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HOME > PUBLICATIONS > Exclusive: Ground Zero Mosque Imam’s Radical Connections

July 16, 2010

Exclusive: Ground Zero Mosque Imam’s Radical Connections

Alyssa A. Lappen

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Added Clues Suggest MB ties to the Would-be Ground Zero Mosque Chief
 
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan pretend they're “moderate Muslims.” Yet another crack has appeared in their crumbling facade, however. The New York City office of their American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA), at 475 Riverside Drive, has for many years sat in the very building, on the very floor, immediately adjacent (pdf) to the suite housing the New York City chapter office of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the U.S. representative of Hamas.
 

 
In 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice declared CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror-funding case. In October 2008, the FBI's Oklahoma office canceled plans to appear at a Muslim “outreach” event due to CAIR's participation. In Jan. 2009, FBI offices nationwide were reported to have also severed ties with CAIR. In a Feb. 2009 letter to U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), the FBI confirmed the reports.
 
 

 
Meanwhile on Nov. 24, 2008, HLF and five of its officers were convicted of materially supporting the designated foreign terrorist group, Hamas. Federal prosecutors successfully opposed a petition by CAIR, the Islamic Association of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) to expunge their names from the list of alleged HLF coconspirators. A federal judge denied their motion in 2009. Thus CAIR, ISNA and NAIT remain unindicted terror-funding coconspirators.
 
By itself, sitting on the same floor, in the next suite to CAIR might not establish ASMA's tight connections to CAIR or the Saudi-based Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), built on Muslim Brotherhood principles. But sharing office buildings, floors and suites is common amongst Islamic terror-funding and supporting organizations. In the most famous example, in the May 2002 federal raid on the Herndon,Va. Safa companies and SAAR Foundation offices at 555 Grove Street, U.S. Treasury Department Operation Green Quest found over a dozen interlinked terror-funding Muslim charities and companies, all subsequently shuttered. They carted off truckloads of evidence. [1]
 
Rauf, more importantly embraces high-placed members of CAIR NY, whom he includes in the ASMA Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT) subsidiary. Rauf's Cordoba Initiative website also openly promotes Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR efforts and radical ideology. In January, Cordoba posted a news clip from the Muslim Brotherhood website Islam Online, protesting British boxing rules prohibiting players with beards. Cordoba likewise features a duplicitous CAIR press release, seeking funds to “rebuild churches in Malaysia” that were “firebombed by extremists.” It's highly unlikely, however, that an organization charged with terror financing will actually send money raised to Malay Christians whose churches its radical Muslim Brotherhood pals have destroyed.
 
Then there are Rauf's MLT appointees. Brooklyn-based Faiza N. Ali, for example, a self-described “community organizer” and “social justice activist,” serves as Community Affairs Director for CAIR NY, which Rauf and MLT let her deceptively describe as “America’s largest Muslim civil rights advocacy group.” Ali also helps lead several other Muslim Brotherhood groups, including the Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition (MACLC), an offshoot of the MB's Muslim Consultative Network. Ali's MLT profile boasts as well that she wrote MACLC's “Countert-ERROR-ism” (sic) critique of the New York City Police Department's well-researched and reported 2008 white paper, “Radicalization in the West: the Homegrown Threat.” With a Pace University bachelor's degree in political science, Ali also led CAIR-NY's “campaign” to support her dissimulating piece of nonsense.
 
Rauf hosts other hotshot MB leaders in his MLT subsidiary too, including Dhaba “Debbie” Almontasser, who like Ali worked with the NY chapter of CAIR, Hamas’ U.S. arm, to counter-attack the New York City Police Department. She organized an online discussion group to obtain “input” for CAIR's “Community Statement.”
 
Other U.S.-based MLT radicals include Jihad F. Saleh, a top congressional aid to U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), helping fulfill the legislative goals established by CAIR founder and former chairman Omar Ahmad, who wanted increased Muslim “influence with Congress,” by using Muslims on Capitol Hill “to pressure Congress and the decision makers in America” to shift U.S. foreign policy. (P. David Gaubitz and Paul Sperry, The Muslim Mafia, p. 183) Saleh is not just a Congressional staff point man, though. He has been working closely with national CAIR official and convert Corey Saylor to increase the Muslim Congressional presence through the CAIR-backed Congressional Muslim Staffers Association.
 
Another, genuine al-Qaeda supporter Yasir Qadhi, serves as academic affairs dean at North America's “largest and fastest growing college-level Islamic educational” organization, Al Maghrib Institute. Al Qadhi gives frequent radical lectures on the internet, appearing on pages and blogs such as Halal Tube and Mujahadeen Rider, which both frequently mark videos “private,” presumably since Westerners and non-Muslims would take great offense. Al Qadhi doesn't even need CAIR as his radical middle man.
 
Several U.S. MLT appointees list no surnames or qualifications whatever. Yet another red flag.
 
New Yorkers and Americans who consider Rauf a not-so-secret radical are not alone. The devout Bengali Muslim dissident Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury agrees that efforts to build a giant mosque opposite Ground Zero are an abomination. Its construction will only delight jihadists, whom he wants to disappoint. His Weekly Blitz newspaper has published many objections to Rauf's plan, not least of all since New Yorkers are overwhelmingly opposed, considering it as insensitive, say, as “the German government opening ... a Nazi appreciation museum right outside the Auschwitz death camp.”
 
Choudhury has faced such fights before. Bangladesh authorities imprisoned him many times for his pro-American and pro-Israel sentiments and he still faces trial. Lately, a senior Bangladeshi intelligence official has called him repeatedly threatening “consequences if we continued to publish such [“extremely provocative anti-Islamic”] articles.” His newspaper's required government registration could be revoked. The official merely seeks to appease “Saudis and other anti-American elements,” however, and perhaps even to renew “previous secret affiliations with jihadist groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir.”
 
Choudhury will not rest, however. No one else should either.
 
_________________________________
 
 
[1]              Douglas Farah and John Mintz, “U.S. S. Trails Va. Muslim Money, Ties; Clues Raise Questions About Terror Funding” Washington Post, Oct. 7, 2002, http://ftrsupplemental.blogspot.com/2002/10/us-trails-va-muslim-money-ties.html (viewed 7/15/2010); Erick Stakelback, “Islamic radicals on campus,” Front Page Magazine, Apr. 23, 2003, http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=18601; Department of Justice documents on U.S. raids on Herndon, Va., Safa and SAAR offices, orig. at DOJ, “106-page US Customs Service affidavit,” http://cryptome.org/safaaffid102003.pdf, “3-page Attachment C Safa Group businesses & corporations,” http://cryptome.org/safaattachc102003.pdf, “9-page ATTACHMENT D Safa Group officers & directors & related bus. &organizations,” http://cryptome.org/safaattachd102003.pdf, “9-page Attachment E glossary of terms, individuals, & organizations relevant to this affidavit,” http://cryptome.org/safaattache102003.pdf and http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/FeaturedDocs/SafaAffidavit_AttachmentE.pdf; (all viewed 5/20/2010).
 
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PDF documents:
 
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributor Alyssa A. Lappen is a U.S.-based investigative journalist focusing on the Middle East and Islam. She is a former Senior Fellow for the American Center for Democracy (2005-2008); former Senior Editor of Institutional Investor (1993-1999), Working Woman (1991-1993) and Corporate Finance (1991).

 

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  Comments (13)

OK, so we now know who the enemies among us are. It seems to me this issue has been swept under the rug for too long. It's way past time to figure out how to deal with these subversive groups. If these people have declared they will take over our country, and if they fund terror to get their way, meaning sharia law here, and we know what sharia law is like, why are they still here? They must be declared subversives, and be deported. There is no other way to defuse their gains, because they will never give up until the U.S. is under Muslim domination, and we are helpless to resist. THESE ENEMIES MUST BE DEPORTED!

posted by: Evie Wilson
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 11:41 AM

Who would not agree with E. Wilson? Deport the lot of them as trators and subversives. They're certainly far from being loyal Americans.

posted by: AllieJ
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 01:26 PM

This is a great article. A lot of evidence with references. Kudos.

But this leads to more questions. Lets start off with, lets say, What am I suppose to do with it? What, pass it on to family and friends? Yeah, right. lol. I'll be pinned as an islamophobe.

I am saddened that this is the tactic used to try to convince the American public to oppose this cultural center from being built by Rauf.

Surely this historical building at Park place deserves it's attention as well?

If not, well, I guess everyone will have to adapt to Cordoba's Initiative Hqs, or shall I say, 51 Park Place?

posted by: questions
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 03:14 PM

There are no moderate muslims! Has anyone read the koran? The only faithful islamists,'following the Koran to the letter,' are those like Osam Benladin and the rest. Mohammed beheaded 900 jews in one day, himself! Read the koran or even better listen to the warnings from those who have lived in countries where all of a sudden the muslim is the majority and listen to the treatment received by the non believers at the hands of their alleged peaceloving muslim neighbors; ActforAmerica is one place where a child of Christian fiath grew up in a Christian nation that turned violently muslim and saw the real islam and what it means to each and every freedom loving human being on this planet! Death and abuse is all you can expect from a practicing islamist; following the example of the false prophet mohammed; greatest con artist the world has ever seen or ever will see, until the true antiChrist appears.
islam MUST be wiped off the face of the earth and from the hearts and minds of all it's brainwashed cult followers if there is ever to be true peace of earth and goodwill towards all men, and women.

posted by: Willy d.
Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 04:34 PM

You sound like a rambling mad man. Instead of getting all emotional about it why don't you start using your head a little more. For starters, share with this community something that's useful.

Example 1:
This site's purpose is to educate the public on security issues affecting Americans. In this article's case, it's exposing Rauf's
ties to terrorists.

Your opinion about muslims does not help stop Rauf from tearing down 45 Park Place. If anything, it gives a bad taste to this community. In my opinion.

Example 2:
Read following article and it's comments @ http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/pub_detail.asp?id=6726

Pay particular attention to comments made by "persistencepaysoff" ,
"joincommittee", and "questions".

So I hope you'll take this to heart and learn from it Willy d. (:

posted by: Jess
Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 08:08 PM

Read Wafa Sultana's book "A God Who Hates."
There's your answer.

posted by: Ellie
Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 09:15 PM

@Jess... why would Rauf and his wife Daisy sign something when they are Muslim? The letter basically declares they are signing as FORMER muslims. They should rewrite the letter stating they ARE Muslims who oppose Shariah Law... seriously? You expect someone to sign that when they ARE Muslim?

posted by: Noreene
Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 02:21 PM

Gee whiz if this article doesn't just capture the paranoid, fearful zeitgeist that many Americans live under and choose to voice then I don't know what else does. "But sharing office buildings, floors and suites is common amongst Islamic terror-funding and supporting organizations". There you go. Imagine trying to gain an indictment with this or introducing this statement to a grand jury as testimony? Imam Abdul Rauf has been a quiet, upstanding member of the United States and the Muslim community for nearly 30 years. His actions in pressing for Cordoba house pissed off Republican constituency so it's now become an issue. It is now an issue of having folks frame liberty as they see fit, as it please them, as they feel it should be, rather than a sense of natural law framed in the Constitution. People so simpleminded as to correlate and therefore indict all practitioners of Islam with the madmen who committed crimes against humanity on 9/11 is a travesty. So it goes.

posted by: Drew
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 04:58 PM

Wow Drew

I think you should be the recipient of this year's "Neville Chamberlain Award for Dhimmitude"

posted by: American Patriot
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 08:14 AM

I really wish people like Beck or O'Reilly would have a simple presentation on the connections of Imam Rauf and radical Islamic organizations. It's my belief that most Americans are not aware of how extensive these connections really are. He has ties to CAIR and Islamic Brotherhood, someone should also tie him with IHH and Free Gaza Movement who funded the assault on Israeli soldiers during the blockade. More people should be aware of how these orgs. are tied together.

posted by: buel stewart
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 05:13 AM

First of all... if Christians like myself lived by the bible 100% we would be in trouble... "an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth"
Christianity tends to pick and choose what it wants to practice from the bible. Christians tend not to practice the controversial things.. So it's equally stupid to think people practicing Islam are any different.

I dont buy this. If any of it were true I find it hard to believe that it would not be an argument much more widely used against the mosque (not at ground zero) Its pretty obvious that if Beck isnt using this, its simply not true.. He would use this if it even had a slight chance of being believed.

Don't people here believe that our government has been keeping an eye on this?

Its funny how every person I know where I live (tri state area) has no problem with the mosque even when they lost friends and family at ground zero.

posted by: JJMik
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 11:28 PM

"First of all... if Christians like myself lived by the bible 100% we would be in trouble... "an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth"
Christianity tends to pick and choose what it wants to practice from the bible. Christians tend not to practice the controversial things.. So it's equally stupid to think people practicing Islam are any different."

The above statement demonstrates just how ignorant you are of Islam. A prime criticism that Muslims make against Christians is that the various editions of the Christian holy book are not only very ambiguous and disparate (i.e the Assyrian bible, Ethiopian bible, Catholic bible, etc) but there are many interpretations by which one may claim to be a "christian". In actuality said Christians may be recurrent violators of assorted biblical laws. That is why Muslims refer to the Old testament and the New Testament as "corruptions". Muslims do not see the koran merely as an inspiration of the lord interpreted by men as Christians do. Every word in the Koran is considered to be divine. Mohammad himself was said to have written the Koran by relaying the words that he had directly received from Allah onto paper. The Koran is said to be perfected and untainted as it is regarded as the unadulterated word of god. Naturally of course, God's law's in the form of Sharia supersede that of Man's laws and man's constitutions. There is a specific criteria by which one may be able to call himself a muslim and by which one is an apostate. The same cannot be said for the New testament which is very equivocal in comparison. In that manner many Christians who are in reality not Christian may claim to be so.


"I dont buy this. If any of it were true I find it hard to believe that it would not be an argument much more widely used against the mosque (not at ground zero) Its pretty obvious that if Beck isnt using this, its simply not true.. He would use this if it even had a slight chance of being believed."

The Imam supports the imposition of Sharia law on a global scale. Are you denying this? Most of the Western elite consists of naive pseudo-Christians who are trying to reconcile their own contradictory beliefs in the bible with their secular leanings. To wit see the current fiasco in the Afpak theater. The West originally assisted the Afghans in fighting for their independence from the Soviets only to have the Afghans turn on them quickly after the Soviets had left Afghanistan. Westerners tend to believe that every other culture on earth has the same objectives as they do (i.e. to secure the right to self-determination for their citizens, to secure the right to rugged individualism and a constitution which supports the two former ideals, etc) To them Islam is just another extension of Christianity, which it is not. This denies the historical formations of both Islam and Christainity. Christianity has more Hellenistic influence as Hellenistic variants of Judaism were quite popular during the earlier centuries of the first millennium. This Greek philosophical and intellectual impact clearly reflects in the construction of the New Testament. Islam is more akin to Judaism in that sense, which quite similarly Christians have never understood. Islam is rather a reconstruction of the Old testament with a few modifications (such as specifying who is a follower of God, what God's laws are and how to spread God's word). As such the New Testament still allows for an avenue to philosophizing Christianity to abstract levels which really have little to do with the underlying faith itself. Islam has closed these loopholes in the Koran and has carefully defined what it means to be a holder of the faith.

"Don't people here believe that our government has been keeping an eye on this?"
So you wish to place your trust in the same government that couldn't stop 19 cavemen from plowing into the two most visible icons of American prosperity even with its trillion dollar a year military-industrial complex? The same government that couldn't defeat the Vietcong and the same government that is being bogged down in Afghanistan by its former allies nonetheless?

"Its funny how every person I know where I live (tri state area) has no problem with the mosque even when they lost friends and family at ground zero."
I take it that most are ignorant of Islam and the history of Islam. Although, to be fair with the public education system in the state of condition that it is currently in they probably are ignorant of the history of Christianity as well.

posted by: Jon
Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 07:22 PM

I guess that to receive the personal loans from banks you must present a great motivation. But, once I have received a sba loan, just because I was willing to buy a house.

posted by: Nicholson30SUMMER
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 09:01 PM