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Spencer, YAF defy CAIR's legal threat

New York Times best-selling author Robert Spencer received several standing ovations while delivering a speech to the Young America's Foundation (YAF) just one day after the Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded the conservative student group cancel the presentation. CAIR had threatened to sue YAF for hosting Spencer at its annual Conservative Student Conference.

In a letter to Young America's Foundation prior to the conference, CAIR claimed Spencer is "a well-known purveyor of hatred and bigotry against Muslims" and "has a history of making false and defamatory statements." However, YAF refused to comply with CAIR's demand, with spokesman Jason Mattera asserting that the pro-Muslim group's "intimidation tactics and bullying" would have no influence on his organization. (See earlier story)

While introducing Spencer on Thursday afternoon, Mattera accused the Islamic lobbying group of trying to stifle free speech. "CAIR, you need to be reminded that this is America -- not Saudi Arabia," he stated. "And in America we have something called the Bill of Rights. We advise you to review Amendments One -- and Two."

In his speech, Spencer detailed CAIR's ties to the Palestinian terror group Hamas and its efforts to advance "the jihadist agenda." And as to the group's threat of legal action, he said the "bully-boy tactics of the left and the Islamist movement" involve accusing all their critics of hatred and bigotry.

"It's good to see that you all are not intimidated [by CAIR], and I am not intimidated by their threats or troubled by their smears because we all know that we do not advocate hatred or bigotry, but a realistic appraisal of the threat that we face as a nation and that involves, in my view, a realistic assessment of the elements of Islam that are giving rise to violence today."

According to Spencer, CAIR is engaged in a concerted campaign to silence any critical examination of the elements of Islam that "jihadists" are using to justify violence. CAIR, he contends, does not want people to investigate the violence that Islamic texts advocate.

"CAIR is trying to stifle that and to make Muslims into a protected class in the United States," he said in an exclusive interview. "Whether they are doing this by design or whether this is just an unintended by-product of their actions, nonetheless this is what all their actions are tending toward -- that Muslims will be placed above criticism."

And given today's political climate, adds Spencer, that will have the "unfortunate by-product ... of giving Islamic terrorists a free hand to operate unhindered."

CAIR vs. Robert Spencer
By Jacob Laksin and Jamie Glazov
8/9/2007

It is one of the oddities of American politics that the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) can describe itself as a "civil-liberties group" while crusading to crush the free-speech rights of its critics. But that's exactly what happened last week when CAIR deployed its legal arsenal in a bid to stop author Robert Spencer from speaking at a conference of the Young America's Foundation (YAF).

In a letter to YAF dispatched by its lawyer, former Democratic National Committee staff counsel Joseph E. Sandler, CAIR threatened to "pursue every appropriate legal remedy" if Spencer were not immediately silenced. In the event, the YAF honorably refused to yield. The moral of the story: If CAIR disagrees with what you have to say, it'll fight furiously to deny your right to say it. To heck with civil liberties.

CAIR is not a first-time offender in this regard. Indeed, Spencer is only the most recent target of the organization's ongoing campaign to strangle free debate, especially when it turns on Islamic extremism. Other recipients of CAIR's wrath have included scholar Daniel Pipes, conservative columnist Cal Thomas, talk radio host Michael Graham, venerable news pundit Paul Harvey, National Review magazine, Fox's 24, and Andrew Whitehead, the proprietor of the website Anti-CAIR. In a telling example of CAIR's bullying tactics, Whitehead's dogged criticism of the organization got him slapped with a defamation suit. When CAIR's suit was decisively dismissed last year, the victory of an independent critic against the 32-chapter group, with its war chest filled by millions in petrodollars from Saudi royals and Gulf sheikdoms, had a certain David-vs.-Goliath resonance.

Not that CAIR's zeal to sue critics into submission has waned. Most recently, the organization has channeled its energies into harassing Zachariah Anani, a Lebanese Islamist turned Christian activist. For the intolerable offense of speaking out against militant Islam, CAIR's Canadian chapter has worked to have Anani, a Canadian citizen, brought up on hate-crimes charges. Offend CAIR's delicate sensibilities and you, too, can expect to hear from their lawyer.

It's bad enough that CAIR has appointed itself unofficial censor of debate about Islam. Equally galling is that the group routinely engages in the kind of sleazy defamation it so righteously claims to detest. In its letter to YAF last week, CAIR smeared Spencer as a "a well-known purveyor of hatred and bigotry against Muslims." If that's true, though, the organization might have been expected to provide some basis for this ostensibly "well-known" charge. CAIR offered not a shred of supporting evidence.

That is because no such evidence exists. Spencer, who heads the site JihadWatch.org and is the author of a recent biography of the prophet Muhammed, The Truth About Muhammed, is a reputable scholar who draws on Islamic sources to substantiate his work. Contrary to CAIR's objections, Spencer does not engage in theological polemics. He simply reveals what Islamic sources say.

Which calls forth the question: Why would a group that, by its own account, has no truck with Islamic militants, take such heated issue with an authority on Islam who is guilty of nothing more than highlighting those features of that religion that inspire and sanction Islamic terror? If CAIR was genuinely opposed to Islamic terror and wanted to bring Islam into the modern and democratic world, why wouldn't it embrace individuals such as Spencer? After all, Spencer's work equips Muslim moderates and reformers with the knowledge they need to confront the Islamic extremists in their midst. Armed with that knowledge, Islamic reformers who undertake the monumental challenge of liberalizing Islam stand a much better chance. As Spencer himself says: "You can't reform what you won't admit needs reforming."

In the end, it is clear that what CAIR calls "bigotry" and "Islamophobia" is in fact a perfectly defensible historical argument, advanced by Spencer and others, that the roots of modern jihad terrorism can be found in classic Islamic theology. This is a matter of fact, not prejudice: if it is true, policymakers should take it into account, no matter how inconvenient it may be. Unless one thinks, as CAIR evidently does, that any critical analysis of Islam is a form of actionable hatred, the notion that Spencer is a bigot who must be drummed out of polite society looks like what it really is: the intellectually empty bullying of an extremist fringe.

Here one gets closer to the crux of last week's contretemps. Mention of its links to Islamic extremist groups invites effusive indignation from CAIR, but a review of the group's record leaves little room for ambiguity. CAIR's forerunner, the Islamic Association of Palestine, was considered by the FBI a front group for Hamas. CAIR's founder, Nihad Awad is on record supporting Hamas -- and, one may thus reasonably conclude, its terrorist attacks against Israelis. To dismiss these facts as ancient history is to ignore more recent evidence. This June, for instance, federal prosecutors named CAIR an "unindicted co-conspirator" for allegedly aiding an Islamic charity that was busy providing support to Hamas. Given these connections to a terrorist movement committed to the mass murder of Jews, for CAIR to accuse anyone of religious "bigotry" is chutzpah on a breathtaking scale.

That CAIR met with defiance last week is heartening. Still, no one should think that the organization has been chastened. If the past is any guide, those who do not mouth politically correct platitudes about Islamic terrorism will find themselves at the center of CAIR's litigious attentions. At which point, one hopes that they will remind the organization that those who stifle reasonable opposition and ally themselves with actual extremists don't defend civil liberties. They endanger them.

CAIR vs. Robert Spencer (http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=7EA6B23F-AC2B-44EF-BE18-9B9A722E1A7D)

CAIR Thugs on Islamophobia Patrol: Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood?

By Patrick Poole

Three officials of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Ohio admit to going unannounced to a man’s home to confront him over a bumper sticker on his car – a testament, they claim, of their tolerance and moderation. The incident occurred last year, but the CAIR trio involved – Ahmad Al-Akhras, CAIR national vice chairman, Asma Mobin-Uddin, CAIR-Ohio president, and Abukar Arman, CAIR-OH board member – have recently recounted this incident to the local establishment media as an example of how they “invite dialogue”.

Others, however, believe the incident is additional proof that CAIR regularly resorts to threats, intimidation and demonization to silence its critics. Earlier this month, attorneys for CAIR sent a letter threatening legal action against the Young Americans Foundation if they allowed NY Times bestselling author and JihadWatch director, Robert Spencer, to speak at their conference on “The Truth of the Council on American-Islamic Relations”. This thuggery is reminiscent of CAIR’s 2004 lawsuit against independent journalist Andrew Whitehead of Anti-CAIR, a suit which was dropped by CAIR in order to avoid responding to required interrogatories about its historic ties to HAMAS and role in terror financing.

The CAIR-OH incident is without known precedent, harassing a private citizen at his home because CAIR officials did not like one of his bumper stickers. One of the trio, Abukar Arman, has described how they set upon their unwitting victim:

Several months ago, a non-Muslim fellow in the inter-faith community brought to the attention of CAIR-Ohio a picture of his neighbor’s truck with a bumper sticker that read “Jesus loves you, and Allah wants you dead”.

Some of us thought that the appropriate thing to do was to get media involved and use this truck owner as a poster-child of the prevalent assertive ignorance that is widening the post 9/11 political divide between Muslims and non-Muslims. Others, on the other hand, saw this as an opportunity for human contact, discourse, and to build bridges of understanding.

The latter opinion prevailed.

Therefore, I had the privilege of being one of three Muslims (2 male and a female with Islamic veil) who paid a neighborly visit to the truck owner.

What ensued was an interesting discourse that I found to be very educational (its final outcome notwithstanding).

The truck owner was a former Marine officer who served in Somalia and Iraq. Initially, as he opened the door, he was visibly apprehensive (and rightfully so).

We greeted him and introduced ourselves. We reassured him that we were only interested to get to know him, address any questions or perhaps grievance that he may have, and to give him a chance to meet and dialogue with ordinary Muslims.

Long story short: in a conversation that took place right outside his door and lasted for over an hour, the former Marine talked about how he was very suspicious of Muslims and how, both in Somalia and in Iraq, he and other Americans who “came to help these two countries had their hands bitten…” He talked about how he did not believe there were any moderate Muslims and how organizations such as CAIR were deliberately silent about condemning terrorism. He also talked about being alarmed by the growing Muslim population in Central Ohio and how they may be hiding a terrorist who has in his possession a “briefcase nuke”. He said, “I don’t want to see a giant mushroom in Columbus” [I will come back to this point].

Lastly, he talked about his career in the private sector…how he worked as a “corporate anti-terrorism expert” and a “consultant to a numerous multinational corporations”...

Arman admits that the original intention was to make this two-war veteran a “poster-child” of Islamophobia and publicly to vilify the man by enlisting the help of the local media – all because they didn’t agree with the sentiments the man expressed via a bumper sticker. He also admits that the man was visibly leery of his late-night visitors showing up on his doorstep, what they probably would argue is proof of his Islamophobia.

What makes this situation and Abukar Arman’s comments even more appalling is that the former Marine had served in the UN-backed peacekeeping mission in Somalia, Arman’s native country, to protect the people there from the warlords that had taken over the country and who were starving the people by the tens of thousands. Additionally, the former Marine had been reported to CAIR by one of his neighbors who was a friend to the CAIR officials in the “inter-faith community”.

But imagine if the roles in this case were reversed: imagine if Robert Spencer, Andrew Whitehead and myself showed up on the doorstep of any of these CAIR officials - unwelcome and unannounced - to confront them about their repeated statements of support for extremism, bigotry and terrorism: Ahmad Al-Akhras for his public defense of convicted terrorists, including his “long-time friend”, convicted and deported Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative Fawaz Damra; Asma Mobin-Uddin for promoting several hate sites with rabidly anti-Jewish content on her own personal website; or Abukar Arman, for his vocal public support of HAMAS, Hezbollah and the al-Qaeda-backed Islamic Courts Union. Would they see such action as “inviting dialogue”, or would they instead denounce such an “invitation to dialogue” in a flurry of CAIR press releases as a “hate crime” that would merit restraining orders and warrant federal criminal charges?

With their opponents on the working end of this tactic of cultural terrorism, however, they enthusiastically recount this act of intimidation, attempting to paint their “neighborly visit” as a peaceful effort to “engage” non-Muslims. The establishment media has been quick to pick up this twisted narrative. Earlier this month, in a front page Columbus Dispatch article on Mr. Arman, Mobin-Uddin cites this incident of confronting a man at his home as evidence of Mr. Arman’s “kindness”:

"Mr. Arman is a man of the greatest integrity, kindness and responsibility," Mobin-Uddin said.

She recalled a visit with Arman a few years ago to the home of an ex-Marine who displayed an anti-Muslim bumper sticker.

"We stood and talked with the man on his doorstep for an hour and a half. Mr. Arman never raised his voice. He told the man, 'You know, sir, I have four children. I've lived in this country for decades. If I knew someone who was going to put a bomb somewhere, I would be the first one to jump on them.' "

This isn’t the first time, however, that the Columbus Dispatch has pulled out this story as an example of the tolerance and moderation of the CAIR trio and their cohorts.

In an Orwellian-titled article this past April, “Changing Hearts, Minds”, Ahmad Al-Akhras gave his analysis of his and his comrades’ late-night “invitation to dialogue” to an attentive Dispatch reporter:

Changing minds isn’t always as pleasant as sharing some snacks and laughs.

Last year, Ahmad Al-Akhras and two other community leaders knocked on the door of a man whose car bore a bumper sticker that read: "Jesus loves you. Allah wants you dead."

Al-Akhras is president of the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio and is the vice chairman of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations.

They spoke to the ex-Marine for more than an hour at his doorstep, telling him they had 11 children between them and cared strongly about America’s safety, Al-Akhras said.

"More than 95 percent of the time, we agree on things," Al-Akhras said of Muslims and non-Muslims.

He isn’t sure that visit did any good.

It should be evident that going to a man’s home, particularly someone entirely unknown to you, to confront them about the content of their bumper stickers is not an invitation to dialogue, but jackboot thuggery reminiscent of the Nazi SA Storm troopers. One of them admits that rather than painting a symbol on the man’s house or business to show their disapproval for his religious statements (much as the SA would mark Jewish homes or businesses with a Star of David and the word “Juden”), they considered calling in the media to condemn this two-war Marine veteran and expose him to public scorn all because they didn’t like his bumper sticker.

CAIR has repeatedly demonstrated that their methodology and discourse must rely on increasingly shrill rhetoric to get public attention and publicly attacking anyone who questions their troubling ideology. Nor has CAIR ever hesitated to inflame a situation to further its own agenda to the detriment of the rest of the community, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. As their own supposed constituency continues to abandon CAIR, such now that their membership is less than two thousand nationwide, CAIR will need to resort to more confrontational and escalating tactics to keep the establishment media’s attention in order to disseminate their message of hate, alienation and conflict.

CAIR’s Islamophobia patrols: coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

CAIR Thugs on Islamophobia Patrol: Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood? (http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/terrorism.php?id=1257752)

CAIR's Ties to Hamas Confirmed Again by U.S. Government...

On Tuesday, the prosecution in the trial of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) filed its motion in opposition to the amicus brief filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

In addition to picking apart the arguments laid out in CAIR’s brief piece by piece, the government set an important precedent, officially and definitively linking CAIR to Hamas, writing:

In the instant case, striking CAIR’s name from the attachment to the Trial Brief will not prevent its conspiratorial involvement with HLF, and others affiliated with Hamas, from becoming a matter of public record. That has already occurred as a consequence of the presentation of evidence at trial. (emphasis added)

The government also argues some legal basics, that CAIR has no standing to petition its removal from the list of unindicted co-conspirators since the list is not directly pertinent to the “actual, ongoing controversy” of HLF’s criminal trial, basically that, by filing the brief, CAIR has not acted as a “friend of the court,” but rather only out of self interest, and that, in the brief, CAIR has failed to show any injury as a result of its inclusion on the list of unindicted co-conspirators.

In arguing lack of injury, the prosecution makes similar points outlined in the August 21st blog post by the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), CAIR’s Reputation and Incredibly Fluctuating Membership Roll. The motion states:

As support for its alleged injury-in-fact, CAIR provided this Court with data solely from a time period prior to the Government’s submission of its Trial Brief, a period when the alleged improper disclosure could not have affected such membership. CAIR alleges that the “negative reaction by the American public can be seen in the decline of membership rates and donations resulting from the government’s publicizing of CAIR as an unindicted coconspirator” (Amicus Br. at 10); that “the donations that they rely on for funding have suffered since the government named them as an unindicted coconspirator”( Amicus Br. at 38); and that “the government’s labeling of them as an unindicted co-conspirator has chilled their associational activity” (Amicus Br. at 51-52). In support for these assertions, however, CAIR relies upon a June 2007 article in the Washington Times, which revealed (by reviewing CAIR’s tax filings) that CAIR’s membership declined 90 percent from 2001 through 2006, down from 29,000 members to less than 1,700. ... The article provides no further factual information regarding CAIR’s declining membership since 2006. Ironically, the very same article, upon which it now relies, was publicly discredited by CAIR executive director, Nihad Awad, who claimed the article was “false and misleading."

Additionally, the motion argues that the relationship between CAIR, HLF and the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP) is already public information, as described in a footnote on page 12:

The role of CAIR founder Omar Ahmad on the Palestine Committee, and the presence of Ahmad and Nihad Awad at the 1993 meeting of the Palestine Committee in Philadelphia, were described during the public trial of Muhammad Hamid Khalil Salah and Abdelhaleem Hasan Abdelraziq Ashqar in November 1996 (sic). See United States v. Salah, et al., Case No. 03-978 (N.D. Ill. 2006). During that trial, defendant Ashqar was represented by William B. Moffitt, author of CAIR’s current motion for leave to file an amicus brief.

The government also argues that CAIR’s amicus brief should be denied because it lacks both timeliness and usefulness, and, as perhaps a final nail in the coffin, that the brief is wholly irrelevant since both testimony and documentary evidence admitted at trial conclusively demonstrate the conspiratorial relationship between CAIR and HLF.

CAIR Wants Detroit to Be Muslim Sanctuary City...

Immigration issue heats up in Hamtramck

City wants to forbid police from questioning status

Michigan's most diverse city is wading into the emotional national debate about what role local police should play in enforcing federal immigration laws.

As Congress mulls what to do with those illegally in the country, Hamtramck officials are preparing an ordinance to forbid police and other city officials from asking anyone about their immigration status unless it's relevant to investigations or during arrest bookings.

Supporters say Hamtramck, which is so diverse 26 languages are spoken in its schools, is no stranger to culture clashes and the law would provide a safeguard for immigrants wary about cooperating with police if they fear deportation or harassment.

"We don't want (local public officials) to go beyond their call of duty to carry out responsibilities of federal immigration officials," said Anthony Mosko, of the Detroit faith-based organization Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength. "There's no way to know that just by looking at somebody if they are documented or undocumented."

Such logic outrages foes who say police are sworn to enforce all laws. The proposal, which council members could consider next month, is modeled after an ordinance Detroit adopted in May and is similar to ones in Los Angeles and Chicago. But it goes against a national trend of municipalities teaming with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow cops to identify and report undocumented residents.

"If a police officer snatches someone who is an immigrant from the Mideast or some country that we have known terrorists coming from and they have no papers or documentation, (they) should ascertain who this person is and if they are here legally," said Fred Timpner, director of the Michigan Association of Police.

It's an issue that has resonance in Metro Detroit, where the number of foreign-born residents has spiked 60,000 to 387,000 in the past six years, according to federal statistics.

Ahmed Ismail, 17, was born a U.S. citizen and has lived in Hamtramck all his life with his parents who emigrated from Yemen. But still, he said he's been stopped by police and asked to prove his citizenship.

"It's not fair," said the senior at Frontier International Academy, a charter school in Hamtramck.

A 42-year-old shop owner from Palestine, who asked not to be named, said he is reluctant to approach Hamtramck police after they gave him no assistance last year when he reported his U.S. passport stolen.

"They try to put you down It's like they're dealing with animals," he said. "A citizen, when they come to the police, should feel safe, not like they're hassling the police."

The debate follows occasional incidents in Hamtramck, a 2.2 square-mile city of 23,000 residents that is surrounded by Detroit and is an historic destination for new immigrants.

In 2004, the city was thrust into the national spotlight when the City Council initially refused a mosque's request to broadcast a call-to-prayer before repealing a noise ordinance that forbid it. The city was sued after a 1999 election on allegations officials prevented 40 voters of Arab and Bengali descent from voting.

"Due to the history of that situation happening in Hamtramck, it's good to have such an ordinance on the books," said Dawud Walid, director of the Michigan branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations that supports the measure.

Council members may review the immigration ordinance for months before a vote, said Councilman Robert Zwolak who is sponsoring it. Hamtramck's city attorney is drafting an ordinance based on one approved in Detroit that prohibits profiling, but also forbids inquiring about immigration status unless people are suspects for "criminal offenses" or police are assisting federal immigration officers.

Councilman Abdul Algazali, who is a chiropractor, said the ordinance would not only improve police relations but help welcome foreign-born residents. "We want to be immigrant friendly."

Police Chief James Doyle said officers aren't harassing anyone. He's refusing comment until he sees the proposal, but said anything to "encourage people to work with police (is) positive."

Sometimes, that's an issue for immigrants. And opponents say the proposal would complement due process laws that forbid police from asking questions irrelevant to investigations.

Essam Alsaidi, a Yemeni owner of an electronics shop on Caniff, said police didn't ask about his immigration status when he reported a break-in two months ago, but offered little help.

"They speak to you real tough," he said. "I almost said, 'OK, I did it.' I didn't know what I did wrong."

Rakia Quazi, a Bangladeshi who has lived in Hamtramck for 11 years, said people are sometimes nervous about approaching police, but she said she has never been unfairly drilled about her immigration status.

Zwolak said his neighbors saw a house broken into recently but were afraid to report it to police. He is pushing the measure with Algazali.

"We want to make our immigrants here feel more at ease and more free to acknowledge crime," said Zwolak.

The move comes, however, as communities throughout the United States are beefing up laws to allow local police to enforce immigration laws.

Authorities in Prince William County in Virginia agreed in July to enter a deal with the Department of Homeland Security to allow police to enforce immigration. More than 60 state and local police agencies around the country have also signed up to have their officers trained. More than 22,000 immigrants have been identified for possible deportation through the program.

Councilman Alan Shulgon cast the lone opposing vote last month to researching the Hamtramck law.

"Why do we keep expanding on the rights of people when the laws are already spelled out?" he said. "If (police) come into an investigation and they do find that somebody is breaking the law then they should take action."

New CAIR Generation

Much has been written about the Council on American Islamic Relation’s (CAIR’s) connection to the terror group Hamas and Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook. Much has also been said about CAIR’s statements in favor of Hamas and calls for the Quran to replace America’s Constitution. Most of these things centered around CAIR’s national leadership – a cadre of radicals that had previously been involved in CAIR’s parent organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) – namely CAIR’s Executive Director Nihad Awad, CAIR’s former Chairman Omar Ahmad, and CAIR’s Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.

While two of the three individuals mentioned still remain in the spotlight [Omar Ahmad has been replaced as Chairman by Parvez Ahmed], a new crop of young CAIR radicals has made its way up the ranks. They arise out of the local chapters that CAIR created.

One of CAIR’s main satellite chapters is the one based in Anaheim, California. It goes by the name CAIR-Los Angeles or simply as CAIR-California. It was started in 1996, just two years after the national office was founded with seed money from the Hamas charity, the Holy Land Foundation (HLF). It is apparent from the actions of the group’s leaders that they are attempting to rival the extremism of their CAIR elders in Washington, D.C.

Hussam Ayloush is the Executive Director of CAIR-California. In the past, he has praised Wagdy Ghoneim – a Hamas operative who has called for attacks on Jews – as a “highly regarded scholar.” Soon after Ayloush’s quote, Ghoneim was deported from the United States to Qatar. Last month, Ayloush posted to his website a threat against President Bush, which was authored by an enemy combatant, Sami Al-ubgone86, who is currently being held in Guantanamo Bay prison. It reads, “America, you ride on the backs of orphans, and terrorize them daily. Bush, beware.”

Affad Shaikh is the Civil Rights Coordinator of CAIR-California. In August, he labeled Senator Joe Lieberman, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and Neil Cavuto, amongst others, “Extremist Right Wing Nut cases.” Earlier this month, Shaikh, borrowing terminology from Al-Qaeda, referred to Americans in Iraq as “Crusaders.”

Asma Ahmad is the managing editor of CAIR-California’s monthly tabloid, In Focus. Under her leadership, in October of 2006, In Focus published an article lauding Hezbollah and its leader Hassan Nasrallah. The piece read, “t was undoubtedly the epic heroism of the resistance fighters that dealt the humiliating defeat to the Anglo-American-backed Zionist forces, but such heroism would not have been possible without the larger-than-life leader to inspire, direct and focus it. Nasrallah’s leadership in war and later has made him into an emblematic figure of long-cherished hope not only to a majority of the Lebanese people but also to the Arab nation as a whole and indeed to the Muslim world.”

Another CAIR chapter that is of much value and has received much support from the national D.C. headquarters resides in Pembroke Pines, Florida. One of the leaders of the group is Ahmed Bedier. Bedier is the Communications Director of CAIR-Florida and the Executive Director of CAIR’s smaller Tampa Bay office.

In December of 2005, on a local Tampa television show, when asked if he believed it was “immoral” for Sami Al-Arian to have been involved in Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Bedier stated that “before 1995, there was nothing immoral about it.” Last month, Bedier defended Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed and Yousef Samir Megahed, two individuals arrested near a South Carolina Naval base and charged with possession of explosive devices (pipe bombs), calling the charges an “overreaction” and stating, “Obviously their heritage and background is playing a major role in blowing this out of proportion.”

The Chicago chapter of CAIR is also one of the group’s prized possessions. Leading the organization as its Executive Director is Ahmed Rehab. In the past, Rehab has vilified Jews, repeating the anti-Semitic conspiracy that there is a “Jewish control over the media” and saying that “Jewish film producers... predate on weak minorities by default.” Recently, both he and CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Coordinator, Christina Abraham, went out of their way to support Hamas operative Mohammad Salah. In July of 2007, after Salah was sentenced to 21 months in prison, Abraham stated, “It’s a sad day for the Muslim community.”

Of course, these three CAIR chapters are not the only ones to house extremists. In fact, there are over 30 (chapters). They are just a taste of the future radical Muslim leadership in America, if our government does not take the necessary steps to shut CAIR down.

This past July, a trial began in Dallas, Texas which named CAIR as an “Unindicted Co-conspirator” in the raising of millions of dollars for Hamas via HLF. How long will the United States wait, before the “unindicted” part of the label is removed from CAIR’s legal status? And how long before CAIR’s new threats and rhetoric become a rallying cry for jihad and the initiation to a violent reality?

CAIR: Civil rights advocates or radical Islamists?
Muslim lobby group has troubling record of terror arrests
Posted: December 1, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, says its aim is "to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."

Maybe so, but federal prosecutors have also named the group an "unindicted co-conspirator" in a plot to fund the terrorist group Hamas, several of CAIR's leaders have been convicted on terror charges since 9/11, and one of its founders has reportedly declared that America should be governed by Islamic sharia law.

Adding to the controversy over the high-profile lobby group, CAIR is now being sued by radio talk show host Michael Savage over CAIR's attacks on him and what he says constitute illegal use of his broadcasts.

The lawsuit alleges CAIR is a "political vehicle of international terrorism" that seeks to do "material harm to those voices who speak against the violent agenda of CAIR's clients." Filed in U.S. District Court in California, the suit seeks damages equal to the ongoing donations from CAIR supporters "who expect CAIR to act in this manner in exchange for continuing financial support" as well as "actual damages according to proof."

The focal point of the lawsuit is a series of audio clips CAIR has been using in its promotions and fundraisings.

Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for CAIR, told WND the group would not comment on the action until the document had been reviewed.

Although the news media generally have portrayed CAIR as a legitimate civil rights group, the organization has had a hard time maintaining its squeaky clean image.

For instance, as WND has reported, Ghassan Elashi, a board member of CAIR's Texas chapter, was convicted in 2005 of channeling funds to a high-ranking official of Hamas – which the U.S. government officially designates a terrorist organization.

As WND reported in October 2006, Elashi was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for financial ties to a high-ranking Hamas terrorist and for making illegal computer exports to countries that back terrorism.

Other CAIR figures convicted since 9-11 are Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, a former communications specialist and civil rights coordinator, and Bassem Khafagi, former director of community relations.

Royer was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in Virginia for holy war against the United States and sent several members to Pakistan to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Kashmiri terrorist group with reported ties to al-Qaida.

In a plea bargain, Royer claimed he never intended to hurt anyone but admitted he organized the holy warriors after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S.

After his arrest, Royer sought legal counsel from Hamas lawyer Stanley Cohen, who said after 9-11 he would consider serving as a defense lawyer for Osama bin Laden if the al-Qaida leader were captured.

Khafagi was arrested in January 2003 while serving with CAIR and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges.

Current CAIR leaders also have made statements in support of Hamas and the domination of the U.S. by Islam.

As WorldNetDaily reported, CAIR's chairman of the board, Omar Ahmad, was cited by a California newspaper in 1998 declaring the Quran should be America's highest authority.

He also was reported to have said Islam is not in America to be equal to any other religion but to be dominant.

Just this past June, CAIR itself was named, along with two other prominent U.S. Islamic groups, as an "unindicted co-conspirator" in a plot to fund Hamas. Federal prosecutors also cited the Islamic Society of North America and the North American Islamic Trust as participants in a plot with five officials of the defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

CAIR is a spinoff of the defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and former university professor Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Last March, the House Republican Conference urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to cancel an event hosted on Capitol Hill by CAIR, calling the group "terrorist apologists."

And the group's regular meetings with the Justice Department and FBI have prompted complaints from case agents, who say the bureau rarely can make a move in the Muslim community without first consulting with CAIR, which sits on its advisory board.

CAIR has even conducted "sensitivity" and cultural training with federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and with the military. In June of last year, a senior Department of Homeland Security official from Washington guided CAIR officials on a behind-the-scenes tour of Customs screening operations at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in response to CAIR complaints that Muslim travelers were being unfairly delayed as they entered the U.S. from abroad.

Last year, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., withdrew an award she gave to a local CAIR official, saying she was concerned about some statements by CAIR leaders.

Savage's lawsuit follows a CAIR campaign to influence advertisers to abandon the popular talker's program. CAIR's recent announcement said OfficeMax, a leading office products retailer, had joined "a growing list of companies" withdrawing advertising from Savage's program because of his opinions regarding Islam.

That prompted the group ACT for America to launch an alert suggesting people call OfficeMax to encourage the company to reverse its decision.

"Call the OfficeMax office headquarters … and when you get an operator, in a polite but firm manner, tell the operator you have heard about the company's decision to stop advertising on the Michael Savage program because of the pressure from CAIR. Tell them you will no longer shop at OfficeMax until OfficeMax reverses this ill-advised decision," the advisory said.

"If CAIR can succeed in this effort to silence Michael Savage, consider the chilling effect this will have on every talk radio host in America," wrote American Congress for Truth founder Brigitte Gabriel in the alert.

CAIR's Islamist quizzers
featured at prez debates
Activists posing as ordinary citizens
influencing national security dialogue

Radical Islamist groups are planting activists posing as ordinary Muslim Americans to ask candidates questions at the presidential debates.

Most recently, the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations, several of whose leaders have been prosecuted on terror-related charges, sent the executive director of its Chicago chapter to take part in the Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa, which was supposed to be an opportunity for "ordinary people" to ply candidates with questions.

At Saturday's debate, aired on C-Span, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab stood up and asked Sen. John Edwards if he would help Muslims fight "prejudice" and other "abuses" such as hate crimes.

"It seems we're facing a culture of fear-mongering," Rehab complained.

"Senator, in the '60s, Malcolm and Martin gave up their lives fighting for justice for all," he added. "The civil rights movement is not over. It's not done yet. We're still fighting.

"Senator," he continued, "we would like to know if you will fight with us if elected president."

A number of Muslim activists around Rehab erupted into applause and cheers.

"You've got some fans," Edwards remarked, before vowing to end "profiling" of and "spying" on Muslim terrorist suspects. He also promised to "close Guantanamo" and stop the "torture" of terrorist detainees.

Despite Rehab's assertion that Muslims are victims of hate crimes and other abuses on a "regular basis," the FBI last month released 2006 data showing anti-Islamic crimes have fallen 68 percent since 2001, and represent just 11 percent of all religiously motivated attacks. According to a report in Investor's Business Daily, the overwhelming majority of such crimes – 66 percent – target Jews.

Also, at last month's Republican debate in St. Petersburg, Fla., a former CAIR intern was selected by host CNN to challenge GOP presidential hopefuls about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and complain about the anger they've created in the Muslim world.

Wearing a hijab, Yasmin Elhady complained they've created anger in the Muslim world. "My question has to do with the current crisis in Iraq, as well as the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan," she said.

"After living abroad personally in the Middle East for a year, I realized just how much damage the Iraq war and the perception of invasion has done to the image of America," Elhady added. "What would you do as president to repair the image of America in the eyes of the Muslim world?"

CNN, which claimed to pick questioners at random from a pool of "undecided voters," did not cite Elhady's activist background with CAIR. The network simply identified her as "Yasmin from Huntsville, Ala." (She actually lives in Los Angeles, where she attends college at UCLA.)

Federal prosecutors have named CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing terror fund-raising case. Moreover, as WND first reported, no fewer than 14 CAIR officials – including the Washington-based group's founder and its executive director – have either been convicted or named in terrorism investigations.

Earlier, at CNN's Democratic debate in Las Vegas, another Muslim activist associated with CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood was handed the microphone.

Again, CNN failed to identify him as anything but an average American Muslim.

"Our next questioner is – Khalid Khan, if you would please stand for a moment," CNN host Suzanne Malveaux said. "You and I spoke very briefly, and you said you have some concerns about racial profiling."

"Yes, I do," Khan said, sternly. "I am an American citizen and have been profiled all the time at the airport. Since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of Americans have been profiled. And, you know, it is like harassment."

Edwards, who fielded the question first, responded that the Patriot Act needs to be "dramatically changed," to which Khan nodded in agreement.

But Khan, an immigrant from Pakistan, is no ordinary American citizen. He's president of the Islamic Society of Nevada, which has its roots with the radical Muslim Student Association. MSA, which was founded by members of the notorious Muslim Brotherhood, is the forerunner of the Islamic Society of North America, an unindicted co-conspirator in the same terror case with CAIR.

Khan runs the largest mosque in Las Vegas, and hired its controversial imam, Aslam Abdullah, former vice chairman of MPAC in Los Angeles.

In June 2004, Abdullah, who heads an Islamic "seminary" in Pakistan, accused President Bush of engaging in "a religious and racist agenda and prejudice against Islam, Muslims and Arabs." He also has likened Marines in Iraq to the 9/11 terrorists, and publicly questioned whether videotapes showing Osama bin Laden gloating over the attacks were authentic.

Abdullah claims to be moderate, even "progressive," but terror expert Steve Emerson says he is in fact an Islamic extremist.

"The record of Aslam Abdullah's comments during the past few years demonstrates an ideology of militant Islamic extremism," Emerson said. "Pretending to be moderate, his radical agenda typifies the deception of groups that falsely assert to be non-extremist."

Khan, who runs several businesses registered at his home address in Henderson, Nev., had his access badge revoked in 2004 by officials at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

The FBI suspects several of the 9/11 hijackers, who met in Vegas before the attacks, may have visited Khan's mosque, Jamia Masjid. The mosque's website links to CAIR's website.

Lawsuit seeks source of CAIR funding
Construction dispute discovery targeting group's financial records

A Christian minister suing to halt the planned construction of a huge Florida mosque says he hopes to gain access to previously undisclosed financial information of the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations, which though nonprofit has not disclosed complete directories of its staff or advisory boards and has refused to make its federal tax filings readily available to the public.

CAIR describes itself as "a Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group," whose vision is "to promote justice and mutual understanding" based on three goals – "enhancing understanding of Islam, promoting justice and empowering American Muslims."

But U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., co-founder of the House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus, says: "Groups like CAIR have a proven record of senior officials being indicted and either imprisoned or deported from the United States." And as WND recently reported, one FBI veteran familiar with cases involving CAIR describes the organization's offices as "a turnstile for terrorists and their supporters."

Most recently, CAIR has been sued by radio talk show host Michael Savage, whose complaint describes the group as a "vehicle of international terrorism."

Now a Christian pastor in Pompano Beach, Fla., has filed a lawsuit to halt construction of a new mosque in a predominantly black neighborhood, a project planned by a local Islamic Center whose work is being supported by CAIR. The lawsuit may be used to access CAIR's financial records.

Rev. O'Neal Dozier, a former NFL player who now is minister at the Worldwide Christian Center, a church attended by about 600, told WND his lawsuit is over the plans for a nearly 30,000-square foot mosque in his church's neighborhood.

"What we're looking at now is that we have a hearing coming up in January of 2008," he said. "Of course, this hearing is on a motion by the Islamic Center and CAIR to dismiss our case. That's what they're trying to do.

"What we're trying to do right now, is we need to come up with the funds to do an adequate discovery," he said. "We need to do a very good one, depose all of the various persons on the other side, get all of the pertinent information, get their financial affidavits. We want to get copies of their books. We want to be able to get into their bank accounts."

He said the mosque in question, with a membership he estimated in the dozens, already has a facility in Pompano Beach, but the CAIR leaders say it is too small. They say they need the nearly 30,000-square foot facility on land near the Worldwide Christian Center, in the heart of a financially struggling neighborhood of mostly black residents.

Dozier charges that the only reason CAIR needs such a facility is for recruitment of membership into a cadre of citizens who share a hatred of whites and the U.S. government.

"In this area it would be a bad area to have a mosque, because they would have the potential of breeding terrorists," Dozier told WND. "I know them (the community members) well. Many of them are angry. They feel like they've been left out. They're angry at the government. Angry at the white man. It's just a terrible situation if they were to come in here …"

The lawsuit names as defendants the local Islamic Center, CAIR and CAIR Florida Inc.

The city has approved a zoning change to allow the behemoth to be constructed in the neighborhood already served by the Worldwide Christian Center as well as Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.

Islamic leaders have told reporters the issue is nothing more than a difference over religion, a charge that Dozier denies.

"The press wants to make this story something else other than what it is," he said. "This is a homeland security issue."

He told WND the continuation of the case depends on the success of the depositions that need to be done. "We're alleging that the Islamic Center of South Florida and CAIR national and CAIR-Florida all have ties to terrorist groups around the world."

He said he is convinced the documentation he plans to uncover as part of the lawsuit's discovery process will support that.

Dozier, who served on advisory committees for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, resigned another state position because of publicity over the lawsuit and his concerns over the mosque.

"The only reason I could think of [for building such a large mosque] is for recruitment purposes. They want to fill the mosque with angry black people," Dozier told WND.

That idea was more or less confirmed by Altaf Ali of CAIR, who told local reporters, "They picked that spot because they were sympathetic to the black struggle and believed the feelings were mutual, especially since the persecution after 9/11."

The Islamic center's imam, Hassan Sabri, "has a history of ties to terrorism, and anti-Semitic statements," Dozier said in a statement. "The plaintiff and many others in the community believe that the mosque will be a nuisance and will pose a threat to the neighborhood and its surrounding areas. As well, the plaintiff believes that this is part of a greater scheme to radicalize America."

The lawsuit says associates of Sabri are tied to terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

CAIR brands itself as a mainstream advocacy group, but it is a spinoff of the now-defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and a former university professor in Florida, Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Several CAIR staffers have been convicted on terrorism-related charges, and CAIR founder Omar Ahmad allegedly told a group of Muslims they are in America not to assimilate but to help assert Islam's rule over the country.

The plans also have generated legal opposition from Rodney L. Wright, who sued, explaining to the Broward Times that the center's representatives told him the city would condemn and take the land he owns near the proposed mosque if he didn't sell it to them.

"They threatened that the city would use eminent domain to take it from us if we didn't accept their offers," he told the newspaper.

Property owners had been told via certified mail that the land was being sought for affordable housing.

"This letter is being delivered, pursuant to Florida Statutes, to notify you that the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) intends to acquire through negotiated conveyance or its power of eminent domain, property that is owned by you," the notice said.

A city commissioner, E. Pat Larkins, then told the newspaper that the lots then "could be sold to anyone, including the developers of the mosque."

The Militant Islam Monitor website also noted that CAIR's responses to Dozier's concerns have been evident.

"[Another example] of CAIR's attempts to censor critics of Islam [is] the Rev. O'Neill Dozier, who objected to the building of a mosque in an African American Catholic neighborhood. CAIR vilification of Dozier was aided and abetted by Governor Jeb Bush who made Dozier resign from his judicial nominating committee and Charlie Crist, who removed him from his campaign committee."

CAIR, FBI at odds over hate crimes
Bureau report indicates Muslim group's claims wildly inflated

Two recently released reports highlight the difference between the FBI's calculation of the number of religiously motivated hate crimes and that of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

In CAIR's annual report, "The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States – 2007," the subtitle of which, "Presumption of Guilt," foreshadows the report's main theme, the Muslim lobby group claims the number of hate crimes committed against Muslims has risen each year since 1996. CAIR began keeping track of civil rights violations and hate crimes against Muslims that year because of what the report calls the "anti-Muslim backlash that followed the 1995 attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City."

According to that report, CAIR received 2,467 complaints of civil rights violations in 2006 – 25 percent more than it received in 2005. CAIR also said it received 167 allegations of anti-Muslim hate crimes, up more than 9 percent from last year's 153 complaints.

The report goes on to say that in 2006, "Several key polls indicated that the level of Islamophobia continues to rise today in American society."

But CAIR's report stands in stark contrast to a report released last month by the FBI. In that report, titled "Hate Crime Statistics, 2006," compiled from the input of more than 12,000 law enforcement agencies across the country, FBI figures show that the number of incidents of religious hate crime against Muslims plunged 68 percent since 2001.

According to the FBI report, the Justice Department defines hate crimes as "criminal offenses that are motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or disability and are committed against persons, property, or society."

The FBI's methodology is also explained in its report.

CAIR's 42-page report, on the other hand, does not explain what the organization considers a hate crime. Although CAIR's report contains a "glossary of Islamic terms" – including Allah, ubgone86, hijab, kufi and Ramadan – it does not include a definition of "hate crime."

CAIR did not respond to WND's e-mail or telephone requests for clarification of the organization's use of the term "hate crime" in its annual report.

Even though the CAIR report does not define a hate crime, it does provide a few examples of them, including this one: "September 20, 2006 – A copy of the Quran was found in a toilet at the library of Pace University in New York."

The report goes on to say, "Initially, (the) Pace University administration called the desecration 'vandalism,' but with the collaborative efforts of CAIR-NY, the Association of Muslim American Lawyers, the New York Police Department Hate Crimes Task Force ... and the Muslim Students Association at Pace, university administrators now recognize the incident as a hate crime."

According to published news reports, a 23-year-old former Pace student was arrested last summer and charged with felony hate crimes. The charges carry with them a possible sentence of up to four years in prison.

Critics point to a double standard: Burning an American flag is considered free speech, and the submersion of a Christian Crucifix in urine has not only been called art, but funded by U.S. taxpayers – and yet flushing a paperback copy of the Quran down a toilet is now a hate crime.

Contradicting CAIR's claim that U.S. Muslims are increasingly the target of hate-mongers, the annual FBI report on hate crime has for several years consistently shown that Jews are far more likely to be victims of religious hate crimes than Muslims. In 2006, according to the report, 65 percent of the victims of religious hate crimes were Jewish, while only 12 percent were Muslim.

Of the 6,832 incidents of religious hate crime committed between 2002 and 2006, some 4,627, or 68 percent, were committed against Jews, while 744, or 11 percent, were committed against Muslims.

According to FBI statistics going back to 2000, Jews are more than five times more likely than Muslims to be the victims of hate crimes.

The CAIR report does not mention hate crimes committed against any population group other than Muslims.

One factor that could account for some of the disparity in the number of hate crimes committed against members of the two groups would be a significant difference in the size of their populations. If, for instance, there were five times as many Jews as Muslims in the United States, a five-fold increase in the number of anti-Jewish hate crimes might be expected.

Accurate population figures for religious groups are hard to come by, especially since the U.S. Census Bureau is prohibited from asking respondents about their religion. But according to several recent estimates, including a 2007 survey, Jews in the United States of America number approximately 6 million.

CAIR claims the U.S. Muslim population numbers at least 6 million.

However, in May, Investor's Business Daily took CAIR to task on that figure based on a recently released and exhaustive study by the Pew Research Center, called "Muslim Americans: Middle Class and mostly Mainstream."

The Pew study, the methodology for which was also exhaustively explained, estimated the adult Muslim population in the United States to be 1.5 million, with a total Muslim population of 2.35 million, less than half the number claimed by CAIR, which has attacked the validity of the Pew study.

Just after the study was released, Investor's Business Daily called CAIR's estimate of 6 million American Muslims a "wildly inflated guess" based on "fuzzy math."

"Politicians in Washington are intimidated by the figure," the newspaper said, "which CAIR uses as a cudgel to help advance its Islamist agenda."

Politicians and business executives have for years caved in to pressure from CAIR, the newspaper said, because they feared the repercussions from the organization's millions of voters and consumers. But, the article concluded, the bloated population figure was "the Wahhabi lobby's big lie. CAIR couldn't deliver even 2 million voters if it tried. ... There is no big Muslim lobby, just CAIR's big, hollow PR machine."

Regardless of whose estimate is correct as to the number of Muslims in the U.S. – CAIR's 6 million or Pew's 2.35 million – they are not outnumbered five-to-one by Jews.

An additional finding of the Pew study was the revelation that 26 percent of American Muslims younger than 30 expressed support, under at least some circumstances, for suicide bombings in defense of Islam. CAIR denounced that Pew finding as well.

AutoZone: CAIR wrong about Michael Savage ads
Says longtime policy bans sponsorship of all radio talk shows

The Council on American-Islamic Relations claims a raft of companies have stopped advertising on Michael Savage's top-rated radio talk show in response to a CAIR-instigated boycott campaign, but several of the cited companies say they don't know what the Islamic lobby group is talking about.

In a recent announcement claiming Universal Orlando Resorts "drops 'Savage Nation' ads," CAIR stated:

"Advertisers that have already stopped airing, or refuse to air commercials on 'Savage Nation' include AutoZone, Citrix, TrustedID, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Wal-Mart and AT&T."

But now AutoZone has told WND the CAIR campaign had nothing to do with its advertising decision, and it had chosen not to advertise on any radio talk shows – of all parts of the spectrum – years before the CAIR effort.

CAIR officials declined to respond to WND queries about why it is listing companies as part of its boycott campaign that say they have not participated in the boycott.

But Talk Radio Network officials also confirmed that companies including AutoZone and JCPenney never advertise on such programs.

"We do not sponsor syndicated radio talk shows," AutoZone spokesman Ray Pohlman told WND. "We have customers of all shapes and sizes and political persuasions. For us to sponsor [any radio talk shows] wouldn't make any sense."

But that policy is years old, and wasn't changed at all by CAIR's effort, he said.

"What I will tell you is the CAIR organization did, in fact, contact the marketing department [of AutoZone.] We responded with our full advertising policy which clearly states that we do not advertise on radio talk shows," he told WND.

He said the only way for an ad to have appeared would have been for a programmer at a radio station to make a mistake and put it on the air without permission.

Pohlman said CAIR apparently took the company's response to mean it was instituting a specific ban on advertising on the Savage show, when in fact the policy covers all such radio shows, and is not even a new policy.

The announcement about Universal was made by the Hate Hurts America Community and Interfaith Coalition, of which CAIR is a prominent member. It said Universal Orlando Resorts "has joined a growing list of advertisers that have stopped advertising or refuse to place their ads on Michael Savage's 'Savage Nation' Radio program."

The campaign also has triggered a lawsuit by Savage against CAIR over its alleged misappropriation of Savage's radio broadcast material. In the lawsuit, Savage depicts CAIR as a "vehicle of international terrorism."

CAIR says it is challenging Savage's "hate speech," and referenced Savage comments such as:

"I'm not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a burqa. And I'm not getting' on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I don't wanna hear any more about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you."

Another major company CAIR claims has joined the boycott of Michael Savage is JCPenney. But as with AutoZone, JCPenney officials told WND readers they were not making any special provision in their advertising policy that would make them part of a protest campaign, but officials did not respond directly to WND inquiries.

"JCPenney did not 'pull' advertising from the show. JCPenney has had a long standing policy about not advertising on any show that can be construed as controversial. An error in upholding this policy was made by a few local stations, and it has now been clarified," the company told a WND reader.

"Wal-Mart does not sponsor or advertise on the Michael Savage show. We have asked radio networks to ensure that Wal-Mart ads do not run in programming that we deem controversial and are sending out content guidelines reminders to radio networks and stations," said that company.

Savage's lawsuit alleges copyright infringement by CAIR, which the lawsuit says seeks to do "material harm to those voices who speak against the violent agenda of CAIR's clients."

Filed in U.S. District Court in California, the suit seeks damages equal to the ongoing donations from CAIR supporters "who expect CAIR to act in this manner in exchange for continuing financial support" as well as "actual damages according to proof."

A spokesman for Savage indicated the top-rated talk show host would have no further comment, saying the text of the lawsuit itself would answer questions.

The focal point of the lawsuit is a series of audio clips CAIR has been using in its promotions and fundraising efforts.

Those comments from Savage's show include his criticisms of Islam and Muslims. The lawsuit maintains such comments, taken in context, are Savage's verbal expression of the feelings of many Americans.

"The audience of 'The Savage Nation' expects this type of from-the-heart outrage and when it is directed at a murderer such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his ilk, the piece is far more understandable and far more American mainstream. While the strength of the outrage is remarkable and a hallmark of 'The Savage Nation,' the sentiment is shared by a huge number of Americans," the lawsuit said.

Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for CAIR, told WND when the lawsuit was filed the group would not comment on the action until the document had been reviewed.

Author doubtful about 'media guide' put out by Islamic group

Author and former Defense Department official Jed Babbin says he's very skeptical about a so-called "media guide" that has been put together by a Muslim group with suspected ties to terrorism.

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) -- a Washington, DC-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization -- has announced it has published a media guide that purportedly corrects "common misperceptions" about Islam and instructs reporters and authors how they should write about Islam.

According to the CAIR website, the guide -- titled "American Muslims: A Journalist's Guide to Understanding Islam and Muslims" -- offers journalists tools for writing "accurate and balanced" stories about Muslims, as well as "background information on issues related to Islam and Muslims, best practices for reporting on the American Muslim community, and definitions of terminology often used in news stories or editorials." CAIR is offering free copies of the guide to media professionals.

Jed Babbin, editor of Human Events, says he has requested a copy of the guide, but as yet has received no response to his request. He believes CAIR does not want anyone to see the document who might take the time to thoroughly examine its contents. The former deputy undersecretary of defense in President George H.W. Bush's administration also suspects it is not so much a guide as a set of rules against "harmful journalism."

"You know what's going to happen," says Babbin. "This is not a media guide. We're going to see people condemned for Islamophobia, for racism, [for] Lord only knows what else if you break their rules.

"Now the interesting thing about that was I asked for a copy of that," the journalist continues. "I sent CAIR an e-mail asking for a copy of it, and they haven't even answered my e-mail. I don't think they want anybody to see it who might actually scrutinize it."

Babbin contends Islamic groups are doing through intimidation what they cannot do through the ballot box or through court cases to silence critics of their religion.

CAIR backs off support for terror suspects
Originally charged 'racial profiling' in case of 2 students arrested in S.C.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has backed off on its defense of two Muslim college students caught driving near a sensitive U.S. Navy base with explosives and a how-to video on bomb making.

Last August, when police in South Carolina arrested University of South Florida students Ahmed Mohamed and Youssef Megahed for possession of four pipe bombs and a homemade video on how to make detonators for improvised explosive devices, CAIR sprang to the students' defense.

Now, the Washington, D.C.-based Muslim civil rights group is not so sure the boys are innocent.

Ahmed Bedier, executive director of CAIR's Tampa, Fla., office, told WND it's possible the two Egyptian engineering students were up to no good and they possibly were not just carrying fireworks to the beach, as they claimed.

"I've never said that these people were innocent, or that we were providing any kind of support for them," Bedier told WND. "If they did anything wrong they should be punished."

But when FBI agents searched Megahed's home in August, Bedier claimed the case was nothing more than an example of racial profiling.

"Definitely, this is not related to terrorism," Bedier told the Associated Press. "Had these been two good ol' boys from South Carolina driving through and speeding – and even if they did have some fireworks – nobody would have been arrested."

On Aug. 4, two Berkeley County, South Carolina, sheriff's deputies stopped the two men for speeding. Mohamed, a 26-year-old graduate student, was driving a Toyota Camry owned by Megahed's brother and allegedly going 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. The deputies stopped the Camry near the town of Goose Creek, just a few miles from the Charleston Naval Weapons Station.

During the traffic stop, the students aroused the deputies' suspicions by making inconsistent statements about where they were going and what they were doing. After obtaining consent, the deputies searched the car. Inside the trunk they found four pieces of PVC pipe packed with what appeared to be explosives. They also found 20 feet of safety fuse, a nearly full five-gallon can of gasoline, a drill and a box of .22-caliber bullets.

Mohamed and Megahed said they were looking for cheap gas while on their way to a beach just across the state line in North Carolina. They claimed the PVC pipes were fireworks of a type they called "sugar rockets."

The deputies placed the two men under arrest.

Inside the passenger compartment of the Toyota was a laptop computer with a file on its hard drive called "Bomb Shock." The file contained information about homemade explosives. Recent Internet searches on the computer had included the words "martyrdom," "Hamas," and "Qassam rockets."

But in addition, authorities found a 12-minute video on the computer that featured Mohamed. (Although his face could not be seen, Mohamed later admitted it was him.) In the video, he explains and demonstrates how to use components taken from a remote-controlled toy car to make a detonator for improvised explosive devices.

During the demonstration, Mohamed specifically mentions that the same components can also be found in a remote-controlled toy boat.

On the video, Mohamed says in Arabic, "Instead of the brethren going to carry out martyrdom operations ... he can use the explosion tools from distance and preserve his life, God willing, ... for the real battles."

Mohamed later admitted to the FBI that he made the video at his Tampa residence and intended it for Muslims overseas who are defending their lands against infidel invaders, a description, he said, that included U.S. troops.

Two days after Mohamed and Megahed's arrests, FBI agents searched Megahed's home in Tampa. Inside the home they found a remote-controlled toy boat still in its box and a partially dismantled digital watch. According to an FBI affidavit, "Digital watches have often been used in the past as timing devices for homemade bombs."

An FBI test of the material found inside the PVC pipe revealed it was an explosive mixture of potassium nitrate, cat litter and corn syrup.

A federal grand jury handed down a two-count indictment Aug. 31 that charged both men with illegally transporting explosives across state lines. The grand jury also hit Mohamed with the terrorism-related charge of distributing information about building and using an explosive device.

Megahed, a 21-year-old undergraduate, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, while Mohamed, because of the additional terrorism charge, faces a possible 30-year sentence. Both are being held without bond.

Megahed has since repeatedly tried to get his case separated from Mohamed's.

The case received scant media coverage, but interest in it was temporarily revived in early October when Megahed's brother, Yahia Megahed, was caught on a jailhouse surveillance camera surreptitiously making strange faces and using what appeared to be sign language to try to communicate with Megahed. When the news was made public, several media outlets lambasted the government for trying to assert that the attempted communication was part of a conspiracy.

What most of the media reports failed to mention was that the car – the 2000 Toyota Camry in which the explosives and terrorist training video were found – was registered to Yahia Megahed.

Later, the case made the news again when a tape recording made by a dashboard-mounted camera inside the arresting deputies' patrol car revealed what some said were racist comments by one of the deputies.

On the tape, Deputy Lamar Blakely can be heard telling his partner that Mohamed and Megahed were members of the "Taliban" and "graduates of suicide bomber school."

Critics pounced on the news.

"Clearly this is a racial or ethnic profiling case," Andy Savage, a South Carolina attorney who initially represented Megahed, told the St. Petersburg Times. "If this had been my son, if it was an Irish-American kid who had been stopped in Berkeley County going 60 mph, he might have been ticketed. More likely they would say, 'Slow down son. Keep on going.' But they would never have had their car torn apart. They would never have been viewed as suspicious individuals."

CAIR's Bedier was also quick to assert that it was the Berkeley County sheriff's deputies who were the guilty party.

"Law enforcement should follow the rules," Bedier told the St. Petersburg paper. "When they don't do their job the right way, they jeopardize their own investigation. Somebody screwed up here, and it may be costly. It will raise doubt about how this investigation was triggered."

The federal public defender in Tampa, who now represents Megahed, filed papers with the court last month in which he asserted the South Carolina deputies had been on a "fishing expedition" when they searched Megahed's brother's car. The defender contended the investigation was based on a "hunch" fueled by "inappropriate stereotypes."

In the case of Mohamed, who was in the U.S. on a student visa, the Egyptian government provided $750,000 for his legal defense.

"We are responsible for the sons of Egypt abroad with no exception," Ahmed el-Qawassni, a spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, told the AP.

In another twist in the case, earlier this month Mohamed demanded that the court allow him to fire his attorney, veteran Tampa litigator John Fitzgibbons, to whom the Egyptian government has already paid a $500,000 non-refundable retainer.

Mohamed accused Fitzgibbons of shoddy representation and expressed an interest in hiring attorney Linda Moreno to represent him. Moreno was the attorney for convicted Tampa-area terror supporter Sami Al-Arian.

In a courtroom tirade Monday, Mohamed also accused an Egyptian embassy official of stealing $250,000 from his defense fund.

At the end of Monday's hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pizzo excused an exuberant Fitzgibbons from the case. Fitzgibbons told the judge that Mohamed was the most difficult client he has represented in 20 years as a lawyer. Fitzgibbons said he visited Mohamed in jail at least 20 times in the three months since he was hired as his attorney, and each time Mohamed refused to cooperate with him. All Mohamed did during the visits, Fitzgibbons said, was lay his head on a table and mutter prayers in Arabic.

After announcing his decision, Judge Pizzo issued a warning to Mohamed.

"You had excellent counsel who was representing you," the judge said. "You chose not to get along with him. The consequences are yours."

Outside the courthouse, following the judge's ruling, Fitzgibbons told reporters: "It's going from the weird to the bizarre. Now, he's accusing Egyptian government officials of stealing money. You can see what I've been dealing with."

Tuesday, the judge appointed another attorney to represent Mohamed, whose trial is scheduled for March.

Christians launch crusade against new U.S. mosque
Officials deny they voted down plan because of Baptist opposition

A Baptist church in Ohio is being accused of religious intolerance for allegedly thwarting a plan to build a mosque on nearby property.

The board of zoning appeals in Sugarcreek Township, Ohio, insists its 5-0 vote against a variance request that would have permitted the Islamic Society of Greater Dayton to build the mosque was not influenced by the local First Baptist Church. The rejection, officials say, was based only on the expected sewage and traffic impact, the Dayton Daily News reported.

But the senior pastor of the 1,900-member church, Barry Jude, has made his opposition to the mosque clear.

"We just feel that Christianity is right and that Islam is wrong," Jude told the Daily News. "Therefore, we take a stand to see (a mosque) not in our community. The wonderful thing about our American culture is that you have the right to speak out against something you don't support."

The paper says the issue "has touched on larger questions: Does the presence of a mosque locally evoke feelings of fear or even hatred? Are church officials saying out loud what a lot of people are thinking privately?"

The Islamic Society of Greater Dayton says it will consider its options now, including a legal appeal. The plan is to build a mosque for up to 975 people and a family center for up to 400 on 15 acres it owns.

The society, on its website, notes its association with the Islamic Society of North America and the North American Islamic Trust, which both were named last summer as "unindicted co-conspirators" in a plot to fund the terrorist group Hamas.

Federal prosecutors also named the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, as a participant in a plot with five officials of the defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

The Dayton paper quoted a CAIR spokeswoman, Karen Dabdoud, who said she was surprised by the zoning board's rejection. At a public hearing in October, she said, township officials "told us this was a pretty simple and straightforward application and they didn't see any problems with it."

"This kind of thing is unfortunately very common across the country," Dabdoud told the Daily News. "It's usually framed in terms of traffic and property values, but underneath it is a situation of religious tension."

CAIR is a spinoff of the defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and former university professor Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Several CAIR staffers have been convicted on terrorism-related charges, and CAIR founder Omar Ahmad allegedly told a group of Muslims they are in America not to assimilate but to help assert Islam's rule over the country.

As WND reported, a Christian minister suing to halt the planned construction of a huge Florida mosque says he hopes to gain access to previously undisclosed financial information of CAIR.

'Power of the sword'

The Dayton paper reported that several days before the zoning board meeting, a local Methodist pastor and his wife, also a pastor, received a phone call from a woman urging local residents to attend the meeting in opposition to the mosque.

The caller said the mosque should be blocked "because of what it says in the Quran, and these are bad people," said Brooks Heck, pastor of South Park United Methodist Church in Dayton. His wife, Terry, is pastor of Bellbrook United Methodist Church.

However, Sugarcreek Township Administrator Barry Tiffany insisted, "I can tell you that religion was never brought into it by the board at any time."

Jude said he was unaware of any calling campaign prior to the board meeting. But he affirmed there had been announcements at his church urging local residents to oppose the zoning.

The pastor said he has told his congregation "to hate the sin but love the sinner" when it comes to Islam. "We're here to promote Christ and his kingdom ... and we want to lovingly do that," he told the Dayton paper. "Obviously, there are wonderful people who are Islamic."

The Daily News reported Sunday its discovery of a CD recording offered by the church that features a talk by a former Muslim, Shahram Parvani, who declared, "Islam is not a religion of peace."

Parvani, speaking to an audience of about 500 at the church Oct. 28, also stated Muslims "want to control, they want to dominate" and spread their religion "by the power of the sword."

He said that less Christians stop Muslims from buying land and setting up their own facilities in the U.S., what "happened in Europe is going to happen to us."

"The Islamic Council of the United Kingdom is buying up every single church that closes and they pay cash for it. As soon as the (old) sign comes down, the Islamic sign goes up."

The Islamic Society of Greater Dayton says on its website that it purchased a church building in 1985 and remodeled it for its headquarters.

Its homepage bears a hadith – a saying from the life of Muhammad – that declares: "Who ever builds a Masjid (mosque) for Allah, Allah will Build for him a similar House in Paradise."

FL Attorney General Genuflects to CAIR, MPAC...

In what has become a war of the spinners, Florida Attorney General McCollum, the Council on American Islamic Relations [CAIR] and the Muslim Public Affairs Council [MPAC] are all trying to cast a meeting held on February 12, between the AG and the two groups in the best light.

That meeting took place as a result of McCollum having organized a screening of the film “Obsession" which is viewed by CAIR, MPAC and other Islamist organizations as being defamatory because it tells the truth about radical Islam, including its ties to fascism.

For its part, CAIR, the recently named unindicted co-conspirator in the U.S. government’s largest anti-terror prosecution, characterized the meeting in part as:

“McCollum also agreed to offer educational programs on Islam and Muslims to his staff and to help build better relations between the Muslim community and law enforcement agencies

However in a letter to America Congress for Truth’s Jerry Gordon a spokesman for Mr. McCollum seemed to be saying that there would be no “educational programs on Islam" being forced on employees of the AG’s office:

“The meeting earlier this week with MPAC and CAIR was a good dialogue and we believe it was productive, but as multiple media outlets have reported, the Attorney General will not be “dissociating" himself from this movie and still believes it has educational value. I’ve not seen any particular statement from MPAC on the meeting aside from what has been reported in the media, but the one statement they’ve made in the press which is not accurate relates to the opportunity to educate our staff. This will not be possible due to First Amendment issues," [source, http://blog.americancongressfortruth.com:80/2008/02/14/florida-ag-mccollum-calls-mpaccair-statements-about-meeting-inaccurate]

When contacted by PipeLineNews.org on February 15 though, the same Ms. Copes who authored the above response to Mr. Gordon, took a different tack, making it clear that there was indeed a new “Muslim Advisory Council for the Florida Attorney General’s Office," though its scope of authority and operating charter have not yet been specified.

“The meeting between the Attorney General and the members of CAIR and MPAC was productive. We did agree to create a Muslim Advisory Council for the Florida Attorney General's Office, although no additional decisions about composition, etc. have been made at this time. We have also agreed to include appropriate material in the hate crimes training our office offers to law enforcement and members of Florida communities through the Anti-Defamation League."

What is one to make of all of this scurrying around?

It seems clear that the Florida Attorney General’s office is operating from a position of supplication, acting as if Mr. McCollum needs to take ameliorative action as a result of having screened the movie “Obsession." Just why telling the truth about certain practitioners of Islam should demand such action, is hard to fathom.

As a result, his office will now officially be working with - in apparent atonement - two Islamist groups, one of which is intimately involved in a major terror prosecution, who forced this murkily defined advisory council on the AG’s office.

It must be assumed that this advisory group will have some role in censorship regarding items which it might deem “insulting" to the Muslim religion. As such Mr. McCollum’s actions can only be seen as examples of dhimmitude, and certainly not in keeping with his oath of office.

Hosting Unindicted Co-Conspirators at Fort Lauderdale

On Saturday, March 1st, the city of Fort Lauderdale will be playing host to two U.S. government named “Unindicted Co-Conspirators,” the Islamic advocacy group CAIR and Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj. The event will be taking place with the full knowledge of the city, while the citizens of Fort Lauderdale will be left in the dark, unaware of what their elected officials are allowing to operate in and fundraise in their town.

CAIR or the Council on American-Islamic Relations was created in June of 1994 as a part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee, a quad of groups looking for ways to finance Hamas from the United States. The committee was headed by Mousa Abu Marzook, then the Political Bureau Chief of Hamas. Today, CAIR has over 30 offices based throughout the U.S. and Canada, one of them being CAIR-Florida.

CAIR-Florda, like its parent and “Brother” organizations, holds annual events highlighting speakers well known to the radical Muslim community. The venue for this year’s affair, its 2008 South Florida Annual Fundraising Banquet, will be the Broward County Convention Center. The theme of the gathering is ‘Let the Conversation Begin.’ However, the real conversation should start with how and why an organization connected to Hamas would be given the go ahead to utilize a government owned facility for its event, especially when that group is using it to collect money.

In June of 2007, 13 years after its founding, CAIR, along with other terror-related entities, was named as an “unindicted co-conspirator” for a Dallas trial that dealt with the financing of millions of dollars to Hamas. CAIR being implicated in the funding of terrorism abroad is a concern, as the group will be using the Broward government center to raise money. Question: Where will that money wind up?

Also of concern are the speakers. Featured at this year’s event, as has been the case in past events, is Siraj Wahhaj, the imam of Masjid Al-Taqwa in Brooklyn, New York. Wahhaj is also the Amir or President of the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), an umbrella group for African-American mosques and Islamic centers.

In February of 1995, Wahhaj was named by U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White to a list of “unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators” for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Also found on the list are Osama bin Laden, bin Laden mentor Abdullah Azzam, and Fawaz Damra, who was deported from the United States, in January of 2007, for his involvement with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

With regard to the ’93 bombing, Wahhaj has been linked to the spiritual leader of the operation, the “Blind Sheikh” Omar Abdel Rahman, and bomb-maker Clement Rodney Hampton-El. The attack, which was part of a much larger conspiracy to destroy major landmarks throughout New York City, took the lives of six people.

Also featured at this year’s CAIR event are Juan Cole, an anti-Israel blogger and conspiracy theorist, and Maz Jobrani, an Iranian comedian who has built his career on anti-Bush statements veiled as jokes.

This is not the first time Broward County has opened its doors to CAIR. In March of 2003, a “diversity awareness” video featuring CAIR-Florida Executive Director Altaf Ali was shown in every public school in Broward and viewed by the youngest of Broward’s students. The video was produced by the Broward County School Board.

In August of 2005, Broward County allowed CAIR to use its Main Library in Fort Lauderdale to hold a series of six lectures, as part of CAIR’s ‘Explore Islamic Culture & Civilization’ project. The project began in September of 2002, for the purpose of distributing sets of Islamic-oriented books to thousands of public libraries across America. The texts included: a version of the Quran that was banned by the Los Angeles school system, a book justifying the beating of women by their husbands, and a book defending convicted terrorist Abdurahman Alamoudi. The Broward County Library Magazine publicized the event using the Broward County government logo.

And last year, in March of 2007, just as it is doing this year, Broward County allowed CAIR to use its convention center. And Wahhaj spoke at that event, as well.

When is Broward going to figure out that it is wrong to allow groups and individuals with ties to terrorism to use its facilities, especially when it comes to those groups using the facilities to raise money? Do Broward’s government officials worry about where that money is going, what it’s going for, or who it’s going to? Do they truly care about the safety and security of their citizens?

The CAIR/Wahhaj event is only weeks away. That is enough time for Broward to change its disastrous course, show that radical Islamists are unwelcome, and shut the fundraiser down.

CAIR: Ahmed Bedier, Pass the Bread, Reject the Bible

In a February article in Tampa Bay Online, Karen Dunham is lauded as providing much needed resources to Palestinian refugees in camps in the Middle East. Dunham, of the Living Bread International Church, enjoys the cooperation of the Israeli armed forces and has her headquarters mission in Jerusalem, with mission outposts in Bethlehem, Jericho, and another planned for Hebron.

Dunham’s group passes out food, clothing, and Bibles to those who seek her group’s assistance.

Ahmed Bedier, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Tampa, Florida, chapter, apparently has a problem with Dunham witnessing to those she is helping with her outreach. Specifically, Bedier is troubled by Dunham’s Christian evangelizing.

According to Bedier,

"These are starving people who are not thinking rationally…
they'll do what you say to get the food to keep them alive.
They'll pray with and say they're converted. And likely,
they'll be back at the mosque on Friday."

Is the Muslim faith of Middle Eastern Muslims so weak that they would deny it on one day, embrace it the next?

Is this an opinion Bedier has shared with Middle Eastern Muslims?

Bedier met with one of Dunham’s American volunteers before her third trip to the Middle East. Among the things Bedier gave her are a copy of the Koran and a list of “do’s and don’ts” regarding the Muslim culture.

Ahmed Bedier, the representative of a self-described “Muslim civil rights group” presumes to tell a Christian to ignore her faith when ministering to Muslims ... yet expects that same Christian to observe a list of “do’s and don’ts” when interacting with Muslims?

Rank hypocrisy?

Bedier wants Dunham’s group to keep their Bibles to themselves, but sees no problem with giving a Christian volunteer a copy of the Koran. Did not Bedier think this was Islamic proselytizing? What other possible reason can there be for his giving her a copy of the Koran?

Bedier further illustrates his Christophobia:

“You have to question the motives of people who go
into hostile environments to push their religion,
when there's so much that needs to be done
in this country."

(Keep in mind that Dunham’s car has been bombed and her home blown up three times)

Bedier enjoys a very comfortable life in the United States. He represents CAIR, a group with proven ties to Islamic terrorism and Islamic terrorists; a group founded by Islamic terrorists, an organization that actively supports Islamic terrorists and Islamic terrorist groups; an association supported by Islamic terrorists and Islamic terrorist groups, an organization that is actively working to subvert the government of the United States with the ultimate goal of converting our country into an Islamic theocracy.

Has Bedier ever set foot in the Middle East with a bag of food, clothes, and religious material to pass out to the Palestinian people in the refugee camps?

Dunham has.

Would Bedier ever give up his very comfortable life in the U.S. to live a life of danger in the Middle East in response to a higher calling?

Dunham has.

What appears to have Bedier so outraged is that it took a Christian to show CAIR how real outreach works and that the works of God are definitely not the province of radical Muslims.

Dunham’s Living Bread International Church is everything CAIR is not.

No wonder Bedier is upset ...

CAIR seeks dismissal of Savage lawsuit
Judge to issue ruling soon in case linking organization to terror

A judge in California has taken under advisement a request by the Council on Islamic-American Relations to dismiss a lawsuit filed by radio talk show host Michael Savage.

The San Francisco-based talker originally accused the organization of copyright violations, but later amended the action to include allegations the group "has consistently sought to silence opponents of violent terror through economic blackmail, frivolous but costly lawsuits, threats of lawsuits and abuses of the legal system."

The action in U.S. District Court in Northern California also charges CAIR with using extortion, threats, abuse of the court system, and obtaining money via interstate commerce under false and fraudulent circumstances – calling it a "political vehicle of international terrorism" and even linking the group with support of al-Qaida.

The federal government, in fact, recently named CAIR, based in Washington, D.C., as an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to the terrorist group Hamas.

The lawsuit was the subject of court hearing today, and according to a report from the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said she was "leaning toward tossing out" the action.

She did say she likely would allow Savage's lawyer to submit a revised complaint to keep the case alive, the report said.

Savage's attorney Daniel Horowitz said the copyright claim was valid because CAIR used Savage's material "for purely commercial purposes," but the judge said she found free speech arguments persuasive.

As WND has reported, CAIR has been associated with a disturbing number of convicted terrorists or felons in terrorism probes, as well as suspected terrorists and active targets of terrorism investigations.

"Groups like CAIR have a proven record of senior officials being indicted and either imprisoned or deported from the United States," said U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., co-founder of the House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus.

Savage and Horowitz, a celebrity civil rights attorney, are trying to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to make the case that "CAIR and its co-conspirators have aided, abetted and materially sponsored al-Qaida and international terrorism."

CAIR launched a campaign against "The Savage Nation," as the program is called, using extended audio clips of the show to make the case that advertisers who supported the talker were actually endorsing "hate speech" against Muslims.

Savage turned the tables on the activist group by initially suing for copyright violation of the show's material, then expanding the case.

Among the charges is that CAIR is "part of a deliberately complex and deliberately confusing array of related organizations" and that its "organizational structure is part of a scheme to hide the illegal activities of the group, funding, the transfer of funds and to complicate investigation of the group."

Other highlights of the suit:

* "CAIR is not a civil rights organization and it never has been. - CAIR was and is a political organization that advocates a specific political agenda on behalf of foreign interests."

* "The copyright infringement was done to raise funds for CAIR so that it could perpetuate and continue to perform its role in the RICO conspiracy set forth in Count Two and to disseminate propaganda on behalf of foreign interests that are opposed to the continued existence of the United States of America as a free nation."

* "CAIR would have to register as a foreign agent if their activities were not hidden under the false claim that they are a civil rights organization that enjoys tax-exempt status."

* "CAIR was tied to terror from the day it was formed. The group was incorporated on or about 1994 by Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad. Both men were officers of a terror organization known as the 'Islamic Association of Palestine.'"

* "CAIR's parent group, IAP, was founded in or about 1982 by Musa Abu Marzook. Marzook was IAP's ideological leader and controlling director from the date of its founding until shortly after his deportation from the United States in 1997. At all time relevant, Marzook was an operative of, and/or affiliated with, the 'Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah,' or 'Hamas.' Hamas is an international terrorist organization."

* In 1998, "CAIR demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as 'the sworn enemy,' asserting that this depiction [was] 'offensive to Muslims.'"

* In 1998, "CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the two al-Qaida bombings of American embassies in Africa. CAIR's leader Ibrahim Hooper claimed the bombings resulted from 'misunderstandings on both sides.'"

* "On October 5, 2001, just weeks after 9/11, CAIR's New York office sent a letter to The New York Times arguing that the paper had misidentified three of the hijackers and suggesting that the attacks may have been committed by people who were impersonating Arab Muslims."

* "CAIR further exploited 9/11 as it put on its website a picture of the World Trade Center in flames and below it a call for donations that was linked to the Holy Land Foundation website." The Holy Land Foundation, the suit charges, is "a terror organization."

* "CAIR receives significant international funding. For example, in 1999 the Islamic Development Bank gave a $250,000 grant to CAIR to purchase land for a national headquarters. In 2002, the World Association for Muslim Youth, a Saudi government-funded organization, financed distributing books on Islam free of charge and an advertising campaign in American publications. This included a quarter page in USA Today each Friday, for a year, estimated to cost $1.04 million. In 2003, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal donated $500,000 to distribute the Koran and other books about Islam in the United States. In 2005, CAIR's Washington branch received a donation of $1,366,466 from a Saudi Arabian named gotcha98 Bogary. In 2006, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and UAE minister of finance and industry, financed the building of a property in the U.S. to serve as an endowment for the organization. This gift is thought to generate income of approximately $3 million a year."

* "The role of CAIR and CAIR-Canada is to wage PSYOPS (psychological warfare) and disinformation activities on behalf of Wahabbi-based Islamic terrorists throughout North America. They are the intellectual 'shock troops' of Islamic terrorism."

* "The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a Muslim Brotherhood front organization. It works in the United States as a lobby against radio, television and print media journalists who dare to produce anything about Islam that is at variance with their fundamental agenda."

* "CAIR has links to both Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Terrorism expert Steven Emerson has stated before Congress that CAIR is a front for Hamas."

cont'd

Savage's case also cites another suit against CAIR filed by the estate of John P. O'Neill, the former head of security for the World Trade Center. It alleged a RICO conspiracy involving CAIR led to the 9/11 attack.

"Throughout this period," the Savage suit alleges, "CAIR conspired to support terrorism and to obfuscate the roles of the various participants and conspirators in Radical Muslim Terrorism, and/or al-Qaida and/or the International Islamic Front for the Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, which conspiracy culminated in the 9/11 attack."

It continues: "The pattern of racketeering activity conducted by CAIR is separate from the existence of Radical Muslim Terrorism, and/or the al-Qaida, and/or the International Islamic Front for the Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, but was a necessary component of the 9/11 attack. The RICO enterprise conducts terrorism all over the world; the racketeering activity conducted by CAIR funds that activity, which activity culminated in the 9/11 attack."

CAIR has claimed a host of companies have stopped advertising on Savage's show as a result of its boycott campaign.

However, an investigation by WND shows some of those boycott victories are questionable. In one announcement claiming Universal Orlando Resorts "drops 'Savage Nation' ads," CAIR stated: "Advertisers that have already stopped airing, or refuse to air commercials on 'Savage Nation' include AutoZone, Citrix, TrustedID, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Wal-Mart and AT&T."

But AutoZone told WND the CAIR campaign had nothing to do with its advertising decision, and it had chosen not to advertise on any radio talk shows – of all parts of the spectrum – years before the CAIR effort.

CAIR officials declined to respond to WND queries about why it is listing companies as part of its boycott campaign that say they have not participated in the boycott.

Officials of Talk Radio Network, Savage's syndicator, confirmed to WND that companies including AutoZone and JCPenney never advertise on such programs.

"We do not sponsor syndicated radio talk shows," AutoZone spokesman Ray Pohlman told WND. "We have customers of all shapes and sizes and political persuasions. For us to sponsor [any radio talk shows] wouldn't make any sense."

But that policy is years old, and wasn't changed at all by CAIR's effort, he said.

"What I will tell you is the CAIR organization did, in fact, contact the marketing department [of AutoZone.] We responded with our full advertising policy which clearly states that we do not advertise on radio talk shows," he told WND.

The clip used by CAIR from Savage's material included: "I'm not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a burqa. And I'm not getting' on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I don't wanna hear any more about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you."

The Savage suit says comments like that are taken out of context.

The suit seeks damages equal to the ongoing donations from CAIR supporters "who expect CAIR to act in this manner in exchange for continuing financial support" as well as "actual damages according to proof."

Judge sides with CAIR against Michael Savage
Sends message using radio talker's work all right

A Clinton-appointed judge in California has dismissed a lawsuit by radio talk show host Michael Savage against the Council on Islamic-American Relations.

The decision came in a terse one-page document in which Judge Susan Illston said she was granting the defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings with leave to amend. Although it was released only today, it was dated Friday, apparently finalized shortly after she held a hearing on the issues at hand. It was posted on Michael Savage's website, under the headline "Clinton judge (Illston) sides with CAIR against Savage."

"I don't care if it costs me $2 million. I'm going to appeal," Savage promised immediately.

The San Francisco-based talker originally accused the organization of copyright violations, but later amended the action to include allegations the group "has consistently sought to silence opponents of violent terror through economic blackmail, frivolous but costly lawsuits, threats of lawsuits and abuses of the legal system."

The action in U.S. District Court in Northern California also accused CAIR of using extortion, threats, abuse of the court system, and obtaining money via interstate commerce under false and fraudulent circumstances – calling it a "political vehicle of international terrorism" and even linking the group with support of al-Qaida.

The federal government, in fact, recently named CAIR, based in Washington, D.C., as an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to the terrorist group Hamas.

The lawsuit was the subject of court hearing on Friday, and according to a report from the Associated Press, Illston said she was "leaning toward tossing out" the action.

She did say she was considering allowing Savage's lawyer to submit a revised complaint to keep the case alive, the report said.

Savage's attorney Daniel Horowitz said the copyright claim was valid because CAIR used Savage's material "for purely commercial purposes," but the judge said she found free speech arguments persuasive.

As WND has reported, CAIR has been associated with a disturbing number of convicted terrorists or felons in terrorism probes, as well as suspected terrorists and active targets of terrorism investigations.

"Groups like CAIR have a proven record of senior officials being indicted and either imprisoned or deported from the United States," said U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., co-founder of the House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus.

Savage and Horowitz, a celebrity civil rights attorney, are trying to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to make the case that "CAIR and its co-conspirators have aided, abetted and materially sponsored al-Qaida and international terrorism."

CAIR launched a campaign against "The Savage Nation," as the program is called, using extended audio clips of the show to make the case that advertisers who supported the talker were actually endorsing "hate speech" against Muslims.

Savage turned the tables on the activist group by initially suing for copyright violation of the show's material, then expanding the case.

Among the charges is that CAIR is "part of a deliberately complex and deliberately confusing array of related organizations" and that its "organizational structure is part of a scheme to hide the illegal activities of the group, funding, the transfer of funds and to complicate investigation of the group."

Other highlights of the suit:

* "CAIR is not a civil rights organization and it never has been. - CAIR was and is a political organization that advocates a specific political agenda on behalf of foreign interests."

* "The copyright infringement was done to raise funds for CAIR so that it could perpetuate and continue to perform its role in the RICO conspiracy set forth in Count Two and to disseminate propaganda on behalf of foreign interests that are opposed to the continued existence of the United States of America as a free nation."

* "CAIR would have to register as a foreign agent if their activities were not hidden under the false claim that they are a civil rights organization that enjoys tax-exempt status."

* "CAIR was tied to terror from the day it was formed. The group was incorporated on or about 1994 by Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad. Both men were officers of a terror organization known as the 'Islamic Association of Palestine.'"

* "CAIR's parent group, IAP, was founded in or about 1982 by Musa Abu Marzook. Marzook was IAP's ideological leader and controlling director from the date of its founding until shortly after his deportation from the United States in 1997. At all time relevant, Marzook was an operative of, and/or affiliated with, the 'Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah,' or 'Hamas.' Hamas is an international terrorist organization."

* In 1998, "CAIR demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as 'the sworn enemy,' asserting that this depiction [was] 'offensive to Muslims.'"

* In 1998, "CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the two al-Qaida bombings of American embassies in Africa. CAIR's leader Ibrahim Hooper claimed the bombings resulted from 'misunderstandings on both sides.'"

* "On October 5, 2001, just weeks after 9/11, CAIR's New York office sent a letter to The New York Times arguing that the paper had misidentified three of the hijackers and suggesting that the attacks may have been committed by people who were impersonating Arab Muslims."

* "CAIR further exploited 9/11 as it put on its website a picture of the World Trade Center in flames and below it a call for donations that was linked to the Holy Land Foundation website." The Holy Land Foundation, the suit charges, is "a terror organization."

cont'd

* "CAIR receives significant international funding. For example, in 1999 the Islamic Development Bank gave a $250,000 grant to CAIR to purchase land for a national headquarters. In 2002, the World Association for Muslim Youth, a Saudi government-funded organization, financed distributing books on Islam free of charge and an advertising campaign in American publications. This included a quarter page in USA Today each Friday, for a year, estimated to cost $1.04 million. In 2003, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal donated $500,000 to distribute the Koran and other books about Islam in the United States. In 2005, CAIR's Washington branch received a donation of $1,366,466 from a Saudi Arabian named gotcha98 Bogary. In 2006, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and UAE minister of finance and industry, financed the building of a property in the U.S. to serve as an endowment for the organization. This gift is thought to generate income of approximately $3 million a year."

* "The role of CAIR and CAIR-Canada is to wage PSYOPS (psychological warfare) and disinformation activities on behalf of Wahabbi-based Islamic terrorists throughout North America. They are the intellectual 'shock troops' of Islamic terrorism."

* "The Council on American-Islamic Relations is a Muslim Brotherhood front organization. It works in the United States as a lobby against radio, television and print media journalists who dare to produce anything about Islam that is at variance with their fundamental agenda."

* "CAIR has links to both Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Terrorism expert Steven Emerson has stated before Congress that CAIR is a front for Hamas."

Savage's case also cites another suit against CAIR filed by the estate of John P. O'Neill, the former head of security for the World Trade Center. It alleged a RICO conspiracy involving CAIR led to the 9/11 attack.

"Throughout this period," the Savage suit alleges, "CAIR conspired to support terrorism and to obfuscate the roles of the various participants and conspirators in Radical Muslim Terrorism, and/or al-Qaida and/or the International Islamic Front for the Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, which conspiracy culminated in the 9/11 attack."

It continues: "The pattern of racketeering activity conducted by CAIR is separate from the existence of Radical Muslim Terrorism, and/or the al-Qaida, and/or the International Islamic Front for the Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, but was a necessary component of the 9/11 attack. The RICO enterprise conducts terrorism all over the world; the racketeering activity conducted by CAIR funds that activity, which activity culminated in the 9/11 attack."

CAIR has claimed a host of companies have stopped advertising on Savage's show as a result of its boycott campaign.

However, an investigation by WND shows some of those boycott victories are questionable. In one announcement claiming Universal Orlando Resorts "drops 'Savage Nation' ads," CAIR stated: "Advertisers that have already stopped airing, or refuse to air commercials on 'Savage Nation' include AutoZone, Citrix, TrustedID, JCPenney, OfficeMax, Wal-Mart and AT&T."

But AutoZone told WND the CAIR campaign had nothing to do with its advertising decision, and it had chosen not to advertise on any radio talk shows – of all parts of the spectrum – years before the CAIR effort.

CAIR officials declined to respond to WND queries about why it is listing companies as part of its boycott campaign that say they have not participated in the boycott.

Officials of Talk Radio Network, Savage's syndicator, confirmed to WND that companies including AutoZone and JCPenney never advertise on such programs.

"We do not sponsor syndicated radio talk shows," AutoZone spokesman Ray Pohlman told WND. "We have customers of all shapes and sizes and political persuasions. For us to sponsor [any radio talk shows] wouldn't make any sense."

But that policy is years old, and wasn't changed at all by CAIR's effort, he said.

"What I will tell you is the CAIR organization did, in fact, contact the marketing department [of AutoZone.] We responded with our full advertising policy which clearly states that we do not advertise on radio talk shows," he told WND.

The clip used by CAIR from Savage's material included: "I'm not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a burqa. And I'm not getting' on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I don't wanna hear any more about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you."

The Savage suit says comments like that are taken out of context.

The suit seeks damages equal to the ongoing donations from CAIR supporters "who expect CAIR to act in this manner in exchange for continuing financial support" as well as "actual damages according to proof."

CAIR Comes Clean on Hamas

Since the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was founded in June of 1994, the group has worked hard to conceal its true feelings about Hamas. That is, until now. Video footage taken at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, rally against CAIR reveals its unabashed support for Hamas. If people had questions about CAIR's sympathies before, this should end all debate on the matter.

In March of 1994, the future co-founder and Executive Director of CAIR, Nihad Awad, revealed himself as a supporter of Hamas. “After I researched the situation inside and outside Palestine, I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO," he said. "I know that this movement as an Islamic movement has not been objectively reported in the United States...”

When the declaration was made, Awad was the spokesman for the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the American propaganda wing of Hamas. However, since CAIR was established just a few months later, the organization has been extremely hesitant about making any such pronouncements about Hamas. Except for a statement at a November 2001 interfaith gathering by ex-CAIR-New York President Al-Haaj Ghazi Khankan, which he now says was a misquote, CAIR has been virtually silent.

But as of March 1, 2008, 14 years following Awad’s infamous statement, CAIR’s wall of silence about Hamas has come crashing down, as CAIR-Florida representative Jawhar “Joe” Badran spoke out at a public forum -- except, unlike Awad and Khankan, this time it was caught on video.

Jawhar Sadallah Badran, a Palestinian resident of Deerfield Beach, Florida, has made outrageous statements before. In July of 2006, he told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, “Hamas and Hezbollah are committing acts of defense against the acts of the Israelis. The only weapons that we have are to strap bombs on our bodies and do whatever damage and destruction we can.”

At the time, although he had told the paper that he was not speaking on behalf of any group, Badran was representing the South Florida chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-South Florida) as its Vice President. [CAIR co-founder and ex-IAP President Rafiq Jaber was also a leader of the ADC.]

Nevertheless, at a March 1, 2008 rally against CAIR’s usage of a government-owned facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, there was no ambiguity, as Badran made his support for Hamas known. Speaking into a microphone bearing CAIR’s name and logo and standing beside a smiling Altaf Ali, the executive director of CAIR-Florida, he clearly and emphatically stated on video: “Hamas is not a terrorist organization.”

Additionally, when asked if Hamas was a terror group, one of the girls running video for CAIR said “No,” and a number of witnesses claim that Ali did the same.

Badran made other pro-Hamas statements at the rally. For instance, he said, “Hamas is a defender of the Palestinian people. That’s what Hamas is.” In a similar vein, he declared that “Hamas is better than Fatah, because there’s no corruption. Hamas takes care of the people.” And when asked if he believed a suicide bombing was a terrorist act, he balked on the question and said, “I’m saying that the state of Israel has committed a terrorist act.”

Given his associations with extremist groups and given his overtly pro-Hamas stance, it is curious that Badran, too, sits on the diversity committee of the Broward County School Board. On the other hand, given the way that Broward has coddled CAIR over the years, it may very well make sense.

In March of 2003, the School Board produced a video starring CAIR’s Altaf Ali, which was shown in all of Broward’s public schools. In August of 2005, the Broward Commission handed over the Fort Lauderdale Main Library to CAIR for a six-part series on Islam. And last year, just as this year, the local government approved CAIR’s usage of the Broward County Convention Center to hold its annual banquet, which featured the same speaker, Siraj Wahhaj, an “unindicted co-conspirator” of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

It was because of Broward County’s embrace of CAIR that my group, Americans Against Hate, called for a rally outside of CAIR’s event. We wanted to speak out about CAIR’s ties to terrorism and to denounce local officials for not taking a strong stand against the organization. While CAIR was recently named by the U.S. government an (unindicted) co-conspirator for a trial that dealt with the financing of millions of dollars to Hamas, and while the FBI stated, during the trial, that CAIR was founded as a part of the American Palestine Committee, a group led by then-head of Hamas Mousa Abu Marzook, the organization continues to be embraced by local governments across our nation.

With this new revelation of CAIR’s explicit public support for Hamas, it may be hoped that those in power will understand the true nature of this group. Perhaps now, government officials from Broward County and other areas will not be so quick to grant CAIR access to its cities and will, instead, work to shut the group down. No longer do they have the excuse of ignorance.

Ex-CAIR chief indicted
for 'Baghdad Jim' junket
Charged with arranging Saddam-financed trip
in which Dems on enemy soil called Bush liar

The former head of the Council on Islamic-American Relations' Michigan branch was indicted yesterday for allegedly arranging a visit to Baghdad by three U.S. congressmen financed by Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency in the run-up to the war, according to federal prosecutors.

Muthanna Al-Hanooti, an Iraqi-American, was rewarded with 2 million barrels of oil by Iraqi intelligence officials when he set up the controversial excursion by Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California.

The congressman made news in October 2002 with their harsh criticism of President Bush in live television interviews from Baghdad, including McDermott's charge that the president would lie to the American people to justify a war with Saddam.

The lawmakers urged a diplomatic solution as the Bush administration sought authorization from Congress for military action in response to Saddam's refusal to abide by U.N. resolutions.

Al-Hanooti joins a list of leaders of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, who have been indicted on terrorism-related charges.

(Story continues below)

CAIR is a spinoff of the defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and former university professor Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Among the convicted CAIR staffers are former communications specialist Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in Virginia for holy war against the U.S. and sent several members to Pakistan to join a Kashmiri terrorist group with reported ties to al-Qaida. Bassem Khafagi was arrested in January 2003 while serving as CAIR's director of community relations and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges in connection with a probe of the Islamic Assembly of North America, an organization suspected of aiding Saudi sheiks tied to Osama bin Laden. In October 2006, Ghassan Elashi, a member of the founding board of directors of the Texas branch of CAIR, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for financial ties to a high-ranking terrorist.

Al-Hanooti was identified in a June 2000 press release as executive director of CAIR's new regional office in Michigan, according to Steve Emerson's Investigative Project on Terrorism. It isn't clear when he left the organization, Emerson said.

The congressmen were not named in the indictment, and Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said investigators "have no information whatsoever" any of them knew the trip was underwritten by Saddam, the Associated Press reported.

"Obviously, we didn't know it at the time," McDermott spokesman Michael DeCesare told the AP. "The trip was to see the plight of the Iraqi children. That's the only reason we went."

Al-Hanooti pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, illegally purchasing Iraqi oil and lying to authorities and was held on $10,000 bail.

Al-Hanooti worked from 1999 to 2006 for the Southfield, Mich., charity Life for Relief and Development, which financed the trip to Iraq. Thompson and McDermott, who officially disclosed the cost of the trip as $5,510, understood the charity financed the junket.

Federal prosecutors said Al-Hanooti, assigned to monitoring Congress for the Iraqi Intelligence Service, provided Saddam's government with a list of U.S. lawmakers believed to favor lifting economic sanctions against Iraq, the AP said.

The Detroit Free Press said that in addition to Al-Hanooti's role as head of CAIR Michigan, he was president of a group called Focus on American and Arab Interests and Relations.

Saddam's 'commercial time'

McDermott – dubbed "Baghdad Jim" by some of his angered constituents – and Bonior stirred controversy in their October 2002 live interview from Baghdad with ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," suggesting on Iraqi soil Saddam could be trusted more than President Bush, the media watch blog Newsbusters.org recalled today.

After McDermott asserted the Bush administration sometimes gives out "misinformation," Stephanopoulos asked the congressman, "But do you have any evidence the president has lied?"

McDermott replied: "I think the president would mislead the American people."

Sen. Don Nickles, who was in ABC's studio, charged the congressmen with aiding the enemy inside its own territory.

"I'm really troubled by what I just heard," said Nickles. "Congressman McDermott said, well I think the president would mislead the American people, and basically he's taking Saddam Hussein's lines, they both sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government."

In a roundtable segment later, columnist George Will reacted with outrage.

"Let's note, that in what I consider the most disgraceful performance abroad by an American official in my lifetime – something not exampled since Jane Fonda sat on the anti-aircraft gun in Hanoi to be photographed – Mr. McDermott said in effect, not in effect, he said it, we should take Saddam Hussein at his word and not take the president at his word.

"He said the United States is simply trying to provoke," Will continued. "I mean, why Saddam Hussein doesn't pay commercial time for that advertisement for his policy, I do not know."

CAIR's March with Terror

March of 2008 has been an important month for those concerned about the connections to terrorism of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). In this month, CAIR exposed its true self more so than at any time in the past, as it came out publicly in support of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, its two forefathers. In doing as such, the organization has issued a direct challenge to the United States government, which has, within the past year, named CAIR as playing a role in an international terrorist syndicate.

CAIR's March with Palestinian Islamic Jihad

As this author writes, Sami Al-Arian's picture adorns the homepage of CAIR. The graphic is part of an "Action Alert" that CAIR released March 19th, both on its website and via a pay distribution service. It calls on people to write letters of support to Al-Arian, who is currently protesting his situation -- what CAIR calls "alleged unjust treatment by U.S. authorities" -- by way of a hunger strike. CAIR describes Al-Arian's predicament as a "struggle for justice."

Al-Arian's "justice" is not the same as how most Americans would define the term. When Al-Arian came to the United States he did so as a student; when he leaves it, if he ever leaves it, he will do so as a hardened terrorist.

Sami Al-Arian was a co-founder and the North American leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). He played a major role in a number of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, against innocent Israelis as well as two American citizens. He even used a children's school that he created, in Tampa, Florida, to help finance the terror group. Today, Al-Arian sits in an American prison, convicted for his participation in PIJ.

On February 28, 2006, Al-Arian pled guilty to one count of the indictment that had been previously issued against him. The charge, as stated in the plea agreement [pdf], was: "Conspiracy to make or receive contributions of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Specially Designated Terrorist..."

While Al-Arian was in the United States, he was active in helping to found organizations beyond the fronts he created for PIJ. One of them, the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), would later splinter off into CAIR. CAIR eventually repaid Al-Arian by having its Communications Director for its Florida chapter, Ahmed Bedier, act as his spokesman in the media, when Al-Arian was facing criminal charges. And the group has been repaying him, ever since, including sponsoring screenings of a "puff film" about him, titled ‘USA vs Al-Arian.'

Question number one: Since PIJ is found on the U.S. State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs); since CAIR is overtly supporting and telling others to support one of PIJ's admitted operatives; since CAIR has definitive ties to that operative; and since the PIJ operative in question has had involvement in the murder of Americans abroad, does that not make CAIR guilty of providing aid and comfort to the enemy or worse?

CAIR's March with Hamas

This past year, CAIR was linked to Hamas, during a federal trial which ran from July through October of 2007. Court documents [pdf] from the trial prove that CAIR was created as being part of the Palestine Committee, a group led by then-head of Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzook, whose mission was to raise money for Hamas from American shores. The trial named leaders of another member organization of the Palestine Committee, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), as defendants. [IAP was also a member group.]

On March 1, 2008, Americans Against Hate (AAH), a group that this author is Chairman of, sponsored a rally against CAIR's usage of a government-owned facility in Broward County, Florida. During the event, a CAIR-Florida representative named Jawhar "Joe" Badran stated his feelings about Hamas.

Into a microphone bearing CAIR's logo and name, whilst standing next to the Executive Director of CAIR-Florida Altaf Ali, caught on camera for the world to view, Badran declared the following incredible statement, "Hamas is not a terrorist organization." As well, at the rally, he proclaimed, "Hamas is a defender of the Palestinian people. That's what Hamas is." And "Hamas is better than Fatah, because there's no corruption. Hamas takes care of the people."

Less than a week after CAIR's statements about Hamas were uttered, on March 6th, a terrorist attack took place at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva, in Jerusalem, carried out by a resident of the city, Alaa Hisham Abu Dhaim. The attack left eight students dead, each from gunshot wounds. All but one of those murdered were teenagers, including a 16-year-old American citizen named Avraham David Moses.

Following the attack, the military wing of Hamas, Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, issued a press release calling the incident a "heroic martyrdom operation" and stating that more attacks like it are to follow. Hamas originally took credit for the attack (which may have been coordinated with one or more terror groups), and a number of arrests regarding it followed, including that of the shooter's father, Maan, a former Hamas member.

Question number two: Since Hamas is found on the U.S. State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs); since CAIR has been named by the U.S. government as being a part of Hamas; since CAIR has publicly stated its support for Hamas and has claimed that Hamas is not a terrorist organization; and since Hamas was implicated in an attack that extinguished the life of an American boy, only days after CAIR's pro-Hamas statements were voiced; does that not, as well, make CAIR guilty of providing aid and comfort to the enemy or worse?

In answering the two questions, one must take into account the fact that, for 14 years, CAIR has existed as a thorn on American society, continuing even as its officials and affiliated groups either rot in prison or fade into obscurity. However, CAIR's recent and very public support for terrorist groups reveals a certain desperation and defiant challenge to those in our government who are no longer oblivious to the organization's disquieting agenda, and this can only mean that its demise is closer. Perhaps by next March the group with the terror-filled history will finally be history.

CAIR Extremist to Speak on Extremism

On Tuesday, April 8, 2008, the head of the Michigan office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Dawud Walid, will be giving a speech about extremism and terrorism, at Grand Valley State University, in Allendale, Michigan, hosted by the Muslim Students Association. But how can such topics be discussed, when the speaker is a known extremist, and the organization he represents has been involved in terrorism?

Dawud Walid is the Executive Director of CAIR-Michigan. The organization is a local chapter of the group that was recently named a co-conspirator for a Hamas financing trial that took place in Dallas, Texas. As well, in a December 2007 court brief filed by the United States government for a different Hamas-related trial, it is stated that “CAIR conspired with other affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood to support terrorists.”

Walid has held his position with CAIR, since July of 2005. In the nearly three years he has sat at the group’s helm, Walid has issued numerous statements that can be described as nothing less that outrageous.

When a Hezbollah-linked entity, the Al-Mabarrat Charitable Organization, was raided by federal agents in July of 2007, Walid posted on his website that it was still perfectly fine to donate to it, as well as to another terror-linked charity that had been raided, Life for Relief and Development (LIFE). He stated, “Al Mabarrat is still open for business like LIFE. [sic] Unfortantely, these charities may continue to have suspicion cast over them, and may never get their days in court to clear their names from suspicion. I repeat that it is still LEGAL to donate to Al-Mabarrat as well as LIFE.”

One month prior to the Al-Mabarrat raid, Walid gave a speech at the American Moslem Society (a.k.a. Masjid Dearborn), titled ‘Know Your Rights,’ during which he told the center’s congregants that it was alright, at times, to violate the law. He stated, “We should obey the laws of the United States of America, except when those laws bar us from those things that are obligations [of] our religion.”

In March of 2007, during a lecture he gave at Western Michigan University, Walid justified suicide bombings. He stated, “[W]e look at some of the things that have gone on in Palestine and suicide bombings and say, how can a sane person - how can a person in their right mind take a bomb and strap it to themselves and go into a market and blow themselves up, and for that matter, a woman even, who has children - how can a woman take TNT and blow herself up and kill innocent people?... But when you have a person's grandfather, great-grandfather, who owned a piece of property that was in their family for centuries, and they’re kicked off of their land with no monetary compensation, and to live [in] refugee camp situations and have to go through the humiliation of checkpoints, day after day… [A]nd then you see your baby growing up in situations with lack of water, with not even having the mobility to even see your own family members, what do you think this would do to the psyche and the mentality of people over generations?”

This Tuesday, Walid is set to take his radical Islamist show to Grand Valley State University (GVSU). The event possesses the ironic title of “Extremism, Terrorism and Islam’s Position.” The irony is not lost on the sponsor of the event, GVSU’s Muslim Students Association (MSA).

According to its GVSU “Student Life” page, MSA’s mission is to “maintain healthy relations between Muslims and non-Muslims on GVSU’s campus as well as to educate students on the message of Islam as a religion of peace.” Yet, some of the group’s actions and affiliations have not mirrored these goals.

In March of 2003, then-President of the GVSU MSA Ahmed Eissa, a.k.a. El-Masri (The Egyptian), posted many statements on the internet of both a violent and hateful nature. They included:

* “I always thought (and still think) it’s a great idea to join the US ground forces for a simple reason: they’re all getting shipped off to the Middle East for FREE! So, you go there, free, with US equipment and weapons... [T]hen when you get there, you change sides and fight the kufar! After changing your uniform of course! And while you’re at it, you can sabotage some of their stuff from the inside!”
* “I sometimes hope I can go and fight alongside Hizbollah, but I always have that fear that they might ‘stab me in the back’ because I’m a sunni, so I change my mind.”
* “I don’t think we should call the Zionists Nazis, because that would just make them proud... It’s like calling a homeless beggar a CEO or something like that! Plus the fact that I’m proud of the Nazis!”
* “The Intifada should go on!... [T]he Intifada should never die.”
* “I never thought there was any Americans left with any sense of intelligence! Christians at that! ‘The destruction of these shuttles should have been clear signs that G-d doesn’t want us letting Jews get any higher in the air than Mount Sinai.’ [Quote from Harry Hardwick’s From the Tower of Babel to Shuttle Demise: God Doesn't Want Jews Anywhere Near His Home] That was an excellent article!”

Today, one can find photographs on the GVSU MSA’s website of its members wearing keffiyehs, head coverings which are worn as symbols of Palestinian violence. As well, the group’s functions have featured materials from the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), an organization that, like CAIR, was named as a co-conspirator for the 2007 Dallas Hamas fundraising trial. While these things can never represent peaceful coexistence, they certainly jibe with the beliefs of Tuesday’s speaker.

When Dawud Walid gives his speech about terrorism and extremism at GVSU, he will do so with full knowledge that he works for a group connected to terrorists and that he has, on a number of occasions, exhibited the same type of extremist behavior he may very well be denouncing. If he is to succeed in his attempt to convince GVSU’s students of his newfound good will, he will have to do so by erasing a large part of his and his organization’s history and present.

'Why We Left Islam' editors blast CAIR
Group cultivates moderate image by hiding extremist ties
Posted: April 29, 2008
12:45 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

LOS ANGELES – The editors of a new book compiling the testimonies of ex-Muslims say they weren't surprised when the Council on American-Islamic Relations attacked their work without reading it.

But, say Islamic experts Joel Richardson and Susan Crimp, they were shocked that the New York Daily News characterized the group as the voice of moderate Muslims.

"Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out," published by WND Books, was skewered by CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper in the paper – weeks before today's official release date. The book is controversial for two reasons – the gripping firsthand personal accounts of men and women who risked their lives by abandoning the Koran and because it is the first American book release to feature a picture of the prophet Muhammad on the cover.

CAIR didn't wait to look inside the cover before attacking the publisher for spewing hate. But the editors of "Why We Left Islam" say those in the media seeking the opinions of CAIR apparently don't know who they are dealing with.

"Even though CAIR wants to convince people that it's a moderate organization, the facts say otherwise," asserts Richardson, who writes using a pseudonym because of previous death threats from Islamic radicals. "The federal government named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to Hamas, and Representative Sue Myrick, R-NY, said evidence suggests CAIR is a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood."

"Evidently, CAIR's ties to Islamic extremists run deep," adds Richardson, who noted that a recent WorldNetDaily investigative report linked 14 CAIR officials to terror investigations. Richardson said that he and Crimp -- who is a noted journalist and author of books on Mother Teresa and the Kennedys -- knew from the start of their collaboration that radical Muslims would go to great lengths to discredit "Why We Left Islam," so CAIR's attack came as no surprise.

The group's spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper, lambasted the book in an interview with the New York Daily News, saying, "This book is put out by WND Publishing [sic], which promotes hate every day on its extremist anti-Muslim hate site." Hooper also falsely asserted that the company's editor "suggested air-dropping pig's blood over Afghanistan," a claim which CAIR’s lawyer subsequently retracted.

"Why We Left Islam" chronicles the moving accounts of 23 people whose raw and shocking stories reveal the horror of living in a Muslim-dominated society. And the book's cover makes an equally bold statement with an illustration of the prophet Muhammad. The picture, which comes from an ancient manuscript and is based on a 10th century illustration by a Persian scholar, marks the first time Muhammad's face has appeared on a book from an American publisher.

Could CAIR's attacks of the book and its Muhammad cover incite a violent reaction? In Muslim countries around the world, mullahs and government officials have demanded that books dealing harshly with Islam be banned and their authors condemned to death. In 2006, the infamous Danish cartoons lampooning Muhammad instigated riots. But Richardson, himself a target of death threats, says that the brave men and women who share their stories in "Why We Left Islam" chose to risk their lives when they walked away from Islam. He notes that apostasy is punishable by death under Islamic law.

"Why We Left Islam" hit the No. 1 spot on Amazon's Islamic category – a week before the latest title from WND Books is even released. It has also hit the top 50 among non-fiction titles.

Farah said he is grateful for the response to his retraction demand to the New York Daily News, but is disappointed CAIR continues to make outlandishly hyperbolic and reckless denunciations of WND.

"CAIR can always be counted upon to make wildly untruthful and reckless claims about others, while maintaining a hypersensitivity about its own concerns," said Farah. "Here, for example, Hooper makes this claim that WND promotes anti-Muslim hate on its site every day, offering only one example – and that one is totally untrue. Why other responsible media outlets continue to offer CAIR a platform for making such outrageous statements is beyond me. How many CAIR staffers and officials need to be indicted and convicted before my colleagues recognize these people as the extremists they are?"

"If Muslims rioted around the world after a Danish newspaper published a political cartoon making fun of Muhammad, what will they do in response to this book?" wonders Farah, himself a former Middle East correspondent of Lebanese and Syrian ancestry.

"Why We Left Islam" is filled with first-person stories of former radicals who began to question the Quran and ultimately changed their lives.

Khaled Waleed, for instance, said he was indoctrinated with the same type of teaching as fellow Saudi Arabian Osama bin Laden.

"Our teacher and other Islamic scholars told us that as Muslims, we are the best people in the world," he writes. "I listened to my imams and was disturbed when they used abusive language to describe non-Muslims as the grandsons of monkeys and pigs ... [they] told me that it was my duty to revile and ridicule non-Muslims."

Waleed says the attack on the World Trade Center changed him: "On Sept. 11, 2001, I saw the real face of Islam. I saw the happiness on the faces of our people because so many infidels were slaughtered so easily. I saw many people who started thanking Allah for this massacre."

1999 CAIR-OH keynote speaker: convicted terrorist leader and bin Laden operative, Abdurahman Alamoudi

In honor of this Saturday's upcoming CAIR-OH banquet, I thought it appropriate to revisit this week some of CAIR-OH's previous keynote speakers and events since last year's banquet. Today we remember 1999 speaker, convicted terrorist leader Abdurahman Alamoudi, a founding CAIR board member. Alamoudi was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to 23 years in prison for his terrorist activities.

According to the US government, Alamoudi was Osama bin Laden's point man in the US, and was used by bin Laden as a conduit to funnel money to "blink sheikh" Omar Abdel-Rahman (currently serving life in prison for his involvement in planning the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and plotting other terrorist attacks inside the US).

According to the NY Post:

Amoudi's name surfaced almost a decade ago when federal agents grabbed the blind sheik and several other suspects as they were literally mixing a "witches brew" of explosives in Queens to detonate bridges, tunnels and landmarks in the Big Apple, a knowledgeable source said.

Among those arrested was Abdel al-Rahman Haggag, the sheik's speechwriter, who turned government informant.

Haggag said he believed Osama bin Laden routinely funneled $5,000 payments to Rahman through Amoudi and his organization, the American Muslim Council.

Bin Laden's funds were allegedly used to pay Rahman's rent and phone bills in New Jersey and Brooklyn, a source said.

So Alamoudi's involvement with bin Laden was what initially put bin Laden on the US terror radar.

So who better to headline the second annual CAIR-OH banquet! Here's the announcement:

CAIR-Ohio Second Annual Meeting and Fundraising Dinner

Date: Saturday, June 19, 1999
Time: 07:00PM - 09:00PM EDT

In the next century, American Muslims will (inshallah) take their proper place in this society. The Muslim voice must be heard at every level and on every issue of importance, both domestic and foreign. Grassroots support for national and regional Muslim organizations is a key to the community's success.

The past year saw a new culture of activism being born in our community. CAIR Ohio has been working on promoting balanced and correct understanding of Islam and Muslims, defending Muslims' rights and making a difference...

Muslims, Challenges and CAIR... Making a Difference

Not long after his appearance for CAIR-OH, Alamoudi was videotaped leading a rally in Layfayette Park in Washington DC, leading the crowd in chants hailing the terrorist groups HAMAS and Hezbollah

Here's a transcript of Alamoudi's remarks, courtesy of the Investigative Project:

Alamoudi: I have been labeled by the media in New York to be a supporter of Hamas, anybody supports Hamas here?
[Crowd cheers, "Yes!"].
Anybody is a supporter of Hamas here?
[Crowd cheers, "Yes!"].
Anybody is a supporter of Hamas here?
[Crowd cheers, "Yes!"].
Hear that, Bill Clinton, we are all supporters of Hamas, Allahu Akbar. [Crowd responds].
I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hizballah. Anybody supports Hizballah here?
[Crowd cheers, "Yes!"]
Anybody supports Hizballah here?
[Crowd cheers, "Yes!"]
Takbeer!
[Crowd: "Allahu Ahkbar!"].
Takbeer!
[Crowd: "Allahu Ahkbar!"]

How nice. Both HAMAS and Hezbollah were designated terrorist organizations in 1995 by the US government.

Just a few months after that in January 2001, Alamoudi put in an appearance at the "First Conference on Jerusalem" in Beirut. Also in attendance were representatives of Al-Qaeda, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, HAMAS, Hezbollah, and terrorist leaders from all over the Middle East.

Here's one description of the conference, courtesy of Fox News:

– In February and April of 2001, the world's most extreme Islamic terror groups held meetings in Beirut and Tehran, respectively, to set aside their differences and unite for jihad (holy war) against Israel and the United States. The two unprecedented meetings had over 400 militants in attendance. They called it "the Jerusalem Conference," aimed at uniting behind the Palestinians and winning total Arab control over Jerusalem. Sources say the group agreed on a document and the creation of an actual organization now known as "the Jerusalem Project." The document included the statement: "The only decisive option to achieve this strategy is the option of jihad in all its forms and resistance … America today is a second Israel."

The participants included leaders of Usama bin Laden's Al Qaeda terror group, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and militants from Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Qatar, Yemen, the Sudan and Algeria. Sources say at least one participant went to the conference from the United States and returned to the country afterward. U.S. intelligence sources have identified two leaders of the Beirut-based Jerusalem Project.

The end for CAIR-OH keynote speaker Abdurahman Alamoudi came in August 2003, when he was arrested at Heathrow Airport with $340,000 he had obtained from Libyan intelligence to fund a variety of terrorist operations. Again, according to the NY Post:

On Aug. 11, Amoudi was stopped in England at Heathrow Airport with 34 bundles of sequentially numbered $100 bills in his suitcase as he prepared to fly to Syria.

He said he received the money from Libyan officials to try to win release of Libyan assets frozen after the 1988 Pan Am bombing.

But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Brett Gentrup said in court documents yesterday the feds suspect Amoudi might have been funneling the $340,000 to terror groups operating in Syria, such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Gentrup also said a transcript had been uncovered in which Amoudi criticized al Qaeda's selection of terror targets.

Amoudi said too many Muslims were killed in attacks such as the 1998 Kenyan embassy bombing, the court documents claimed.

"I prefer to hit a Zionist target in America or Europe or elsewhere," Amoudi said, according to the court documents.

Yes, he complained that Al-Qaeda attacks were killing too many Muslims and not enough Americans. As noted by the Washington Post, Alamoudi pled guilty and confessed to his crimes. CAIR-OH, however, has not said a word in response to the terrorist activities of their previous annual fundraising banquet keynote speaker.

Thanks to Ahmad Al-Akhras and everyone associated with CAIR-OH for bringing this terrorist leader into our community!

Texas children roped
into Islamic training
Class by CAIR teaches:
'There is one god, Allah'

Public school students at Friendswood Junior High in the Houston area have been roped into Islamic training by representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations during class time, prompting religious leaders to protest over Principal Robin Lowe's actions.

Pastor Dave Welch, spokesman for the Houston Area Pastor Council, confirmed the indoctrination had taken place and called it "unacceptable."

"The failure of the principal of Friendswood Junior High to respect simple procedures requiring parental notification for such a potentially controversial subject, to not only approve but participate personally in a religious indoctrination session led by representatives of a group with well-known links to terrorist organizations and her cavalier response when confronted, raises serious questions about her fitness to serve in that role," the pastors' organization said.

According to a parent, whose name was withheld, the children were given the Islamic indoctrination during time that was supposed to be used for a physical education class.

"I am simply trying to get the word out to those whose kids may not have told them about an Islamic presentation that all kids were required to attend," wrote the parent, who was working to assemble protests to the school board.

WND previously has reported how public school textbooks being used across the nation have begun promoting Islam, teaching even the religious doctrines.

WND also has reported on several other school situations in which Islam has been taught as a required subject, and when administrators have defended those decisions.

In the Texas case, a school e-mail to parents provided only a half-hearted acknowledgement that such mandatory religious indoctrination might not have been the best decision.

"In hindsight, a note should have been sent home to parents indicating the purpose and content of the presentation in time for parents to contact me with questions or concerns or requests to exempt their child," the school note from Lowe said. "This will be our practice in the future, should we ever have another presentation of a similar nature."

School officials also said the "Islamic Awareness" presentation was "to increase understanding of the Islamic culture in response to racially motivated comments that have been made to students on campus."

The pastors said in a statement: "According to students who were forced to attend these sessions, these Islamic evangelists taught them:

* Adam, Noah and Jesus are prophets

* There is one god, his name is Allah

* The 5 Pillars of Islam

* How to pray five times a day

* Islamic religious garb"

The pastors noted that the principal's claim there were "comments" to students on campus was unverified. Nor does that excuse or justify "this infringement upon the religious beliefs of students and parents of the community nor the violation of school policy and possibly state and/or federal law," they said.

"We do not believe that this unapproved action by Principal Robin Lowe represents the school district and certainly not the majority of students or parents in the Friendswood community. Our commitment is to support all appropriate administrative, legal and political remedies to assure that this will not happen again and these Islamic activist organizations are kept out of our schools," the pastors said.

The parent reported the presentation was 30-40 minutes long and handled by two Muslim women from CAIR's Houston office. CAIR, as WND has reported, is spinoff of the defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and former university professor Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Among the convicted CAIR staffers are former communications specialist Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in Virginia for holy war against the U.S. and sent several members to Pakistan to join a Kashmiri terrorist group with reported ties to al-Qaida; and Bassem Khafagi, who was arrested in January 2003 while serving as CAIR's director of community relations and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges in connection with a probe of the Islamic Assembly of North America, an organization suspected of aiding Saudi sheiks tied to Osama bin Laden. In October 2006, Ghassan Elashi, a member of the founding board of directors of the Texas branch of CAIR, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for financial ties to a high-ranking terrorist.

The parent reported that Lowe told students her sister, niece and nephew were Muslim.

But the parent complained the Muslims "were given full attention of our kids, during academic school time, to present their religious beliefs … This was put right at the end of the school year … which will most likely prevent a Christian response."

There also was no parental notification and students were required to attend.

"The kids did not even know they were having an assembly or what topic it pertained to until they entered the gym," the parent wrote. "I send my kids to school for academics … I teach them religion at home."

CAIR: Intimidating Public School?

A letter by Trish Hanks, Friendswood Independent School District Superintendent. From the letter:

"In response to an incident that occurred between students at Friendswood
Junior High School and the perception and fear that it caused to some involved,
Robin Lowe, principal, was contacted by the Council of American Islamic Relations
(CAIR) and told that they considered the incident a hate crime and had reported it
to the FBI. Mrs. Lowe and Sherry Green, Deputy Superintendent, attended a
meeting with representatives of CAIR."

An unexplained "hate crime" has, according to CAIR, been committed and CAIR has reported the crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

End of story?

No. Apparently, a report to the FBI isn't good enough. From the letter:

"At the meeting, CAIR requested an opportunity to present factual and basic
information about Muslims to students at Friendswood Junior High School
since the school is predominantly Anglo Christian."

Did CAIR intimidate the principal and deputy superintendent? CAIR representatives report a "hate crime" and request time to do a presentation on Islam; no connection?

Further confusing the issue, the Galveston Daily News reports that Asmara Siddiqi denies that CAIR contacted the FBI because "...the school decided to resolve the issue".

This raises two questions:

1) Is CAIR now threatening school administrators to gain secret access to American school children?
2) Why was CAIR, with a proven track record of supporting Islamic terrorism, invited to the school in the first place?

The Friendswood School invited representatives of an Islamic-terrorist supporting organization to make a presentation to the most vulnerable of our citizens: our children. What could these children possibly learn from a hateful organization like CAIR, one that is on record praising Islamic terrorist groups that have and continue to target and terror-murder innocent school children?

No representative of CAIR should be allowed access to any student, in any school, at any time, for any reason. The insanity of allowing CAIR representatives into schools must end, now. No administrator, at any level, should have the authority to grant CAIR access to children under any circumstances.

Period.

The principal of Friendswood School has been "reassigned."

Pastors to monitor CAIR demands in district
Decision comes following mandatory Islamic presentation to students

Officials with a Houston pastors organization have decided to monitor attempts by the Council on American Islamic Relations to preach Islam to captive public school student audiences.

Pastor Dave Welch, a spokesman for the Houston Area Pastor Council, an inter-denominational organization, told WND today that open records requests will be submitted at every school in the area to determine "how many have been contacted by CAIR."

The decision follows a dispute that erupted over a presentation by leaders for CAIR's Houston base to students at Friendswood Junior High School.

The principal, Robin Lowe, has been moved to another administrative post dealing with curriculum, officials have confirmed. She arranged the mandatory presentation in which CAIR instructed students that Adam, Noah and Jesus are prophets; announced "there is one god, his name is Allah"; taught the five pillars of Islam; told students how to pray five times a day; and gave instruction on Islamic religious requirements for dress.

Students at Friendswood had been diverted from a scheduled physical education class and taken to an assembly set up by Lowe.

In the 40-minute session officials from CAIR, an organization critics link to terrorist groups, presented the religious beliefs and requirements of Islam.

The assembly had not been authorized by the district, officials confirmed.

Trish Hanks, the Friendswood superintendent, said she had been asked about having such a presentation because of allegations made by a Muslim who claimed to have been victimized in an altercation.

Hanks told parents in a memo she had authorized the presentation for staff members only, not students.

Welch noted hundreds of parents flooded this week's school board meeting, at which the issue was debated. Some parents demanded the principal's return; others questioned the school district's leadership qualifications. CAIR officials also were on hand to defend their program of teaching students about Islam.

Welch said school officials announced the principal set up the assembly after CAIR asked for time to talk to all students about Islam. They said CAIR was upset by an altercation between two students CAIR perceived as attacking Islam, even though school officials found no evidence of that.

A report on the meeting in the Houston Chronicle noted schools in Seminole County, Fla., now have banned an Islamic group, the Academy for Learning Islam, from classrooms after officials crossed the line between telling students about Muslim culture and advocating for Islam.

Texas Education Agency officials confirm that state law allows parents to remove their children from activities or classes that violate their religious or moral beliefs.

A spokesman for CAIR's Houston office, Tarek Hussein, told the Houston paper he contacted Lowe asking to do an "educational presentation." And Asma Siddiqi, one of the Islamic presenters, said the Muslim culture and beliefs were taught to students.

CAIR, as WND has reported, is a spinoff of the defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, launched by Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and former university professor Sami al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide services to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

A number of CAIR employees have been convicted on terrorism-related charges. Among them are former communications specialist Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in Virginia for holy war against the U.S. and sent several members to Pakistan to join a Kashmiri terrorist group with reported ties to al-Qaida; and Bassem Khafagi, who was arrested in January 2003 while serving as CAIR's director of community relations and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges in connection with a probe of the Islamic Assembly of North America, an organization suspected of aiding Saudi sheiks tied to Osama bin Laden. Also, in October 2006, Ghassan Elashi, a member of the founding board of directors of the Texas branch of CAIR, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for financial ties to a high-ranking terrorist.

WND previously reported public school textbooks across the nation have begun promoting Islam, teaching even the religious doctrines.

CAIR's Traitorous Cop Ally

If the Taliban catches an American spy, they slit the informer's throat. If we catch a pro-Taliban spy, he gets a slap on the wrist after getting a letter from a Muslim pressure group urging leniency. Who says we're winning this war?

Last month, Taliban fighters claimed to have killed a "female U.S. spy" for helping American forces in Afghanistan. Once all the evidence against the alleged spy was gathered, they slit her throat with a knife.

Compare that with the kid glove treatment of Sgt. Muhammad Weiss Rasool, a Muslim cop in the nation's capital who tipped off the target of an FBI terrorism investigation into a pro-Taliban mosque.

Despite his arrest, confession and recent conviction in federal court, Rasool, an Afghan immigrant, will do no jail time and will continue to collect a paycheck from taxpayers pending the results of an internal-affairs probe by the Fairfax County Police Department outside Washington.

Rasool took an oath to protect this country several years ago when he joined the FCPD, which is the largest force in Virginia and a key partner with the FBI in investigating major terror cases in the Washington area, including the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.

But Rasool put his religion ahead of his adopted country when he alerted a fellow member of his mosque that he was under federal surveillance. At his Muslim brother's request, he searched a police database and confirmed that FBI agents were tailing him.

When agents went to arrest the target early one morning, they found him and his family already dressed and destroying evidence. They knew they had a mole and worked back through the system to find Rasool.

That's when agents discovered the police sergeant had breached their database at least 15 times to look up names of other contacts, including relatives, to see if they showed up on the terrorist watch list. (As part of post-9/11 data-sharing, local police now have access to classified federal case files on terrorists maintained within the NCIC, or National Crime Information Center system.)

Rasool's actions "damaged the integrity of the NCIC system and jeopardized at least one federal investigation," U.S. prosecutors said in court papers filed last month. "The defendant's actions could have placed federal agents in danger."

Rasool, 31, at first claimed he didn't know the terrorist target. He confessed only after hearing a recording of his message for the suspect, who was a cleric in his local Taliban-sympathizing mosque. Rasool finally pleaded guilty to illegally searching a federal database.

Despite his subsequent conviction, however, Fairfax County has left him on the force, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The leniency afforded Rasool is unprecedented, given how he copped to the crime – and not just any crime, but one that betrayed his fellow officers and country.

It also contrasts starkly with the recent handling of other Arab and Muslim government employees caught breaching classified databases.

The city of Rochester, N.Y., for example, summarily fired a Muslim 911 operator, Nadire Zenelaj, well before she was formally charged last month with illegally searching the names of hundreds of friends in the terrorist watch list. And as part of a federal plea deal, Lebanese national Nada Prouty resigned from the U.S. government after confessing she accessed a restricted FBI database to see if relatives were being investigated for terrorist activities.

Unlike these alleged spies, however, Rasool has a powerful patron in Washington -- the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which lobbied on his behalf during his prosecution.

"I have always found Sgt. Rasool eager to promote a substantive relationship between the Fairfax County Police Department and the local Muslim community," wrote CAIR Governmental Affairs Coordinator Corey Saylor in a letter to the federal judge, who ended up denying prosecutors the jail time they requested for Rasool. (He got off lightly with a fine and two years probation.)

Indeed, Rasool acted as CAIR's representative on the police force, and even worked with the group to kill a successful counterterror-training program within the department.

Rasool and other Muslim officers tied to CAIR claimed the course taught by the respected Higgins Center for Counter Terrorism Research portrayed Islam in a bad light. CAIR phoned Fairfax County Police Chief David Rohrer to complain, and the chief canceled the training in 2006.

That same year, Rohrer spoke at CAIR's annual fundraising dinner in Washington, crediting the group with "helping police departments to better understand the Muslim community."

But the chief was being used -- by the Islamist enemy. It turns out his aggrieved sergeant at the time was under federal investigation for aiding and abetting terrorists. And so was CAIR -- the group from whom Rohrer was accepting phone calls and on whom he was conferring legitimacy. In fact, U.S. prosecutors at the time were adding CAIR to a list of co-conspirators in a terror scheme to funnel more than $12 million to Hamas suicide bombers and their families.

Yet CAIR and Rasool teamed up to persuade the politically correct Rohrer to nix the anti-terror training, which included counterintelligence measures to help police guard against the very infiltration from terror supporters and facilitators that has taken place on Rohrer's watch.

Sadly, the chief appears more concerned about protecting the force from charges of "Islamophobia" than Islamist penetration.

Rasool, still on paid leave, says he hopes to be permanently reinstated. If so, it would mark a humiliating defeat in our battle against the growing Islamist 5th column in America. Rasool has a dangerous religious conflict, and should never wear the uniform again.

Yes, the truth can be offensive to those that it is about.

Islamists place Leaflets in Mogadishu, call aid workers "infidels" and warn they will be hunted down..."We promise to kill them, wherever they are"

At a time of drought, skyrocketing food prices, crippling inflation and intensifying street fighting, many of the aid workers whom millions of Somalis depend on for survival are fleeing their posts — or in some cases the country.

They are being driven out by what appears to be an organized terror campaign. Ominous leaflets recently surfaced on the bullet-pocked streets of Mogadishu, Somalia's ruin of a capital, calling aid workers "infidels" and warning them that they will be methodically hunted down. Since January, at least 20 aid workers have been killed, more than in any year in recent memory. Still others have been abducted.

The deliberate assault on aid workers is a chilling new dimension to the crisis in Somalia that has unfolded over the past 17 years but has grown increasingly violent as outside forces, including the United States military, have turned a civil war into a more international conflict.

United Nations officials are especially worried by the recent attacks because they say Somalia is heading toward another full-blown famine. Without professional workers to distribute food or tend to the sick, the country could sink into a catastrophe reminiscent of the early 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of people starved.

"This couldn't be happening at a worse time," said Peter Smerdon, a spokesman for the United Nations World Food Program.

The attacks on aid workers — including Westerners, Somalis working for Western organizations and Somalis working for local groups — have escalated this month. Two weeks ago a high-ranking United Nations official was shot as he stepped out of a mosque. Last Sunday, a trucking agent in charge of transporting emergency rations was killed. On Thursday, three elders who were helping local aid workers distribute food at a displaced persons camp were shot to death while drinking tea.

In response, the United Nations is pulling some employees out of dangerous urban areas and cutting back on operations across the country. Somalia needs hundreds of millions of dollars of emergency aid, but donors are getting skittish because the attacks on aid workers threaten to make relief projects untenable.

A plane with at least a dozen Somali aid workers left Mogadishu on Friday. Several workers said it was the leaflets that scared them away.

"These people are serious," said one Somali aid professional who is now hiding with her family outside Mogadishu.

The leaflets were tacked onto walls and scattered on streets in Mogadishu about 10 days ago. They could not have made the threat any clearer. "We know all the so-called aid workers," they read. "We promise to kill them, wherever they are."

Abductions are also increasing. Seventeen aid workers have been kidnapped this year, with 13 still in captivity.

It is people like this that Ahmed Rehab and the Council on American-Islamic Relations are supporting.

CAIR: U.S. Muslims to Count Population
Posted 7/21/2008 4:34:00 PM

Muhammad Ndiaye is halfway through his Friday sermon when he realizes his Northwestside mosque is so crowded that men are listening from a kitchen in the back.

He halts his lecture -- about the narrow path to heaven -- to urge the men and boys already seated on the floor to scoot up.

"Make room for others," Ndiaye said, "and Allah will make room for you."

Making room for others has been an ongoing task around Indianapolis in recent years, as existing local mosques have swollen in size and other fledgling prayer groups have blossomed into full-blown congregations in need of bigger quarters.

In Indianapolis and across the country, though, efforts to gauge the size of the Muslim population seem to miss that sense of growth. Muslims are particularly concerned that surveys have vastly underestimated the real size of their population, which could undermine their political clout.

So, beginning this week, Muslim organizations have taken it upon themselves to start an ambitious new census: an attempt to account for every mosque and Muslim in America.

A key sponsor is the Plainfield-based Islamic Society of North America, which hopes data from the count also will help Muslims better understand where mosques and Islamic schools are needed. That could be especially helpful in ISNA's effort to build an "American Islam" that avoids the sectarian or ethnic lines that divide Muslims elsewhere.

Numbers raise questions

Muslim advocacy groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations routinely cite a span of 6 million to 8 million people in describing the size of Islam in America.

That would be between 2 percent and 3 percent of the U.S. population and make Muslims greater in number than Mormons or Jews.

That claim stands in sharp contrast to the results of a survey last year by the Pew Research Center, which found the population was 2.35 million, or 0.6 percent of the U.S. population, based on phone surveys.

In fact, Pew's finding means Muslims are fewer in number than Buddhists or Jehovah's Witnesses, and only slightly more numerous than Hindus.

The number matters to Muslim leaders who have watched their community bear a burden of suspicion since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Being able to show a big number, they hope, might give Muslims more clout in Washington. . . .

The treatment of women and the presence of professional leadership have been key issues for ISNA. The society, for example, has pushed to ease strict separation of the sexes during prayer. Political involvement has been a higher priority for the Council on American Islamic Relations, the survey's co-sponsor and the loudest voice for Muslim civil rights.

CAIR: U.S. Muslims to Count Population (http://www.cair.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?ArticleID=25181&&name=n&&currPage=1&&Active=1)

Michael Savage vows to take
Islam fight to Supreme Court
Popular radio host seeks to expose
CAIR's 'international funding sources'

Talk-radio host Michael Savage has announced he will bring his recently dismissed copyright infringement lawsuit against the Council of American-Islamic Relations to the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of making public the Islamic group's sources of funding.

Savage's suit – originally filed in San Francisco district court – alleged CAIR illegally published singled-out quotes and audio excerpts from his show regarding Islam, misappropriated his words and used the clips for its own fundraising purposes, damaging the value of his copyrighted material.

Indeed CAIR last year waged a public campaign using excerpted Savage remarks to urge advertisers to boycott his top-rated program. CAIR stated its campaign successfully resulted in Savage losing $1 million in advertising.

Part of Savage's lawsuit alleged CAIR received millions in foreign funding and that it may have been wrongfully acting as a lobbyist or agent for a foreign government, violating the Islamic group's nonprofit status.

Savage also alleged CAIR was engaged in racketeering, describing the group as a "mouthpiece of international terror" that helped fund the 9-11 attacks, a contention strongly denied by CAIR.

But his lawsuit was tossed last month by San Francisco District U.S. Judge Susan Illston, who ruled it is legal to use excerpts of a public broadcast for purposes of comment and criticism.

Illston, nominated to her position by President Bill Clinton, wrote in her ruling that Savage could try to rewrite the racketeering portion of his suit to better fit the specifics of his case.

Savage's attorney Daniel Horowitz told WND he is reworking the suit to directly address Illston's "respectful" ruling. He said the new suit includes over 200 pages of supporting documents, including 200 pages of transcripts of the meeting in which CAIR was founded.

On his program last week, Savage announced if Illston again rejects his suit, he will bring the case to the higher 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and then to the Supreme Court.

"I'm going to open up this case. I'm going to sue CAIR. I'm bringing a lawsuit back against them. It's going to cost me a fortune. And when Judge Illston rejects it again, which she will do because she's a minion of the Bill Clinton crowd, I'm going to take it over her head and I'm going to go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where again I'm going to hit a stonewall. And then I'm going to take it to the Supreme Court until eventually I force CAIR to describe who their funding sources are," Savage said.

Horowitz said if the suit goes to the Supreme Court, he will seek to procure the representation of attorney Martin Garbus, who has famously won numerous high-profile Supreme Court cases.

Savage pointed to CAIR's recent complaint against the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing company for not hiring a Muslim woman dressed in a head scarf as evidence the Islamic group is expanding its "targets" beyond talk radio.

The woman applied for a job in Oklahoma City. The local Abercrombie manager allegedly said a scarf "does not fit" the company's image.

"Don't you understand what they're doing to this country?" asked Savage. "How they're targeting the Midwest, talk radio, one talk show host at a time? One company at a time? Don't you know that CAIR is going to come for you?"

Continued Savage: "First they came for Michel Savage, and you didn't raise your voice and you laughed. Then they came after Abercrombie and Fitch, and you didn't raise your voice because you weren't in the retail business. Tomorrow they'll come after you and your business."

Addressing CAIR directly, Savage warned: "One day you're going to hit the wrong judge in the wrong city at the wrong time and then the American people are going to find out where your funding is coming from."

The top radio host urged listeners to make online donations at his website to help fund his lawsuit.

Foreign contributions to CAIR established

In May 2007 CAIR was identified by the government as an unindicted co-conspirator in a case involving the Holy Land Foundation, a charity that is allegedly affiliated with Hamas. Federal prosecutors in the case listed CAIR under the category: “Individuals/entities who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee and/or its organizations.”

The government also listed Omar Ahmad, CAIR’s founder and chairman emeritus, under the same category.

CAIR is registered as a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under IRS codes, which restrict "lobbying on behalf of a foreign government." CAIR's website claims that it receives no foreign government support.

But CAIR's headquarters near the U.S. Capitol until recently was owned by the ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the ruler's foundation has pledged $50 million to capitalize a long-term CAIR public-relations campaign.

The UAE formally recognized the Taliban, and Dubai reportedly acted as the transit point for cash for the 9/11 hijackers. Two of the hijackers were from the Emirates, and one served in the UAE military.

Until 2005, the Al Maktoum Foundation run by Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid held the deed to CAIR's headquarters just three blocks from the Capitol. The same foundation has reportedly held telethons to raise money for families of Palestinian "martyrs" during the intifada – or terrorist war – started in September 2000 against Israel. It recently pledged a $50 million endowment for CAIR.

CAIR argues that any assertions it receives money from foreign governments is "disinformation."

"This is yet another attempt to invent a controversy," it said. "CAIR's operational budget is funded by donations from American Muslims."

CAIR, however, has never publicly acknowledged $1 million controlling interest that the ruler of Dubai's foundation took in its national headquarters just one year after 9/11.

The group also received $500,000 from Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the sheik whose $10 million relief check after 9/11 was rejected by then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani after he blamed U.S. policy toward Israel for the attacks.

"There is nothing criminal or immoral about accepting donations from foreign nationals," CAIR asserted. "The U.S. government, corporations and non-profit organizations routinely receive money from foreign nationals."

"Bin Talal is not a member of the Saudi Arabian government," the group added in a statement. "He is a private entrepreneur and international investor."

This may be a distinction without a difference, Savage's lawyers argue, since bin Talal is a member of the Saudi ruling family.

"CAIR is proud to receive support of every individual," CAIR argued, "as long as they are not an official of any foreign government and there are no strings attached to the bequest."

The UAE endowment to CAIR was specifically earmarked for public-relations efforts to repair the image of Arabs and Muslims in America after public outrage doomed a Dubai bid to run U.S. ports.

Lawyers for Savage argue that CAIR may have used UAE funds and other foreign support to attack the radio host.

CAIR gets failing grades at running Ohio charter schools

Last week the Ohio Department of Education released the school report cards for the 2007-2008 school year. Included in these were the report cards for International Academy and Westside Academy, both here in the Columbus area, two charter schools operated by officials of the extremist Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). As I note in my article today, "CAIR gets failing grades at running Ohio charter schools", both schools failed miserably.

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) released their annual school report cards this week, and the results show that two taxpayer-financed Islamic charter schools operated by officials of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have failed miserably yet again. But protected by powerful political connections, including Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, and apparently indifferent to their exploitation of the Somali children that comprise the vast majority of their students, the Islamic extremists running the operation appear to have no fear of losing their cash cows. In fact, Ohio educrats have renewed one school’s contract after five years of complete academic failure.

The two schools, International Academy and Westside Academy, are run by a group of local Islamic leaders, including CAIR national board vice chairman Ahmad Al-Akhras, CAIR-Columbus president and CAIR-Ohio board member Abukar Arman, and Islamic Society of Greater Columbus president and imam Mouhamed Tarazi (who serves as principal of one of the schools). At one time or another, all have served on the board of the local private Islamic school in Central Ohio, Sunrise Academy.

Beginning operations in 2002, International Academy has a long track record of failure. According to the school’s most recent state report card, the school only meets two of the 19 indicators measured (one of the two indicators it met was attendance). The performance index score of 73.9 fell well short of the 100 points required (of 120 total; the state median is 96.6), but since that was slightly more than the 72.2 scored the previous school year (2006-2007) the school received a “continuous improvement” designation. Only in the Orwellian world of union-controlled, taxpayer-financed public education does this performance rate a grade of C-, thanks to some grade inflation in this year’s report cards courtesy of the ODE.

That “continuous improvement” designation notwithstanding, since International Academy opened, it has never met the state’s required “adequate yearly progress” standard and has never met more than two of the state indicators. Looking at the past three years of academic performance data, we find in four of the seven tested areas, test scores declined last year from the previous year.

The second school, Westside Academy, appears to be following in its older brother’s failing footsteps. Their state report card shows that they met state standards in one area — attendance. Across all grade levels and subjects, less than 20 percent of their students rated proficient or better. In one subject area, 3rd grade math, the school achieved zero percent proficiency. Their performance index also dropped to 56.9 last school year (again, 100 of 120 points being the state requirement), putting them in the “academic watch” category.

No doubt, officials for both schools will place the blame on their students, claiming that since many of them speak English as a second language they are at a disadvantage. But in fact, ODE excluded testing results from students who had limited English proficiency. And the school curriculum itself continues to academically disadvantage the children. Instead of focusing their efforts on helping them improve their English skills, the language emphasis at these two schools is not on English, but instead, Arabic — a foreign language to Somalis.

If there is one subject that both schools excel in, it is Islamic extremism.

For example, in September 2006 CAIR-Ohio hosted an anti-Israel “teach-in” at International Academy, co-sponsored by the International Socialist Organization. One speaker, Hatem Bazian, is noted for making shockingly extremist statements, such as this gem from a May 1999 American Muslim Alliance conference in California where he reportedly invoked a notorious hadith about killing Jews:

In the hadith, the Day of Judgment will never happen until you fight the Jews. They are on the west side of the river, which is the Jordan River, and you’re on the east side, until the trees and stones will say, oh Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me. Come and kill him! And that’s in the hadith about this, this is a future battle before the Day of Judgment. (cited in Steven Emerson, American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us, pp. 214-215)

More recently, he was captured on video speaking at an April 2004 rally in San Francisco in support of the Iraqi terrorist insurgency, demanding “an intifada in this country”:

It’s about time that we have an intifada in this country that change fundamentally the political dynamics in here. And we know every — they’re gonna say some Palestinian being too radical — well, you haven’t seen radicalism yet!

Education also appears to take a backseat to the financial interests of school officials — a fact noted by the state auditors. A 2003 Ohio state auditor’s report of International Academy found (p. 15) that the school paid $83,500 to Strategic Education and Economic Development (SEED) for teacher training, curriculum development, financial management, and government relations. According to filings with the Ohio secretary of state, SEED was a trade name for the Consolidated Investment Group, Inc., which the CAIR officials had incorporated. The state legislature closed that loophole in 2003, preventing charter school developers and board members from profiting from their positions in this manner.

But that law change didn’t stop school officials from skimming off the schools, as the audit noted further:

cont'd

The Contract with SEED was terminated effective April 7, 2003, subsequently the Academy employed the officers of SEED to conduct management consulting services as Director of School Operations, Director of Personnel, Director of Community and Student Affairs, Director of Capacity Building and Education and Curriculum Consultants. This places these individuals in the same capacity to provide the educational, development and operations financial and facilities management, as under the contract between SEED and the Academy. Each receives $2,000 per month effective July 1, 2003.

Thus prevented by the state legislature from playing corporate shell games to skim from the schools, they created jobs for themselves at the schools and paid themselves handsomely — all while holding other government jobs.

The school operators have also continued to skim through elaborate real estate investment deals on property rented by Westside Academy and construction contracts for International Academy. The Franklin County auditor’s property tax records show that the building currently occupied by Westside Academy is owned by Unified Investment Corp., which lists its place of business as International Academy principal Mouhamed Tarazi’s home address and Tarazi as the business agent. The 2004 Ohio state auditor’s report notes in addition (p. 22) that a corporation in which Tarazi was a partner, Sali International, was also paid $140,386 by International Academy.

Oh, and did I mention that school employees participate in the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS) and are thus exempt under federal law from having to pay Social Security taxes?

Don’t expect politicians to intervene in this situation, as school officials have powerful political patrons in the state and local governments. Several board members have contributed heavily to Democratic Party candidates and officeholders, in addition to helping with campaign fundraising.

They have also established cover with the Ohio Department of Education by infiltrating the agency. For example, one of their consulting business partners is Abdinur Mohamed, who works for the ODE overseeing the Title III federal program responsible for students with limited English language proficiency (a program through which the schools also receive funds).

Other school officials appear throughout the Ohio educational bureaucracy. Abukar Arman, the board president of Westside Academy, was appointed to the Ohio State Board of Education’s Foreign Language Advisory Council in March 2007. Mouhamed Tarazi was appointed in September 2006 to the State Board’s Ohio Committee of Practitioners, which advises the state government on any rule or regulation for educational programs funded by the federal government. Meanwhile, his wife, Norma, a CAIR-Ohio corporate officer, serves on the Fairness and Sensitivity Review Committee for the Ohio Graduation Test. Interestingly, she serves on a committee concerned with “fairness and sensitivity” despite having made openly anti-Semitic public statements about the local “Jewish lobby.”

It’s no surprise then that while state officials are cracking down on failing charter schools throughout the state, International Academy and Westside Academy remain untouched and unaffected. Afraid of being angrily branded as “Islamophobes” or “racists” by CAIR and their supporters, Ohio educrats, politicians, and the local media are content to look the other way concerning the failing performance of these two schools. In fact, International Academy, having only met at most two of 19 state standards in any school year since it opened, had their ODE contract renewed.

Fully aware of their political advantage, CAIR officials are more than content to use taxpayer dollars to further their Islamic extremist goals while simultaneously victimizing innocent schoolchildren who would be receiving a better education at practically any other nearby public school. One might think that those who react automatically anytime the “for the children” mantra is invoked would be appalled at CAIR officials’ deliberate exploitation of a particularly vulnerable Somali immigrant population. But when CAIR is involved, all bets are off.

Islamofascist Intimidation

*CAIR Threatens Muslims With $25,000 Penalty If They Reveal CAIR Cover-up of Morris Days’ Criminal Fraud:

Not only has CAIR not revealed the facts about Days and his fraudulent, criminal behavior, ... the CAIR National office in Washington, D.C. continued to post articles at its website naming Days as an attorney. This amounts to a de facto cover- up of CAIR’s involvement in this criminal affair and
a perpetuation of the fraud with CAIR’s assistance...

The Mapping Sharia Project, a research project sponsored by the Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), is issuing an alert that the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a self-described public interest civil rights law firm, may have engaged in criminal fraud. Mapping Sharia calls for a full investigation by the appropriate government agencies. The victims of this fraud may also be due compensation for their losses and suffering.

Reliable sources have produced solid information that Morris Days, the Manager for Civil Rights at the CAIR MD/VA chapter, who was widely publicized by CAIR as one of its civil rights attorneys, was in fact not an attorney, and failed to provide services for Muslim American clients who came to CAIR for assistance and who paid for Days’ services. Not only has CAIR not revealed the facts about Days and his fraudulent, criminal behavior, but as of yesterday, September 2, 2008, the CAIR National office in Washington, D.C. continued to post articles at its website naming Days as an attorney. This amounts to a de facto cover-up of CAIR’s involvement in this criminal affair and a perpetuation of the fraud with CAIR’s assistance.

At the same time that CAIR promoted Days as a lawyer while knowing he was not, it continued to solicit donations for its “legal” representation of Muslims in civil rights cases. Prospective plaintiffs, who may have been victimized by CAIR’s fraud in the Morris Days affair, as well as any donors to CAIR who feel they have donated to CAIR under false pretenses thinking it was a legitimate and law abiding public interest law firm, should recognize that CAIR controls an extensive real estate asset portfolio, either owned directly by CAIR or by CAIR related companies. These assets are attachable and fair game for damages claims. A list of those assets, estimated at a fair market value between $6.6 million and $10 million, is provided below.

The evidence for the alert has been provided from Muslim American sources. A significant body of evidence has been obtained from these sources, which include individual citizens in several states, as well as Muslim American leaders who no longer support CAIR.

Copies of pertinent documents are provided for download as pdf files above.

Details of the Morris Days Affair follow…

In 2007, CAIR publicized and encouraged Muslim Americans to use the services of Morris Days as an attorney (see “Meet Our Resident Attorney!” CAIR MD/VA Chapter Newsletter for March/April 2007 - in CAIR National Promotes M Days as Attorney for Civil Rights.pdf file above), in which CAIR stated the following:

Days, a graduate of Temple University Law School, joined the organization in 2006. He specializes in criminal law and civil rights/social service advocacy law. He has been a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the American Bar Association since 1997. His professional achievements include receiving the Rosa Parks Wall of Tolerance Award in 2005, given by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

None of these claims were true. Morris Days’ claims to a law degree and membership in both Bar Associations were false. Morris Days is not a lawyer and never has been.

According to sources, Days represented himself as a CAIR civil rights lawyer to Muslim Americans, who paid him directly for legal services. In late 2007, these sources allege that the CAIR MD/VA chapter executive director, Khalid Iqbal, discovered that Morris Days was receiving payments directly from Muslims seeking CAIR’s assistance, and not passing the money on to CAIR. Iqbal was Morris Days’ supervisor and had previously worked in the CAIR national office. Iqbal did not fire Days at that time, nor is there any evidence that CAIR tried to verify Days’ legal credentials at the time. In fact, the CAIR national office posted an article describing Days as an attorney on December 24, 2007 (“Lawsuits End Citizenship Delays” - in CAIR National Promotes M Days as Attorney for Civil Rights.pdf file above). As of yesterday, September 2, 2008, that article was still posted at the CAIR national website, continuing to perpetuate the fraud that Morris Days was an attorney.

Days continued to work as Civil Rights Manager for CAIR MD/VA, to represent himself as an attorney, and to take money directly for legal services in 2007 and 2008. CAIR continued to employ Days through February 2008, at which time CAIR terminated his employment and shortly afterwards closed the CAIR MD/VA chapter office in Herndon, Virginia.

No evidence has been found that CAIR notified any government agencies or organizations about Days’ lack of legal credentials, including Temple University, the Philadelphia, D.C. and American Bar Associations, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or governmental officials to whom Days had written on clients’ behalf at the EEOC, FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services, Social Security Administration or other federal, local and state offices.

CAIR did reply to some defrauded clients who had complained about providing payment to Days and not receiving services in return. Sources stated that in some cases Muslim Americans were reimbursed what they had paid only after signing statements threatening them with liquidated damages of $25,000 if they revealed any information about the Morris Days affair. Attorneys have advised us that it is possible these “release agreements” are not binding, and people who signed them should consult legal counsel to inquire about their options for pursuing further claims against CAIR. Clients were largely from the Maryland, Virginia and the Washington DC area. They had paid fees ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

A copy of the CAIR Client Release Form is provided above as downloadable pdf.

The Release Form states in part:

Recipient hereby agrees that at all times and not withstanding any termination or expiration of this Agreement, it will hold in strict confidence and not disclose to any third party any information regarding this Agreement or the aforesaid incident surrounding this Agreement, except as approved in writing by CAIR.

Recipient herby[sic] agrees that in the event of a breach of this Agreement CAIR will be entitled to Damages in the amount of $25,000.00 from Recipient for the purpose of conducting meetings, workshops, press releases, flyers and the like to reverse or [indecipherable] the damage to CAIR’s reputation caused by the Recipient’s Breach.”

“CAIR continues to put Muslim Americans at risk through the pretense that they represent them in any way,” said Dave Gaubatz, Director of Operations of Mapping Sharia. “CAIR is receiving support from big foreign donors, not because of their effectiveness in discrimination cases, but because of their false image in the media.”

CAIR's Biggest Complaint: Bathroom Graffiti...

Complaint filed over anti-Muslim graffiti

Mohamed Elharragui felt a mixture of anger and fear when he saw the graffiti on the men's room wall at the warehouse in North Middleton Township, Pa., where he worked.

In a photo he said he took with his cellphone that morning at the Crown Bolt warehouse, the scrawled words are green against a beige wall: "Kill the Mexicans, kill the Iraqs, kill the Muslums (sic)."

The next day, profane threats ranted not only against Muslims but also against Allah, the Arabic word for God, Elharragui said.

A manager expressed dismay and had the graffiti effaced, but there was no "big meeting to talk to the people," Elharragui said.

Three weeks ago, he and 17 other workers — mostly African immigrants and Muslims — walked out of a workplace they said was biased.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission said it has filed a complaint against Crown Bolt on behalf of the workers. The complaint alleges that they were harassed and denied benefits on the basis of ancestry and religion, and that their religious practice was not reasonably accommodated, spokeswoman Shannon Powers said. She provided no details.

Asked about the graffiti, Crown Bolt assistant manager George Fields said, "We covered it up right away." He then referred other questions to his human resources manager.

A call to that office was returned by Erica Crosling, a spokeswoman for HD Supply in Atlanta, Crown Bolt's parent company. She would not discuss an "internal personnel matter," but said, "We do take very seriously any action that does not support our culture of diversity and inclusion."

The 18 Crown Bolt workers — many of them immigrants from war-torn Somalia and Sudan — contacted the local chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations and the Somali Community of Central Pennsylvania, which took the case to the commission.

All but eight of the workers have returned to Crown Bolt, apparently in response to management apologies, said Madina Hasson of the Somali group.

CAIR SEETHING OVER GOP CONVENTION'S REFERENCE TO "ISLAMIC TERRORISM"

The Saudi-funded, Hamas-linked Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is seething over the references to “Islamic terrorism” in last night’s speeches: U.S. Muslims Urge McCain, Palin to Offer ‘Inclusive’ Speeches.

In a statement, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

“We urge Senator McCain and Governor Palin to offer inclusive speeches at this week’s Republican convention and ask that they both avoid divisive Islamophobic rhetoric. It is all too easy to use hot-button terms to garner votes, but true leaders do not exploit fear or stereotypes for political gain. We hope to hear Senator McCain and Governor Palin say they will defend the civil and religious rights of all Americans, work with the American Muslim community in making our nation both free and secure and help build better relations with the Islamic world.”

He suggested that McCain and Palin reflect the Republican Party Platform, which states: “The struggle in which we are engaged is ideological, not ethnic or religious. The extremists we face are abusers of faith, not its champions. We appreciate the loyalty of all Americans whose family roots lie in the Middle East, and we gratefully acknowledge the contributions of American Arabs and Muslims, especially those in the Armed Forces and the intelligence community.”

Awad added that Muslims have called on candidates of all political parties to reject Islamophobia and believe using phrases such as “Islamic terrorism” may unintentionally provide religious legitimacy to terrorists.

Coming from the leader of a group that is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation Hamas funding trial, a group that intentionally and relentlessly makes excuses for Islamic terrorists, this is shameless. But it’s what CAIR does.

Muslim group seeks probe of 'radical Islam' DVD
CAIR asking feds to investigate whether distributor a 'front' for Israel-based group

A U.S. Muslim advocacy group Tuesday asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate whether a nonprofit group that distributed a controversial DVD about Islam in newspapers nationwide is a "front" for an Israel-based group with a stealth goal of helping Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

The promoters of "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" denied trying to promote any presidential campaign. They said it's also incorrect to tie the DVD campaign to Jerusalem-based educational group Aish HaTorah International, although current and former employees are involved with the project.

The Council for American-Islamic Relations asked the FEC to investigate the DVD distribution, which targeted about 28 million households mostly in battleground election states.

The DVDs - which critics call anti-Muslim propaganda - were inserted this month into more than 70 newspapers and paid for by the Clarion Fund, a nonprofit founded in 2006. The group's focus is "the most urgent threat of radical Islam." It has declined to identify board members or its funding.

Never picked up for traditional distribution, "Obsession" features scenes of Muslim children being urged to become suicide bombers, 9/11 carnage and interviews with critics of Islam.

Another organization, the Endowment for Middle East Truth, is a partner with the Clarion Fund in "The Obsession Project," which will also include research publications and issue forums.

Ari Morgenstern, a spokesman for that group, said targeting swing states was designed to attract media attention, but is not meant to influence the election result. He said the film "makes a very clear and upfront distinction between the majority of peaceful followers of Islam and those people who subscribe to a radical Islamic ideology."

In its complaint, CAIR cites New York Secretary of State records showing that three people who incorporated Clarion Fund also are employees or have been employees of Aish HaTorah International, a Jerusalem-based Jewish educational organization that has offices around the world.

"American voters deserve to know whether they are the targets of a multimillion-dollar campaign funded and directed by a foreign group seeking to whip up anti-Muslim hysteria as a way to influence the outcome of our presidential election," Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR, said in a statement.

As evidence of a McCain bias, CAIR cites a story in the Patriot News of Harrisburg, Pa., which reported that a Clarion Fund Web site ran a pro-McCain article before it attracted notice and was taken down.

"If you heighten the hysteria over national security or terrorism or do anything to make people more fearful, it's clear they would trend toward McCain because that's been his mantra throughout the campaign," said Ibrahim Hooper, a CAIR spokesman.

Under federal election law and the tax code, nonprofit groups are restricted from getting involved in candidate races and foreign nationals may not contribute to American campaigns. The DVD's distributors say their efforts are issue-based and don't break election laws.

The Canadian producer of the film, Raphael Shore, is a full-time employee of Aish HaTorah International, an educational group that avoids politics, said Ronn Torossian, a New York-based spokesman for the group. Shore's work on the DVD project was not done under the banner of Aish HaTorah, Torossian said.

"These are independent activities of individuals," he said.

Gregory Ross, spokesman for the New York-based Clarion Fund, declined to discuss the complaint's specifics. He pointed out that it's normal for nonprofits to keep donors' identities private. He said the group has "thousands of donors that span the political spectrum."

"We are not telling people who to vote for," said Ross, a former employee of Aish HaTorah International. "We're just saying no matter who gets in office, the American people should know radical Islam is a real threat to America. We don't feel radical Islam is getting its fair share of press."

The group is preparing to release another film, "Third Jihad," but has no plans for mass distribution, Ross said.

CAIR: “Dangerous Islamic Organization”?

On 23 September, the executive director, Hussam Ayloush and the staff attorney, Ameena Qazi, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter (CAIR-LA), wrote an unsigned letter to Dr. Stephen Choi of the Irvine, California City Council. (Edited copy of letter below)

In the letter, Dr. Choi, an incumbent for office, was accused of referring to CAIR as a “dangerous Islamic organization”.

From the letter:

“It has come to our attention that on Friday, September 18, 2008 at the Irvine City Chamber
of Commerce Meet the Candidates forum, you made an on-the-record statement describing
the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a “dangerous Islamic organization.”
Please be aware that such an epithet is not only insulting and false, but is also tantamount
to public defamation.”

“Public defamation” is a strong accusation; under civil laws it is actionable.

However, the law provides for a defense against an accusation of “public defamation”; the truth.

The truth is an absolute defense against an accusation of “public defamation” and CAIR knows this to be fact as demonstrated when CAIR chose not to defend their “honor” in the lawsuit they filed against Anti-CAIR founder Andrew Whitehead for essentially the same accusation.

Is CAIR a “dangerous Islamic organization”?

Consider the following facts regarding CAIR:

- CAIR was founded by Islamic terrorists.
- CAIR has proven links to terrorists and terrorist-supporting groups and nations.
- CAIR seeks to overthrow Constitutional government and replace it with an Islamist theocracy.

These facts are irrefutable; when CAIR sued Andrew Whitehead for making these accusations (and others), CAIR eventually asked the court to dismiss the accusations rather than submit the case to a jury.

Adding further insult in their letter to Dr. Choi, CAIR closed with:

“We therefore request that you take the following measures in a timely and effective manner:

1) Issue a written statement apologizing for the defamatory remark;

2) Meet with CAIR representatives to discuss our work and how we can
work together to dispel myths associated with the Muslim community.

We sincerely hope that you oblige our above requests and in the future refrain from language
that is unfounded and offensive.”

CAIR’s call for a public apology, considering CAIR’s proven history, is an insult to every American who knows the truth about CAIR and CAIR’s associations with Islamic terrorism.

CAIR’s call for a meeting with Dr. Choi is curious; given CAIR’s close association with Islamic terrorists, why would Dr. Choi want to sully his reputation by meeting with an organization that defends terrorists?

Keep mind that CAIR has fewer than 2000 dues-paying members and that CAIR represents less than one-tenth of one-per cent of American Muslims and one readily concludes that CAIR not only does not represent Islam in America, but that the great majority of Muslims in America have turned their backs on CAIR.

What does it say about CAIR when the great majority of American Muslims do not support them?

There is no evidence that Dr. Choi has ever made any reference to any religion or ethnic community; including the Muslim faith/community.

Dr. Choi’s only “offense” was to mention that a candidate for public office is a member of CAIR and that CAIR is known to be dangerous. Dr. Choi was castigated for telling the truth; nothing more, nothing less.

During the forum previously mentioned, Dr. Choi was verbally attacked by six people as being “anti-Muslim” or “anti-certain religion”; however; the facts show that Dr. Choi has previously appointed persons from the Middle East to city commissions. When queried if the persons he appointed from the Middle East were Muslim or not, his answer was that he didn’t know as he didn’t ask them. There is no evidence that Dr. Choi is anti-Muslim.

CAIR has asked Dr. Choi for an apology and a meeting. Why would Dr. Choi apologize for telling the truth about CAIR, and why would he, as a public official, want to meet with a group that was not only founded by terrorists, but that represents radical Islam in North America?

If there is any apologizing to do, it is CAIR who should be apologizing to Dr. Choi ...

CAIR Official's Leadership Role In Hamas Group
*FBI Agent: This shows [Omar] Ahmad is "a leader of the Palestinian committee"

A turf war between competing U.S.-based Palestinian charities in 1994 was settled by Mousa Abu Marzook, a Hamas leader who serves as its deputy political director.

In testimony Tuesday, jurors in the Hamas-support trial of five former officials at the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) heard FBI recordings showing Marzook sided with the foundation over a Mississippi-based educational fund. HLF, prosecutors say, then became the designated fundraising arm for Hamas in the United States.

The first attempt to settle the dispute between the Texas-based HLF and the Al Aqsa Education Fund first was handled by the Palestine Committee, a group created by the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S. to help Hamas. It included HLF, the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) and a think tank called the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR). Marzook had personal and financial ties with all three entities.

But Abdelhaleem Ashqar felt that HLF wasn't sending enough money to help the cause and arranged for Sheik Jamil Hamami, then a Hamas leader, to come to the U.S. in 1993 for fundraisers. HLF balked. Ashqar had an organization called the Al Aqsa Education Fund that was organizing Hamami's visit.

Defendant Shukri Abu Baker, HLF's former executive director, argued that letting Ashqar go unchecked in fundraising would set a precedent that could cripple HLF:

"Everyone who has an organization was calling us and, ‘We want to come to your end. We want you to do a program for us. I want to raise money for our organization'. Thus, the Foundation would turn into an agency and a mere station through which people come here, raise money and go back home."

Hamas official Mohammed Siam told Ashqar that the Palestine Committee discussed the issue in a February 1994 meeting:

"Sheik Jamil's program will continue as planned previously by A1 Aqsa Fund, but under the supervision of the Holy Land Fund, HLF, whereby collected donations will be forwarded to the HLF, Spending these funds will be decided between the HLF and Sheik Jamil."

Ashqar resisted, drawing a visit from Siam and Hamami. FBI agents learned of the meeting and recorded it. The men brought a letter from Marzook with instructions for Ashqar to back off:

"My honorable brother, I hope that you suspend your activity until I arrive in America and work on solving the disagreement. Sheik Jamil is to join the program of your brothers and I have written to him accordingly."

Ashqar is serving an 11-year prison sentence for contempt and obstruction of justice after refusing to testify before grand juries investigating his Hamas ties.

Baker participates in all the calls concerning the financial dispute. In addition to showing how the quarrel cemented HLF's ties to Hamas, prosecutors used the exhibits to show how Baker was dishonest in public statements about his relationship with Hamas and Marzook. In 2003, he provided a sworn declaration in civil litigation in which he claimed neither he, nor anyone in HLF "have had any connection whatever to Hamas, or to any terrorist groups or to terrorism."

"Did he say Marzook intervened in dispute between HLF and the Al Aqsa Education fund?" asked federal prosecutor Barry Jonas. "No, he did not," answered FBI Agent Lara Burns.

The transcripts also showed the powerful role Omar Ahmad played on the Palestine Committee. Ahmad, a founder and chairman emeritus of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), convened the group's 1993 meeting in Philadelphia explored in detail Monday.

Four months later, Ahmad called for another meeting of Committee members to try to resolve tension between HLF and Ashqar. In another call, Ahmad and Baker discuss how much to pay defendant Mohamed El-Mezain, who was moving to San Diego to open an HLF branch. Ahmad was not an HLF officer and had no formal relationship to the foundation. He was an officer in the IAP, a branch of the Palestine Committee, yet he was suggesting payment amounts for an HLF official.

This shows Ahmad is "a leader of the Palestinian committee," Burns said.

While prosecutors jumped around Monday, cutting to the most incriminating portions of the Philadelphia meeting, Tuesday's presentation featured complete conversations, including the Mississippi meeting with Ashqar and the two Hamas officials and the calls concerning the financial dispute.

Jurors saw most of a 1990 rally organized by HLF and attended by two Hamas leaders. Defendant Mohamed El-Mezain is shown sitting with Mahmoud al-Zahar and Sheik Jamil Hamami and, at the end of the program, Baker thanks them for being there.

Zahar is a Hamas co-founder who was foreign minister to deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

The rally featured musical performances by a band featuring defendant Mufid Abdelqader, including songs praising Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan Al-Banna, Hamas spiritual leader Ahmad Yasin and other radical leaders.

Jurors were shown the skit in which Abdelqader plays a Hamas member who kills an Israeli after saying "I am Hamas, O dear ones," and telling the Israeli character: "And you must leave." The audience responds "O cursed one."

Baker then closes out the night by thanking the guests. After seeing all the Hamas imagery and praise, Jonas returned Burns' attention to Baker's 2003 declaration. On page 2, he wrote that "I reject and abhor Hamas, its goals and its methods."

Court is in recess until Thursday. Direct examination of Agent Burns is expected to continue then.

Holy Land Evidence Establishes Hamas Link

In a whirlwind day of testimony, jurors in the Hamas-support trial of five former officials at the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) were guided through stacks of financial records and taken inside a secretive meeting held in the U.S. with the ambition of scuttling peace in the Middle East.

The men are accused of illegally sending $12 million to Hamas through a series of Palestinian charities called zakat committees. Most of the conduct occurred before U.S. law prohibited dealing with Hamas, but it clearly established HLF's role in a covert committee created by the Muslim Brotherhood to advance the Hamas agenda in the U.S. and the flow of money from the U.S. to Hamas-tied entities.

FBI agent Lara Burns was the day's sole witness. Working with federal prosecutor Barry Jonas, the two took jurors through a series of excerpts from a secret 1993 meeting of Hamas members and supporters called in the wake of the Oslo Peace Accords.

This is the second trial in the HLF case, the first ended in a mistrial after jurors could not reach unanimous verdicts on most of the counts. Prosecutors have streamlined their presentation in response, with several changes on display Monday.

The 1993 meeting by the Palestine Committee, held in a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Philadelphia, lasted two days. FBI agents, secretly recording the meeting, used 18 separate tapes to capture the dialogue. For this trial, the government created a highlight reel of sorts – presenting excerpts of the most pertinent conversations.

Jurors heard about the Palestine Committee's opposition to the accords, repeated references to deceiving Americans about the group's attitudes toward the deal and its overall objective and discussion of how human rights and helping the downtrodden could be a winning strategy to derail the agreement while still gaining popular support in the America.

HLF, which claims to be devoted solely to charity work for the needy, paid the air fare and hotel bills for a handful of the meeting's attendees, including Omar Ahmad. At the time, Ahmad was an officer in the Islamic Association for Palestine. He is the speaker who called the Philadelphia meeting to order (see page 10).

The following summer, Ahmad became one of the founding incorporators of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Jonas and Burns reviewed transcripts from the Philadelphia meeting in which the participants discussed the need to create a new political organization. An unidentified speaker raised the issue (see page 4 of the link):

"In my opinion, we must form a new organization for activism which will be neutral because we are placed in a corner, we are place in a corner. It is known who we are, we are marked and I believe that there should be a new neutral organization which works on both sides."

In the end, the group agreed it could accomplish its goals by emphasizing human rights conditions and charity.

"The suffering still exists and we could benefit from the suffering in the camps from the angle of approaching the Palestinian cause from this angle at least," former HLF executive director Shukri Abu Baker said (see page 6 of the link)

Throughout the day, Jonas stopped the tapes that played, with accompanying translations sub-titled, so jurors could keep up with the often fast-paced conversations.

The evidence showed some of the defendants, including Baker, lying about his connections to Hamas and the Palestine Committee. For example, Baker signed a sworn declaration as part of a civil suit in 2002. On page 21 of the document, he claimed the Philadelphia meeting was a mere gathering "of Islamic intellectuals, academicians, community leaders and representatives of American Islamic organizations, such as ours. It was not a meeting of any organization."

Yet, prosecutors produced an agenda of that meeting, entitled "Future of Islamic Action for Palestine in North America."

During the meeting, Baker instructed the others not to say the word Hamas, but refer instead to "Sister Samah" (Hamas backward). That, he would explain in the 2002 declaration, "was a whimsical and ironic play on words. ‘Samah' means ‘forgiveness' in Arabic, and, in my opinion, those who used the term were making ironic fun of Hamas, not adopting a secret term to disguise their references to the organization. Some people at the meeting also referred to the ‘The Movement.' I do not believe that anyone who used this term was referring to Hamas."

Turning to page 14 from a meeting transcript, Baker expressed concern that "America will classify Samah as a terrorist organization."

Jonas stopped Burns, who was reading from the transcript and asked, "Was he concerned they would classify ‘forgiveness' as a terrorist organization?" Only, Burns answered, "if you believe what he said in the declaration."

Later, the two focused on the number of times the Philadelphia meeting attendees spoke openly of trying to "derail" the Oslo Accords, considered at the time a major step toward a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

They also noted the attention paid to how the group would craft its message to Americans. "War is deception," Baker said at two different times.

Earlier, Burns walked jurors through a series of financial exhibits, again seeming to take care to break things down as much as possible for jurors to follow. She spent much of the morning reviewing and explaining charts assembled by the government tracking the early flow of money from HLF to Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook and a charity created by Hamas spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin in 1980s and early 1990s.

First, she explained summary exhibits assembled to show the amount of money involved, the parties and the various bank records and other exhibits that prove the money was sent.

The exhibits were made "hopefully to make it easy to understand this mountain of bank records," Burns said.

For example, bank records show Mousa Abu Marzook, now the Hamas deputy political director, personally gave $210,000 to HLF between 1988-89. But Marzook was a student in Mississippi at the time and his personal tax return shows he made about $50,000 that year. With no apparent independent wealth, Jonas asked, where'd Marzook get the money?

Between 1989 and 1994, HLF sent more than $730,000 to the Islamic Center of Gaza, a charity run by Hamas spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin. According to a 1996 article in the Middle East Affairs Journal, programs at the center were run by the Muslim Brotherhood. Donations cut off as the U.S. banned support for Hamas in 1995, Burns said.

Then there was the case of K&A Trading, a Saudi Arabian company that received $250,000 from HLF during September and October 1988. The company was run by Khairy H. Al-Agha, a man identified in other exhibits as a Palestine Committee member in Saudi Arabia, Burns said.

HLF claims to donate money only to charities, Jonas said. Was Agha a charity?

No, Burns answered.

Agha also is listed on page 54 of the translation of Mousa Abu Marzook's address book.

Other bank records showed Agha's company sent $1.3 million to Marzook between 1988 and 1991.

Marzook, meanwhile, gave money to HLF, defendant Mohamed El-Mezain, and two other Palestine Committee entities – the Islamic Association for Palestine and the United Association for Studies and Research. Marzook was on the board of both. Ahmed Yousef, spokesman and senior advisor to deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, served as executive director of the UASR and as editor of an IAP magazine.

Burns is set to return to the stand when testimony resumes Tuesday morning.

FBI: CAIR is a front group, and Holy Land Foundation tapped Hamas clerics for fundraisers

The FBI took a new slap at the Council on American-Islamic Relations today at the Holy Land Foundation trial.

FBI Special Agent Lara Burns was going over more transcripts from the Philadelphia meeting -- the 1993 gathering of Holy Land officials and Hamas sympathizers that the government contends was meant to brainstorm ways to downplay the Foundations extremist ties -- when talked turned to a passage from defendant Shukri Abu Baker.

He is quoted on the wiretap transcript talking about how it would be beneficial to have more traditional, secular American organizations to help spread the Islamist message.

He and others envisioned an "alternative" organization "which can benefit from a new atmosphere, one whose Islamic hue is not very conspicuous," according to the transcript.

Prosecutor Barry Jonas asked Burns whether any groups formed after the Philadelphia gathering fit this mold. "CAIR," she said.

CAIR is one of about 300 unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land case, and testimony has shown that its founder, Omar Ahmad, and current executive director, Nihad Awad, both participated in the Philadelphia meeting.

CAIR has strenuously denied having any terrorist ties, and has filed a request -- similar to other groups -- to have its name removed from the government's list of co-conspirators. CAIR maintains that it is a civil rights group focused on promoting understanding of Islam and combating unfair treatment of American Muslims.

Joshua Dratel, attorney for defendant Mohammad El-Mezain, later grilled Burns on her CAIR testimony.

"Just to be sure," he said, raising up a large posterboard with the name "Council on American-Islamic Relations" scrawled across it, "this is the one with the inconspicuous Islamist hue?"

+ Later Tuesday, Burns' counterpart, FBI Special Agent Robert Miranda, began his testimony detailing the type of people Holy Land routinely called on to speak at its fundraisers in the U.S.

He and prosecutor Jim Jacks went through a list of Holy Land speakers, seized from a computer at its Richardson offices in 2001, and compared it to lists of known Hamas members and associates.

They found dozens of matches of names and phone numbers among Holy Land speakers and a roster of Hamas members found at the Mississippi apartment of unindicted coconspirator Abdelhaleem Ashqar. Holy Land speakers' names also showed up in the address book of Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook, who has extensive ties financially and personally to many of the defendants.

Defense attorneys and their clients grinned and looked at each other every time Miranda referred to the owner of the address book as "the terrorist Marzook."

Among those on Holy Land's speakers list are Mahmoud al-Zahar (a Hamas co-founder), Jamil Hamami, Mohammed Siam and Hamed Bitawi. All of them are listed on a huge chart prosecutors made for jurors titled "Hamas Leaders In The 1990s."

The Holy Land speakers list also shared some names in a pamphlet outlining the roster of candidates for Jordan's Islamic Action Front political party. The group is, like Hamas, an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Miranda testified. Their platform, according to the pamphlet, says basically that Palestine must be wrested from Israeli occupation through jihad. The FBI found the pamphlet at Holy Land's offices.

Miranda and Jacks then began going through speaker activity sheets and other records, connecting fundraising appearances by these Hamas-affiliated speakers and money in Holy Land coffers.

Miranda's testimony resumes Wednesday.

CAIR's attempt to extract fees from Michael Savage rejected
Clinton-appointed judge denies motion by controversial Islamic lobby group

A Clinton-appointed federal judge ruled in favor of Michael Savage today in an attempt by the Council on American-Islamic Relations to extract attorney fees and costs in a case the nationally syndicated talk radio host brought against the Muslim lobby group.

"This is a huge victory for me, personally, but also for the rest of America who is afraid of this lawsuit-happy group of intimidators," Savage said.

Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California previously dismissed Savage's copyright infringement and RICO lawsuit against CAIR. Savage alleged CAIR illegally published singled-out quotes and audio excerpts from his show regarding Islam, misappropriated his words and used the clips for its own fundraising purposes, damaging the value of his copyrighted material.

Savage noted Illston is a "bona fide liberal, yet she followed the law in the fees motion."

"CAIR tried to tell her in their claim that she 'should get' me, because they were all liberals," he said. "You have to read their sloppy claim to believe it. Now, people will not be afraid to file suits if they have a legitimate claim against CAIR or any other Soros-funded group."

CAIR last year waged a public campaign using excerpted Savage remarks to urge advertisers to boycott his top-rated program. CAIR stated its campaign successfully resulted in Savage losing $1 million in advertising.

Part of Savage's lawsuit alleged CAIR received millions in foreign funding and that the Islamic group may have been wrongfully acting as a lobbyist or agent for a foreign government, violating its nonprofit status.

Savage also alleged CAIR was engaged in racketeering, describing the group as a "mouthpiece of international terror" that helped fund the 9/11 attacks, a contention strongly denied by CAIR.

But Illston threw out the case in July, arguing it is legal to use excerpts of a public broadcast for purposes of comment and criticism.

Illston, nominated to her position by President Bill Clinton, wrote in her ruling that Savage could try to rewrite the racketeering portion of his suit to better fit the specifics of his case.

In May 2007, CAIR was identified by the government as an unindicted co-conspirator in a case involving the Holy Land Foundation, a charity allegedly affiliated with Hamas. Federal prosecutors listed CAIR under the category: “Individuals/entities who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee and/or its organizations.”

The government also listed Omar Ahmad, CAIR's founder and chairman emeritus, under the same category.

CAIR is registered as a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under IRS codes, which restrict "lobbying on behalf of a foreign government." CAIR's website claims it receives no foreign government support.

But CAIR's headquarters near the U.S. Capitol until recently was owned by the ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the ruler's foundation has pledged $50 million to capitalize a long-term CAIR public-relations campaign.

The UAE formally recognized the Taliban, and Dubai reportedly acted as the transit point for cash for the 9/11 hijackers. Two of the hijackers were from the Emirates, and one served in the UAE military.

Until 2005, the Al Maktoum Foundation run by Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid held the deed to CAIR's headquarters just three blocks from the Capitol. The same foundation reportedly has held telethons to raise money for families of Palestinian "martyrs" during the intifada – or terrorist war – started in September 2000 against Israel. It recently pledged a $50 million endowment for CAIR.

CAIR argues that any assertions it receives money from foreign governments is "disinformation."

"This is yet another attempt to invent a controversy," the group said. "CAIR's operational budget is funded by donations from American Muslims."

CAIR, however, has never publicly acknowledged $1 million controlling interest that the ruler of Dubai's foundation took in its national headquarters just one year after 9/11.

The group also received $500,000 from Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the sheik whose $10 million relief check after 9/11 was rejected by then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani after he blamed U.S. policy toward Israel for the attacks.

"There is nothing criminal or immoral about accepting donations from foreign nationals," CAIR asserted. "The U.S. government, corporations and non-profit organizations routinely receive money from foreign nationals."

"Bin Talal is not a member of the Saudi Arabian government," the group added in a statement. "He is a private entrepreneur and international investor."

This may be a distinction without a difference, Savage's lawyers argue, since bin Talal is a member of the Saudi ruling family.

"CAIR is proud to receive support of every individual," CAIR argued, "as long as they are not an official of any foreign government and there are no strings attached to the bequest."

The UAE endowment to CAIR was specifically earmarked for public relations efforts to repair the image of Arabs and Muslims in America after public outrage doomed a Dubai bid to run U.S. ports.

Lawyers for Savage argue that CAIR may have used UAE funds and other foreign support to attack the radio host.

ACLU and CAIR Battles Border Security...

A coalition of community and civil right groups announced today the establishment of a telephone hotline and Internet address for quick reporting of any incidents of suspected profiling at the U.S.-Canadian border.

The groups, led by the American Civil Liberties Union-Michigan, citied the continual difficulty some Muslims and people of Arab and South Asian descent encounter at border crossings. They also said they would call upon elected officials soon to:

• End the seizure of laptops and cell phones at the border without probable cause.

• End the repeated detentions of U.S. citizens re-entering the United States from countries in the Middle East.

• Hold hearings on the various issues at the border.

• Exercise oversight of the FBI, which has been operating under new guidelines in national security cases since Dec. 1.

Beyond the concerns that Muslims, Arabs and South Asians have expressed about what they contend is profiling at the Ambassador and Blue Water bridges and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the FBI on Dec. 1 established new guidelines authorizing a wide range of new investigative techniques, which it intends to initiate without evidence of wrongdoing.

Federal officials say the new tactics are required for national security and are well within the parameters of the Constitution. But a raft of community organizations and civil rights groups say the techniques are unconstitutional, absent a "reasonable cause" to believe a crime has occurred.

"For the last eight years, our civil liberties have been under attack," said Noel Saleh, a member of the board of directors of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services. "We're afraid implementation of these FBI guidelines will only make the situation worse. That is why it's imperative that we come together and collectively work to ensure that we uphold our core American values of civil liberties and human rights for all."

ACCESS is one of several organizations participating in the initiative announced today. Others are the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Council of American-Islamic Relations, the Detroit branch of the NAACP, the Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength and the Arab American Institute.

"The racial and religious profiling that is allowed by the FBI and Boarder Patrol is only one example of how we have let our own protection of basic human rights and dignities degrade," said Kary Moss, executive director of the ACLU-Michigan.

FBI and border enforcement officials consistently maintain that their techniques are well within constitutional protections. Leaders of the FBI office in Detroit also meet monthly with community organizations to discuss the issues.

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Entertainment => Politics and Political Issues => Topic started by: Soldier4Christ on August 03, 2007, 08:56:28 PM