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Faux-Moderates with Terrorist Connections
by Chaim Schutzman, University of California, Santa Barbara
The booking photo of tenured University of South Florida professor Sami al-Arian, taken after his arraignment in federal court for alleged financing of terrorism.
REUTERS/Ho New
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For most Americans, it is a given fact that hotbeds of radical Islamic ideology are cultivated and alive in scattered parts of the world, mainly the Middle East and southern Asia. Following the 9/11 attacks, and subsequent growth of interest in Islam, the country has in many ways attempted to bridge connections with the Muslim community rather than dismantle them. Unlike its brethren in the east, the Muslim community in America projects a more moderate voice.
However, masquerading under the guise of extolling liberty and civil rights lies a potentially dangerous threat to stability between Muslims and the West. There are a number of Muslim organizations and groups that project a moderate image, yet sustain a radical ideology.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was founded in 1994 by two former high-ranking officials of the Islamic Association of Palestine, a rabidly anti-Semitic organization that the US government considers a front for Hamas. Although the official mission statement of CAIR is to “enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding,” the organization is slow to condemn extremist groups if it does so at all. For instance, following the 9/11 attacks, the organization refused to denounce Bin Laden or al-Qa’ida until three months after the terrorist attack on the US.
The growing influence of CAIR and its frequent condemnations of the media are cause for concern. After all, CAIR is an organization long viewed as Hamas’ biggest booster in the United States. Its co-founder and Executive Director Nihad Awad has been outspoken in his support for Hamas. Unfortunately, rather than standing by their views, political personalities are cautious to discuss anything that may lead to misleading accusations portraying them as haters of Islam. CAIR has become the master of making even intelligent people believe that it has condemned something when it in fact hasn’t. For example, during the recent Hezbollah-Israel war, CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper stated, “Whenever civilians are attacked to achieve a political goal, the charge of terrorism must be applied, whether the terrorist is an individual, a group or a state.” Yet he followed that with, “Our government must end its support for Israel’s campaign of terror,” thus accusing Israel of “terrorism” while making no mention of Hezbollah’s purposeful attacks on civilians.1
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A number of Muslim organizations project a moderate image yet sustain a radical ideology.
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The abundance of similar groups in this country is surprising. Another such organization, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), similarly claims to espouse values of peace and proclaims its commitment to fighting the distortion of Islam. Looking behind this façade is Steve Emerson, a prominent national terrorism expert. In November 2003, Emerson told WTHR-TV (Indianopolis) that ISNA “has been an umbrella, also a promoter of groups that have been involved in terrorism.” Skeptics may doubt Emerson’s claims that the ISNA could be involved directly or indirectly with terrorist groups. After all, the ISNA has received money from Indiana’s former governor and grant money from the federal government. Nevertheless, the ISNA has given huge donations to extremist organizations such as the Holy Land Foundation, which was directly involved with funneling money to Hamas. This trickle effect has placed a once well-respected Muslim organization under federal scrutiny. The leader of ISNA, Dr. Sayyid Syeed, dares to defend ISNA by downplaying the charitable donations as promoting a worthy cause, not directly involving or sponsoring terrorism. In his specious defense of association with radical Muslim groups, Dr. Syeed said that if he never opens the door to people with more radical views, he will never be able to influence them and bring them more into the mainstream.2
Political organizations aside, American academia has become infected with radical, anti-American bias. In 2003, University of Florida professor Sami al-Arian was arrested and charged with financing and supporting Islamic Jihad. The indictment against al-Arian was more expansive than most observers had expected. It accused al-Arian of being the mastermind of a terrorist support group that thrived in south Florida for nearly 20 years. The ISNA was quick to defend al-Arian, criticizing the government for infringing on his civil rights. This incident renders the ISNA quite inconsistent—quick to condemn others, but slow to condemn anything related to extremist Muslims. For example, the ISNA’s press releases strongly condemned Israel’s response to Hezbollah attack this past summer without so much as mentioning Hezbollah’s offensive. Al-Arian ultimately pled guilty of conspiracy to provide services to a terrorist group, in April 2006, and he awaits deportation.
Also under scrutiny is Abdelhaleem Ashqar, a professor at Howard University in Washington. Ashqar has repeatedly vilified Israel as a brutal terrorist state, galvanizing the growth of anti-Israel attitudes. An FBI document says Ashqar organized a Hamas meeting in Philadelphia a decade ago—a meeting that was secretly wiretapped by the FBI.3
The implementation of the Patriot Act revealed a plethora of information exposing Americans and organizations that are linked to terrorist groups abroad. In a country so committed to combating terrorism, how is extremist ideology able to thrive? The answer, according to Emerson and many who share his views, is that by playing the victim card and the ethnicity card, certain militant Islamic groups and their leaders have been able to deflect controversy. In reality, these organizations promote hatred of the West and facilitate radical Islamic ideology.
- CAIR press release, 30 July 2006.
- WTHR Indianapolis News, www.wthr.com/Global/ story.asp?S=1518794.
- Cf. “Feds attempt to build immigration case against Ole Miss alum,” The Clarion Ledger, 27 July 2003.
Chaim Schutzman is a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in Political Science.
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