"An advertising war has erupted over just what the Muslim word "jihad" means in America and why it's important not to let the term be sugarcoated.
And the latest volley in the battle is both sly and stunning.
The most recent flare-up began with a controversial series of advertisements from the American Freedom Defense Initiative on New York subway station clocks. The ads depicted the burning towers of 9/11 and a Quran quote: "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers" (3:151)."
"These are my friends, my students," he said. "I trained some of them... I've visited almost all jails where there are detainees in terrorist cases."
But Abbas was not here to plot new attacks. Instead he had come to try to persuade his friends to follow his example and renounce violence.