Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. He is the director of FDD’s Project on Religion, Politics, and Radicalism, which is dedicated to exploring critical ideological aspects of the war on terror that are often overlooked by policymakers and analysts. Gartenstein-Ross also consults for a number of clients on issues of terrorism and Islamic extremism, including the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Policing Terrorism, the Christian Broadcasting Network, and law enforcement.
Gartenstein-Ross brings a unique perspective to his work. Born into a Jewish family, he converted to Islam in his early twenties and worked for the head U.S. office of the Al Haramain Islamic Foundation, an international Wahhabi charity that was a major al-Qaeda financier. Prior to 9/11, Gartenstein-Ross left the Islamic faith for Christianity. By the time the FBI raided the Al Haramain offices where he had worked, he was ready to assist the investigation. This experience is detailed in Gartenstein-Ross’s first book, My Year Inside Radical Islam.
Gartenstein-Ross has testified before the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, discussing religious radicalization in prisons. He frequently writes academic articles related to the global war on terror, including for such publications as Middle East Quarterly, The N.Y.U. Law Review, The N.Y.U. Journal of International Law & Politics, and The Denver Journal of International Law & Policy. He also writes for popular publications that include Reader’s Digest, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal Europe, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Times, and The Dallas Morning News. A complete list of his articles can be found at his website.
Gartenstein-Ross frequently appears on TV and talk radio to discuss terrorism and religious radicalism. Recent appearances include al-Jazeera, Hannity & Colmes (Fox News), Paula Zahn Now (CNN), Glenn Beck on Headline News (CNN), Your World with Neil Cavuto (Fox News), The 700 Club (CBN), PBS, ABC News Now, NPR, The Laura Ingraham Show, The Radio Factor with Bill O’Reilly, The Dennis Prager Show, and The Michael Medved Show.
A highly regarded public speaker, Gartenstein-Ross frequently addresses law enforcement, colleges and universities, civic and political groups, and religious groups. Venues where he has spoken include the LAPD’s Joint Regional Intelligence Conference, Harvard Law School, Kenyon College, Southern Connecticut State University, Tyndale University College & Seminary (Toronto, Canada), and the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Previous positions that Gartenstein-Ross has held include commercial litigator at Boies, Schiller & Flexner and law clerk on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He received his law degree from the New York University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University.
