NBC Reporter Relays View U.S. Foreign Policy to Blame for Islamic ‘Radicalization’

On Sunday, NBC’s Meet the Press spent the majority of its program discussing the fallout of the terrorist attack in Paris, France and how the world should respond. While much of the program focused on the challenges associated with identifying and stopping such attacks, NBC News reporter Ayman Mohyeldin chose to partially blame American foreign policy for the rise of Islamic extremism. 

Speaking during a pre-recorded segment from Dearborn, Michigan, Mohyeldin argued that “for some, radicalization and attacks against the U.S. stems from anger at American foreign policies and wars in the Middle East.” 

The segment began with the NBC reporter highlighting how America’s Muslim leaders are working with the local community to assimilate “a constant stream of new immigrants” entering the United States. After detailing how American Muslims assimilate at higher rates than their European counterparts, Mohyeldin insisted that U.S. actions have contributed to radicalism: 

For some, radicalization and attacks against the U.S. stems from anger at American foreign policies and wars in the Middle East. While the overwhelming majority of muslims have successfully assimilated and integrated into U.S. society, the challenge remains to find individuals who may be on the fringes of the communities and are also alienated.

The NBC reporter then turned to Muslim activist Kassem Allie to blame anti-Muslim attitudes in America for the rise of extremism: 

Whether it's the internet or television, this Islamophobia that has been going on for the last several years has been -- has hurt. It has really hurt. 

The segment concluded with Mohyeldin claiming that the true victims of terrorism is the Muslim community and how "with every attack carried out around the world, it's the Muslim community that feels the blowback."

Ayman Mohyeldin’s sentiments are nothing new given the NBC reporter’s history of excusing the actions of extremists around the world. On October 6, 2014 Mohyeldin refused to label [1] Muslim extremism as the greatest threat to civilization today. The NBC reporter has also been known for his biased reporting [2] during the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict and his frequent use of Palestinian talking points to criticize Israel. 

See relevant transcript below.

NBC’s Meet the Press

January 11, 2014

CHUCK TODD: Well, as we have been discussing, France is still reeling from this week's atrocities. Attacks carried out by terrorists born and raised in France. So why do a small minority of European Muslims become radicalized and why is there less of a problem in the American Muslim community? Ayman Mohyeldin of NBC News, we asked him to go to Dearborn, Michigan just outside of Detroit, a city where Muslims make up more than a third of that population. 

AYMAN MOHYELDIN: The attacks in France may be over but questions about the attackers are just beginning. Men who are young, economically disadvantaged, politically and culturally disenfranchised like the Kouachi brothers are ripe for exploitation by militant recruiters and radicals. But do similar conditions exist here in the U.S.? 

UNKNOWN PERSON: An extremist in Paris. And that action, we don’t accept it at all. 

MOHYELDIN: No say some of America's Muslim leaders and activists. 

RON AMEN: I think America is generally a more accepting country of newer immigrants. That's what this country was built on. 

MOHYELDIN: We travelled to Dearborn, Michigan, a city with one of America’s largest and oldest Muslim and Arab communities and where a constant stream of new immigrants are arriving. 

AMEN: Some of them don't even speak any English yet so they come to the mosque. If we can't give the service that they need, we have contacts to make those services available to them. 

MOHYELDIN: 65% of Muslims in Europe say they identify with their faith before their national identity. In the U.S., it's considerably less, at about 45%. 

KASSEM ALLIE: We believe that you can be fully American and fully Muslim and practice your faith freely without restriction.

MOHYELDIN: Mohammed Abdrabboh is a lawyer and activist in the local Muslim community. 

MOHAMMED ABDRABBOH: The person who came, emigrated here 20 years ago named Mohammed, their grandson who is a Mohammed is now Mike. I see an assimilation on a lot of different levels. 

MOHYELDIN: But for some, radicalization and attacks against the U.S. stems from anger at American foreign policies and wars in the Middle East. While the overwhelming majority of Muslims have successfully assimilated and integrated into U.S. society, the challenge remains to find individuals who may be on the fringes of the communities and are also alienated. 

ALLIE: We will be able to inoculate them against being radicalized regardless of where it may come from. Whether it's the internet or television, this Islamophobia that has been going on for the last several years has been -- has hurt. It has really hurt. 

MOHYELDIN: That's because with every attack carried out around the world, it's the Muslim community that feels the blowback. For Meet the Press, Ayman Mohyeldin.