Over at Atlas Shrugs, Pamela Geller reports: “MEMRI does an excellent report on the sweeping global movement to Islamicize the world and compel all peoples to live under Islamic law – the sharia (the imperialistic goal of Islam).” And she reproduces in its entirety a lengthy analytical study by MEMRI which begins:

“Over recent years, a new phenomenon has emerged among radical Islamist circles: the rise of a global network of groups calling for the total Islamization of Western states and societies via the implementation of shari’a law and the abolition of democratic states and their replacement by Islamic regimes. These groups, which have referred to themselves as the global shari’a movement, strive to globalize ideas and tactics hatched within radical Salafi circles in the U.K.”

And what is this “global network of groups” to which MEMRI thinks it appropriate to devote such an in-depth study? It consists of the minuscule sects inspired by Anjem Choudary! Even MEMRI itself admits: “It would seem that the only group outside Britain with a sizeable presence on the ground is Shariah4belgium.” And the “sizeable presence on the ground” that Choudary’s organisation enjoys in the UK may be gauged by the fact that a recent demonstration in London in support of his ludicrous campaign for Sharia law attracted a mere 50 participants. In other words, the “global network of groups” that MEMRI depicts as representing some sort of serious danger to western democracy is just a fantasy.

But this is par for the course with MEMRI. It is a hardline right-wing Zionist organisation whose purpose is to defend the state of Israel by presenting Islam as a threat to the West and thereby marginalising Muslims – who, of course, overwhelmingly support the Palestinian cause. So popular mainstream figures like Yusuf al-Qaradawi are depicted as dangerous maniacs by MEMRI and irrelevant buffoons like Anjem Choudary are portrayed as representing significant forces within the Muslim community. Much of MEMRI’s “research” is little more than an exercise in fiction. No wonder Geller takes the view that “MEMRI is the most vital source of news from the Middle East. Hands down.”

And this is the organisation that has just been granted $200,000 by the US State Department.