I don't think we need anymore
islamic scholars here in America
at least till I get my reloading gear...
Posted on 09/25/2006 2:17:54 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
NEW YORK -- The U.S. government has banned a prominent Muslim scholar from the United States after accusing him of aiding a terrorist group, though a civil rights lawyer said Monday that the small charitable donation cited as an infraction was a pretext for censorship.
Janelle Hironimus, a State Department spokeswoman, said a U.S. consular officer last Thursday denied the application by Tariq Ramadan for a temporary business and tourism visa based on new information the government learned about Ramadan.
She said it was determined that Ramadan was ineligible to enter the country "based solely on his actions, which constituted providing material support to a terrorist organization."
Hironimus said she could not reveal specifics about Ramadan's case due to confidentiality rules regarding visa applications.
The American Civil Liberties Union said the U.S. government notified Ramadan he was being excluded because he donated about $765 to French and Swiss organizations that provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
The ACLU said the organizations are legitimate charities in France, but the Bush administration contends the groups gave funds to Hamas and has invoked a law allowing it to exclude individuals whom it believes have supported terrorism.
"This case is really about speech," said Jameel Jaffer, an ACLU lawyer. "The government is using the immigration laws as a means of silencing and stigmatizing a prominent critic."
Ramadan, a Swiss citizen and a visiting fellow at Oxford University in England, has said he opposes the U.S. invasion of Iraq and U.S policies in Israel and the Palestinian terrotories, though he has no connections to terrorism, opposes Islamic extremism and promotes peaceful solutions.
On his Web site, Ramadan said in a statement Monday that he brought the donations to the State Department's attention and that the organizations "are not deemed suspect in Europe, where I live."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
That's a bit of good news.
"Ramadan, a Swiss citizen and a visiting fellow at Oxford University in England, has said he opposes the U.S. invasion of Iraq and U.S policies in Israel and the Palestinian terrotories."
You don't like what we stand for then stay out of our country - seems simple to me. Where is the issue here?
I don't want to be cute & say that this is an oxymoron or anything, but it seems that "Muslim Scholar" is not a very exclusive category. Devout Muslims seek to memorize the Koran. Wouldn't that make any devout Muslim a "Muslim Scholar"? Just saying that we should beware the press charactarization, that's all.
I would venture to say that Islamic Terrorists are a sub-set of "Muslim Scholars", anyway.
Sorry Muslim "scholar", time to err on the side of Christianity. Why not dump in a box and send it along to the university for study in your absense.?.
This is incredible. The "American" Civil Liberties Union is defending a non-American's "right" to enter the United States.
On his Web site, Ramadan said in a statement Monday that he brought the donations to the State Department's attention and that the organizations "are not deemed suspect in Europe, where I live."
Well, they are here, so you'll just have to live with it.
I hope she doesn't feel insulted.
In essence what the ACLU is saying is that the US Government may not regulate its own borders. It's intellectually bankrupt to say such a thing.
I hope he doesn't feel insulted that I said she instead of he.
Does the ACLU receive any Federal funds or any favorable tax treatment? Anyone know?
Maybe they should remove the term "American" from their title, given their history of supporting all things that are anti American.
Truth in advertising.
Talk about an oxymoron.
Coming to my country should not be up to the visitor, but up to me, through my country's laws. If we have reason to deny his entry, so be it. And if he doesn't like it, that's just too darn bad.
Jameel where in our Constitution does it state that we must allow someone from another country to exercise their free speech?
We shouldn't let any filthy Muslims in for any reason.
'Pity party'- Tariq Ramadan displays boxes, suitcases and his revoked visa
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