It is my understanding that the deeper you go into this... the more you find that it is definitely some sort of fundamentalist pseudo-jewish cult. From the disparate facts and texts i have read, it seems likely that this type of ritual murder and abuse predates judaism and the originators hijacked the jewish faith to perpetuate their shit. The Talmud is a pretty fucked up text.

edit: Also, it seems likely that in the case of American involvement, it's probably just a cover to help throw suspicion off by making the observers seems crazy when they describe what they've found. I wouldn't focus on the religious aspects.