The Jewish Tribune - October 4, 2007

Media’s capitulation to terrorists ‘boggles the mind,’ says leading expert on global crime. By Atara Beck Tribune Staff Writer

TORONTO-LOS ANGELES – Rachel Ehrenfeld, director of the New York-based American Centre for Democracy, is fighting a one-woman battle for the benefit of all freedom-loving people against one of the mightiest supporters of international terror.

In 2004, Saudi billionaire Sheikh Khalid bin Mahfouz filed a libel suit against Ehrenfeld in a British court for facts stated in Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed – and How to Stop It, which she authored.

Among the allegations in the eye-opening, frightening book that calls for action are bin Mahfouz’s alleged financial links to terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaeda and Hamas.

The demands of the High Court in England are that the book be withdrawn from circulation and either destroyed or delivered to bin Mahfouz; the author release a public letter of apology; and a donation be made to a charity of bin Mahfouz’s choice. Also included is a demand for legal fees.

Recently, Doris Wise Montrose, president of the Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors Los Angeles (CJHSLA), a non-profit, multi-denominational organization of activists whose mission is “that Hitler’s Final Solution is never repeated nor expanded,” hosted the “first-ever global conference call celebrating freedom of speech,” during which Dr. Ehrenfeld discussed her situation as well as the media’s capitulation to financial threats.

“The most powerful publications in the US have capitulated to the Saudis and have stopped reporting on the funding of terrorism by one of the most powerful sheiks,” Montrose said. “This includes the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the L.A. Times, the Washington Post, as well as the largest book publisher in the US. Others around the world have also bowed to legal pressure, as more than 36 publications and authors have been sued by this Saudi who has used his great wealth to fund Hamas, Al-Qaeda and others. To avoid the threat of possible lawsuits coming from other Saudis, numerous publications have ceased altogether any reports that actually dare to name names of those who pay the terrorists.”

In fact, Ehrenfeld told the journalists that following lawsuit threats made by bin Mahfouz, Cambridge University Press – the British publisher of Alms for Jihad by J. Millard Burr and Robert O. Collins (2006), a book on the funding of Islamic terror – agreed to destroy the books, published an “outra-geous apology” and donated money to “charities” chosen by bin Mahfouz.

Ehrenfeld, an expert on narco-terrorism, has been exposing terrorism for years, even before 9/11. Bin Mahfouz filed the law-suit in England. Ehrenfeld refused to acknowledge the court there and decided to file a countersuit in the US, the only country that has the First Amendment. The judge in New York had agreed with bin Mahfouz, however, “his reasoning was so flimsy that we appealed,” she explained. As it now stands, the New York court agrees that Ehrenfeld has a case, and she’s waiting for a hearing.

I am asking for declaratory judgment, not for financial benefit,” the Jerusalem-born activist declared, although she has had to face huge costs and professional damage. “I hope to win the case and achieve a legal precedent.”

”Ehrenfeld said her publisher (Bonus Books) chose not to become involved with the lawsuit. She told reporters, who were wondering why they had never heard about the case, that the lack of coverage “boggles the mind.” Although there have been articles in the London Times, she continued, “Bin Mahfouz has managed single-handedly to silence the media.”

Emphasizing that it’s “very, very important to go after the media,” she suggested the publication of press releases “that the media can’t ignore.”

Ehrenfeld said that she works independently, although she does share any important information with the government. “The government hopefully does what it needs to do,” she said. “I try to identify the problem before it gets here.”

AUDIO RECORDING OF GLOBAL CONFERENCE CALL WITH RACHEL EHRENFELD

Funding Evil is available at local bookstores. For more information on CJHSLA, go to www.cjhsla.org.