Reuven Paz
Reuven Paz, a former director of research at the Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet, is the founder and director of the Project for the Research of Islamist Movements (Prism)[1]. After Shin Bet (1971-94) Paz turned to lecturing at Haifa University following which (from 1997) he became Academic Director of The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, the Israeli higher education institute with strong intelligence and special forces connections. In he was Founder and Director of The Project for the Research of Islamist Movements (PRISM), at the GLORIA Center in the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel[2].
Described by Guardian journalist John Crace as an Academic 'Terrorologist', Paz lists his fields of expertise on his cv as:
- "Palestinian society and politics, Arab minority in Israel. Islam, Islamic movements in the Arab and Muslim world and Islamic Fundamentalism, Islamist international terrorist networks, and global Jihad culture. Communist parties in the Arab world".
Paz has given 16 expert testimonies in U.S. courts in cases that involved terrorism[3]. Writing in The Guardian John Crace raises the question of how qualified or independent academic witnesses like Paz are. He raises the question:
- "If news channels can't tell whether an expert witness is telling the truth, then what chance is there for a jury?"[4].
In 2004 Paz said he defines terrorism as advocating:
- "the use and support of force against civilians."[5].
Contents
Publications Controversy
Reuven Paz courted controversy in 2004 when he argued that Internet information linked to Sami Omar Al-Hussayen was intended to foster terrorism while publishing the same information on the Prism website.
He said:
- "This is not only the case of the content, it is the case of who is writing or saying this content,".
Paz conceded that he posted on the Prism Web site some of the very information prosecutors claim Al-Hussayen was responsible for disseminating.
The difference, he said, is that his Web site is devoted to academic research while that information - when placed on Islamic Web sites - promotes:
- "suicide operations and the legitimacy of suicide operations."[6].
Al-Qaida
Al-Qaida a Virtual Organisation
Prism director Reuven Paz warned in 2003 that Al-Qaida had started to use the internet to find ne recruits. He said:
- After they lost their freedom of action in Afghanistan, this is their best way to get their message out, says Reuven Paz, director of the Israel-based Project for the Research of Islamist Movements. In my view, al-Qaida has become a virtual organization". They try to spread the message so that others will carry on the jihad without any headquarters or orders from bin Laden,[7].
Domino Bomb Plot
According to The Express in March 2004:
- "AL QAEDA bombers attacked Spain as part of a "domino" plan to force Western troops out of Iraq, Israeli intelligence analysts claimed last night. Reuven Paz, of Israel's Project for the Research of Islamist Movements, said a book published on the Internet last year by an Al Qaeda leader forecast that Spain would pull its 1,300 troops out after just two or three bombs"[8].
Terrorism and Iraq
In 2003 Reuven Paz supported the theory that Iraq supported terrorist networks. Paz Explained:
- "Iraq was always very careful when it came to having contacts with terrorist networks. Sheltering and supporting them politically and materially, yes. Relying on them for plots and assassination campaigns was something different and too risky."[9]
Panorama
In 2006, Paz was an interviewee in the 2006 Panorama documentary, Faith, Hate and Charity.[10]
Employment History
- 1971-1994 - Israeli General Security Service (AKA Shin Bet). Last post—head of the research division.
- 1989-1998 - Lecturing in Haifa University, the department of Middle Eastern history.
- 1997-2000 - Academic Director of The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel.
- 2001-2003 - Senior research fellow in The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel.
- 2002-Present - Founder and Director of The Project for the Research of Islamist Movements (PRISM), the GLORIA Center, The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel[11].
Affiliations
International Institute for Counter-Terrorism | Project for the Research of Islamist Movements | Shin Bet | GLORIA Center | Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya
Notes
- ↑ Prism,What is Prism, Prism, Accessed 20-July-2009
- ↑ Prism, Reuven Paz CV, E-Prism, Accessed 21-July-2009
- ↑ The Israel Project, Biography: Reuven Paz, The Israel Project, Accessed 21-July-2009
- ↑ John Crace, Just how expert are the expert witnesses?, The Guardian, 13-May-2008
- ↑ Bob Fick, Expert admits his site carried some of same postings linked to Alo-Hussayen, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 24-May-2004, Accessed via Nexis UK 10-December-2009
- ↑ Bob Fick, Expert admits his site carried some of same postings linked to Alo-Hussayen, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 24-May-2004, Accessed via Nexis UK 10-December-2009
- ↑ Scott Shane, Al-Qaida takes jihad online; Terrorist group recruits through Web, The Baltimore Sun, 29-March-2003, Accessed Via Nexis UK 10-December-2009
- ↑ Geoff Marsh, AL QAEDA 'DOMINO' BOMB PLAN FOR WEST, The Express, 17-March-2004, Accessed via Nexis UK 10-December-2009
- ↑ Yossi Melman, The World; Iraq's Ties to Terror: The Threat Isn't Easy to Read, The New York Times, 09-February-2003, Accessed 21-June-2009
- ↑ Panorama, 1 August 2006.
- ↑ Prism, Reuven Paz CV, E-Prism, Accessed 21-July-2009
