FBI Suggests Anti-Muslim Ideologue As Recommended Reading

A recently released FBI training manual lists books by Robert Spencer, a prominent anti-Muslim figure in America, as recommended reading for field agents hoping to further their understanding of Islam.

The revelation, first reported by Gawker, is particularly troubling considering Spencer’s positions on Islam have contributed significantly to the spread of anti-Muslim sentiment in America. Spencer co-founded the hate group Stop Islamization of America and was profiled due to his anti-Mulsim beliefs in a recent issue of the Intelligence Report. But more recently, Spencer heavily influenced Anders Behrin Breivik, who killed scores of people with a fertilizer bomb in Oslo and a shooting spree on the nearby island of Utoya on July 22. Breivik repeatedly cited Spencer in his 1,500-page manuscript that argued Islam is destroying Western civilization.

Spencer has written a dozen books on the topics of Islam and the Koran. Specifically, the FBI recommended Spencer’s The Truth about Muhammad and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam – both of which hinge on Spencer’s skewed interpretation of Islam as a violent religion inseparable from the actions of its radicalized adherents.

The PowerPoint presentation was obtained by groups including American Civil Liberty Union in northern California and the Asian Law Caucus, a San Francisco-based civil rights group.