Showtime to Present New Documentary AMERICAN JIHAD, 3/11

Today, Showtime Documentary Films announced a compelling new documentary titled AMERICAN JIHAD (wt), which explores home-grown Jihadism, how young men are radicalized to commit violent acts of terrorism and what can be done to prevent it. Through intimate personal stories, we witness the havoc it creates in the lives of their families and the destruction of their communities. AMERICAN JIHAD will premiere on Showtime on March 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on-air, online and On Demand, and will serve as the closing night film at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in late February.

AMERICAN JIHAD offers an inside look at Jihadism from former Jihadists and those deeply affected by its practices. By analyzing the strategic outreach and specifically online tactics that terrorists employ in order to reach susceptible members of society, experts weigh in on what actions those in power can take to help prevent the phenomenon of domestic Jihadism from occurring. The documentary also explores the impact of Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen identified by the CIA as an al-Qaeda leader whose charismatic, highly personal recruitment tactics were responsible for influencing other Americans to the Jihadist cause. As the first American-born terrorist targeted and killed by a U.S. drone strike overseas, his death held worldwide political implications and invigorated the momentum of U.S. radicalism.

From Film 45, CBS Films, 60 MINUTES and Jigsaw Productions, AMERICAN JIHAD was directed by Alison Ellwood (History of The Eagles, Magic Trip), and produced by Sarah Dowland (Zero Days). The film is executive produced by Oscar®-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Going Clear, Zero Days) and Stacey Offman of Jigsaw Productions, along with 60 Minutes' Michael Radutzky and Jeff Fager, and Film 45's Matt Goldberg, Brandon Carroll and John Logan Pierson. Richard Perello serves as co-executive producer.

AMERICAN JIHAD was inspired by the critically-acclaimed feature film PATRIOTS DAY directed by Peter Berg and starring Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons and Michelle Monaghan, about a community's extraordinarily courageous response to the homegrown terrorism that precipitated the 2013 BOSTON MARATHON bombing.