Islamist 'enabler' threatens 'grave harm to Bush presidency,' Gaffney warns

Center for Security Policy ^ | 26 February 2003 | Frank Gaffney

[Fred Mertz]

Headline Story |

Islamist 'enabler' threatens 'grave harm to Bush presidency,' Gaffney warns

>

Norquist's group took seed money from an avowed supporter of Hezbollah, the terrorist group that killed 241 US Marines in a 1983 Beirut bombing.

A prominent conservative leader who allegedly has used undeclared foreign money and top political connections to promote terrorist sympathizers is an 'enabler' who threatens 'to do grave harm to the Bush presidency.'

Center for Security Policy President Frank Gaffney issued the warning in a letter to Grover Norquist, founding chairman of the Islamic Institute, after Norquist publicly accused Gaffney of 'racism and bigotry' and banished him from a weekly strategy group. Norquist's actions came in response to Gaffney's criticism of a White House official who allowed pro-terrorist Muslim groups access to the White House complex on January 16.

'People who afford terrorist-supporters or -apologists and their organizations entree into the White House deserve to be both challenged and criticized,' Gaffney wrote in response. Norquist, an anti-tax activist and Washington networker who often purports to speak in the name of President Bush, told Gaffney in a widely distributed letter that the Center for Security Policy leader was guilty of 'racial prejudice, religous bigotry or ethnic hatred' because the criticized official is a Muslim.

In response, Gaffney and American Conservative Union leader David Keene slammed Norquist for 'employing "Stalinist tactics" against those who disagree with Mr. Norquist's role in brokering access to the Bush White House,' the Washington Times reported on February 7.

Norquist has been criticized for promoting what is called the Wahhabi lobby, a Saudi-funded network designed to dominate and radicalize Islam in America, at the expense of other Muslim groups whose stand against terrorism is unequivocal.

'Why have you gone to such lengths to defend - to say nothing of legitimize and advance the agendas of - terrorist sympathizers and others hostile to everything for which American conservatives stand?' Gaffney asked Norquist in a responding letter. Gaffney listed his concerns:

* The Islamic Institute, which Norquist co-founded and houses in his Americans for Tax Reform office, received seed money from an avowed supporter of Hezbollah, the terrorist group that killed 241 US Marines in a 1983 suicide bomb attack.

* The Islamic Institute reportedly is 'predominantly funded by foreign governments, shady Saudi sources, and US-based groups raided by the Treasury Department-led Operation Green Quest Task Force for allegedly funding suicide bombers, al Qaeda and other terrorists' activities.'

* Norquist led conservative opposition to parts of the Bush administration's anti-terrorism legislation, without disclosing that his Islamic group was dependent on such funds.

* Norquist has affiliated himself with the radical National Committee to Protect Political Freedom (NCPPF), from which he received an award shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, despite the group's thirty-year public track record of promoting domestic and international terrorism.

* Norquist reportedly introduced Sami Al-Arian, whom federal law enforcement officials say is a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, to then-candidate George W. Bush during the 2000 campaign. Televised videotape shows Al-Arian raising money in the US for terrorists.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Prove that a supporter of arab terrorism has the ear of the President of the United States...

[Jael]

After you have been posting on these threads attacking the messenger I assumed you'd actually read the content of the articles.

My apologies for assuming that you knew something, anything, about the news reports regarding these events.

Take your time, read up, and get back with us when you can, to discuss the issue.

[Joe Hadenuf]

It is a fiendish plot to bring in the New World Order.

Hey tex, how you doing?

I agree, how could anyone believe this New World Order and all this global UN stuff? They are just a bunch of paranoid conspiracy people.

I mean, look no further than our solid, secured, sovereign borders. One World Order indeed! And it's not like the UN is telling us what to do. Yessir! Let Europe go with one currency. Not us boy, our borders, immigration policies and sovereignty are secure, making us a very independent sovereign country...... Where do they get this One World Order stuff Tex?

[Texasforever]

Have you seen Grover say this is false what Frank has said?

What if everything said is true? What link are you trying to establish here? Here is a newsflash for you...there are MANY conservatives with pro-Arab tendencies; Pat Buchanan and Robert Novak just to name 2. Those tendencies may be ill informed or they may be financial, or a matter of ideology. You have staked out a position that all Muslims are terrorists in waiting and ANY association with them is tantamount to treason which is actually well....stupid. I have seen some "Christian" fundamentalists around here lately whose rhetoric, if not actions, gives the Taliban a real run for its money. You really need a vacation.

[TLBSHOW]

I watched it at my sister-in-laws house. The comment was made that The President and rightly so was reaching out to Muslims but Grover was bringing him the wrong ones.

[Sir Gawain]

I can try to name some more.

[Jael]

And the man taking money from Hamas and bringing avowed supporters of terrorist into our Whitehouse needs to back away from the President.

I'm not sure why you would be against those things......

[Texasforever]

I agree, how could anyone believe this New World Order and all this global UN stuff? They are just a bunch of paranoid conspiracy people.

Yep and GW is poking the UN in the eye so they will take over. This guy is really smart for a moron.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Jeez... I ask a simple question, and you react like a kindergartener... your post could have been shorter if you had said, "Oh yeah? Well, YOU are a big stinky doody-head"...

Now, tell me - do you have PROOF, other than hearsay, that a supporter of arab terrorism has the ear of The President of the United States? Hmmm...? Instead of calling me 'uninformed', etc... how about you answer the questions???? Hmmmm????

[Texasforever]

My opinion supported by 100' of stories about it.

Of which you have posted 95. WE GET IT! ok?

[Jael]

You will have to refine it in light of my first mention of the phrase.

And if it is a non story to you that someone took money from Hamas and brought avowed supporters of terrorists into our Whitehouse, maybe you and I would have different ideas about conservatism.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Who says I'm against those things? I just want PROOF before I condemn the man...

[Joe Hadenuf]

Oh, you bet Tex.

[Jael]

Bitter? Really, you didn't say bitter did you? No wonder I have always thought you were a chick. ROTFL.

Why do you make things up like this and post them?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Don't do it for me, Sir G. Do it for yourself, man.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Bitter? Really, you didn't say bitter did you? No wonder I have always thought you were a chick. ROTFL.

Geez... here we go... "I have no argument, so I'm gonna call you a girly-man"...

Why do you make things up like this and post them?

Make up what? You'd be singing a whole different tune if Dr. keyes were in the White House...

[Jael]

True conservatives never take money from terrorists.

True conservatives never support those who do.

[tpaine]

"I have seen some "Christian" fundamentalists around here lately whose rhetoric, if not actions, gives the Taliban a real run for its money."
-texf-

Wow! Your much needed vacation really helped. Kudos on the new lucidity.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Chad, why are you saying Bush supports terrorism?

What are you, some kind of manipulator? You know very well he never said any such thing. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Nobody's buying this routine, okay?