At least 28 dead as terror attacks rock Brussels

BRUSSELS — Explosions, at least one likely caused by a suicide bomber, rocked the Brussels airport and subway system Tuesday, prompting a lockdown of the Belgian capital and heightened security across Europe. At least 28 people were reported dead. A spokesman for the Brussels Metro said 15 people were killed and 55 injured in an explosion… Read the rest of this entry »

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Jury convicts N.J. man in first ISIS trial in U.S.

BROOKLYN–An Air Force veteran from New Jersey, charged with planning to “fight jihad,” was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday of attempting to join the terror group ISIS. Tairod Pugh, 48, of Neptune–arrested last year just weeks after being fired from his job as an aircraft mechanic in Kuwait–was accused of traveling to Turkey in an… Read the rest of this entry »

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Suspect in Philly cop shooting traveled to Middle East, reports say

PHILADELPHIA — The Yeadon man who told police he shot a Philadelphia police officer in the name of Islam traveled to the Middle East twice since 2011, ABC news is reporting. The news outlet also reported that Edward Archer, 30, was not on any terrorist watch lists and was due to be sentenced Monday for an… Read the rest of this entry »

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Jersey City cop, residents say some Muslims did celebrate 9/11

In the weeks since Donald Trump ignited a firestorm by claiming “thousands and thousands” of Muslims in Jersey City cheered the fall of the twin towers on 9/11, elected officials, religious leaders and a former state attorney general denied the existence of celebrations in the city that day. Media outlets, after scouring archived news stories and… Read the rest of this entry »

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Monmouth Poll: PUBLIC BALKS AT TRUMP MUSLIM PROPOSAL

But most say the government not doing enough to protect US

West Long Branch, NJ – Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US receives little public support in to the latest national Monmouth University Poll.  In fact, more Americans believe that radicalized US citizens pose a greater threat than terrorists who infiltrate our borders.  At the same time, a majority support sending US ground troops to the Middle East to fight ISIS.

Few Americans (32%) believe the US government is doing enough to prevent a future terrorist attack on American soil, while 59% say it is not doing enough.  The public was more divided in January, when 44% said the government was doing enough and 49% said it was not.  However, they are not persuaded by a number of proposals put forth in recent weeks to stop such attacks.

Donald Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States generates little support, even among his fellow Republicans.  Just 26% of Americans are in favor of this idea while 67% are opposed.  Majorities of Democrats (83%), independents (64%), and Republicans (52%) oppose such a ban.  In fact, only those voters who specifically support Trump for the GOP nomination favor such a ban (61% to 29% opposed).  Among other Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, nearly 2-in-3 (65%) oppose a ban on Muslims entering the country, with only 26% in favor.

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Listening to Obama

By Art Gallagher

Unlike many conservative and Republican pundits on television and social media, my reaction to President Obama’s Oval Office address last evening was positive. He surprised me.  I though last night’s speech revealed a shift in the president. Albeit a low bar, I thought Obama’s address was his best since he’s taken office.

When I said so on social media, a friend and man that I respect asked if I was under the influence of drugs, alcohol or lack of sleep. Fortunately I am not suffering from any of those afflictions.  But over the course of 2015 I have noticed that I suffer from a combination of empathetic and sympathetic listening.   I first noticed this affliction last February at a town hall meeting that Governor Christie held in Burlington County.  I walked into that town hall really down on the Governor I once supported enthusiastically.  During the course of the meeting I noticed I was becoming enthused about him and the job he was doing for New Jersey again.  I woke up on the drive home and started to practice fact checking my own initial reactions to political speeches.

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Syrian family first to arrive in N.J. since Christie’s ban on state help

A family of seven on Monday became the first to arrive for resettlement in New Jersey since Gov. Chris Christie directed state agencies to stop helping Syrian refugees settle here. The international aid group Church World Service confirmed that a Syrian family it is helping arrived late Monday afternoon. So far, the group has received no… Read the rest of this entry »

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How easy is it to buy a Syrian passport on Facebook?

When a man who blew himself up as part of the attacks in Paris last week, was found to be in possession of a fake Syrian passport it highlighted just how easy it was to come by such a thing. To get a fake Syrian passport appears not very difficult at all in the Turkish capital… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. Muslim leaders strongly condemn terrorist attacks in Paris

PISCATAWAY — Muslim leaders from around New Jersey gathered at Rutgers University Tuesday morning to issue a statement condemning “on the strongest possible terms the barbaric terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Paris.” “Islam is against terrorism and does not condone or provide any justification, whatsoever, for such despicable acts,” the statement said. “There is no… Read the rest of this entry »

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French jets pound Raqqa as G20 pledges new ISIS fight

French warplanes have hit the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group’s Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, as world leaders pledged to renew their fight against the armed group, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks which killed at least 129 people. In its first air strikes against ISIL since the Paris attacks, 12 warplanes,… Read the rest of this entry »

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