“Disrupting terror plots,” Mohamed Elibiary told a House Homeland Security Subcommittee is “the mutual goal” of both Muslim Americans and law enforcement. Acknowledging “vulnerabilities recently highlighted by homegrown violent extremism cases,” Elibiary outlined eight strategies to achieve a “higher level of cooperation between the government and communities.” The March 17, 2010 hearing, “Working with Communities to Disrupt Terror Plots,” was before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment.

“Disrupting terror plots is something both law enforcement and the community have proven multiple times is achievable,” Elibiary said. The President and CEO of the Plano, Texas based Freedom and Justice Foundationcautioned against continuing the “securitizing” of the relationship between the two and called for a “healthy division of labor.” “Effective and constitutionally compliant [countering violent extremism] policy recognizes that there is a division of labor between the United States’ Government and the community.”

Highlighting the strengths, capabilities and limitations of both government and community groups, he presented eight “micro-strategies” that together would “improve our country’s counter-terrorism architecture.” They are:

  • Identify a U.S. Violent Radicalization Interdiction Framework

  • Improve Law Enforcement Information Sharing

  • Create an Interagency Strategic Communications Working Group

  • Develop State-Level Law Enforcement Engagement Strategies

  • Install Effective DHS & DOJ Redress Processes

  • Promote Social Delinquency/ Prevention/ Integration Programs

  • Include U.S. Congressional Engagement & Information Sharing

  • Engage with the U.S. Public (Media, Academia, etc.)

Click here to learn more about each of these “micro-strategies.”

Margo Schlanger, Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Committeee she believed the administration supported community engagement efforts, saying “frequent, responsive, and thoughtful engagement with diverse communities is an imperative of effective government.” Schlanger described several engagement activities with “American Arab, Muslim, Sikh, and South Asian Communities,” including roundtable events and youth engagement efforts. “Our engagement efforts build crucial channels of communication, both educating us about the concerns of communities affected by DHS activities and giving those communities reliable information about policies and procedures. They build trust by facilitating resolution of legitimate grievances.”

She also described the partnership as one not based exclusively on terrorism. “Countering violent extremism” is neither the principal reason we engage these communities nor the lens through which we view this engagement.”

Other speakers at the hearing, including Sheriff Lee Baca of the Los Angeles County Police Department expressed support for continued engagement with Muslim Americans. “Law enforcement alone, however, cannot generate the appropriate intelligence and response to terrorist cells without the cooperation and support of all citizens,” Baca said.