September 10, 2002
Posted on 09/12/2002 12:03:44 PM PDT by JohnathanRGalt
September 10, 2002
Watch this story in Windows Media.
Report raises questions about Northwest ties to terrorism
PORTLAND - A report published Tuesday questions whether the Portland Islamic Center--a place where a Portland Muslim recently arrested by a terrorism task-force preached--raised money for a charity linked to Osama bin Laden.
The charity was headed by bin Laden's personal secretary, Wadih el Hage, who ran it from Texas before he was convicted for his role in the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.
A court document from Hage's indictment reveals an Oregon connection. In fact, Oregon has been tied to several terrorism investigations during the last year.
Court documents obtained by KATU News show that in February of 1997, el Hage faxed a report on relations between al Qaida and the Taliban to unnamed "co-conspirators" in several states, including Oregon.
El Hage wrote, please share the report with "brothers at work in Oregon."
Last November, the Russian government wanted to shut down a U.S. Bank account in Clackamas, claiming that a website linked to bin Laden's al Qaida group was using the website to seek donations through that account.
In January, Senator Gordon Smith revealed that federal officials were cracking down on fundraising efforts in Oregon for al Qaida, involving college students.
"They were to raise money, launder money, and funnel activities wherever they could find safety," said Senator Smith.
More recently, in Seattle, 36-year-old James Ujaama was accused of trying to help al-Qaida set up a terrorist training camp in the southern Oregon town of Bly.
Portland Muslim cleric Sheik Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye was arrested Sunday by agents of a federal and local terrorism task force after he was found in posession of falsfied documents at Portland International Airport .
The FBI and the Joint Terrorism Taskforce served a search warrant at his home Tuesday afternoon.
Local terrorism expert Gary Perlstein says Oregon residents should be aware that Muslim radicals do live in the state.
"In any group, there are bad people who do want to harm us, and they may not be outspoken about it and we may not find out until it is too late," said Perlstein.
Members of the Portland Islamic Center wouldn't answer questions today about the mosque raising money for a charity linked to bin Laden.
Perlstein says even if that happened, most of the people donating money may not have known they were helping to fund terrorist activities.
So, why don't we at least shut down terrorist websites collecting funds? I know of several terrorist sites posting bank accounts where Muslims can send money to contribute to terror.
I've sent the FBI numerous reports. It would help if even more people would report these sites. You can report terrorist activity here.
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