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

September 6, 2021 11:55 am

CAIR’s Hate Exposed as Leader Compares Israel to the Taliban and ISIS

The Taliban has returned to power in Afghanistan. Iran is racing toward a nuclear weapon. Lebanon is on the brink of collapse, as Hezbollah --...

August 25, 2021 11:50 am

Throughout August, Israel Faced Terrorist Attacks on All Fronts

Since the May war between Israel and Gaza-based terrorist organizations, international attention has shifted elsewhere and is now primarily focused on the rapid Taliban takeover...

August 22, 2021 12:00 pm

CAIR Lectures Media About Accurately Quoting Jihadists

On Monday, after Kabul fell, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said that it was "a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have...

July 25, 2021 7:57 am

CAIR Smears and Distorts an Israeli Police Exchange Program

The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was intent on making news this week, but apparently it couldn't decide how. The objective was...

July 18, 2021 4:49 am

With Rising Influence, Hezbollah Stands Ready to Exploit Chaos in Lebanon

Lebanon is going through one of the gravest economic depressions in modern history. More than half of the country's population now lives in poverty, and...

June 29, 2021 11:40 am

Sued by CAIR, Ex-Employee Releases Evidence of Discrimination and Hush Money Payouts

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) rescinded a 2018 job offer to run its Dallas-Fort Worth chapter -- at least in part because the candidate...

June 9, 2021 12:22 pm

Hezbollah’s German Presence Grows Despite Terrorist Designation

Despite Germany's efforts to curtail Hezbollah-related activities, the terrorist organization's presence continues to rise across the country. German intelligence estimates that the number of Hezbollah operatives...

May 26, 2021 1:19 pm

Amid a Spate of Antisemitic Attacks, Orange County Muslim Leader Incites More Hatred

A Southern California imam called Israelis "child killers" and urged Muslims to "sacrifice whatever resources we can in defense of that land," in a talk...

April 15, 2021 12:04 pm

Once Again, Terrorism Comes to San Francisco State University

Two-time Palestinian hijacker Leila Khaled, a member of a designated terrorist group, is scheduled to speak on April 23 at an online San Francisco State...

April 9, 2021 11:36 am

Reformers Launch Group Aimed at Challenging Muslim Antisemitism

Antisemitism has become "a pandemic raging for many years" among a large number of Muslims, said interfaith activist Soraya Deen. "Unfortunately though, we have no...

April 2, 2021 11:44 am

Does a Third Lebanon-Israel War Lie Ahead?

Despite a collapsing Lebanese economy and considerable political turmoil, Hezbollah continues to threaten Israel. These threats must be taken seriously, given that Hezbollah — the...

March 4, 2021 12:53 pm

Marc Lamont Hill’s Vile Antisemitism and Duplicitous New Book

Progressive academic/activist Marc Lamont Hill was famously fired from CNN in 2018 after he called for "a free Palestine" at the United Nations...

February 22, 2021 12:32 pm

There Is an Outsized Islamist Terrorist Threat in Europe

Authorities in Denmark and Germany arrested 14 suspected Islamic extremists earlier this month for plotting a terrorist attack, likely in Europe. The suspects, who include...

February 8, 2021 12:44 pm

Report Highlights Iran’s Worldwide Terrorist Modus Operandi

Amid rising regional tensions, Iran continues to seek ways to target Israel and the United States abroad. Iran deployed several agents to collect intelligence on the...