Stephen Blanton

STEPHEN BLANTON is a recognized expert on Islam. In the seventies he lived and worked with hundreds of Muslims in Indonesia. They welcomed him, traveled with him, introduced him to their families and discussed their faith with him. Some became close friends.

Twenty-five years later, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Blanton did not believe the attackers could possibly be Muslim until television news showed victory celebrations in the “Cause of Allah.” Recalling his Indonesian friends, he could not rest until he understood what motivated the 9/11 mass murderers. News reports were contradictory, government press releases were shallow, and internet sources were biased to the extreme. Determined, Blanton worked tirelessly to learn the truth. He studied three translations of the Qur’an and categorized each verse as to whether it encouraged violent jihad, agreed with Biblical accounts, maligned Jews and Christians, or simply espoused Islamic principles. He read and reread hundreds of books on Islam. He spent more than 12,000 hours in research, analysis and verification. Ex-Muslims and missionaries to Islamic countries agreed with his methods and conclusions and insisted he publish.

Since 2011 Blanton has broadcast a weekly segment on Islam for the WakeUp We the People radio program. Visit toginet.com for podcasts

Blanton earned a degree from the University of Maryland and served as senior director in major corporations. He lived and worked in Asia and Europe for sixteen years. He currently lives with his wife Elizabeth in northern Virginia. They have four children, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren.