Posted on 12/15/2004 8:12:57 AM PST by USF
Counterterrorism efforts got a major boost last week when an American district court found three Muslim organizations and one individual, mostly based in the Chicago area, guilty of funding Hamas and fined them an astonishing US$156 million.
The four were found liable for their roles in the murder of an American teenager, David Boim, on May 13, 1996, when he was shot by Hamas operatives as he waited for a bus near Jerusalem. This case is important in itself, providing some measure of justice and relief for the Boim family. Beyond that, it helps fight terrorism in four ways.
First, it validates and operationalizes a 1992 U.S. law that prohibits sending any money to terrorist organizations, not just money specifically tied to violence. Even funds used for medical care or education, the logic correctly goes, ultimately forward violence.
Arlander Keys, the judge in this case, established that "the Boims need only show that the defendants were involved in an agreement to accomplish an unlawful act and that the attack that killed David Boim was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the conspiracy." This ruling places other civil cases, most notably the one linking Saudi royals to September 11, 2001, on much firmer legal ground.
Second, this marks the first decision by a jury penalizing Americans who support terrorism abroad and making them liable to pay civil damages.
Third, as the Boims' lawyer, Stephen J. Landes explains, it shows that "the American court system is prepared to bankrupt the Islamist terror network," just as it earlier destroyed the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations, two extremist and violent organizations, "by bringing unpayably large judgments against them."
Finally, the case confirms a pattern of culpability among even the most innocent-appearing of Islamic institutions. Two of the three liable groups have known ties to Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group; Holy Land Foundation serves as its fundraising arm, Islamic Association for Palestine as its political front. But the Quranic Literacy Institute appeared wholly unconnected to Hamas. It is a religious group based in a Chicago suburb that since 1991 has engaged in the pious work of translating Islamic sacred texts from Arabic, then publishing them in English
But appearances can deceive. In June 1998, Federal authorities charged QLI with having for nine years supported "a conspiracy involving international terrorist activities and domestic recruitment and training in support of such activities" and seized $1 million of its cash and assets.
The FBI found that a Saudi-based financier linked to Osama bin Laden, Yassin Kadi, loaned $820,000 to the QLI in 1991, which the QLI then laundered through a series of real estate transactions. In what the Chicago Tribune calls "extraordinarily complex" deals, QLI cleared nearly $1.4 million and investigators suspect it planned to use this money in 1993 to fund the rebuilding of Hamas.
QLI's complicity in terrorism has great significance, for it is no rogue outfit but a stalwart of the Saudi-backed "Wahhabi lobby" in America. QLI's founding president, Ahmad Zaki Hammad, is a scholar of Islam boasting advanced degrees from Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar University and the University of Chicago. He has served as president of the lobby's largest organization, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and sat on the board of the North American Islamic Trust, its mechanism for taking over mosques and other Islamic properties.
When the QLI's assets were impounded in 1998, leading organizations of the Wahhabi lobby ISNA, the Islamic Circle of North America, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Students' Association leapt to its defense, declaring themselves "shocked at this unprecedented action taken against members of the Muslim community." Nearly a thousand supporters rallied on QLI's behalf, chanting "Allahu Akbar."
And yet, we now know that this innocuous-appearing organization did have a key role funneling money to Hamas.
Muslim institutions too often are not what they seem to be. The "Progressive Muslim Union" is actually reactionary. Mosques harbor criminals. Honey companies and Islamic "charities" fund terrorism. A "mainstream" Muslim leader pleads guilty to an assassination scheme.
The lesson is clear: Wahhabi organizations like the QLI cannot be taken at face value but must be scrutinized for extremist, criminal, and terrorist connections. Extensive research, including undercover operations, is needed to find out the possibly sordid reality behind a seemingly benign exterior.
They use the same tactics to shut down abortion protestors.
That sounds like a direct quote from our buddy Ibrahim Hooper...
Rumor has it that every time Hooper is shocked, he eats another goat...He is fast becoming the Michael Moore of Islam.
___________________________
After an Islamist rampage in the Saudi town of Khobar on May 29-30 that ended in the death of twenty-two persons, survivors of that atrocity have recounted how the terrorists went to great lengths to ensure that they would kill only non-Muslims. Their actions raise a delicate but urgent issue: how might non-Muslims best protect themselves if caught in such a situation? Even as the massacre was underway, the terrorists took pains to distinguish Muslims from non-Muslims. Here are some of the survivors testimonies: Hazem Al-Damen, Muslim, Jordanian: two terrorists knocked on his door and asked him and others hiding whether they were Muslims or Christians. On hearing Muslims, the assailants told them to stay in the room because their purpose was to rid the country of Americans and Europeans. Abu Hashem, 45, Muslim, an Iraqi-American engineer (also called Mike in some accounts): The terrorists demanded his residency card, which documented his religion (Muslim) and nationality (American). That combination provoked an argument between two terrorists. Hes an American, we should shoot him, said one. We dont shoot Muslims, replied the other. The two went back and forth until the latter decided it: Dont be afraid. We wont kill Muslims, even if you are an American. With this decision, the terrorists turned polite, even apologizing for breaking into Abu Hashems home, searching it, and leaving blood stains on his carpet. Abdul Salam al-Hakawati, 38, Muslim, a Lebanese corporate financial officer: He and his family hid upstairs in their house after hearing gunfire. Downstairs, they heard the terrorists break in and rummage around before one apparently noticed framed Koranic verses on the wall and announced to the others, This is a Muslim house. When a heavily armed terrorist came upstairs, Al-Hakawati confirmed his identity by greeting the assailant with Assalamu Alaykum, the Muslim greeting. Nizar Hajazeen, Christian, a Jordanian software businessmen: He hid with another Jordanian in a room but they opened the door when two armed young men banged violently on it. The terrorists asked the identity of the Jordanians, Arab or Westerners. Were Arab, came the response. Each was then asked, A Christian or a Muslim? Both claimed to be Muslims and showed a Koran as proof. Taking care to kill only non-Muslims appears to be in response to widespread Saudi criticism of Islamist terrorism directed against Muslims; Saudis seem to agree that murder is a tool suitably directed only against non-Muslims, as two quotes suggest: Abdelaziz Raikhan, a maintenance man for the Saudi security forces, responded to the suicide bombing of a police headquarters in Riyadh that killed 5 people and wounded 148 on April 21, accusing the perpetrators of being mentally ill.
Theres not one American in this entire area. Not one! What kind of jihad is this? Mohsen al-Awaji, a Saudi lawyer, suggests that terrorists should be encouraged by the authorities to go to the many occupied territories that require resistance, such as in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, and Chechnya. If someone decides to go, we wish him luck. Hes going to die anyway, so let him die there while achieving something, not die here and kill innocents with him. Nor is this the first time Islamists have specifically targeted infidels. In Malaysia in 2000, for example, jihadists purposefully killed two non-Muslim hostages and spared two others, both Muslims. In Pakistan in 2002, a police chief noted killers took a good fifteen minutes in segregating the Christians and making sure that each one of their targets gets the most horrific death. The murderers separated Christians from Muslims by requiring each hostage to recite a verse from the Koran. Those who could not were shot. In all these cases, non-Muslims facing jihadists could have saved themselves by passing as Muslims. There are several ways they could have done this. They might have greeted their potential murderers with Assalamu alaykum (which, ironically, means peace be with you). They might have recited in Arabic the Shahada, the Islamic statement of faith. Or they might have recited in Arabic the first sura (chapter) of the Koran, the essential prayer of Islam called the Fatiha (Opening). In the past, such knowledge would have saved lives. It could probably do so again in the future.
That List of Islamist Organizations under U.S. Senate Scrutiny
January 14, 2004
That List of Islamist Organizations under U.S. Senate Scrutiny. The Senate Committee on Finance today released a letter its chairman and ranking member, Chuck Grassley and Max Baucus, had sent on Dec. 22, 2003, to the Internal Revenue Service. In it, they asked for a long list of specifics ("Form 990s and Form 990 PFs, including the donors list for both types; Form 1023s, the charities' applications for tax exempt status, and any and all materials from examinations, audits and other investigations, including criminal investigations") about charities, foundations and tax-exempt organizations, groups or entities that have been designated or listed by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control since September 11, 2001. It is worth noting this list of twenty-five, for it offers an authoritative guide to U.S. Islamist groups which, in the senators' words, "finance terrorism and perpetuate violence" (I have rearranged their order to make it alphabetical):
Al Haramain Foundation
Alavi Foundation
Benevolence International Foundation (BIF)
Global Relief Foundation (GRF)
Help the Needy
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF)
Human Appeal International
Institute of Islamic and Arabic Science in America (IIASA)
International Islamic Relief Organization
International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) or Internal Relief Organization(IRO)
Islamic African Relief Agency and/or Islamic American Relief Agency
Islamic Assembly of North American
Islamic Association for Palestine
Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
Islamic Foundation of America
Islamic Society of North America
Kind Hearts
Muslim Arab Youth Association (MAYA)
Muslim Student Association
Muslim World League
Rabita Trust
SAAR Foundation and all members and related entities
Solidarity International and/or Solidarity USA
United Association for Studies and Research (USAR)
World Assembly of Muslim Youth
The Washington Post interviewed committee staffers and outside experts and found that "the scope of this request is unusual because of its breadth and because it is part of a wide-ranging terrorism-related investigation." It also quoted one committee aide explaining the purpose of the inquiry: "We want to look into where all their money comes from. Is it from foreign embassies? Does money come from obscure individuals in the Persian Gulf? We're the only ones that can look at this."
Comment: These twenty-five groups cover a remarkable range Iranian- and Saudi-sponsored, student and adult, charitable and academic but the absence of certain well-known political Islamist groups is conspicuous. Here's betting its only a matter of time until their names join this list of infamy. (January 14, 2004)
Feb. 29, 2004 update: This matter could not be a very high priority for the Internal Revenue Service. Over two months have gone by since the committee's Dec. 22, 2003, letter went off, but a Reuters dispatch today indicates that the IRS "has not yet supplied" the requested information.
Oct. 13, 2004 update: The FBI today raided Islamic American Relief Agency offices in Columbia, Missouri.
Yeah. He's a stone face and absolutely humorless. You would be too if you knew what he knows. Maybe you should bookmark him.
Islamists are becoming PC?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Muslim charities and organizations in the United States say they are the target of a government "witch hunt" since Sept. 11, 2001, which is intimidating donors and hampering their work.
Required by their faith to pay "zakat," or alms for the needy, Muslims say the ripple effects of the government's hunt for terrorist funds are hurting their community at its core and making them feel like suspects.
They say the official designation of three U.S. Muslim charities as suspected sponsors of terrorism, coupled with what they consider rising anti-Muslim discrimination since the 2001 attacks by Islamic militants, has put them in the firing line simply because of their religious affiliation.
Charities also complain about high levels of secrecy surrounding the designations, and say excessive scrutiny and hefty costs to meet strict new U.S. regulations mean a smaller percentage of donations is now really reaching those in need.
"I feel like we are suspect, having done nothing wrong," said Laila al-Marayati, board member of charity KinderUSA. "People just assume that by definition if you're Muslim, you're going to have something to do with terrorism ... We're under the assumption that we're under surveillance all the time."
Dalia Hashad, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union advocacy group, said: "To say that the Muslim community, and certainly Muslim charities, are receiving extra scrutiny is not an exaggeration, and I don't think the word witch hunt is inappropriate to describe what the government is doing."
An inquiry by the Senate Finance Committee into the activities of 25 Muslim groups -- including the three already frozen by officials -- was the latest example of "guilt by association," Islamic groups say.
The committee asked the Internal Revenue Service in December for records including donor lists for the 25 groups "to conduct oversight on the issue of organizations, particularly tax exempt organizations such as charities and foundations, which finance terrorism and perpetuate violence."
The IRS has not yet supplied the information, a committee spokeswoman said.
Some nongovernmental groups tracking Muslim charities said they were surprised by many of the names on the list that they said had not been linked to terrorism before, such as the Islamic Society of North America, one of the largest Muslim organizations in the country.
"What's really going on here is a very inappropriate fishing expedition," said Hussein Ibish, spokesman for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
"This political witch hunt is very disheartening and disappointing for us," said Jihad Smaili, a board member of KindHearts, one of the groups listed by the Senate committee. "It appears you are convicted and then you have to show your innocence."
NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS
The Treasury Department says the Sept. 11 attacks showed militant groups had infiltrated and abused charities.
"However, this has not resulted in a shutdown of all charities, but rather a focused attempt to target those that are financing or supporting terrorism," Treasury spokeswoman Molly Millerwise said.
"We continue to work with the charitable sector and the Islamic and Arab communities to ensure we are meeting our national security goals while also protecting the integrity of the charitable sector," she said.
The Treasury has so far designated more than 20 charities worldwide as part of the financial support network for al Qaeda, Hamas, and other militant groups.
Earlier this month, the Treasury ordered U.S. banks to freeze the assets of the Oregon branch of the Saudi charity Al Haramain pending investigation.
The government has already designated U.S. charities Benevolence International Foundation, Global Relief Foundation and Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development as suspected supporters of terrorism and frozen their assets.
"When the government started cracking down and raiding domestic organizations ... there was a sharp drop in donations," said Imad Ahmed, president of the Islamic-American Zakat Foundation in Maryland, whose donations fell 20 percent.
Anwar Khan, U.S. spokesman for the international charity Islamic Relief in California, said he feared a "long-term apprehensiveness toward giving" because donors were scared their money would be seized, rather than given to the needy.
"Not everyone in every case may be innocent, but a lot of innocent people doing very good work are being unnecessarily targeted," the ACLU's Hashad said. "It's a very sad thing for democracy."
Hey Happy
Thanks for all the info.
I'm having trouble catching up...but I'll get there!
Isn't it interesting how much evidence there is to back up the accusations of Islam not being a peace loving religion.
In fact, the evidence suggests, or should I say, "proves" it is a cult.
Thanks for the ping!
They are not exploiting the koran to terrorize. They are FOLLOWING the koran to terrorize.
Every moslem is a terrorist or he is not a moslem. According to the koran the two cannot be separated
Yup, SO true. Pity even some FReepers don't get it.
LOL... you never fail to crack me up weenie.
Adherents of this religion must be avoided at all costs!
Yup, I'm still watching that other thread.... and waiting... and waiting....
Nice roundup. Thanks. :o)
That is a joke. Translation is impossible.
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