Berlin | The Transatlantic Right

Of Nicolai Sennels and seeming stupid

Robert Spencer – he of no qualifications in Islamic studies and no academic publications to his name -informed us some time ago that he had included, among others, an extreme right-wing self-proclaimed psychologist named Nicolai Sennels as part of the Jihad Watch team.

Spencer stated, without irony or shame, that this was part of the ‘cutting-edge scholarship’ of his blog.

Sennels is unable, it appears, to write anything true. This is why, presumably, his services have been retained by Spencer at Jihad Watch. It appears that all one needs to do to contribute to the blog is

Hate Muslims
Know nothing about Muslims or Islam
Claim to be something that you are not – a scholar, a historian, a psychologist, anything really.

I wrote here about an example of Sennels’ cutting-edge scholarship. Briefly, there has been a spate of arson attacks in Berlin. There is no evidence and, indeed, no suggestion by the Berlin authorities, that these attacks have been carried out by Turks or any other sort of largely-brown Muslim. Sennels, though, suggested that they are are.

I wrote the following email to Sennels, enquiring about his odd attitude to facts.

Dear Mr Sennels

Some time ago, at Jihad Watch, you posted this. In it, you claim that those guilty for this spate vandalism are Turks (Muslims).

On what basis did you make this claim? Are you able to provide any proof? Are you privy to any information in this matter to which theBerlinpolice are not? If not, why did you claim that Muslims are guilty of these attacks?

You have also posted a video on Jihad Watch of a young man behaving in a rude, abusive and intimidating manner on a train inDenmark. What indications are there in the video that suggest that the man is a Muslim? Did you, at the time of posting, have any information that indicated that the man was a Muslim? If not, why did you make the claim?

I wrote about your post regarding the car vandalism in Berlin here. If you feel that I have been in any way unfair, please let me know.

True to the cutting-edge scholarship that characterises Jihad Watch, its fearless leader Bob Spencer and his underlings, I received the following from Nicolai Sennels, Man of Letters:

Hi Omar

The words “Turk” and “Muslim” are not in that article. You seem stupid.

Nicolai

My point exactly. The words ‘Turk’ and ‘Muslim’ appear nowhere in article that he provides as evidence that Turks (which is to say Muslims) are responsible for the attacks.

I would suggest, therefore, that it is not I who seems stupid.

I wrote the following in response to Mr Sennels, but I am yet to hear back. Like Spencer and Geller before him, there is no effort to answer for his bold claims.

Mr Sennels

Perhaps my email was not clear:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/08/multiculturism-in-berlin-germans-want-private-police-and-weapons-to-protect-themselves-and-property.html

In the post – which you can find via this link – you say that:

Berlin is the third largest Turkish city after Istanbul and Ankara, and a prime example of failed multiculturism. Citizens are starting to discuss vigilantism and whether or not they should establish armed patrols. Christians “have long called for a special auxiliary police made up of volunteers who would have uniforms, batons and handcuffs.”

But the article you provide does not mention Turks or Muslims. That is true. But you are obviously trying to make the link, are you not?

Many thanks

Omar M Shtewi

UPDATE:

In response to the above email, I received the following from Nicolai Sennels. I would suggest that it goes some way to explain why he is a highly appropriate candidate to contribute to Jihad Watch.

It looks like you are that missing link.
Nicolai

Nicolai Sennels. Liar.

Nicolai Sennels is a Jihad Watch contributor. He works under the supervision of the self-proclaimed scholar of Islam Robert Spencer.

Sennels is apparently a psychologist. That is to say: he studied psychology and now works in a school as a student councelor. He is not an academic. If he were, he wouldn’t be writing for Jihad Watch.

His efforts at scholarship include work on ‘Muslim inbreeding‘ among other things.

Today, like Pamela Geller, he provides an article from an outside news source and gives us his commentary.

The article deals with a spate of arson in Berlin. It seems some people are going around setting fire to expensive cars. It has happened many times and local residents are considering forming vigilante groups.

This is Sennels’ introduction to the article:

Berlin is the third largest Turkish city after Istanbul and Ankara, and a prime example of failed multiculturism. Citizens are starting to discuss vigilantism and whether or not they should establish armed patrols. Christians “have long called for a special auxiliary police made up of volunteers who would have uniforms, batons and handcuffs.”

I don’t know if Berlin is the third largest Turkish city in the world after Istanbul and Ankara. Neither does Sennels. He provides this link as proof. It’s a blog. The lady who writes it provides no proof of the statement.

In any case, it doesn’t matter. Because despite Sennels’ clumsy effort to blame this on Turks – which means [inbred] Muslims – the article does not mention Turks or Muslims even once.

I give you Nicolai Sennels. Liar. Shyster.

Here’s the whole thing, from The Local.

As night-time car arsons in Berlin continue unabated, some citizens are calling for neighbourhood groups to prowl the streets looking for culprits, an idea that appears to be gaining ground.

The idea for citizen patrols has gained support during the week-long spate of arson in the German capital, which have left dozens of cars, mostly expensive models, burned out.

More than 300 vehicles have now been set alight since the beginning of the year, including five overnight Sunday. …

Many people told the newspaper they were ready to join citizens’ groups to combat the attacks, because the government isn’t doing enough.

Some have suggested that neighbours begin carrying weapons and go on the hunt for perpetrators. Others have suggested a less vigilante-style response with simple unarmed neighbourhood patrols.

One 72-year-old who lives with his wife in the Berlin’s Westend district told Die Welt that residents have been debating what to do over the last few days. His idea is for a citizens’ patrol to go out for about an hour per night per night. It would alert police if it sees anything suspicious.

“Some residents here want to arm themselves,” he said. “What we need here is a kind of militia.”

Some people appear to be looking to London as a model, where many community groups lost confidence in police and formed successful vigilante groups to combat recent riots.

In Berlin, Burkhard Dregger, a politician with the centre-right Christian Democratic Union has long called for a special auxiliary police made up of volunteers that would have uniforms, batons and handcuffs. …”

The Transatlantic Right

Tag: Berlin

September 25, 2011

Of Nicolai Sennels and seeming stupid

UPDATE:

August 26, 2011

Nicolai Sennels. Liar.

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