Free Republic

Ex-NBA star educates police on Islam HOUSTON (AP)— Houston police learned a lesson about Islam from former Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon as part of a program to educate officers about the city's diverse communities. Olajuwon spoke to officers Wednesday at the Hakeem Islamic Dawah Center, a mosque and Islamic education center built with money provided by the NBA star. Organizers of the Houston Police Department's program said they wanted someone who could put a face on Islam to dispel cultural stereotypes. "This type of program is so important in today's world, where Islam has been so misunderstood by so...

A mosque established and funded by basketball star Hakeem Olajuwon gave more than $80,000 to charities the government later determined to be fronts for the terror groups al-Qaida and Hamas, according to financial records obtained by The Associated Press.

AP Exclusive: Former NBA Star's Mosque Donated Money to Alleged Terror Fronts, Records ShowBy Matt Kelley Associated Press Writer Published: Feb 9, 2005 WASHINGTON (AP) - A mosque established and funded by basketball star Hakeem Olajuwon gave more than $80,000 to charities the government later determined to be fronts for the terror groups al-Qaida and Hamas, according to financial records obtained by The Associated Press. Olajuwon told the AP he had not known of any links to terrorism when the donations were made, prior to the government's crackdown on the groups, and would not have given the money if he...