TRNS Liveblog: The Homeland Security Committee's Muslim Radicalization Hearing

1:43: Green continues to raise his KKK argument.

1:34 Rep. Duncan Hunter calls for more committee’s to follow the Homeland Security and investigate the American Muslim community.

1:28: Rep. Green just summarized his opinion on the hearing: “It may be right, but it doesn’t look right.”

1:25: Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) appeared before the committee as well, despite not being a member. He is arguing that the KKK should be examined as well since they have Christian leanings.

1:15: Despite not being a member of the Committee, Rep. Andre Carson, one of two Muslim members of Congress, was permitted to sit on the panel.

1:12: Jasser says many ideas about Islamic modernization are considered “heretical.”

12:59: Jasser asked “what is the Muslim community afraid of?”

He responds that “change is hard,” explaining that many Muslims have not been raised with western outlooks. Says that he and his family have faced intense pressure over his views.

12:49 Baca: If the FBI has specific evidence, that CAIR is acting illegally,then they should be prosecuted.

12:42:  Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) says that the hearings are grossly incomplete without the representation of the Department of Homeland Security.

She then asked Dr. Jasser if he is qualified to testify before the committee, explaining that just because she may be a Catholic, doesn’t mean she should we weighing in on the church’s sex scandals.

Jasser says he hears similar questions from Islamic theocrats.

12:25: Baca claims many Muslims don’t know what the Koran is about, adding that he would advise Muslims to “get smarter about your own faith,” primarily the segments of the Koran that preach acceptance.

12:23: Bledsoe says detecting extremism is hard since it’s a relatively new phenomenon. He adds that he hopes his testimony will influence parents’ to keep a closer watch.

12:18: Baca: I have not seen any evidence that CAIR supports terrorism in Southern California.

12:16: Baca says CAIR supports his  Muslim outreach program, and says that the group’s reputation may have been harmed by the fact that it has diverse chapters underneath its banner.

12:09 Broun: I don’t know any islamaphobic Republicans.

12:08: Rep. Paul Broun, who advocated profiling, is stressing that the enemy is not Islam, but Islamists.

11:43: There was a second single burst of applause during Jackson Lee’s statement.

11:41: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is now making a string of heated remarks.

“It has already been tainted, this hearing,” Sheila Jackson Lee. says “It has already been demonized.”

She adds that the hearing is “playing into al Qaida” and the Constitution is in pain.” Now talking over Chairman King. She adds that she “yields back” after her time has been cut off.

11:32: Sheila Jackson Lee’s (D-Texas) office has sent out a statement to reporters after Committee members were told they would not be allowed to give opening statements.

Rep. Jackson Lee says, “Rather than targeting Muslims and other minority groups on the basis of stereotypes, the government should make greater use of empirical and verifiable evidence and technology to distinguish the innocent from known or suspected terrorists included on the terrorist watch list.”

11:22: Rep. Sanchez (D-Calif.) notes that certain Muslim groups accused of telling American Muslims not go to  cooperate with authorities are actually instructing their members to not speak with authorities without the presence of an attorney.

Jasser says that American Muslims should be mindful of their civil liberties, but still says warnings from groups spur distrust.

11:18: Abdiriziak Bihi says that some in his community intimidated him when there was a possibility he would report his son’s overseas actions to American authorities.

11:14: Thompson, seeming to reference Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) again, is asking the panel if they support suggestions that the U.S. should profile all Muslims. During Secretary Janet Napolitano’s appearance last month, Broun said that the administration needs to begin “profiling” people. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) says that no Republican on the Committee thinks all Muslim should be profiled or other extreme views.

Not surprisingly, nobody on the panel said they would support massive profiling.

11:10: King jokes that this hearing was criticized by everybody, including Kim Kardashian.

11:05: King’s first question is whether anecdotes the Committee heard accurately represent a larger threat.

11:04: The question round has begun.

11:01: Baca says the Muslim community he has jurisdiction over has been cooperative, says that his Department has reached out to them.

10:59: Sheriff LeRoy Baca is testifying now. Joining the chorus for expanding the scope of the hearings to include all extremists. He points to 77 domestic terror plots carried out by non-Muslim Americans. 

10:54: Applause from a single individual broke out during Abdirizak Bihi’s testimony. Surprisingly, that’s been the only outburst so far. It’s worth noting that Code Pink was seen outside of the Committee room before it opened, but it doesn’t appear that they were able to get in.

10:47: Bledsoe: “Our children are in danger.”

10:45: Bledsoe continuing his testimony, says his son was roped into a school that was a front for a terrorist training center. Says his final shift towards extremism took place in a Yemeni prison, where he was urged by fellow inmates to take revenge on America.

10:40: Melvin Bledsoe is testifying now. Pictures of his son as a young teen are being displayed above the Committee, one of him in a basketball uniform and another that looks like a yearbook photo. Bledsoe says that an indicator of his son’s shift towards radicalism was his rejection of Martin Luther King, Jr, who he once had a picture of on his wall. He adds that his son was essentially brainwashed over a period of time.

10:30: Dr. Jasser-The Muslim community needs an “ideological offensive” to counter violent extremism.

10:28: We have completed the first panel of witnesses. Panel II is coming in now. It includes M. Zudhi Jasser, MD from the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Mr. Abdirizak Bihi of the Somali Education and Social Advocacy Center, Sherrif Leroy Baca from the LA Sherrif’s Department and Melvin Bledsoe, the father of Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a Little Rock based Jihadist.

10:28: Wolf quoted Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer” at the end of his statement.

10:25: Wolf says CAIR is “counterproductive” and “hurting the American Muslim Community.” Says he is proposing legislation to create a group known as “Team B” to focus on homegrown extremism.

10:22: Wolf is lamenting CAIR’s influence in American society, primarily how they respond to their critics. Says “Islamaphobe” is CAIR’s favorite “slur.”

10:19: Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) is listing those from his state who turned to Islamic extremism.

10:13: Rep. Ellison has broken down in tears while recounting a Muslim rescue worker who lost his life responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, only to have his character slandered.

10:09: Ellison is suggesting authorities try “social inclusion” and “civil engagement” to detect extremism. 

10:06: House Minority Whip Hoyer has weighed in on the hearings. He sent out a statement that reads: “I believe it sends the wrong message to the Muslim-American community. We need them to work with law enforcement to identify terrorist threats, not be afraid of them.”

10:03: Ellison points out that Congress didn’t focus on the ethnic background or religious ideology of the Holocaust shooter or Dr. Tiller’s murderer.

10:00: Rep. Ellison is up now. He’s noted that extremism is a legitimate concern, but added “this committee’s approach is contrary to best of American values.”

9:58: Dingell said that he keeps a picture of Sen. Joe McCarthy to remind him of what he didn’t want to be and urged the committee to avoid a witch hunt reminiscent of the notorious Senator by acting with honor and not tarnishing all American muslims.

9:54 am: Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the longest serving member of Congress, is testifying now.

9:52 am: Thompson has mentioned the Georgia constituent who asked about Obama’s assassination at a townhall meeting for Rep. Paul Broun and was greeted by laughter. Broun is sitting about seven seats away from Thompson. A little awkward.

9:49 am: Thompson is calling for King to expand the scope of these hearings to investigate other radicals, citing yesterday’s arrest of a white supremacist tied to an attempted bombing of a Martin Luther King’s day event. He’s also warning that these hearings could endanger U.S. soldiers overseas.

9:46 am: King has mentioned CAIR by name, implied that they’re not legitimate.

9:45 am: King  is continuing to insist that focusing on other domestic radicals would dilute the Committee’s mission. 

9:42 am: Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) is acknowledging that this hearing has received a charged response, noting that some, including the committee’s Ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-Mo.) have been “measured and thoughtful” with their criticism while some in the media have been out of line.

I remain convinced that these hearing’s must go forward,” King said in his opening speech. “There is nothing radical or un-American about holding these hearings.”

9:39 am: Representatives Dingell, Wolf and Ellison won’t be taking questions from the Committee.

9:37 am: The gavel has fallen. tHe hearing’s begun. The row of cameras obscuring the panel are now departing.

9:30 am: The hearing is being held in the House Homeland Security Committee’s hearing room in the Cannon Office building, a room that’s far too small for the crowd this highly controversial eventhas drawn. Staffers told the press coming in that there will be dozens form the public who will be turned away at the door.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), a Muslim member of Congress who will be testifying today, has just entered. He went to the public area and shook a few hands.

TRNS will be live blogging from the House Homeland Security Committee’s opening hearing on the “Extent of Radicalization In the American Muslim Community and That Community’s Response.”