ICE update ping
29 November 2005: Oops. One of the signers of the Fatwa against terror convicted of lying about terror lies in 2004; now arrested for deportation
by Laura Mansfield
The Fatwa against terror issued by the North American Fiqh is impressive.
It makes it very clear what the stance is of the signers of the Council with regards to terror.
1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.
2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.
3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians.
Or does it?
If you look down the list of signers of the Fatwa, you'll see the name Fawaz Damra.
Yes, that's right. The same Fawaz Damra who was arrested this week on immigration charges, for deportation.
The same Fawaz Damra who was convicted in June 2004 of of lying about his connections to terrorist organizations when he applied for U.S. citizenship.
The same Fawaz Damra who was videotaped raising money for an arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has been listed as a major terrorist group by the State Department since 1989.
And yes, the same Fawaz Damra who called Jews "the sons of monkeys and pigs" during a 1991 speech and said "terrorism and terrorism alone is the path to liberation" in a 1989 speech.
His defense: his attorney told jurors that "Damra may have supported certain groups, but he did not consider himself a member or affiliate of them."
Did Damra read item 2 in the list before he signed the Fatwa?
2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence.
Oops.
bump!