HONOLULU NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY: Hawaii’ is Al-Qaeda target

Obamacon 2012 Chairman Andy Martin will hold one of his legendary Chicago-style “Bunker Buster” news conferences in Honolulu today, Tuesday November 16th, to release the result of his own independent analysis of terrorist threats to Hawai’i.

Obamacon 2012/Honolulu 2010 ends Tuesday, November 16th. The Honolulu convention has explored all aspects of Obama’s roots in Hawai’i; secondary and college schooling; and religious beliefs and practices. Separately, Martin, a well-known expert on the Middle East, and military and intelligence operations, has been doing field research on the terrorist threat to Hawai’i and President Obama. Martin believes that although most Americans are unhappy with Obama, Islamic extremists are even more angry and determined to attack the president.


“BUNKER BUSTER” HONOLULU NEWS CONFERENCE: Andy Martin says that Al-Qaeda has targeted President Barack Obama in Hawai’i

Martin says most Hawaiians are unprepared for terrorist attacks and believe the threat of “Al-Qaeda in Hawai’i” is illusory

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Andy Martin
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ATTENTION DAYBOOK/ASSIGNMENT EDITORS

ANNOUNCEMENT OF TUESDAY AFTERNOON NEWS CONFERENCE IN HONOLULU

Obamacon 2012 conference leader/author/film producer Andy Martin says that Al-Qaeda has targeted Hawai’i for terrorist attacks

Martin notes that the arrest of Abdel Shehadeh may have been a “sideshow” in the real planning for an attack on Honolulu

Martin says that recent disclaimers by the FBI suggest that terrorism is a real threat to Hawai’i

Andy predicts that President Obama is at risk in Hawai’i, and that the islands will “most likely” be the next target of attacks

Martin says the Muslim community must be an integral part of any “terrorist watch” in Hawai’i

(HONOLULU)(November 16, 2010) Obama conference leader, author and film producer Andy Martin will hold a Honolulu news conference this afternoon, November 16th, to question whether Hawai’i officials take the threat of terrorism seriously. Martin says the reaction to the recent arrest of Abdel Shehadeh reflects complacency which is not warranted by the available circumstantial evidence. Martin says “Al-Qaeda in Hawai’i” is targeting President Barack Obama when he visits Honolulu. In Chicago Martin is well-known for using “Bunker Buster” news conferences to explode public complacency and to highlight major new revelations.

“The response of the FBI to the arrest of Abdel Shehadeh in Honolulu was kind of interesting” Martin says. “The FBI said there was ‘no evidence of a terrorist plot targeting the Hawaiian islands in this case…’

“We have taken a long, hard look at Hawai’i and feel that it almost certainly will be the next terrorist target for Al-Qaeda.

“Unlike some people who study terrorism, I do not see local Muslims as the enemy. I see them as a resource in fighting extremism. People have a right to worship in peace. President George Bush made that clear. He was completely correct. We must protect that right. But everyone also has a civic duty, Muslims included, to assist in protecting the community from violent attacks on our society.

“Local Muslims were concerned by Mr. Shehadeh’s activity as well they should have been. They must remain on alert.

“Before Hawaiians forget about Mr. Shehadeh, however, we need to revisit his case. Shehadeh was spending $3,000 a month in rent for a Manoa residence. That money was obviously not coming from him. There was an attempt in the media to portray Shehadeh as a hapless terrorist-wannabe. But no one has explained who was footing the bill for the de facto ‘Al-Qaeda in Hawai’i’ terrorist headquarters at 3361 Huelani Drive.

“Who paid the rent at 3361 Huelani drive? Honolulu media have not pursued that question. They are asleep. What does the landlord at 3361 know about Shehadeh? Silence.

“If Shehadeh was a terrorist ‘Sad Sack,’ as media have portrayed him, who was paying for all of his travel? We don't know. His family denies any involvement. Again, no explanation has surfaced for his access to cash. Federal authorities have confirmed that Shehadeh was part of a group. But we don’t yet know if that group has already been prosecuted, or if it is still under observation. Many questions remain.

“Based on my extensive analysis of this case in New York and Honolulu, and my experience with the world of terrorism generally, I would like to put forward our hypothesis.

“First, Hawai’i is a ‘high value, low risk’ terrorist target precisely because locals do not take the threat of an attack seriously.

“Second, the fact that Shehadeh was being maintained at an expensive residence, and seeking to burrow into the University of Hawai’i community, is as of yet unexplained significance.

“Third, President Obama was probably the target of this preliminary assessment into what I characterize as ‘Al-Qaeda in Hawai’i.’

“We have taken an extensive look at Obama’s Christmas rental home in Kailua where he has stayed for the past couple of years. The place is not particularly well protected. We have a photo archive of the ‘Obama Hawai’i White House’ which we took in the off-season. Anyone else could have done the same. President Clinton used to stay at a military facility on his visits. Obama is much more visible and exposed in Kailua. Has the federal government accurately evaluated the threat to the president inherent in his relative openness in Hawai’i?

“The irony in all of this is that most Americans are irritated at Obama for what they believe is his groveling to Islamic interests. But Islamic extremists despise Obama for exactly the opposite reason: Obama has pretty faithfully carried on the Bush war against terrorism. In an interview on Al-Jazeera during the 2008 election I was asked what Obama’s policy would be towards the war in Afghanistan.

“My other panelists were shocked to hear me predict that there would be more, not fewer, predator drones in the air once Obama moved into the White House. I was, of course, completely correct.

“Last week Obama began to leak elements of his ‘revised’ AfPak policy, which calls for substantial combat operations through 2014. My remarks today are analytical, not political. While I am a critic of Obama’s overall approach to government, it is hard to accuse him of starving the AfPak region of military resources. Military people always knew the July, 2011 withdrawal promise was a chimera. {NOTE: Obama's latest AfPak policy modifications may reflect his awareness of a one-term presidency; you saw it here first.] Obama’s attacks must be driving Al-Qaeda batty.

“The result: I fully believe that Al-Qaeda is going to be ramping up its efforts and energy to attack Obama personally. That is why I view the Shehadeh case and the unspoken aspect of his activity in the islands as a critical security risk to the State of Hawai’i. Whether we support or oppose Obama we need to ensure that he is protected.

“The bottom line: Hawaiians need to wake up and face reality: the islands are very possibly the next target of a terrorist attack against the United States. If I had to bet on where Al-Qaeda will strike next, my money would be on a strike in this region,” Martin will state. “Local authorities need to take the threat of an attack much more seriously than they are.”

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Andy Martin has over forty years of familiarity with Asia and the Middle East; he is regarded overseas as one of America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analysts. His analysis of the terrorist threat in Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis, after 9/11 and in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003 and thereafter, were leading-edge predictions of what Americans faced in the future.

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NOVEMBER 16TH NEWS CONFERENCE DETAILS:

WHO:

Obamacon 2012/Honolulu 2010 Chairman Andy Martin

WHERE:

Sidewalk news conference, intersection of Atkinson Drive and Kapiolani Boulevard in front of the Hawai’i Convention Center (statue), Honolulu

WHEN: Tuesday, November 16, 2:00 P.M.

WHAT:

Obama conference leader Andy Martin says Al-Qaeda has targeted Hawai’i for terrorist attacks

MEDIA CONTACT:(866) 706-2639; Cell (917) 664-9329

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ABOUT ANDY: Chicago Public Radio calls Andy Martin a “boisterous Internet activist.” Andy is the legendary New York and Chicago-based muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. He has over forty years of background in radio and television and is the dean of Illinois media and communications. He promotes his best-selling book, “Obama: The Man Behind The Mask” and his Internet movie "Obama: The Hawai'i years." Martin has been a leading corruption fighter in Illinois for over forty years. He is currently sponsoring www.AmericaisReadyforReform.com

Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of the “Internet Powerhouse,” www.ContrarianCommentary.com. He comments on regional, national and world events with more than four decades of investigative and analytical experience. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and is a former adjunct professor of law at the City University of New York (LaGuardia CC, Bronx CC).

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