Steven Emerson

Steven Emerson
Steven Emerson is considered one of the leading authorities on Islamic extremist networks, financing and operations. He serves as the Executive Director of The Investigative Project on Terrorism, a non-profit organization that serves one of the world's largest storehouses of archival data and intelligence on Islamic and Middle Eastern terrorist groups. Emerson and his staff frequently provide briefings to U.S. government and law enforcement agencies, members of Congress and congressional committees, and print and electronic media on terrorist financing and operational networks of Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and the rest of the worldwide Islamic militant spectrum. Since 9-11, Emerson has been interviewed frequently on all the major television networks and in the national and international print media. The website of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, which was started in September 2007, is now considered one of the top counter-terrorism websites in the world and can be accessed at www.investigativeproject.org. Emerson launched The Investigative Project on Terrorism in 1995, following the November 1994 broadcast of his documentary film, "Jihad in America," on public television. The film exposed clandestine operations of militant Islamic terrorist groups on American soil. For the film, Emerson received numerous awards including the George Polk Award for best television documentary, one of the most prestigious awards in journalism. He also received the top prize from the Investigative Reporters and Editors Organization (IRE) for best investigative report in both print and television for the documentary. The award from IRE was the fourth he had received from that group. The documentary, which was featured on 60 Minutes, has become standard viewing for federal law enforcement and intelligence organizations. Emerson is recognized as one of the first terrorism experts to have testified and warned about the threat of Islamic militant networks operating in the United States and their connections worldwide. In a pioneering congressional testimony delivered in 1998, he specifically warned about the threat of Osama Bin Laden's network. Nearly every one of the terrorist suspects and groups first identified in his 1994 film have been indicted, convicted, or deported since 9-11. Emerson is the author or co-author of six books on terrorism and national security, including: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the U.S." (Prometheus, 2006) "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" (The Free Press, 2002) "Terrorist: The Inside Story of the Highest-Ranking Iraqi Terrorist Ever to Defect to the West" (Villard Books /Random House, 1991) "The Fall of Pan Am 103: Inside the Lockerbie Investigation" (Putnam's Sons, 1990) "Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era" (Putnam's Sons, 1988) "The American House of Saud: The Secret Petrodollar Connection" (Franklin Watts, 1985) Prior to starting the Investigative Project on Terrorism, Emerson worked as a correspondent for CNN and previously as a senior editor at US News and World Report. His first job in Washington DC in 1977 was as a staff researcher for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has a BA and MA from Brown University and once ran a marathon in 2 hours, 59 minutes, a feat he was never able to repeat again.

ARTICLES BY: Steven Emerson

March 20, 2023 6:15 am

Israel’s Targeted Counter-Terror Raids Contrasted by Palestinians Killing Civilians and Mothers

Israeli forces again entered the West Bank terrorist hotbed Jenin last Thursday, reportedly killing four people, including two senior members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic...

March 10, 2023 1:19 pm

Prominent Pro-Iran Lobby Group Silent on Antisemitic Attack

Two hate crimes made news in New York City last week. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) chose to condemn only one. Both involved premeditated, unprovoked...

February 23, 2023 12:34 pm

CAIR’s Shoot First, Ask Questions Never Defamation Defense

They called her a bigot and demanded her termination, all based on the account of a 7-year-old. Now, attorneys argue that the Council on American-Islamic Relations...

December 28, 2022 12:16 pm

Indiana University Dean Apologizes After School Invites Palestinian Terrorist to Lecture

An Indiana University (IU) dean admitted that its School of Philanthropy "failed in our due diligence" when it invited deported Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) board...

December 21, 2022 12:02 pm

Deported Palestinian Islamic Jihad ‘Master Manipulator’ Among Indiana University’s ‘Distinguished’ Panelists

Every so often, Sami Al-Arian emerges to opine on some domestic issue, reminding us of two things: He's an inveterate liar who continues to whitewash...

November 30, 2022 12:21 pm

‘Rightwing Zionists’ Tainted ‘Our’ Elections, Islamist Group’s Antisemitic Report Says

You are not going to believe this. During the mid-term elections, advocacy groups gave money -- a lot of money -- supporting candidates they thought...

October 30, 2022 11:25 am

Kanye West Becomes Part of CAIR’s Antisemitism Con

JNS.org - If disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein issued a statement condemning Bill Cosby’s alleged abuse of women, would you take it seriously? I sure...

October 26, 2022 11:29 am

Rashida Tlaib: Terrorist-Affiliated Charities ‘Inspire Me Every Single Day’

When US Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) argued last month that true progressives cannot "back Israel's apartheid government," she and her supporters insisted it wasn't an...

September 21, 2022 11:30 am

The New York Times, Linda Sarsour, and Misinformation

In a hyper-politicized world, it can be easy to forget that two things can be true at once. The New York Times seems to have fallen...

September 5, 2022 11:33 am

Pro-Violence Message Dominates Anti-Israel Events — It’s Time to Speak Up

Iran ranks among the world's greatest destabilizing and oppressive forces. Its nuclear weapons program could one day realize leaders' oft-stated goal of wiping Israel off...

August 16, 2022 10:58 am

The Loud Message From CAIR’s Relative Silence on the Rushdie Attack

The news was so disturbing that it could not go without a comment from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): Auburn University's men's basketball team...

August 12, 2022 10:22 am

CAIR Loses Appeal on Suit Aimed at Muzzling Arizona Professor

A Scottsdale Community College professor did not violate his Muslim student's rights when he taught about religious justification in Islamic terrorism, a Federal appeals court...

June 24, 2022 10:09 am

The Obvious Answer to Dana Milbank’s Question About CAIR

"Why not?" Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank asked that simple question last week, after the normally publicity-mad Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told him it had...

June 23, 2022 11:12 am

Recent ‘Nakba’ Protest Showcases Raw Hatred and False Narratives

The hateful and often violent rhetoric prominent at anti-Israel rallies is something the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) has tracked and documented for years. While participants...