Steven Emerson – Bio
Steven Emerson is an internationally recognized expert on terrorism and national security and considered one of the leading world authorities on Islamic extremist networks, financing and operations. He now serves as the Executive Director of The Investigative Project on Terrorism, one of the world's largest archival data and intelligence institutes on Islamic and Middle Eastern terrorist groups. Mr. Emerson and his staff frequently provide briefings to US government and law enforcement agencies, Members of Congress and Congressional committees, and print and electronic media, both national and international. Since 9-11, Mr. Emerson has testified and briefed Congress dozens of times on terrorist financing and operational networks of Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizzbollah, Islamic Jihad, and the rest of the worldwide Islamic militant spectrum. He and his organization have been quoted or profiled in hundreds of newspaper and television stories since 09-11.

Mr. Emerson started The Investigative Project on Terrorism in late 1995, following the broadcast of his documentary film, "Jihad in America," on Public Television. The film exposed video of clandestine operations of militant Islamic terrorist groups on American soil. For the film, Mr. Emerson received numerous awards including the George Polk Award for best television documentary, one of the most prestigious awards in journalism. He also received the top prize from the Investigative Reporters and Editors Organization (IRE) for best investigative report in both print and television for the documentary. The award from the IRE was the fourth such award he had received from that group. The documentary, which was excerpted on 60 Minutes, is now standard viewing for federal law enforcement and intelligence organizations.

Mr. Emerson is recognized as having been the first and only terrorist expert to have testified and warned about the threat of Islamic militant networks operating in the United States and their connections worldwide. He specifically warned about the threat of Osama Bin Laden's network in pioneering Congressional testimony delivered in 1998. Nearly every one of the terrorist suspects and groups first identified in his 1994 film have been indicted, prosecuted or deported since 9-11. Because of security threats, Mr. Emerson now lives under false cover in the United States.

Mr. Emerson has authored or co-authored six books:

“Jihad Incorporated” (Prometheus, 2006)
“American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us” (Free Press, 2002)
“Terrorist: The Inside Story of the Highest-Ranking Iraqi Terrorist Ever to Defect to the West” (Villard/Random House, 1991)
“The Fall of Pan Am 103: Inside the Lockerbie Investigation” (Putnam, 1990)
“Secret Warriors: Inside the Covert Military Operations of the Reagan Era” (Putnam, 1988)
“The American House of Saud: The Secret Petrodollar Connection” (Franklin Watts, 1985).

Speakers & Organizers