Top DC-Anti-Islam Group: Texas Takeover Hype Distracting From Sharia Law Threat

Jade Helm 15 better watch its back.

Being the hottest thing in conspiracy theories has made it the target of a group whose own fringe theories may have felt a little neglected in recent weeks.

The anti-Muslim group known as the Center for Security Policy published an article on its website on Thursday telling people not to worry about whether the military training exercise known as “Jade Helm 15” is a secret plot to institute martial law in conservative states like Texas.

Instead, the group’s director of state legislative outreach, Tommy Waller, recommended that people worry about “the ACTUAL conspiracies that are firmly rooted here in America.” Namely, that the Muslim Brotherhood is bringing creeping Sharia law to the U.S.

The fear-mongering about Sharia law and the Muslim Brotherhood has been the pet issue for the Center for Security Policy, which was founded by anti-Muslim activist Frank Gaffney.

The article, titled “Looking for a conspiracy America? It’s NOT Jade Helm…,” essentially began as a debunking of the wild conspiracy theories surrounding the multi-state military exercise that is set to take place later this year.

From Waller’s article:

This exercise is NOT an Obama Administration conspiracy: While America certainly has plenty of reasons to distrust the Obama administration, they should know that (thankfully) the President doesn’t get involved in planning military exercises. Similarly, (thankfully) the selection process for special operators has zero to do with politics. The impact that the current administration HAS had on our military exercises taking place within the borders of our own country have to do with two significant failures of the administration, rather than a capability to direct our men and women and uniform to turn on their fellow citizens.

Waller also reminded readers that the subject of the “American Sniper” movie was a member of the military.

“The men taking part in SOCOM exercises are the Chris Kyle’s of America,” he wrote.

Then, Waller turned to the things he said Americans should be worried about.

“Let’s get them focused on the real threat — the threat from Shariah and its proponents — The Muslim Brotherhood,” he wrote.

Waller said the Muslim Brotherhood is the biggest threat to America’s national security and called for an investigation into The Islamic Community Center of Phoenix. He also pointed to the shooting in Garland, Texas which occurred outside a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest.

Waller also denounced the behavior of Texans, who, he said, pressured Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last week to order the State Guard to monitor the Jade Helm 15 exercises. Instead, he said, the Texans should be urging the governor to have the State Guard versed in the jihadist doctrine that, he suggested, led to the Garland attack.

“For example, the Muslim Brotherhood has conspired for decades to attack our civilization from within – and they have succeeded immensely,” Waller wrote. “The Brotherhood’s fingerprints are on everything from our nation’s failed foreign policies to Ferguson, Missouri.”

Matt Duss, who spent years researching groups like Waller’s for the Center for American Progress and who currently serves as president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, described the article in an interview with TPM as “just kind of cute.”

“The Center for Security Policy and Frank Gaffney have been promulgating these conspiracy theories about the Muslim Brotherhood,” Duss told TPM. “It’s just a series of conspiracy theories that they’ve been talking about since 9/11 and now there’s one that’s like beyond the pale for them. It’s just kind of cute. It’s also sort of like, ‘Don’t waste time on this other conspiracy theory, pay attention to this that one we’ve been fundraising about for the past years.’”

“It’s interesting they find the kind of conspiracy theory that’s too bizarre even for them,” Duss said.

TPM illustration by Christine Frapech. Images via AP, Wikimedia Commons, and Shutterstock / Mopic.