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

June 4, 2020 5:05 am

Minneapolis Cop Kills Unarmed Black Man; Palestinian Advocates Attack Jews

A Minneapolis police officer kills an unarmed black man suspected of passing a phony $20 bill. Outraged people take to the street in protest, demanding justice...

June 3, 2020 7:03 am

Recent Developments Highlight Enduring Jihadist Threat to the United States

In December, Saudi Air Force officer Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani shot and killed three US sailors and wounded eight others at Naval Air Station Pensacola in...

May 21, 2020 7:11 am

New Study Evaluates Major Drivers of Palestinian Terrorism

Palestinian terrorist attacks are not driven solely by the desire to kill as many Israelis as possible. Sometimes, the intent is to provoke a harsh...

April 29, 2020 6:59 am

Hamas Still Poses a Deadly Threat to Israel

Ahmad Sajdaya from the West Bank's Qalandiya refugee camp has a history of building explosive devices for terrorist attacks. Years ago, he reportedly lost part...

April 23, 2020 6:36 am

US Congresswoman and Palestinian Group Spread Lies About Israel and Gaza

US Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), helped American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) raise more than $20,000 on Saturday by speaking to the group's "online gala." Last week,...

April 17, 2020 9:14 am

Congresswomen to Speak at Anti-Israel Group’s ‘Online Gala’

Islamist groups, like many others, are doing what they can to adjust to life during the coronavirus. Conferences and fundraising dinners are off the table,...

March 26, 2020 8:12 am

As Worry Spreads, ISIS Seeks to Exploit Coronavirus Crisis

In last week's Islamic State (ISIS) newsletter, the group referred to the COVID-19 pandemic as divine intervention intended to inflict "painful torment" against "crusader nations,"...

March 10, 2020 4:58 am

Defense Contractor’s Arrest Exposes Another Element in Hezbollah’s US Infrastructure

Hezbollah maintains a global network of operatives and spies working to widen the terrorist group's presence from Latin America to Western Europe. And as I've...

February 26, 2020 7:54 am

Palestinian Islamic Jihad Is Provoking Israel to Spark an Armed Conflict

Despite recent Israeli concessions to Palestinians in Gaza, terrorists escalated attacks against the Jewish state over recent days. On Sunday, two Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)...

February 6, 2020 8:24 am

Peace Plan Protesters in New York Echo Hamas Views of Israel

The Trump administration recently unveiled its blueprint for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, one that creates a Palestinian state and protects Israeli security requirements in...

January 23, 2020 10:01 am

Investigations Expose Sunni and Shia Terror Threats in Germany

German police conducted counter-terrorism raids across the country last week, arresting multiple alleged Islamists suspected of "planning a serious violent act endangering the state." According...

January 5, 2020 6:58 am

From the Levant to Iraq, Israel Is Also Countering Iran

While the recent US military action against Iran and Iranian-affiliated targets marks a significant development, Israel also continues to be a leader when it comes...

December 8, 2019 6:03 am

Fighting for Control and Concessions: Hamas Pauses Border Riots to Quell Dissent

Since March 2018, Hamas has held near-weekly violent protests on Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. It sent busloads of Palestinian men to the Israeli...

December 6, 2019 10:24 am