Crusaders calling

One thousand and ten years -- 1,010 -- after Pope Urban declared the first Christian Crusades open in 1095, the gathering worldwide Muslim Crusade fully reached Honolulu in the form of the Khomeini Sharia Unification Movement for Preaching and Combat. They were five, well trained, well supplied, the Islamicist version of the Green Berets.

The two who arrived in a white Camry and knocked on the door of Fatima bin Laden's cottage -- a male and a notorious female -- looked like college students, backpacks filled with books slung over their shoulders, classmates at UH-Windward apparently come to study with Fatima. So it appeared to her landlord, Mrs. Lop Chong, and to her neighbor, Ms. Hamzad. Neither was niele, of course, and neither, not even the Lebanese Ms. Hamzad, suspected Fatima's two study partners were Arabic. Much less terrorists.

"Assalamualaikum," the male said when Fatima opened the door. Peace be upon you.

"Waalaikumsalam," Fatima replied. Peace be upon you also.

And then in perfect American English without a hint of Arabic accent, the male added, "Your uncle sends greetings and the blessings of God."

"May we come in?" the blond female said, also in perfect American English, and Fatima thought she recognized the rather high-pitched voice. An iPod was strapped to her belt, micro earphones dangled around her neck.

Or what appeared to be an iPod. Inside, the female removed the device, placed it on Fatima's kitchen table, pushed a button and a red light came on. "Extreme white noise," she explained, "to scramble any possible listening devices, just in case your home has been bugged."

Again that distinctive voice. Fatima knew it from years ago in Pakistan. But the blond hair and makeup threw her off.

"A ... Aafia?" she said tentatively.

"You remember?" replied Aafia Siddiqui, the world's most wanted woman. "I'm so pleased."

"Of course!" Fatima blurted, embracing the old family friend. Then in a whisper, "I was just reading about you. Praise Allah you're safe!"

"Safe, and in the service of worldwide jihad," Aafiya said. "And this is Saleem. We've come to assist you, pinch-hitters, as they say. But we hear you have had much success already. Tell us."

They sat down and over good Arabiata coffee she told them about Lt. Basel Zakly Faris, USMC, and her trip to visit him on the job as an MP at the Navy brig on Ford Island. Yes, she said in reply to a question from Aafiya, he parked close to the brig. And, yes, one way or another plastique explosive could be placed on or in his black Mustang.

"Bigger question," Aafiya continued, "can you trust this Marine? At heart is he one of us?"

"I was just about to ask him," Fatima said. "I'm confident enough to do that."