Content area
Full Text
They bill themselves as the "three ex-terrorists" and speak at campuses around the country. They like to be provocative and seem to invite controversy by characterizing the radical Islamic movement as a new form of Nazism.
Their efforts to attract attention got a boost this week when Stanford University called their scheduled appearance Monday controversial and said members of the press and the public would be prohibited from attending.
"This is a Stanford event and we have chosen to make sure this is a Stanford event where students can have an exchange of ideas in a constructive way," said Elaine Ray, director of the Stanford News Service. "It's not unusual to have an event that is not open to the public."
After students and the speakers' representatives criticized the decision, the university said selected journalists would be allowed to attend.
The three "ex-terrorists" are Middle Eastern men who say they engaged in violent activities as young Muslims before converting to Christianity.
Walid Shoebat, an Israeli-born Palestinian, has been...