look at the founder of Hamas, Sheik Yassin, and examine the current controversy over capital punishment in Israel. Both are explored in my upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World.

So who is Ahmed Yassin, and why was he important? He created and led Hamas, which is why he is important. He had a difficult but accomplished life, though his accomplishments were reviled by Israelis, which is why the IDF killed him. In some ways, he was an unconventional leader who overcame many challenges. First, he was a quadriplegic. He claimed that he was performing handstands on a beach in Gaza as a small boy when he snapped his neck. This bound him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. It also forced him to rely on his intellect, which he did. Always studious, he studied English at Cairo University and later became a popular teacher in Gaza.

He found a home in the Islamic Brotherhood, which we have discussed at length on podcasts and in Cauldron of Terror. The Brothers led a broad-based effort to return Muslims to the principles of Islam’s first generation of leaders. In the 1960s, he led the Gaza branch of the Brotherhood. At the time, Gaza was part of Egypt, which clamped down on the Brothers' recruitment and social agitation. Egypt imprisoned him for a few months in 1965, hoping he would cool down. He continued to agitate.

A few years later, Yassin's Brotherhood began to build its influence by organizing and funding schools and medical clinics, a hallmark of the Brothers. He used this to call Muslims to Islam. Then he called his associates to violence. As future Hamas leader Khaled Mashal recounts, "In 1983, we carried out our first military experience under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin; the 1983 organization sought to gather weapons to prepare groups for military training and launch the jihad project." Yassin himself has been directly tied to Hamas terrorism. Arrested in 1984, Yassin told Israeli authorities that he founded an organization intent on "fighting non-religious [Palestinian] factions in the territories and carrying out jihad operations against Israel."

 Released in a 1985 prisoner exchange, Yassin hatched a 1989 plot to kidnap and murder Israeli soldiers and negotiate the exchange of their bodies for the release of Hamas prisoners. Yassin was arrested again after the abduction and murder of Israeli soldiers and was sentenced to two life terms for his role in these killings.

Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched attempt to assassinate Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 in an effort to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks.

In a well-known March 2000 case, Palestinian security officials arrested several members of Yassin's entourage, including two bodyguards, and uncovered explosives (intended for an attack against Israel) hidden in a kindergarten in Gaza's Shati refugee camp. Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched assassination attempt on Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks.

Yassin is also directly linked to the one documented case of operational crossover between Hamas and al-Qaeda. A Hamas activist receiving religious instruction in Pakistan was recruited in February 1998 for military training in al-Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan.

So, what was he like? He is a martyr and an inspirational figure for many Palestinians and other Muslims. An Israeli security officer interrogated him for over 12 years. They met at his home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City after his arrest in May 1989 and his trial before a military court. The Israeli was struck by his saintly status, and his followers obeyed his instructions immediately and unquestioningly. For both his admirers and his enemies, Yassin cut a respectable figure.

Bottom Line:

Yassin brought Hamas from obscurity to prominence after splitting from Arafat in 1994, when the Nobel Prize-winning PLO leader accepted a two-state solution. Yassin demanded that all Israeli land be surrendered to Palestinians and ordered a wave of suicide bombings. In response, Israel decided to eliminate him. In March 2004, a drone spotted him being wheeled to prayer and targeted him with an invisible laser. Helicopters launched three Hellfire missiles, one of which hit him directly, killing him and nine others. Many Palestinians idolized him, while Israeli authorities wondered whether they had created a martyr who would inspire future generations of Palestinians. All this is discussed in Cauldron of Terror, which will be available this summer.

Capital Punishment

After October 2023, many Israelis began to view these exchanges more favorably, and some demanded the reinstatement of the death penalty. A successful push began to pass a law reestablishing the death penalty for those convicted by Israeli military and criminal courts.

The bill states its purpose, "to establish the death penalty for terrorists who carried out murderous terror attacks, as part of the fight against terrorism." It further states that "a person who intentionally causes the death of another with the aim of harming a citizen or resident of Israel, with the intent of rejecting the existence of the State of Israel, his sentence shall be death or life imprisonment, and only one of these penalties."

Predictably, the bill drew both praise and scorn. The main objection to the bill is that it is racist. Opponents argued that it was unethical, unconstitutional, and discriminatory, favoring Jewish Israelis over Palestinians. This is a no-nonsense law that mandates the death penalty in most cases. Only if the court determines that there are "special reasons" can it commute the death penalty to life in prison.

Beyond the charge of racism, many Israelis oppose the death penalty. They believe Israel is too moral for it, as many Europeans and Americans do. Israelis also remember that the first execution took the life of an innocent man. In 1948, Meir Tobianski, an army officer, was falsely accused of espionage and executed for treason. He was posthumously exonerated. The second execution occurred in 1962, when Israel executed Adolf Eichmann. Few mourned his death.

 Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the main driver behind the bill, had some fun with it. He declared that he dreamed of hanging terrorists and that he was “dying to see the bill passed.” Get it? Well, an Arab Knesset member, Ahmad Tibi, shouted that Ben Gvir needs a psychiatrist immediately, adding: ‘Usually, people wish for a better future and love with a birthday cake, but these people sanctify hatred and death.’ Israelis formed a group against the death penalty called “L’hayim – Israelis against the Death Penalty.” L’hayim means “to life.” Proponents respond that they are through with the peacenik-kibutznik efforts. After October 2013, many Israelis looked to stronger anti-terrorist measures, and capital punishment was among them.

So, when can we expect the first executions? The death penalty law won't be applied retroactively or to alleged perpetrators of the October 7 terror attacks. Opponents will throw everything they have at derailing the executions. Under the plan, the Israel Prison Service will carry out the death sentence within 90 days of sentencing. The prime minister may delay it for up to 180 days. The condemned will hang.

Here are some of my thoughts. People who oppose the death penalty period, oppose this bill, and some civil rights organizations underscore the racist elements against Palestinians. The first point makes sense to me. Most Western states oppose it for many reasons. Fair enough. But is it really racist? Is it written anywhere in the bill that Jews are exempt? Certainly, most of the terrorists are Muslim. But there are also hard-left terrorists who have been convicted. If the hangman pulls the door on a disproportionate number of Palestinians, it is because a disproportionate number of terrorist murderers are Palestinian. It makes sense to me that Palestinians would do most of the air dancing because most of the Palestinians do the killing. But I would like your opinion.

Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Director in the Gaza Strip Rafat Al-Qudra: "These rodents are genetically engineered. Clearly, they were deliberately introduced into the Gaza Strip, so that they would attack the tents of the uprooted people and attack the weak. These rodents – if I tell you they are the size of a cat… These rodents are large and attack the weak, meaning they attack children and the elderly, particularly diabetics… A woman who did not feel that a large rat -... [it] ate the toes of her foot, and she did not feel it, but only felt some wetness and was shocked to discover she had lost part of her leg… I am almost sure that this is part of the occupation's (i.e., Israel's) war against the Gaza Strip." This comes from Fatah-run Radio Mawtini, Facebook page, April 28, 2026 .Thank you very much, Radio Mawtini. Rest assured, we will share this with our diabetic listeners planning to go camping in Gaza. Be sure to keep your shoes on when you sleep.

We at Kensington have started our first contest. This is for the best graphic of an Israeli super rat. Now, if you have a verified picture of these things, you are a shoo-in for first prize. I think it is a hoax, which is why we invite you to use your imagination and AI skills. Remember, they are the size of cats, muscular, stealthy, and mean. Oh yes, they are intelligent. They only go after Palestinians. Nasty things. The winner will get a free signed copy of Cauldron of Terror

. This concludes our second videocast, and we welcome your comments. Nothing in this or any videocast or podcast represents the official position of the United States government. We value your comments, especially those about the rats. Until our next episode, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hi, Mark here from Kensington Security Consulting videocasts. This is our second videocast, titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center – Islamophobia? Really?” Today, we turn to the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, which is much in the news these days. First, let’s recap our first videocast, “Of Pigs and Men . . . and Women, too.” In that video, we briefly examined two stories about pigs in Europe. The first involved a yellow plastic pig in the front window of an Italian delicatessen. It was clearly a marketing prop, and there is no reason to believe the store owner intended to offend Muslims by displaying it. But a Muslim village elder demanded that the owner remove it, and when he refused, the case went to court.

The owner and the pig won round one. There is a standoff, as the deli’s owner refuses to chuck the swine and influential Muslims demand that he do so. Why did I mention it? This is one of the myriad points of tension in Europe over seemingly trivial issues. The pig dustup is, by itself, trivial. But it, almost humorously, illustrates the growing tensions in Europe, which, to my observation, are worsening rather than improving.

The other pig story is the claim that women are buying pigs to keep annoying Muslim men at bay. I think this is largely a hoax, which is why I mentioned it. As the story goes, European women are tired of unwanted sexual advances from Muslim men, so they harness pigs to leashes and walk them on city streets. Right. A woman will bunk near a pig in her tiny European apartment and clean up after it so she can use it as a deterrent against Muslim men? Does that make sense to you? Well, it is circulating online, and I don’t buy it. If you have inside baseball on the pigs of Paris or Rome, please let us know. But anyone who believes this is a truthful story will believe anything. But prove me wrong! OK, enough of pigs.

Now, let’s turn to today’s episode, “The Southern Poverty Law Center – Islamophobia? Really?” This week, we will examine the ongoing controversy surrounding the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC. Staying true to our goal at Jihad and the World, we will limit this podcast to Middle Eastern issues within the broader drama of the SPLC. In particular, we will focus on the SPLC’s charges and biographies of leading Middle East commentators whom the Center labeled as Islamophobic. We will look at the origins, mission statement, evolution, and the controversy in which it is currently embroiled.

What is the SPLC? The answer depends on whom you ask. By its own account, it “defends racial justice issues.” OK. Good so far, but what do they mean by racial justice issues? Their website lists quite a menu: challenging racism, strengthening democracy and voting rights; dismantling white supremacy, ending unjust imprisonment, and eliminating poverty and economic inequality. Hmmm, that is an exhaustive mission statement. Tackling multiple wicked problems. Certainly ambitious. I’m still confused, but I would like to limit this videocast to Middle Eastern and Islamic issues.

But first, what is the current lawsuit about? The Department of Justice was indicted in April 2026 on charges of fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said the group misled donors by using their money to pay informants who served as leaders in the very hate groups the organization was founded to fight. Why would they do that? The SPLC responded that it paid informants just as the FBI or the military does. Justice says that this explanation is nonsense. The payments were part of a vast fraud that funded high-profile organizations to inflate their importance and lethality. These groups included the Ku Klux Klan, which is nationally notorious. But funding the Klan? Is this serious? Yes. Because the SPLC needed a cause – a great big one – to solicit mega donations. Well, it worked. The SPLC has an endowment of nearly $1 billion, some of which is held offshore.

So, where does the Center stand on these issues? It has the Intelligence Project Dispatch. Let’s look at it. “The Southern Poverty Law Center works to dismantle white supremacy in public forums and online, exposes hate and anti-democratic extremism, and counters disinformation and conspiracy theories with research and community resources.” The Intelligence Project monitors and exposes white supremacy, anti-immigrant activity, and anti-Muslim activity, as well as their impact on communities.

OK. That’s still awfully broad. What counts as anti-Muslim activity? Certainly, harassing or harming Muslims because they are Muslims is an anti-Muslim activity. OK. But what about drawing cartoons of Mohammed? What about displaying the yellow pig of Padua? Are these anti-Muslim activities? We don't know because the SPLC does not define anti-Muslim activity.

Now let’s turn to an article the SPLC published in 2011. “A decade after 9/11, anti-Muslim hatred is on the rise again. This time, a cadre of activists and officials is largely responsible.” OK, and what are those groups, and who are these people? Over the years, the SPLC has listed seven key Islamophobes. They are Robert Spencer, Brigitte Gabriel, Frank Gaffney, David Horowitz, David Yerushalmi, Daniel Pipes, and Steve Emerson. I would like to investigate the charges against a few of them to see whether they are, in the SPLC’s damning words, Islamophobes.

Daniel Pipes

Let's start with Daniel Pipes. Who is he? I have a very different take from the SPLC. The SPLC asserts that “Pipes has spent the better part of three decades actively promoting anti-Muslim rhetoric. His anti-Muslim bigotry has not waned. In an August 2017 interview, Pipes, founder and president of the think tank Middle East Forum, called Islam “an imperialist faith” and claimed that “Muslim immigrants want to replace existing European civilization with Islam.” In another interview last month, he lamented that Islam will soon “replace” Western civilization because of “unfettered immigration and blind multiculturalism.” Let's examine these charges in greater detail.Let us assume that the SPLC . But the implicit charge is that these comments are bigoted and false. Is calling Islam an imperialist faith bigoted? What was the Ottoman Empire if not an empire? Why did the Ottomans call it an empire? Wasn’t it Muslim? That empire is defunct, but have all imperialist elements been purged from Islam? Yes? Has this been reflected in the fatwas from Al Ahzar University? I haven’t seen this. Have you? Where is the bigotry?

Regarding Muslim immigrants who want to replace existing European civilization with Islam, I do not see any bigotry in this observation. Do all Muslims want to impose Sharia law on Europeans? No. But if many do, and I think many do, where is the bigotry?

The SPLC claimed that “Pipes was among the first to peddle the unsubstantiated myth that 80 percent of American mosques are controlled by extremists. Despite being debunked on several occasions, the 80 percent figure is still promoted within anti-Muslim circles and publications.” OK. If that figure is debunked, what is the number, SPLC? Do you share Dr. Pipes’s definition of extremist? What are your sources?

The SPLC also chides Dr. Pipes for popularizing the term “no-go zones” in Europe. He used the term in 2006 to describe Muslim-only zones in France and later regretted it. Fair enough, but that was 20 years ago. Demographics have changed. Have Muslim areas in Europe become safer for police and Europeans, or less safe? Can a Jew dress as a Jew and feel safe in large cities? Off the record, many police officers in various European cities have referred to parts of those cities as no-go zones. Some avoid the term for fear of being labeled an Islamophobe. What would the SPLC call these zones? Is it Islamophobic to even mention them?

Finally, I want to address one charge that Dr. Pipes responded to in 2016. The SPLC’s Heidi Beirich, a contributor to its Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists, wrote that “the call for a ban on any religious dress is indeed extreme, regardless of the religious institution. Daniel Pipes, another extremist on this list, has also called for a similar ban. These calls are contrary to religious freedom.”

In fact, Dr. Pipes wrote that niqabs and burqas should be banned because they hide the face, obscuring identification. Pipes wrote, “Had you bothered to consult my blog on this subject, with over a hundred incidents where these articles of clothing have been used to facilitate criminality, political violence, and jihad, you would understand the problem.” That makes sense to me. What about you? In my view, Daniel Pipes is as well informed as any commentator on militant Islam alive today. I thoroughly endorse his products.

Another SPLC target is Brigitte Gabriel, founder and head of ACT! for America and the American Council for Truth. The SPLC uses Gabriel’s words to condemn her. She said, “America has been infiltrated on all levels by radicals who wish to harm America. They have infiltrated us at the C.I.A., at the F.B.I., at the Pentagon, at the State Department.” Well, that is quite a charge. Let’s focus on the Pentagon. Military personnel committed mass murder at Fort Hood, including Nidal Hasan, and Mark Fidel Cools, who murdered American soldiers. I would be curious to know her sources for the claims of infiltration, but I do not see it as bigotry. I would like to learn more.

Then there is Robert Spencer, who runs the Jihad Watch website. The SPLC derides him as, in their words, “entirely self-taught in the Koran.” Not true. He has an advanced degree in religion, and the fact that he doesn’t hold a Ph.D. from Columbia or Georgetown in Middle East studies is, in my view, not a slur. The SPLC condemns him for his associations. In their words, “Spencer has been known to fraternize with European racists and neo-fascists, though he says such contacts were merely incidental.” And who were these racists and neo-fascists? What is their definition of a neo-fascist?

I could continue with other charges and other SPLC targets. But I think I made my case. In my view, many of these charges were reckless and unsubstantiated. They are smears, and these charges can sting. Reputational destruction has led to blacklisting, just as it did in the 1940s and 1950s. There could be a whole podcast, or several, about victims of the SPLC. Some have lost clients, and some have been demonetized online. So, I am excited that the SPLC’s activities will be fully investigated. As information emerges, we will share it with you. If you have opinions on the SPLC, please share them with us.

On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening to our second videocast. Nothing in this videocast, or in any other videocast or podcast, represents the official position of the United States government. My latest book, Cauldron of Terror, Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in summer 2026. Until our next podcast, goodbye, and thank you for listening

Hello from Jihad and the World, a product of Kensington Security Consulting. We will look at the Hamas-Israel war, the subject of our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World. Let’s begin by examining and updating the profile of Vlada Patapov, known to the world as the “Lady in Red.” Who is she? You may have seen her on television or social media, running for her life across the desert plain at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. Her panicked, desperate look quickly circulated around the world. Her red shawl became instantly iconic, earning her a moniker.

The twenty-something Vlada darted to safety, unlike more than 393 revelers who were pursued by Hamas gunmen and shot dead, some begging for their lives. Hamas gunmen stormed the Nova music festival, killing and taking 40 people hostage. Much of her story is unique, but much of it is common among survivors of that day. First came shock, then awareness, then a response to the attack. Nova’s attendees were in shock because they couldn’t make sense of what was happening. They saw paragliders approaching but didn’t realize they were Hamas operatives. Then came the pop, pop, pop, and the screams. That was when awareness gripped them. They were under attack, and the enemy was killing anything that moved. The party was over, and the response came quickly. Run, hide, plead, or fight if you can.

OK. Let’s set the stage for the attack. The attack on Nova was last-minute. Hamas likely had no prior knowledge of the Nova Festival, as it was initially scheduled for October 6th. The Nova music festival, or Supernova Sukkot Gathering, was an open-air trance music festival held in the Re’im area in Israel’s western Negev desert. Many Supernova attendees who paid $100 per ticket were tickled about the warmth, sounds, and friendship they anticipated. “Nova is like a family,” says a 26-year-old Tel Aviv bartender. “I bartend at many festivals, and Nova is different. People had been preparing for this party for weeks. Everyone knows each other. It was like magic.”

This was to be a party of electronic dance music, which has flourished in Israel since the late Eighties. Festivals and packed crowds are the norm, thanks to a temperate climate and a shared desire to chill out. “There’s no DJ in the world who doesn’t like to come to Tel Aviv — the great people, the great weather. You can party more than in any other city in the world.”

Does this sound a little like Woodstock 1969? There was likely little electronic music at Woodstock, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash did not perform at Nova. At Nova, partiers are fans of psychedelic trance, or psytrance, the intense, celestial dance-music subgenre. A veteran British DJ explained, “The music is based on a philosophy of life. It’s Woodstock with electronic music. It’s that kind of mentality: a hippie culture, but the music is different. These are the sweetest people. They would never harm anybody.”

Ukrainian-born Vlada was among the partygoers. This Ashdod-based wedding planner and mother of one decided at the last minute to attend the festival in southern Israel with her partner, Matan, and a friend, Mai. They came, danced, and sang, and then the killing began. The “sweetest people, who would never harm anyone,” were randomly raped, shot, and mutilated. More than 100 were abducted. We detail the party massacre in Cauldron of Terror, so we won’t go into detail here.

As for Vlada, she was separated from her friends and watched helplessly as people were hunted down and killed. 'So Mai and I started running again, and that's when you see me in the video get into the car of my angel, a man called Yosef Ben Avu. He stopped and told us to get in, and we did, all the while shooting was going on.' There were eight of us in the car. It was a Kia Picanto, and we were all on top of each other. I called Matan and told him I was OK, and he said he had been picked up as well and was safe.” Vlada and Mai eventually made it to the safety of an army base at Tze'elim, while Matan went to one 20 minutes away at Orim. She said: 'The whole thing had lasted three hours, but it went by so quickly. The longest part was waiting at the base before I could be picked up and go home and see my daughter Romi, and I gave her the biggest hug ever.'

During the attack, her primary concern was staying alive for Romi. “She will be four soon, and for a quarter of her life she has known only war. When Romi hears the sirens, she is so scared that she starts crying,” Patapov explained.

"If I had one wish, it would be to have told everyone at the festival one hour before Hamas attacked that something was going to happen, so everyone could have gotten away. I've been in therapy and counseling, like many of the others who were there, and I find that speaking to people helps me cope with what happened that day. If I had one wish, it would be to have told everyone at the festival one hour before Hamas attacked that something was going to happen, so everyone could have gotten away.' I survived, but others weren't so fortunate. I think about that. It weighs on my mind. I am still traumatized by what happened a year later. I've been receiving therapy and counseling, like many of the others who were there, and I find that speaking with people helps me cope with what happened that day."

She is battling PTSD and survivor's guilt. For over a year, she agonized over the hostages. “But it's the hostages who are still there that I feel for the most, and their families as well, the little babies still there a year later. Who would have thought we would still be in this situation a year later?” All the hostages would be returned, alive or dead. But the PTSD? That certainly remains a recurring theme in this podcast series and the upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror.

Thank you for listening to this podcast, Jihad and the World, hosted on our Cauldron of Terror channel. Nothing in this podcast or any Kensington podcast reflects the official position of the United States government. Thank you for listening. Until our next podcast, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello from Jihad and the World, presented by Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we will discuss the general friction between Italy’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities and Rome’s policy towards Hamas.

Until the American-Israeli war on Iran, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had positioned Italy as one of the more pro-American European states and less hostile to Israel than most. Immediately after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, she expressed sympathy for the Israeli victims. She then vacillated and called for a de-escalation of hostilities. She feared a heavy-handed Israeli response in Gaza would engulf the Middle East in a broader war.

She said, "Although our starting points are far apart, our interests overlap perfectly: that what is happening in Gaza does not become a much wider conflict, a religious war, a clash of civilizations." She, along with France and Germany, called on the European Union to impose ad hoc sanctions against Hamas and its supporters. In her words, "The swift adoption of this sanctions regime will enable us to send a strong political message about the European Union's commitment against Hamas and our solidarity with Israel." Her tone towards Israel gradually became less supportive.

Meloni faced pressure from a pro-Hamas, left-wing Muslim political coalition in Italy that organized pro-Hamas protests across the country. Hamas’s ties to left-wing parties were revealed in a series of investigations in 2025. They coordinated and promoted anti-Israel riots and harassment of Jews. In December 2025, Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization.”

There is no clear line between attacks on Israel and anti-Semitic harassment. For a recent example, let’s go back to 1944. Italy had switched its allegiance. Mussolini was out of the picture, and Italy was now fighting with the Allies. One Allied unit that fought enthusiastically was the 5,000-man Jewish Brigade. They were pitted against the Germans and fought ferociously. In April 2026, Italian leaders invited descendants of that Brigade to participate in the Milan Liberation Day march, which celebrated the expulsion of German forces from Italy.

This was not new. The children and now grandchildren of the Brigade marched proudly, hoisting placards bearing the Star of David. But in 2026, things were different. Thousands of Italians from the far-left pro-Hamas coalition descended on the Brigade’s marchers, blocked their path, and began hurling curses and insults, including:

“Zionists out of Milan”

“Long live Hitler.”

“You’re lucky you’re not soap bars”

Police required the Brigade marchers to leave the parade and disband. The stated reason was that their presence posed a menace to public safety. Emanuele Fiano, a Jewish former Italian MP, said bluntly: “We were kicked out. I can’t describe it any other way.” For Emanuele Fiano, an Italian politician and former president of the Jewish Community of Milan, this was his 50th march; his first had been with his father, carrying signs about the concentration camps.

This is one example among many that underscores tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in Italy and across the continent. Muslims have become a strong political bloc, and Italian authorities have grown increasingly sensitive to issues that offend Muslims. Pork is one such issue. Some of the tensions appear almost comical, but they add up to create an undercurrent of social friction.

For example, in Padua, Muslim leaders demanded that a plastic pig displayed in a delicatessen’s window be removed. “A Muslim elder declared that the presence of a pig was inappropriate.” The deli’s proprietor responded that the offending swine promoted his pork sandwiches. The pig is yellow, stationary, and clearly a facsimile of a real pig. It could not be mistaken for a living pig. While many Muslims declared that the pig was, in their words, “in poor taste,” the deli owner has stood his ground and said it will stay where it is. As for the courts, they have ruled that there is no legal basis for defenestrating the pig. As of this writing, the standoff continues.

On a related note, there are reports of young Italian women strolling with leashed pet pigs. What gives? Muslims traditionally consider pigs unclean, so these women believe walking with a pig keeps away predatory male attention. Videos flooded social media, showing women confidently walking their pigs down the street—some even dressed them in pink bows.

But some investigators have dismissed stories about leashed pigs in Muslim areas of European cities, particularly in France, as fake news. A reporter from MSN followed a woman walking a pig in Paris, but she could not confirm any connection to Islam. The reporter speculated that these pig tales were hoaxes by Europeans who disliked Muslims. These false claims were barbs of soft aggression meant to stir resentment against Muslims. The only confirmed strolling pet pigs in Italy were Dior the Piglet and Hansel the Lamb, which is an odd name for a pig. Real or not, funny or not, the angst over pigs is another example of cultural friction in Europe today.

What to do about these cultural tensions? In October 2025, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed a series of nationwide laws to address the immigration challenge. She looked to municipal regulations in Italy as models for broader laws.

First, the Islamic face covering would be banned. Under the draft legislation, individuals found violating the ban could face fines ranging from €300 to €3,000. This is proposed for security reasons. Criminals hide behind face masks, and clever lawbreakers could pose as burka-clad women. Second, coerced marriages would be banned. Italian leaders announced that they would protect women, particularly girls, from being forced to marry men they were not attracted to. Third, radical clerics could be expelled more easily. In October 2024, Italian authorities expelled a Pakistani imam, Zulfiqar Khan, who had publicly endorsed Hamas and disseminated hateful rhetoric. Fourth, there have been municipal bans on prayer gatherings. Some leaders view these gatherings as an expression of collective political power and as an obstruction to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

A fifth and challenging suggestion is to promote European beachwear as Muslim swimming attire, particularly the burkini. Melonia called fully draped women swimmers. She characterized clothed swimming as an unacceptable form of “Islamisation”, threatening community standards. Related to this is the sixth plan, which involves canceling women-only pool events. A privately organized pool party for Muslim women in Limbiate was canceled in July 2023 after a politician labeled the event a “female segregation party.” The cancellation reflected a national concern that Islamic migration is increasing male-female segregation after much progress has been made in breaking down sex barriers.

The seventh plan is to restrict mosque expansion. Authorities in cities throughout Italy are concerned about large and small mosques mushrooming throughout the country. This bill would restrict the conversion of garages and warehouses into mosques. Will all of these proposals be turned into law, and will they be enforced? This is the subject of future podcasts.

Perhaps the most alarming concern is violence and its place in Muslim-non-Muslim relations in Europe. Some recent killings illustrate the difficulty of determining how much of this violence is connected to religion. One example concerns a North African migrant who decapitated a homeless woman in Florence. This may have nothing to do with Islam. Italian police described the suspect as a “young man from North Africa and known to suffer from mental health problems,” and said the pair were seeing each other and shared a makeshift shelter in the area. What were his motives? We don’t know, despite having read several articles. By all accounts, he was a drug-addled, homeless criminal. His motives may have had nothing to do with his religion. However, the police's statements do not address this issue.

Robert Spencer, a critic of Islam, opined that the claim of mental illness would “be significantly more credible if it weren’t the fallback excuse that European authorities so frequently use for jihad activity. They do not admit the existence of Islamic jihad, and many have decided to classify jihadis as mentally ill. This does not, however, make the global jihad disappear.”

This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Hamas’ connection to Europe is explored in greater detail in our forthcoming Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, available for purchase in summer 2026. Nothing in this or any of our podcasts reflects the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, thank you for listening, and goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello from Jihad and the World. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. Today’s episode is called “Who is Joe Kent and Why is He so Angry at President Trump? It examines the controversy surrounding the resignation of a leading intelligence official.

Joe Kent, former director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC), was an impressive, multi-tour soldier. Years ago, this former Green Beret and aspiring Republican candidate caught the attention of leaders in the re-elected Trump administration. His efforts to win a seat in the House of Representatives were unsuccessful. However, Republican leaders liked what they saw in his Special Forces combat service and his hard-fought participation in 11 combat missions, mostly in Iraq. After retiring from 20 years of Army service, Kent became a paramilitary officer with the CIA and served as a counterterrorism adviser to Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. He appeared regularly on TV shows and podcasts to promote Republican candidates.

With his stellar record, he was nominated and confirmed to lead the NCTC, an agency responsible for analyzing terrorist threats. His movie-star looks certainly didn't hurt. But from the start, all was not well. Even before he took office, political operatives revealed uncomfortable ties to people and groups many Americans consider extreme and unsavory. Some ties were exposed by opposition research teams during Kent’s Congressional aspirations. Others surfaced during Kent’s confirmation hearings. According to the Associated Press, Kent acknowledged that during one of his two failed congressional campaigns, he consulted Nick Fuentes, who proclaimed that “Hitler was awesome, Hitler was right.”

During his 2022 House campaign, Kent employed Graham Jorgensen, a member of the Proud Boys, as a consultant. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer. However, Kent claimed that these ties were tenuous and did not shape his view of the world or America’s role in international relations. He was also prone to impulsive and impractical comments. He called for defunding the FBI and impeaching President Biden. But the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, liked him; others, a bit more cynical, were assuaged by his retractions of those early hot-headed comments.

But he was not a good fit for the NCTC, and he felt morally compelled to resign as its director. This shocked many at the Center, though others were not entirely surprised. So, what happened? Why didn’t it work out?

Reason One – The American-Israeli attack on Iran was unethical, unnecessary, and unexpected. By his account, Kent resigned because he could not morally support the president's decision to attack Iran. He argued that Iran posed, in his words, no imminent threat to the United States. This was an extremely significant charge. Under international law, military attacks are only allowed if the threat is imminent or self-defense is required. Kent argued that this was not the case.

Reason Two – Opposition to the “America First” policy of keeping out of long, non-essential wars. He believed the war in Iran contradicted these principles and marked a return to an era in which neo-conservatives, Republican interventionists, controlled policy-making.

Reason Three - This was a war for Israel and not the United States. He claimed that the hidden hands of a pro-Israel lobby controlled the White House. Kent argued that the US was pushed into conflict and that public perception was manipulated by Zionists. T

Reason Four - This reason was driven by the earlier three reasons. He felt he could not participate in an immoral activity. He stated, “I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran.” He continued that many others in the Intelligence Community agreed with him but were cowed into silence.

Reason Five - Kent also suggested that intelligence narratives were manipulated. By whom? If he was clear, we are unaware of it. He did say that the decision to attack the nuclear sites was driven by intentionally manipulated intelligence claims.

So, Kent claimed that these were the five basic reasons he left government service. We at Kensington Security Consulting will take him at his word that these stated motives were his actual motives. But they raise some questions for us.

First, from what we can tell, he was adamant that there was no “imminent threat.” He made this claim to Tucker Carlson soon after he resigned. But exactly what did he mean? Did the threat have to be both existential and near-immediate to be imminent? If the intent and ability to craft nuclear warheads were revealed, would that constitute an imminent threat? Would the only acceptable definition of “imminent threat” be the certainty that nuclear weapons would be detonated against the United States within several hours? We are disappointed that his use of the word “imminent” was not clearer. The White House claimed that Iran was very close – weeks, maybe months – to achieving a nuclear weapons capability. Perhaps reasonable people could debate whether this was imminent. However, many observers of nuclear proliferation note that no country enriches uranium to 60% for peaceful use. And once enrichment reaches that level, the remaining step to weapons-grade is short. Some might claim imminent.

Also, Kent claimed that Ayatollah Khamenei issued a religious edict, or fatwa, against nuclear weapons. Perhaps. But many spurious fatwas have been used to beguile credulous Westerners. Further, there is the Islamic practice of takiya, the use of falsehoods to disguise actual intentions. It is hard to believe that the director of the NCTC would be unaware of this.

Kent bewailed President Trump’s drift away from isolationism to fight, in his judgment, Israel’s war. He referred to a malignant, hidden control that forced his hand in deciding to go to war. However, he did not explain why seven successive U.S. presidents assured the electorate that, under no circumstances, would they allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. Further, many people were not convinced that the Israeli Prime Minister or anyone else had the ability to force Donald Trump into war. Many Americans see Donald Trump as fiercely independent. As with his claim of lack of imminence, Kent does not explain exactly how Israel or a domestic cabal in the United States forced the president’s hand.

He accused Israel of dragging the United States into war with Iraq, a war that tragically took his wife’s life. But what evidence has he offered to support the claim of Israeli control? By most accounts, Israeli leadership warned that Iran — not Iraq — posed the far greater threat to both the U.S. and Israel. Colin Powell’s United Nations presentation relied on Western intelligence, not Israeli sources. Ariel Sharon called the war against Iraq “the wrong war,” and he was not alone in that assessment. Many Israeli leaders agreed, both publicly and privately.

Kent also seems dangerously naïve about his assessment of Ali Larinjani, Iran’s leading security official, who was killed by Israel in March 2026. He referred to Larinjani as moderate. Moderate? Really? Compared to whom? When did Larinjani break with the orthodoxy of the Islamic Republic? So, what is to make of Kent and his resignation? We at Kensington are confused. Finally, if he was convinced that President Trump was under the operational control of Israel or its agents, why wouldn’t he stay in his position and inform Donald Trump that he had been captured? Why wouldn’t he show evidence of the plot? We have our ideas. But we would like to hear yours.

This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello from Jihad and the World, a product of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is our first weekly videocast, in which we update the issues discussed in earlier podcasts. We would like to discuss issues that are important to you, and we always welcome your comments and suggestions.

Of Pigs and Men . . . and Women, too

We had an interest in a quick comment we made on a podcast we recorded for Jihad and the World – titled Italy, Muslims, and Hamas. In particular, we referenced a dust-up involving a plastic pig in a delicatessen window in Padua, Italy. The podcast explored the growing tensions between the Muslim and non-Muslim populations in Italy. So, what is with the pig? Well, that is the story.

In Padua, Muslim leaders demanded that a plastic pig displayed in a delicatessen’s window be removed. “A Muslim elder declared that the presence of a pig was inappropriate.” Muslims do not like pigs, and certainly most would not knowingly eat one. But nobody connected with the pig is forcing any Muslim to eat pork. The offending swine was a well-worn ad for their pork sandwiches.

Also, this is important. It is clearly a plastic pig, as you can see. It is yellow and stationary, and clearly a facsimile of a real pig. It could not be mistaken for a living pig. While many Muslims declared that the pig was, in their words, “in poor taste,” the deli owner has stood his ground and said it will stay where it is. As for the courts, they have ruled that there is no legal basis for defenestrating the pig. As of this writing, the standoff continues. This individual incident may sound trivial and somewhat silly. However, it is an example of the many daily frictions between Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

So, there are two camps on this issue. One side demands that contemporary Italian culture and law accommodate the burgeoning Islamic communities mushrooming across the country. Pigs are haram and deeply offensive to Muslims, so why not just remove them to harmonize relations?

The other camps cry that pork is central to Italy’s rich culinary heritage. Nobody is forced to eat salami. If Muslims do not like seeing the plastic pig, they can walk across the street or shield their eyes as they approach the window. Why should one culture arbitrate taste for another? Many people like pigs. I have an English friend whose mother collected small porcine statuary. She had porcelain pigs all over her home. I thought they were cute. Also, the investigative journalist covering the story noted that the deli employs Muslim staff, some of whom have publicly defended the display. So, there are likely to be many Italian Muslims who are bothered at all by pig graphics or statuary.

Robert Spencer, an American journalist, had some fun with the story. He headlined, “First They Came for the Plastic Pigs, but I Was Not a Plastic Pig, so I Said Nothing,” a comedic spin on Martin Niemöller’s very serious quip about the Nazis. He points to the myriad ads of pigs in chefs’ hats that dot American highways, luring travelers to ham sandwiches. Should they be banned? 

On a related note, there are reports of young Italian women strolling with leashed pet pigs. What gives? Muslims traditionally consider pigs unclean, so these women believe that walking with a pig keeps predatory male attention at bay. Videos flooded social media, showing women confidently walking their pigs down the street—some even dressed them in pink bows, the kind small girls would wear.

But some investigators have dismissed stories about leashed pigs in Muslim areas of European cities, particularly in France, as fake news. A reporter from MSN followed a woman walking a pig in Paris, but she could not confirm any link to Islam. The reporter speculated that these pig tales were hoaxes by Europeans who disliked Muslims. These false claims were barbs of soft aggression meant to stir resentment against Muslims.

The only confirmed strolling pet pigs in Italy were Dior the Piglet and Hansel the Lamb, which is an odd name for a pig. I think this is probably a hoax. Why would a woman feed, house, and put up with a pig just to keep certain men from approaching her? My guess is that these eccentric women have an unconventional affection for pigs and issues with men. They are likely pranksters who enjoy playing tricks on gullible people. Whether real or not, funny or not, the angst over pigs is another example of cultural friction in Europe today.

Brother Tarik

Let’s turn to another issue that came up on the Jihad and the World podcast, the jailing of Tarik Ramadan. If you didn’t see our podcast about Ramadan, let me give you the backstory. Tarik Ramadan burst onto the European intellectual scene some 30 years ago. He was the wunderkind of academic and Muslim circles and was cast as the progressive Muslim scholar who could bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims on the continent. He was Swiss-born and educated and came from an Islamist pedigree. His grandfather founded the Muslim Brotherhood. With his polished French-accented English and insights into Western societies, the photogenic young man was a regular fixture at discussions and debates about Islam and Europe.

By middle age, he had traversed the European academic world, teaching courses on Islamic philosophy and, in his words, emphasizing the points of intersection among Islam, Christianity, and secular European states. Some critics saw something else. They saw double-dealing and sweet-sounding babble masking a deeply radical Islamic ambition and agenda. This caused him some problems, but not many. In fact, it boosted his image in Washington’s and London’s salons.

But then came charges of rape. A blizzard of charges began in 2017. A 45-year-old disabled French convert accused him of rape. Then came four Swiss women. In November 2017, Oxford asked him to leave. When he went to France, he was arrested on rape charges. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. To boot, he has multiple sclerosis, so his stay in a French prison will likely be agonizing. What to make of all this?

            Well, this was the worst possible timing for Ramanda. It coincided with the height of the MeToo movement, when many women were very vocal in their accusations. He faced the same scrutiny and fate as Oscar Wilde. Wilde had an impressive, very literary following. But when the charges and scandal hit, they abandoned him, and Wilde died in genteel poverty in Paris, pathetically alone. Epstein, Maxwell, and others suffered the same fate. Years after his death, Wilde was rediscovered and rehabilitated. But his satire was timeless. It may be that someone will rediscover Ramanda’s writings and find gravitas in them. I doubt it. His message is now worn and unpersuasive. In any case, he will have years to philosophize and reflect on how he treated women who look to him for spiritual guidance.

Medea Benjamin

The final issue is a call to boycott. In this case, the call comes from veteran activist Medea Benjamin. We discussed her on a podcast called Pretty in Pink – Roger Waters and Medea Benjamin. Waters is with Pink Floyd, and Benjamin is with Code Pink. They share a hatred of Israel. She urges Americans to boycott stores that sell Israeli products. Last week, Code Pink sent a circular, “As the Israeli genocide continues to devastate Gaza and the broader Middle East, companies like Trader Joe’s must take a stand. By stocking Israeli products, Trader Joe’s supports a system that perpetuates suffering. Now is the time to act.”

In response, the Zionist Organization of America advises, “Today, go to Trader Joe’s and buy Israeli products to counteract the Trader Joe’s boycott of Israeli products, organized by a group called CODEPINK. If you can’t go in person, contact Trader Joe’s Customer Relations. Let them know how much you appreciate being able to buy products made in Israel.”So, those are your options – boycott or buycott. Our local Trader Joe’s was out of Israeli feta cheese. And that’s too bad. I really wanted some.

This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.