Bin Laden Sends Greetings to D.C. Protesters?

News Max ^ | Jan. 18, 2003 | With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com

[concerned about politics]

Bin Laden Sends Greetings to D.C. Protesters?

A representative from a Muslim advocacy group offered greetings to tens of thousands of anti-war protesters gathered in Washington, D.C. on Saturday in the name of the "Mujahadeen," a term that has come to be closely associated with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network.

Dr. Ghazi Khaksan, of the Council on American Islamic Relations, took to the podium near the end of the rally to read a poem packed with criticism of the Bush administration.

"Tell Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Tony Blair to stop colonizing Middle East oil through blood and warfare," he told the crowd. "We're all against weapons of mass destruction. But let's compare. Who has them stockpiled in the Middle East - only Israel, I declare."

Near the end of his poem, Khaksan announced, "I bring to you salaams and greetings from the Mujahadeen at CAIR." CAIR's spokesman Ibrahim Hooper defended bin Laden two months ago as being no worse than Rev. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.

Webster's Collegiate dictionary defines Mujahadeen as: "a person who wages jihad, Islamic guerilla fighters esp. in the Middle East."

In December top Al Qaeda official Sulaiman Abu Ghaith invoked the Mujahadeen to threaten further terrorist attacks on the West.

"The Christian-Jewish alliance will not, God willing, be safe from attacks by the mujahadeen," he warned, according to the New York Post. "The alliance's installations and facilities everywhere will be subject to attacks."

After his reference to the Mujahadeen, Khaksan told the crowd somewhat incongruously, "Ten million Muslims and Arab Americans, like you, are truly patriotic and deeply care for America's welfare."

In a November interview with WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg, Hooper defended bin Laden, saying the terrorist mastermind was no worse than Falwell and Robertson.

"They're the equivalent of our Osama bin Laden," the CAIR official charged, before asking rhetorically, "Why did Osama bin Laden send planes into the World Trade Center? What possible reason? The only thing you can think of is that he wanted to create a permanent divide between the Muslim world and the West. And that's the same thing these guys want to do."

Asked about bin Laden's penchant for mass murder, Hooper responded, "Given the right circumstance, (Falwell and Robertson) would do the same in the opposite direction."

Minutes before Khaksan offered greetings from the bin Laden connected group, Imam Mousa Masjid Al-Islam took to the podium and called for the overthrow of the U.S. government.

"It's revolution time, brothers and sisters. We gotta get rid of this system," Al-Islam said. "The people of the world (are) waiting on us," he added, warning that the world's problems "will never be solved as long as we have these greedy murderers and imperialists like George Bush and George Bush, Jr. sitting in the White House "

Then the Imam led the crowd in an Islamic chant specifically addressed to what he called "the 1.5 billion people in the world" who would understand its meaning.

"When I say Takbia, you say Alhaam hu Akhbar," he exhorted the protesters, who repeated the phrase several times. It could not be immediately learned what the Imam's coded message to the world's Muslims meant.

Other luminaries addressing the anti-U.S. demonstration included Black Panther-turned New York City Councilman Charles Barron, Democratic Congressman John Conyers and presidential candidate Rev. Al Sharpton.

[Samurai_Jack]

Even WAR is better than a Wretched Peace...

[kanawa]

From Jan. 19/03 New York Times....

"Two hours before the start of the antiwar rally here, supporters of the war effort held a counter protest on the National Mall, southeast of the Vietnam Memorial. Fewer than 100 people — mostly from two groups, one called Move-Out and another called Free Republic — waved flags as "The Star Spangled Banner" played over a portable speaker."

[xm177e2]

"Mujahadeen," a term that has come to be closely associated with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network.

NewsMax is so full of shit. Ahmed Shah Massoud was a Mujahid.

[xm177e2]

Words. Actions. One is important, the other less so. Bush is working to undermine our enemies, from Saddam to the Saudis.

[ppaul]

[maica]

This item is available on the Middle East Forum website, at http://www.meforum.org/article/pipes/394

CAIR: 'Moderate' friends of terror

by Daniel Pipes
New York Post
April 22, 2002

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations presents itself as just another civil-rights group. "We are similar to a Muslim NAACP," says spokesman Ibrahim Hooper. Its public language - about promoting "interest and understanding among the general public with regards to Islam and Muslims in North America" - certainly boosts an image of moderation.

That reputation has permitted CAIR to prosper since its founding in 1994, garnering sizeable donations, invitations to the White House, respectful media citations and a serious hearing by corporations.

In reality, CAIR is something quite different. For starters, it's on the wrong side in the war on terrorism. One indication came in October 1998, when the group demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as "the sworn enemy," finding this depiction "offensive to Muslims."

The same year, CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the twin East African embassy bombings. As Hooper saw it, those explosions resulted from some vague "misunderstandings of both sides." (A New York court, however, blamed bin Laden's side alone for the embassy blasts.)

In 2001, CAIR denied his culpability for the Sept. 11 massacre, saying only that "if [note the "if"] Osama bin Laden was behind it, we condemn him by name." (Only in December was CAIR finally embarrassed into acknowledging his role.)

CAIR consistently defends other militant Islamic terrorists too. The conviction of the perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing it deemed "a travesty of justice." The conviction of Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind sheikh who planned to blow up New York City landmarks, it called a "hate crime." The extradition order for suspected Hamas terrorist Mousa Abu Marook it labeled "anti-Islamic" and "anti-American."

Not surprisingly, CAIR also backs those who finance terrorism. When President Bush closed the Holy Land Foundation in December for collecting money he said was "used to support the Hamas terror organization," CAIR decried his action as "unjust" and "disturbing."

CAIR even includes at least one person associated with terrorism in its own ranks. On Feb. 2, 1995, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White named Siraj Wahhaj as one of the "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in the attempt to blow up New York City monuments. Yet CAIR deems him "one of the most respected Muslim leaders in America" and includes him on its advisory board.

For these and other reasons, the FBI's former chief of counterterrorism, Steven Pomerantz, concludes that "CAIR, its leaders and its activities effectively give aid to international terrorist groups."

Nor is terrorism the only disturbing aspect of CAIR's record. Other problems include:

Intimidating moderate Muslims. In at least two cases (Hisham Kabbani and Khalid Durán), CAIR has defamed moderate Muslims who reject its extremist agenda, leading to death threats against them.

Embracing murderers. CAIR responded to the arrest and conviction of Jamil Al-Amin (the former H. Rap Brown) by praising him, raising funds for him and then denying his guilt after his conviction for the murder of an Atlanta policeman. Likewise with Ahmad Adnan Chaudhry of San Bernardino, Calif.: Disregarding his conviction for attempting murder, CAIR declared him "innocent" and set up a defense fund for him.

Promoting anti-Semitism. The head of CAIR's Los Angeles office, Hussam Ayloush, routinely uses the term "zionazi" when referring to Israelis. CAIR co-hosted an event in May 1998 at which an Egyptian militant Islamic leader, Wagdi Ghunaym, called Jews the "descendants of the apes."

Aggressive ambitions. As reported by the San Ramon Valley Herald, CAIR Chairman Omar M. Ahmad told a crowd of California Muslims in July 1998, "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran . . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth."

CAIR's real record is one of extremism. North American Muslims themselves are beginning to discover - and the government, leading media, churches, and businesses should follow - that CAIR represents not the noble civilization of Islam but an aggressive and radical strain similar to that which led to the suicide hijackings last September. CAIR must be shunned as a fringe group by responsible institutions and individuals throughout North America.

[maica]

(

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WAR SOLVED HITLER!

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)

A point I am still waiting to hear made is that Germany and Japan were disarmed after WWII. Iraq was not after Gulf War I, so now we are in GWII.

Disarmament allowed the Germans and Japanese face their world in a forward-looking direction.

[snippy_about_it]

Looks like Takbir is a kind of prayer???

Question:


Are the prayers between the takbirs in the salatu-l-janaza meant to be read
silently or out loud?

............................................................................

Answer:

The Takbirs should be recited aloud. It does not matter whether the rest of
the prayers are read silently or aloud. However, if the prayer is being
prayer in congregation, the Imam must recite the entire prayer out loud so
that followers who are unsure of what to recite may follow with him.

[snippy_about_it]

Searching this language is tough. The above is what I got when I put in Takbia, it came back as takbir.

Hard telling what they are saying. Maybe we should all take a couple courses..:(

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings Rockyrich, FReepers, et al:

When they say Takbia...We say LET'S ROLL!!!"
Jeepers FReepers...a keeper! :)
The makings of a great counter-protest chant.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings snippy_about_it, FReepers, et al:

Maybe we could start a daily discussion thread. :)
Seriously, Arabic is easier to learn than English. In less than six months time, I read, wrote, and spoke Arabic, on the level of a four year old child. (It also helped to have tutors who wanted to learn American English colloquial language!) But that was over 11 years ago, proving if you don't use it, you loose it. It seems there must be browser plug-ins to shift between English and Arabic characters.

[amom]

In over my head here but I did find this Verbix, verb conjugations & grammar webpage.

Under future indefinite
sg.3 witin takbia

http://www.verbix.com/webverbix/goxml.asp?langid=9737&verb=takaia

[amom]

Maybe you can shed some light on my last post?

[snippy_about_it]

I think that is an excellent idea. I'll do some research on the internet today to see what tools we could use.

[Bogey78O]

"Allahu Akbar" [al-lah-hu uck-bar]: This phrase, known as the Takbir, means "God is Greatest" and is uttered by Muslims at various times. Most often it is pronounced during the daily worship, but Muslims also use it to express happiness, surprise, regret, thankfulness, fear, or approval, thereby reinforcing their belief that all things come from God.

Ahlam, means "dream" in Arabic

Akbar means "greater"

The above is just copy and pasted from around the net.

So basically he's saying a praise and they're responding with something along "The Dream is Greater"

Sorry if this is wrong. I don't know Arabic and am only piecing it together from search engines and hodge podge grammar skills.

[Mudboy Slim]

"God is Greatest"

If that's the interpretation, I agree with his statement...I just don't like to chant stuff before I know what I'm chanting. Think about it, CNN will broadcast those Farsi chants to Baghdad...and Sodom Hussein will blare them over Iraqi-controlled TeeVee, thereby emboldening some young Iraqi conscript into thinking America is with him, and thereby perhaps causing this fine young Iraqi soldier to pointlessly fight back when America DETHRONES His Tyrant Leader, thereby Liberating Iraq from Tyranny...MUD

[Bogey78O]

It just came to me when I was parsing over the structure and definitions.

Takbir probably has a similar root context as Hallelujah. Whereby it's a specific praise. It's probably "takbia" is a more generic form of praise generally along the lines of when we shout hallelujah to mark a good moment.

Having looked it over again it's possible the chant was "Praise....the greater dream". It makes sense for the surroundings.

Anyone see a flaw in my logic?

[Mudboy Slim]

"a more generic form of praise generally along the lines of when we shout hallelujah to mark a good moment."

Perhaps I shouldda chanted...MUD

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings amom, FReepers, et al:

Thanks for the resource. You are right, it doesn't work for Arabic.

My son just brought me Mastering Arabic by Jane Wightwick, and Spoken Arabic of the Gulf unkown author, books from storage. Seems I have to put down Study of Revenge: The First World Trade Center Attack and Saddam Hussein's War Against America, Laurie Mylroie.

This could take a while. :)

[amom]

Thanks for the input. Makes sense.