Since its inception in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun) has spawned numerous radical movements around the globe, all charged with the responsibility of spreading Islam, whether by pen or by sword. Those born out of the Iqwan all have a single goal in mind – the creation of an Islamic world order.
One of the organizations birthed from the Muslim Brotherhood is Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya) or the Islamic Resistance Movement. Founded in 1987 during the onset of the intifada – the violent uprising of the Palestinians perpetrated against Israel – the group targets innocent civilians by such deranged means as suicide bombings. Because Hamas is on the State Department’s list, a number of American groups have been shut down for financing it. They include KindHearts, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), and the Global Relief Foundation (GRF).
If it can be concluded that others have been financing Hamas from America, one can assume that they would be shut down as well.
The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) was founded in 1971, via the Muslim Students Association (MSA), as an umbrella group for South Asian-oriented mosques and Islamic centers. It also contains a youth division called Young Muslims (YM), a multimedia division called Sound Vision, a web information center called Why Islam, a magazine called The Message International, and charities which go by the names ICNA Relief and Helping Hand.
When ICNA was created, it was to act as the American counterpart to the Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). Indeed, if one looks at the web domain information for ICNA’s official website (as well as the site for Why Islam), he/she will find that the site is registered to farrukh.net, a former mirror (replica) site of JI’s media division. Today, farrukh.net is being used to showcase the works of Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Islahi, a Jamaat leader.
Further evidence of the connection between ICNA and JI is found in a July 2000 “Unity Meeting” that took place in New York between ICNA and its Baltimore-based rival, Jamaat al-Muslimeen. [pdf] Speaking for the side of ICNA, in his native language of Urdu, was none other than the President (Amir) of JI, Qazi Hussain Ahmad (who is still the head of JI). During the meeting, he stressed the need for “participation in Jihad;” he stated that “Islam must be translated into political dominance;” and he said that “the sword and the Quran go together…” His sharp rhetoric was not unusual, given his public support for the Taliban and his numerous get-togethers with Osama bin Laden.
While Ahmad’s communication with the head of Al-Qaeda is serious, his organization’s dealings with Hamas are much more damning. And ICNA’s involvement in this is apparent, as well.
Jamaat-e-Islami has a charity located in Karachi, Pakistan called the Al-Khidmat Foundation (AKF). AKF touts its work in such fields as: education, health care, and distribution of medical and food supplies. But these worthy initiatives stand in sharp contrast to the group’s recent aid to Hamas.
On August 17, 2006, JI announced on its website that AKF had presented a check for six-million rupees (the equivalent of $99 thousand U.S.) to Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas. In addition, JI stated that it “delivered a special message” from JI President Ahmad to Mashaal. The announcement went on to say, “Khalid Meshaal thanked Pakistani nation for sending the donation to the Palestinian brethren in this hour of need. Hamas leader assured the delegation that struggling Palestinians will not relinquish their just Jihad and continue to wage it until the First Qibla [Jerusalem] is liberated from Zionist yoke.”
In order to provide money to Hamas, AKF had to raise it. So the question becomes where did it get the money from? The answer is on AKF’s website, where the charity lists its donors. ICNA Relief USA and ICNA Relief Canada are its two top donors. ICNA’s Helping Hand is also on the list. Additionally, the Al-Khidmat Welfare Society (AKWS), AKF’s sister organization, lists ICNA Relief and Helping Hand as “partner” organizations (along with their logos), out of a list of only three organizations, the final one being Muslim Aid UK, a London-based JI charity.
As stated in the beginning of this piece, providing material support to Hamas, a State Department designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, is illegal and has led to the closures of a number of American Muslim groups. Given the admission by Jamaat-e-Islami that it has provided significant funds to Hamas through its charity Al-Khidmat Foundation and given that ICNA, the American affiliate of JI, is the top donor of AKF, does that not conclude that ICNA should be shut down as well?
On July 6th through the 8th, ICNA and MAS will be having their national convention at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The theme of this year’s affair will be ‘Muhammad, Mercy to Humanity and Beyond...’ and it will include such speakers as ‘Unindicted Co-conspirator’ Siraj Wahhaj and Parvez Ahmed, the National Chairman of CAIR, which itself has been named by the government as an unindicted co-conspirator. The event is being billed as the groups’ 32nd convention. Indeed, the two groups have been combining their efforts for many years.
Both ICNA, an umbrella organization for South Asian-oriented mosques and Islamic Centers throughout the United States and Canada, and MAS, an American Muslim activist organization, were founded by members of the radical Muslim Brotherhood. [ICNA was created to mirror the Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami.] Being as such, both groups have supported Hamas, a Brotherhood member organization. [Hamas is the violent offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood Palestine, Al-Jamiya Al-Islamia, a.k.a. Islamic Society or Islamic Association.]
On the website of the Minnesota headquarters of MAS, one reads: “[T]he Palestinian cause required an Islamic flag that would gather people around it, uniting them in one: this has come about since the outbreak of the revolution in the mosques and the Intifada [uprising]... and has been crystallized in the steadfast, brave, aware Islamic resistance movement ‘Hamas.’ Hamas is an embodiment of the Palestinian People’s belief in its Muslim and Arab origins, and a testimony that this people is still alive and will never die and that its jihad will be carried on by pure hands and clean hearts until victory is achieved with the will of Allah.”
As advertised by the groups, during the convention, Young Muslims will be holding a parallel youth conference at the same venue. On the YM Brothers website’s forum, members have been discussing the finer details of the event, such as possible speakers and themes. Unfortunately, this is not all that’s being discussed. Terror talk has become a favorite topic on the forum, specifically with regard to Hamas.
According to the YM site, “Moderators oversee specific forums. They generally have the ability to edit and delete posts, move threads, and perform other manipulations.” However, not only have the Moderators refused to edit or delete posts concerning support for terrorist groups, but they have contributed to and, many times, created the posts themselves.
In June of 2006, amidst fighting between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza, which left many dead and wounded, a YM Moderator who goes by the username Salafisticated, began a thread, entitled ‘Another enemy of the Palestinian People...’ In it, he wrote, “Fatah are [a] bunch of MUNAFIQS. That includes the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade [military wing of Fatah].” Munafiq is the Arabic term for a Muslim that practices Islam only for show, while not believing in the faith (literally hypocrite). Munafiqs are considered traitors to Islam, worse than non-Muslims, and bound for hell. He continued, “Fatah is a secular party which only works for nationalistic power struggles. They can’t stand to see someone come into power that will establish Islam in the land...” Another user, BigUmar, mournfully replied, “So much for uniting against a common enemy [Israel].”
Also in June 2006, Junior Member, Osman, stated his belief that “the United States government is responsible for most of the terrorism around the world today” and that “the US - Zionist forces have brainwashed us into thinking WE deserve all the blame for defending ourselves.” In the same breath, he said, “We should not portray Muslims around the world as barbaric (in the case of the peaceful cartoon protesters), nor should we slander them (like in the case of Hamas).”
In April of 2006, Salifisticated lamented about how the world had cut off aid to Hamas. He stated, “Interestingly the only thing the world is watching is whether the Hamas government will give up its right to using violence to resist the occupation. A group that holds to the theory of violence in self defense seems more dangerous to peace than those that employ violence in offense every single day. Because of that they have halted all aid.” In reply to this, Senior Member, HasanMahmoud, said, “They should refuse the aid from the kuffar [non-Muslims] 100%. Even when the kuffar were willing to give it to them, they should not accept it.”
In February of 2006, Moderator, LivingShaheed, began a thread entitled, ‘Venezuela is going to receive Hamas.’ Elated about this, he wrote, “This is awesome.” Senior Member, Egyptian Gumbo, followed that up with, “Oooo mashaAllah I knew I always liked Venezuela... and of course the Jews are going to ‘urge Latin American Countries not to welcome Hamas.’ Is that even anything new?”
In January of 2006, whilst Hamas was running in the Palestinian elections, Senior Member, Reggae Powered DC2, started the thread, titled ‘Hamas May Win Elections!’ Moderator, QasYM, replied, “Oh man.. I can hear [sic] there anthem playing in my head right now on the day they win.. ‘Hamas ya Noor al-Ain ya noori fil gehad...’” [Translation: Hamas, is the (gliscening) light on the spring. It is my light in the jihad.] Days later, LivingShaheed proudly proclaimed, “Hamas has won!”
In September of 2005, YM Sister Hizb-ul-Rahman, began a thread, entitled ‘Celebration in Palestine,’ discussing the Jewish synagogues that were torn down by Hamas mobs, following the Israeli withdrawal of Gaza. She stated, “I was watching BBC WORLD NEWS and they had a story about the Palestinians and how they were ecstatic that the settlers were gone... The part i liked the most was how the jewish gov’t refused to demolish their synogogues, so the palestinian men decided that they’d do it...” Brother Abdul Majeed replied, “Pay back for what tha settlers have done to tha palestinians.” HasanMahmood chimed in, “We take revenge by kicking them out of Palestine.” And LivingShaheed replied, “If the Zionist extremists really wanted peace they wouldn’t have left those [sic] structers there, but they are our enemies and of course [sic] there going to make life as hard as possible for Palestinians and Muslims every chance they get...”
With respect to the previous thread, Moderator LivingShaheed continued his rant, but while doing so, he wound up issuing a threat against Israel and the United States. He wrote, “There would be no violence if it wasn’t for the Israeli state... I pray to Allah that I would become violent if someone stole my home, or killed my brother or sister, or denied that I existed or even had a history... Israel and America have to be made to [sic] realise that a JUST PEACE is the only solution, even if it means they [sic] realise it at the barrel of a gun!”
Well before any of this talk, in November of 2004, another YM Moderator, who goes by the username MujahideenRyder, uttered his own threat, one that seemed much more sinister than all of the above. He stated, “Let’s go al aqsa martyrs brigade! Where u at hamas? Where my hezbuallah brothaz at? Iz all good brothers and sisters, [sic] they'll be more yahoodi [Jewish] blood.”
When ICNA, MAS and YM congregate in Hartford, Connecticut, they will be doing so under the guise of moderate, mainstream Muslim organizations, when in fact they are nothing more than support networks for terrorists overseas. On the Young Muslims Sisters website, there is a countdown to the opening of the convention. For the sake of the United States, its citizens and all her friends around the globe, that countdown should, instead, be one towards the closure of all three groups for the financing and/or support of Hamas. As of now, there are just over 20 days left for the government to do the right thing.
--------------------------------------
Americans Against Hate (AAH) will be protesting the ICNA-MAS convention, outside the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, at noon, on Sunday, July 8, 2007. At the rally, AAH will be calling on the United States government to freeze ICNA’s bank accounts and place the Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami, on the State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). If you would like to get involved, contact AAH, at info@americansagainsthate.org
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
----------------------------
Rise up America!