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The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI's Manufactured War on Terrorism
A groundbreaking work of investigative journalism, The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI's Manufactured War on Terror shows how the FBI has, under the guise of engaging in counterterrorism since 9/11, built a network of more than fifteen thousand informants whose primary purpose is to infiltrate Muslim communities to create and facilitate phony terrorist plots so that the bureau can then claim victory in the War on Terror.
An outgrowth of Trevor Aaronson's work as an investigative reporting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley—which culminated in an award-winning cover story in Mother Jones magazine—The Terror Factory reveals shocking information about the criminals, con men, and liars the FBI uses as paid informants, as well as documenting the extreme methods the FBI uses to ensnare Muslims in terrorist plots—which are in reality conceived and financed by the FBI.
The book offers unprecedented detail into how the FBI has transformed from a reactive law enforcement agency to a proactive counterterrorism organization—including the story of an accused murderer who became one of the FBI's most prolific terrorism informants—and how so-called terrorism consultants and experts have made fortunes by exaggerating the threat of Islamic terrorism in the United States.
Trevor Aaronson is associate director and co-founder of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit journalism organization that produces reporting about Florida and Latin America. He was a 2010–11 investigative reporting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, where his reporting about the FBI's informants in US Muslim communities resulted in a Mother Jones cover story that won the John Jay College/Harry Frank Guggenheim 2012 Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award.
An outgrowth of Trevor Aaronson's work as an investigative reporting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley—which culminated in an award-winning cover story in Mother Jones magazine—The Terror Factory reveals shocking information about the criminals, con men, and liars the FBI uses as paid informants, as well as documenting the extreme methods the FBI uses to ensnare Muslims in terrorist plots—which are in reality conceived and financed by the FBI.
The book offers unprecedented detail into how the FBI has transformed from a reactive law enforcement agency to a proactive counterterrorism organization—including the story of an accused murderer who became one of the FBI's most prolific terrorism informants—and how so-called terrorism consultants and experts have made fortunes by exaggerating the threat of Islamic terrorism in the United States.
Trevor Aaronson is associate director and co-founder of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit journalism organization that produces reporting about Florida and Latin America. He was a 2010–11 investigative reporting fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, where his reporting about the FBI's informants in US Muslim communities resulted in a Mother Jones cover story that won the John Jay College/Harry Frank Guggenheim 2012 Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2013
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July 25, 2013
Chilling and frightening. Aaronson gives the facts about the terrorists the FBI has caught in the U.S. since 9/11. It doesn't look good. What appears to be "successes" in the war on terror turns out to be, basically, phony setups of marginalized petty criminals or mental cases. In almost all the cases of "caught" terrorists, these were people targeted by the FBI and setup. A petty criminal or mental case, selected by the FBI, and handed the scenario, the weapons, and the money, then told to carry out the crime. When the target takes the first step, the FBI swoops in and declares victory, to much fanfare in the Mainstream Media. It sounds like the joke is on us, the American people. This book is a must-read for anyone who is concerned about the state of American democracy and NSA surveillance.
July 6, 2013
Mixed feelings on this one. Although some of the practices of the FBI brought to light are certainly shady, the events in Boston just three months after the publication of this book kind of undermine the argument the author is trying to make about the FBI focusing on the wrong concerns.
Some of the methods used in these terrorism stings and recruitment of informants don't sit well with me, but at the end of the day I am okay with people who were willing to blow up civilians (when they believed they were being given the opportunity to do so) being prosecuted as terrorists.
The biggest shame I see here is the fact that the FBI apparently uses intimidation to coerce Muslims into becoming informants against their will, pushing away these potential allies and making American Muslims less comfortable coming to the authorities when they notice something suspect.
The author argues that the FBI spends too much of its time and resources on looking for lone wolves in the U.S. who want to launch a terrorist attack in the name of violent jihad, as radicalized Muslims. And then the bombs went off at the Boston marathon, and the suspects match the FBI's profile to a T. The question that comes to my mind now is, with all of their efforts aimed so aggressively at routing out people just like the suspects in Boston, how did these two get missed, especially when one had already been investigated as a possible terrorist threat? I am sincerely hoping that this suspect was still being monitored by the FBI, but somehow they just weren't able to have become alerted and acted before events took a tragic turn.
Despite the fact that I have mixed feelings about how much of the author's argument I agree with, this was definitely an interesting read.
Some of the methods used in these terrorism stings and recruitment of informants don't sit well with me, but at the end of the day I am okay with people who were willing to blow up civilians (when they believed they were being given the opportunity to do so) being prosecuted as terrorists.
The biggest shame I see here is the fact that the FBI apparently uses intimidation to coerce Muslims into becoming informants against their will, pushing away these potential allies and making American Muslims less comfortable coming to the authorities when they notice something suspect.
The author argues that the FBI spends too much of its time and resources on looking for lone wolves in the U.S. who want to launch a terrorist attack in the name of violent jihad, as radicalized Muslims. And then the bombs went off at the Boston marathon, and the suspects match the FBI's profile to a T. The question that comes to my mind now is, with all of their efforts aimed so aggressively at routing out people just like the suspects in Boston, how did these two get missed, especially when one had already been investigated as a possible terrorist threat? I am sincerely hoping that this suspect was still being monitored by the FBI, but somehow they just weren't able to have become alerted and acted before events took a tragic turn.
Despite the fact that I have mixed feelings about how much of the author's argument I agree with, this was definitely an interesting read.
January 18, 2013
This book convinced me of the opposite of what it was trying to. Most of the cases he uses in the book are supposed to make the point that a terrorist is not a terrorist if he doesn't have the means to be one. So, following that logic, if the FBI find out about him and give him the means, they are just setting him up. However, the terrorists in these cases actually thought they were going to blow something up/cause destruction/take lives. So in my opinion, they were terrorists. There are cases of the FBI trying to make a terrorist out of someone who doesn't have that mindset. Some of these people have ended up in prison which, of course, is absolutely wrong, and should be corrected.
May 28, 2013
A great book that shows how the FBI creates terror plots! makes you think!
July 10, 2016
This is a captivating book from start to finish! Aaronson does an excellent job of illustrating for the reader how the FBI—post 9/11—has through the use of terrorism stings morphed into a domestic CIA, wasted a significant deal of resources, and alienated Muslim-American communities, all in an effort to find terrorism where there is none. This book is perfect for anyone who wants a more complete picture of our domestic War on Terror.
July 10, 2017
The author breaks down several prominent terrorism sting operations post-9/11 and shows how such operations are often driven by competing incentives: on the one hand, FBI agents are being pressured to produce results to justify the $3 billion spent every year on counterterrorism; and on the other, FBI informants have significant monetary (and often also immigration-related) incentives to find "terrorists". A very thoughtful and well-researched exploration of modern counterterrorism efforts.
May 22, 2020
Wow. This describes how FBI has essentially manufactured terror plots using a bunch of idiots, informants, and perverse incentives.
Essentially, most terrorism cases in the US from 2002-now (especially 2002-2016) have been essentially started by tips or other intelligence, then FBI-directed informants working with the "terrorists" to articulate and develop terror plots specifically for the purpose of prosecution. In most cases, the "terrorists" are losers who would be incapable of doing anything serious on their own, although it's possible some of them would "shoot up a bunch of people with a rifle" or something instead of the "blowing up the Sears Tower" plots the FBI informants directed them into. It was almost comical how incompetent most of the "terrorists" are -- incapable of buying weapons on their own, and often homeless or poor to the extent that their main goal is scamming the "real terrorist" (FBI informant) for small amounts of money.
The biggest problems with this policy are that mostly it is done under the cover of "FBI community outreach", playing into fears that any contact with the FBI or other law enforcement could lead to bad things. In some cases, they managed to drive even pretty decent people who would work with FBI overtly into prosecution by trying to blackmail them (in order to force covert vs. overt cooperation to entrap others), which is pretty unconscionable. In addition to driving a wedge between FBI/USG and the muslim community, they also seem to the majority of the time be pushing people who would likely never have done anything serious into very high end conspiracies and resulting prosecutions/convictions. There is maybe an argument that they do some good by making the US a very dangerous place for actual terrorists to operate (by making it likely everyone is an FBI informant or that the risk of informants is so high to block any collaboration, forcing overseas links which can themselves be monitored), but it definitely seems like the damage caused by the FBI informant program is greater than any benefits. I'm not sure what the correct level of anti-terrorism stings throughout the US is, but it's definitely less than we have now, and should be much more focused on credible threats who have taken much more overt actions.
A lot of this seems to come from the incentive structures for FBI agents (forced to "produce results", independent of base rate of terrorism -- even in environments where there is no actual terrorism, they are expected to show investigations and prosecutions) as well as for informants (paid well for entrapping people). The ability of FBI to use immigration violations and other things to apply pressure for collaboration is another issue.
Ironically, these manufactured plots are then used to justify more funding/continued investigations by pointing at a high level of terrorism!
Sadly, the FBI's focus on counterterrorism also led to a decline in FBI's more traditional investigations -- public corruption, organized crime, etc. -- which has actually decreased security as well.
Essentially, most terrorism cases in the US from 2002-now (especially 2002-2016) have been essentially started by tips or other intelligence, then FBI-directed informants working with the "terrorists" to articulate and develop terror plots specifically for the purpose of prosecution. In most cases, the "terrorists" are losers who would be incapable of doing anything serious on their own, although it's possible some of them would "shoot up a bunch of people with a rifle" or something instead of the "blowing up the Sears Tower" plots the FBI informants directed them into. It was almost comical how incompetent most of the "terrorists" are -- incapable of buying weapons on their own, and often homeless or poor to the extent that their main goal is scamming the "real terrorist" (FBI informant) for small amounts of money.
The biggest problems with this policy are that mostly it is done under the cover of "FBI community outreach", playing into fears that any contact with the FBI or other law enforcement could lead to bad things. In some cases, they managed to drive even pretty decent people who would work with FBI overtly into prosecution by trying to blackmail them (in order to force covert vs. overt cooperation to entrap others), which is pretty unconscionable. In addition to driving a wedge between FBI/USG and the muslim community, they also seem to the majority of the time be pushing people who would likely never have done anything serious into very high end conspiracies and resulting prosecutions/convictions. There is maybe an argument that they do some good by making the US a very dangerous place for actual terrorists to operate (by making it likely everyone is an FBI informant or that the risk of informants is so high to block any collaboration, forcing overseas links which can themselves be monitored), but it definitely seems like the damage caused by the FBI informant program is greater than any benefits. I'm not sure what the correct level of anti-terrorism stings throughout the US is, but it's definitely less than we have now, and should be much more focused on credible threats who have taken much more overt actions.
A lot of this seems to come from the incentive structures for FBI agents (forced to "produce results", independent of base rate of terrorism -- even in environments where there is no actual terrorism, they are expected to show investigations and prosecutions) as well as for informants (paid well for entrapping people). The ability of FBI to use immigration violations and other things to apply pressure for collaboration is another issue.
Ironically, these manufactured plots are then used to justify more funding/continued investigations by pointing at a high level of terrorism!
Sadly, the FBI's focus on counterterrorism also led to a decline in FBI's more traditional investigations -- public corruption, organized crime, etc. -- which has actually decreased security as well.
August 16, 2021
Well, thank God this is finished. I did, thankfully, get distracted by other books while reading this one and I am grateful for that. You would think then I would give a bad review for this book but I was actually impressed by it though the subject matter and how it was written was a little much for me though it was fairly easy to read.
I am in agreement with most, if not all of the author's assessments. I found that I would get angry upon hearing some of the situations that were written about and found validity in what he was saying. I agreed with the thought that the FBI was manufacturing terrorists from people that more than likely wouldn't become terrorists and I was angry that the informants were worse than the people they were trying to implicate as terrorists. The badgering and the pushing and the intimidation factors are awful and people who have mental health issues or are not entirely with it would have no ability to stand up for themselves to say no, not that that would matter anyways because it sounds like the FBI would arrest you on other manufactured claims anyways to further their agenda. And how convenient in all the cases that were written about the recording equipment would always malfunction at the most convenient of times. No wonder some people are suspicious of government agencies. They aren't proving themselves to be all that trustworthy and are just in it to push their agendas and get their money. It sickens me to think that informants that should be in prison for a very long time are getting almost a 100,000 dollars for a successful convictions of these would be terrorists and getting to leave prison and to roam all over the countryside fulfilling the FBI's agenda.
It is despicable the tactics they are using to further their departments and using people to be informants that would be viewed by society as worse than the so called terrorists. They are further marginalizing a community that is already marginalized and creating a whole new level of racism that doesn't belong, being directed at the Muslim community. I think, like the author suggested, based on my opinion of recent times, that the FBI's resources would be better channelled towards the domestic terrorist and Right Wingers who have shown they are a force to be reckoned with. But no...they are white people and that would be absurd. They could also be on the look out for young, white men who are depressed or angry loners who have access to guns who have the full potential to shootout entire schools or other public venues. Maybe those are the terrorists who need to be watched.
So needless to say my ire is up and though it was a slightly challenging read for me it was interesting and got me involved with my body and emotions.
I am in agreement with most, if not all of the author's assessments. I found that I would get angry upon hearing some of the situations that were written about and found validity in what he was saying. I agreed with the thought that the FBI was manufacturing terrorists from people that more than likely wouldn't become terrorists and I was angry that the informants were worse than the people they were trying to implicate as terrorists. The badgering and the pushing and the intimidation factors are awful and people who have mental health issues or are not entirely with it would have no ability to stand up for themselves to say no, not that that would matter anyways because it sounds like the FBI would arrest you on other manufactured claims anyways to further their agenda. And how convenient in all the cases that were written about the recording equipment would always malfunction at the most convenient of times. No wonder some people are suspicious of government agencies. They aren't proving themselves to be all that trustworthy and are just in it to push their agendas and get their money. It sickens me to think that informants that should be in prison for a very long time are getting almost a 100,000 dollars for a successful convictions of these would be terrorists and getting to leave prison and to roam all over the countryside fulfilling the FBI's agenda.
It is despicable the tactics they are using to further their departments and using people to be informants that would be viewed by society as worse than the so called terrorists. They are further marginalizing a community that is already marginalized and creating a whole new level of racism that doesn't belong, being directed at the Muslim community. I think, like the author suggested, based on my opinion of recent times, that the FBI's resources would be better channelled towards the domestic terrorist and Right Wingers who have shown they are a force to be reckoned with. But no...they are white people and that would be absurd. They could also be on the look out for young, white men who are depressed or angry loners who have access to guns who have the full potential to shootout entire schools or other public venues. Maybe those are the terrorists who need to be watched.
So needless to say my ire is up and though it was a slightly challenging read for me it was interesting and got me involved with my body and emotions.
September 5, 2021
This helps me realize the extent of corruption in our government. It's so horrendous how we set people up, and the informants getting paid for prosecutions is just insane to me. While some of the cases did seem like they deserved the jail time in the sense that I don't think someone should agree to bombing others, I was able to see how they were thrust into these situations many times by the government, or I was able to see how the FBI made sure to record particular conversations or interpret things a certain way, while other conversations which weren't recorded helped explain the actions. One guy - the pizza guy - for example, was recorded being shown a missle launcher and didn't end the relationship. Yet the guy setting him up had previously told him he had friends in the FBI and the guy being set up thought that these missile launchers must have something to do with government work. So anyway, this book was helpful.
November 9, 2018
Finally read this, after being on my reading list for years. Kinda hard to get into the book at first due to the names and aliases of all the different characters, but midway through, I was used to the flow and style of writing, and it went quick.
Just thinking how many mass murders have happened since this book was published and non have been labeled domestic terrorism.
This put in me the mood to read The Killing of Osama bin Laden by Seymour Hersh next.
Just thinking how many mass murders have happened since this book was published and non have been labeled domestic terrorism.
This put in me the mood to read The Killing of Osama bin Laden by Seymour Hersh next.
July 22, 2021
The aftermath of September 11th 2001, generated widespread chaos and terror amongst all Americans, specifically within the U.S government. In the ten years following 9/11, Aaronson has provided a harrowing and chilling tale of extreme carelessness and great irresponsibility of power. This investigative report shines an important light on the FBI’s wall of secrecy while cloaked in patriotism. Aaronson does a great job of unveiling the face behind Uncle Sam, a face in which we cannot recognize.
February 25, 2019
Nothing I didn't already suspect, but the government's duplicity in manufacturing terrorists seems to know no bounds. The funding and pressure from on high puts the FBI in the unfortunate position of setting morons up to look like terrorists. It's a true crime.
March 11, 2018
A damning and essential read about abuses of power under the the guise of a “war on terror.
June 28, 2021
I know the American government is shady, I didn’t think it was THIS bad. This book is well written and explains things in a way which is easily understood, and shocking. Everyone needs to read this.
April 8, 2022
Amazing how many crimes the FBI has created.
February 22, 2014
Trevor Aaronson's The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI's Manufactured war on Terrorism gathers disparate news stories into one narrative: the frequency of "terrorism" convictions in the United States in the years following 2001 is neither a measure of the threat terrorism poses to public safety nor the effectiveness of the federal government in protecting United States residents.
Aaronson compiled a database, accessible online http://www.motherjones.com/fbi-terrorist, of the characteristics of "terrorism" cases as identified by the United States Department of Justice. A frequent characteristic is the appearance of one or more confidential informants, and often these shadowy figures do more to further the crime than the convicted felons ever did. Through scrutiny of court documents and interviews with persons involved in the cases, Aaronson makes the following claims:
1. The vast majority of the convicted terrorists were no danger to the public.
2. The informants who are chiefly responsible for the convictions are themselves often criminals who have harmed public safety, even while they are on the payroll.
3. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) uses coercive tactics to recruit large numbers of Muslims into spying on their co-religionists and punishes those who refuse to do so.
4. The FBI may be violating terrorism suspsects' rights by tolerating illegal behavior of informants during investigations and failing to record or destroying recordings of conversations which would exonerate the suspects.
5. The focus on "Islamic" terrorism leads to less effective law enforcement in other areas, such as financial crimes [link to Frontline program on insider trading] and other ideological terrorism.
6. The FBI has a financial incentive to continue to use confidential informants to produce terrorism convictions. A steady stream of such convictions helps it justify its increasing budget to Congress.
The Department of Justice has scheduled a Hate Crime Prevention Forum in Augusta, GA. It has been canceled twice, the first time because of the Federal government shutdown and the second because of inclement weather. I propose that a major cause of hate crime against Muslims and those thought to be Muslim is the regular announcements from the FBI of thwarting of terrible Muslim terrorists. Muslims around the USA have called for reevaluation of cooperation with their local FBI offices, and I believe it is important for all board members of Muslim organizations to read this book to better prepare them for government spying. Moreover, it behooves Muslim organizations to organize programs to warn their members of FBI tactics the same way we educate children to avoid sexual predators.
Aaronson compiled a database, accessible online http://www.motherjones.com/fbi-terrorist, of the characteristics of "terrorism" cases as identified by the United States Department of Justice. A frequent characteristic is the appearance of one or more confidential informants, and often these shadowy figures do more to further the crime than the convicted felons ever did. Through scrutiny of court documents and interviews with persons involved in the cases, Aaronson makes the following claims:
1. The vast majority of the convicted terrorists were no danger to the public.
2. The informants who are chiefly responsible for the convictions are themselves often criminals who have harmed public safety, even while they are on the payroll.
3. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) uses coercive tactics to recruit large numbers of Muslims into spying on their co-religionists and punishes those who refuse to do so.
4. The FBI may be violating terrorism suspsects' rights by tolerating illegal behavior of informants during investigations and failing to record or destroying recordings of conversations which would exonerate the suspects.
5. The focus on "Islamic" terrorism leads to less effective law enforcement in other areas, such as financial crimes [link to Frontline program on insider trading] and other ideological terrorism.
6. The FBI has a financial incentive to continue to use confidential informants to produce terrorism convictions. A steady stream of such convictions helps it justify its increasing budget to Congress.
The Department of Justice has scheduled a Hate Crime Prevention Forum in Augusta, GA. It has been canceled twice, the first time because of the Federal government shutdown and the second because of inclement weather. I propose that a major cause of hate crime against Muslims and those thought to be Muslim is the regular announcements from the FBI of thwarting of terrible Muslim terrorists. Muslims around the USA have called for reevaluation of cooperation with their local FBI offices, and I believe it is important for all board members of Muslim organizations to read this book to better prepare them for government spying. Moreover, it behooves Muslim organizations to organize programs to warn their members of FBI tactics the same way we educate children to avoid sexual predators.
May 24, 2013
For decades the thing the FBI has done best is have an effective public relation's campaign. TV shows and books feature great agents doing marvelous things. The reality is that the FBI is mostly paper and politics: we have known this for a long time. Fred Cook's "The FBI Nobody Knows" stands as a decades old classic in the field of FBI studies.
Shortly before the 9/11 attacks, Louis Freeh retired as director. Freeh was a Luddite to the point that he probably avoids inoculations. Certainly he endowed the FBI with antiquated computers and banned the use of e-mail to a large degree. Upon the 9/11 attacks, the field offices had to send land mail pictures of suspects because they could not e-mail photos. With that kind of organization protecting us, we are lucky terrorists did not knock down all large buildings and slit all our throats..
Since then, the emphasis has shifted to Muslims. Muslims, Muslims, Muslims. Many arrests, many trials. Little improvement in effectiveness. Most arrests were either inconsequential or the result of informant's activity, or both. The Bureau's use of informants has become a disgrace,and a ludicrous one. Some of their most lauded 'triumphs' were cases where ineffective, stupid, disgruntled losers who could not organize their underwear drawer were sucked into mock attacks by paid FBI agents provocateur.
Meanwhile, domestic 'militias' and disaffected morons have organized attacks, mostly involving shoot outs ending in their deaths, about which the FBI had no clue. We have grown serious terrorist cells at home, mostly on the far right, and the FBI keeps creating Muslim pseudo-threats by using informers, usually paid or coerced. "Give us a terrorist or go to jail".
Additionally, financial crimes went undetected, under investigated and largely unpunished. The massive ineffectiveness comes about due to funding practices and political dimness combined with a distinct lack of spine growth among agents and leadership.
All in all, Mr. Aaronson has brought together information and revelations from many sources already available and cemented them with interviews. A helpful and, to some, enlightening effort illustrating a bumbling group with a shinning reputation: a whited sepulchre.
Shortly before the 9/11 attacks, Louis Freeh retired as director. Freeh was a Luddite to the point that he probably avoids inoculations. Certainly he endowed the FBI with antiquated computers and banned the use of e-mail to a large degree. Upon the 9/11 attacks, the field offices had to send land mail pictures of suspects because they could not e-mail photos. With that kind of organization protecting us, we are lucky terrorists did not knock down all large buildings and slit all our throats..
Since then, the emphasis has shifted to Muslims. Muslims, Muslims, Muslims. Many arrests, many trials. Little improvement in effectiveness. Most arrests were either inconsequential or the result of informant's activity, or both. The Bureau's use of informants has become a disgrace,and a ludicrous one. Some of their most lauded 'triumphs' were cases where ineffective, stupid, disgruntled losers who could not organize their underwear drawer were sucked into mock attacks by paid FBI agents provocateur.
Meanwhile, domestic 'militias' and disaffected morons have organized attacks, mostly involving shoot outs ending in their deaths, about which the FBI had no clue. We have grown serious terrorist cells at home, mostly on the far right, and the FBI keeps creating Muslim pseudo-threats by using informers, usually paid or coerced. "Give us a terrorist or go to jail".
Additionally, financial crimes went undetected, under investigated and largely unpunished. The massive ineffectiveness comes about due to funding practices and political dimness combined with a distinct lack of spine growth among agents and leadership.
All in all, Mr. Aaronson has brought together information and revelations from many sources already available and cemented them with interviews. A helpful and, to some, enlightening effort illustrating a bumbling group with a shinning reputation: a whited sepulchre.
May 3, 2013
If you have any doubts about Muslim victims and Islamophobia, please have a good read of this book. Did the Muslim world have any realistic chance, starting from the Balfour agreement after the First World War till the aftermath of the Russian misadventure in Afghanistan. How can the meek resist the overwhelming coercing of the might US, goading them into battle against the evil Communists? The once mighty Mujahideen fall from grace to evil terrorists is well documented but the treatment netted out to ordinary hardworking Muslim citizens of the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 disaster is only now coming to the fore, starting from this very well researched book on how the FBI is reacting to the menace of Islamic terrorism on homeland. The book is very aptly named as the whole operation is run like a manufacturing plant, complete with informers, often hapless and idiotic victims, willing jurists and judges who are directed to be stern with the threat of Islamic terrorism.
I salute the author for presenting the sorry plight of a subdued Islamic minority in the USA, who cannot even raise voice against this constant threat of sting operations against them. Unfortunately no Muslim author in US could have written a book on this subject because he would have been behind bars in no time, such is the belligerent atmosphere in the US.
I salute the author for presenting the sorry plight of a subdued Islamic minority in the USA, who cannot even raise voice against this constant threat of sting operations against them. Unfortunately no Muslim author in US could have written a book on this subject because he would have been behind bars in no time, such is the belligerent atmosphere in the US.
March 3, 2013
This book should be getting a lot more attention. If you don't have time to read it just check out page 217 and you'll be outraged. Hard to believe anything can shock me at this point but this did. the FBI has been railroading idiots and charging them as terrorists to justify their huge budget and getting away with it. easy to say "that's terrible!" and move on but when you consider that they used to spend their time investigating Wall Street abuses and Ponzi schemes and now they make up terrorist plots instead it makes you wonder. The real story here as the author points out is why isn't the media and the public questioning this? definitely worth reading.
March 21, 2013
This is a great piece of investigative reporting. If you're like me and wondered about the FBI discovery of al-Qaeda plotters in the US, Aaronson's book will show how smoke and mirrors and a lot of lives ruined have made the Feds seem effective and relevant. The secret is taking fairly foolish young men and enticing them to do things they could never have accomplished if someone wasn't providing the ideas and tools. Voila, terrorists that juries convict because they're afraid.
February 25, 2013
This is an incredible expose of the FBI's war on domestic terrorists and it's use of shady, even criminal informants. I'm glad I'm not a Muslim living here in the USA. It seems like the FBI dragnet to capture "terrorists" here in the USA needs reform and some measure of accountability so as to not prosecute fantom terrorists using very devious tactics.
April 26, 2013
This book is an investigation into the wave of terror arrests made by the FBI over the last decade. The author makes a compelling argument that much of the terrorist activity that has been disrupted never would have occurred without the influence of FBI informants. He also looks at the role of budgeting that causes the investigations to continue. Very good book.
March 4, 2014
Well documented and easy to read account of the FBI's botched effort to be a counterterrorism agency. It becomes clear that the FBI is under intense pressure to bring results even if it means creating terrorists where none previously existed. I had medium expectations for the book when starting it, but ended up absolutely enthralled.
April 28, 2015
Good collection of several well documented cases since 911 that illustrate how the FBI entraps many pathetic, lost souls in their zeal to find real terrorists. If the FBI removed the financial incentives, perhaps they would not drive informants to radicalize our citizens. The books begins to drag because the template of the cases is so similar. Very quick read.
August 11, 2019
The Terror Factory served as an exposè of the FBI’s complicity in manufacturing terror attacks in the country. It was well researched but my main issue was how redundant the authors arguments on these revelations were. Aaronsen never offers a solution or a mode of action that we as citizens, could take to better mobilize ourselves in lieu of these new discoveries.
January 4, 2014
A classic tale of the FBI creating terrorist so they can catch terrorists. Don't worry about reading through the grueling (boring) and redundant 270 pages, just read the first 100 pages and then watch the evening news.
January 7, 2014
A good read that provides evidence of the startling facts that are the "War on Terror." "Terrorism threats" have been diminished to a concoction of the twisted scenarios given to us by the FBI while real crimes and threats pass through under the radar.
October 16, 2013
it was good, nothing really new, different characters same story.
Want to read
August 18, 2012y
August 17, 2017
Great read... Mostly confirmation of my existing bias, but it's still very credible well researched material.
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