Saturday, June 6, 2009
[The following, posted in full, appears in this week's The Jewish Advocate]
First, there was the foiled plot by four ex-convicts, who converted to Islam in prison, to bomb synagogues in the Bronx. The real news here is that radical Islam has come to America and Jews will be its targets. Yet you had to go to page 26 in the New York Times' report to discover that the culprits were Muslims. In the same article that acknowledged the plot's Islamist motivations, the Times reported that the religion of the plotters "remained uncertain." Huh?
A week later, the Associated Press reported the conviction of five ringleaders of the Holy Land Foundation, a Muslim Brotherhood front group gathering funds for Hamas in the U.S. The Brotherhood is the central source of nearly all modern jihadist operations.
Yet the AP headline - "Muslim charity member gets 65 years in prison" - and its description of American agents of Hamas terrorists as "militants" seemed intended to illicit yawns. The real news here is that prosecutors in the trial of the HLF - formerly the largest American Islamic charity - uncovered a network across the U.S. whose goal it is to radicalize the American Muslim community.
A bizarrely neglected news item: In its HLF investigation, the FBI discovered the planning document of the American branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Its authors, top Brotherhood leaders, are not the stereotypical terrorist thugs like the Bronx Bombers, but are engineers, doctors and intellectuals.
These, the real leaders of the Islamist "settlement" in America - ironic that they call it that - are opposed to bombing synagogues ... now. Theirs is a "stealth jihad." They aim to subvert American society slowly, over decades.
This takes us to Boston, where the largest mosque in the Northeast is co-owned by Jamal Badawi - one of the top Brotherhood leaders mentioned in the aforementioned planning document. The Boston Globe, like its NY Times parent, is sensitive on these issues.
Early on, the Globe's decision to kill an investigative piece exposing the connections of the mosque's leadership, the Islamic Society of Boston Trust, to terrorist financing seems to have set its policy on the matter. The Globe felt - as many do - that criticism of any local Muslim leaders might stoke religious bigotry. Let's call this "Islamophobiaphobia."
Hence its silence even when, for example, it emerged that the ISB's Web site featured lessons on wife beating. Unlike the local TV Channel 25 and the Boston Herald, who were sued by the ISB and had to pay out oodles of cash to defense lawyers (after which they ceased their investigative coverage of ISB trustees), the Globe seems motivated purely by ideological considerations.
A few weeks back I wrote to the Globe to respond to its Sunday magazine puff piece on the Roxbury mosque, now run by the Muslim American Society, which federal prosecutors described last year as "the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States." It wasn't published.
So, in the interest of doing what journalists are supposed to do, here's my Globe-censored - but still "sensitive" - letter:
To the Editors:
It is easy to sympathize with the Boston Globe's hope that the Muslim American Society's mosque in Roxbury will be a truly moderate force for intercultural harmony in New England. (Sunday magazine, "Welcome Message," 5/10/09) However, wishful thinking cannot erase the troubling facts that have made this particular mosque controversial from the very start:
The Roxbury mosque, the largest mosque on the Eastern seaboard, is legally owned and controlled by the Islamic Society of Boston Trust, a group of largely foreign residents, several of whom have direct or indirect connections to extremism. For example, ISB Trustee Jamal Badawi, an unindicted co-conspirator in the recent terror fundraising conviction of the Holy Land Foundation, has publicly urged that Muslims replace our constitutional government with an Islamic theocracy.
ISB Trustee Walid Fitaihi, a wealthy Saudi national, was found to have published anti-Jewish screeds in Arabic newspapers while doing "outreach" with Hub rabbis. The Chairman of the ISB Trust, Osama Kandil, is a former director of an Islamic charity outlawed for funneling money to Al Qaeda; he is also a founder of the Muslim Arab Youth Association, which has hosted speakers who urged the killing of Jews and homosexuals and the beating of wives.
The ISB Trust's donation records reveal that at least $8,630,523 in funds - over half of the building's $15.5 million price tag - was provided by Saudi Arabian and other Gulf sources. The Saudis have spent many billions to establish radical mosques around the globe. (Has anyone ever discovered a moderate Saudi mosque?)
Some of the Gulf donors to the ISB have direct connections to terrorism: the Islamic Call Committee, a banned Islamic charity formerly led by the mastermind of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, helped fund the mosque.
These facts are sad, unhappy, depressing, worrying.... But they are also documented and true.
So, what is the explanation for this silence?
I'm a little confused.
On the one hand, identifying criminals by their religion could well lead to a phenomenon akin to antisemitism - example Madoff = Jews. Clearly that is something we shouldn't wish on anybody.
On the other hand, if there really is a threat - especially to another vulnerable minority - and - since the US actually is involved in conflicts with religious extremists - shouldn't this be openly discussed?
The Europeans haven't grappled honestly with these issues and now both far right and far left political parties are emerging - bearing potential for real trouble including backlash violence against immigrants and/or destabilization of European democracies.
Finally is there an issue with the oil lobby and/or other economic interests? I think, for all the blather about "the Israel lobby," there are far more powerful interests in play.
I think the stark increase in oil prices helped ruin our economy last year. People were blaming the housing industry without looking at the elephant in the room.
Double whammy: when the recession hit, oil prices plunged, discouraging investment in alternative technologies as well as purchases of fuel-efficient cars. Now prices are rising steeply again - perhaps being set up for another sock in the economic jaw - a recovery-killing oil-shocku.
And, I think "realists" (as Chamberlain did in the 1930's), have been counting noses and have concluded that there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world and less than 15 million Jews. Perhaps short-term economic and geopolitical interests are trumping longer-range national security concerns - let alone moral issues?
I'm seeing articles, for example Hurst/AP, claiming that Obama's outreach to Muslims depends on Israel.
I think that's an appallingly biased and stupid conclusion in view of the fact that people in Indonesia and their concerns or people in Baluchistan and their problems and people in Mali, etc, have nothing to do with Israel - but - this undue focus certainly serves a purpose: it puts all the blame on Israel and/or the Jewish people around the world should something bad happen (which it will).
I am concerned. We've been seeing bigotry against Israel and Jews for years now, especially since 9/11 - more so since Iraq - and it seems to be creeping into MSM and possibly even government policy.
The nightmare of "it" happening again - in the US - or to Israel - or both - seems real now.
Is Israel responsible for the near nuclear war between Pakistan and India?
Is Israel responsible for current day slavery in Sudan?
Was Israel responsible for the 8 year iraq/iran war?
Is Israel responsible for the suicide bombings in iraq?
Blaming Israel for everything is a convenient red herring for islamofascism.
Of course it is a red herring, Eddie, it's also classic antisemitism.
Jews have been scapegoated for everything from famine to plagues.
One had hoped we'd moved beyond this, instead the Israelis are blamed for a lack of progress in the Arab world - King Abdullah says President Obama should "impose a settlement" on Israel because the Arabs want to focus on science, etc. yet where is the negotiating regarding borders or affirmation assuring Israel about ROR?
And meanwhile what about the radicals who don't recognize Israel in any form?
PS: what is preventing people from focusing on science now? Surely not the Israelis! This really doesn't make sense.
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1090975.html
King Abdullah and the rest of the Arab/Muslim world have ADD due to Israel.
Good.
The war against Israel is being taken up in the Universities of the world.
The leaders of this war will promote any lie to demonize Israel.
Mona Baker is an Egyptian linguistics professor at the University of Manchester.
There is a growing Militant Islamic Academia that promotes lies in the centers of education.
Here is a copy of an email distributed by Mona Baker.
From Mona Baker
_____
From: Guenter Schenk [guenter.schenk@web.de]
Sent: 30 November 2008 22:31
To: Shadi Fadda
Cc: Mona Baker
Subject: [newprofile message:2356] Fw: [End Israeli Apartheid] FW: Please:
your vote is needed
At present the 'yes' has the majority. Please vote 'no.' Do not leave it
there! Please say NO to blockade of Gaza - and please ask your friends to
also sy no!
Thanks
Guenter
http://www.aljazeera.com/vote/vote.php?voteid=396&sr=1
----- Original Message -----
From: smadar carmon
To: Acan palnet ; ACJC Toronto list
; Acoalition
; Ajwco
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2008 11:27 PM
Subject: [End Israeli Apartheid] FW: Please: your vote is needed
[End Israeli Apartheid] FW: Please: your vote is needed
Friday, November 28, 2008 1:17 PM
From: Suzanne Weiss
Is Israel justified in its continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip?
Believe it or not, The Yes side is higer then the No side.
Please send in your vote.
There is a poll on http://www.aljazeera.com/vote/vote.php?voteid=396&sr=1
for the following question: Is
Israel justified in its continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip?
Please go there and
Vote: "NO"
Mona
Is Israel justified in its continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip?
Yes (78.75%)
No (21.25%)
Total Voters: 42371
An example of Amnesty Internationals conflict of interest.
You cannot be objective when you have already taken sides in advance.
This is sick.Mona Baker raison d'etre is to demonize Israel inspite of truth or fact.
Why is the "Advocacy Director of Amnesty International communicating with Mona Baker?
THE FOLLOWING LETTER IS FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO AN EXTREME ANTI ISRAEL ORGANIZATION -(MONA BAKER)
THIS IS A PERSONAL LETTER FROM AMNESTY'S ZAHIR JANMOHAMED TO MONA BAKER.
HOW CAN AMNESTY MAINTAIN ANY CREDIBILITY AND NEUTRALITY WHILE BEING CLOSELY ASSOCIATED
WITH AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO DEMONIZE ISRAEL ?
THIS IS A SERIOUS BREECH OF TRUST BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.
From
Zahir Janmohamed
Advocacy Director
Middle East and North Africa
_____
From: Amnesty Internaitonal USA [ alerts@takeaction.amnestyusa.org]
Sent: 30 January 2009 19:25
To: Mona Baker
Subject: [SPAM] What our researchers found in Gaza
Dear Mona,
Hours before Israel announced a ceasefire, an Amnesty International fact
finding mission gained access to Gaza. Their initial reports are disturbing:
the team found first hand evidence of war crimes, serious violations of
international law and possible crimes against humanity by all parties to the
conflict.
AI researchers continue investigating attacks against southern Israel and
are currently documenting the true scale of devastation wrought on civilians
in Gaza. The stories they report are harrowing.
In the early afternoon of January 4th, three young paramedics walked through
a field on a rescue mission to save a group of wounded men in a nearby
orchard. A 12-year-old boy, standing by his house, assisted the operation by
pointing to where the men could be found. An Israeli air strike on the area
killed all four.
The bodies of the four victims could not be retrieved for two days.
Ambulance crews who tried to approach the site came under fire from Israeli
forces.
Our researchers later traveled to the scene of the strike with the two
ambulance drivers who witnessed the attack. They met with the boy's
distraught mother and found the remains of the missile. The label of the
missile read, "guided missile, surface attack" and cited the United States
as the country of origin.
US Weapons Used in Attacks
Label on the remains of a US-made missile that killed three paramedics and a
child. The U.S. has to support investigations about misuse of US weapons in
attacks against civilians. Tell
0K7OLJeLZE> Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Susan Rice to support an
independent investigation. (c) AI
This is just one of many similar stories.
Under the Geneva Conventions, medical personnel searching, collecting,
transporting or treating the wounded must be protected and respected in all
circumstances. Clearly, this was not the case on Jan. 4th.
Since we last emailed you, more than 87,000 of you have written Congress and
former administration officials. These emails, along with the massive
outpouring of letters from around the world from other Amnesty sections, are
making an impact. Just this week:
* the United Nations pledged $613 million in aid for Gaza
* 60 members of Congress signed a letter to Secretary of State Hillary
of Clinton calling for humanitarian support for Gaza
* And hours ago, the US pledged $20 million in aid1-2
We have a small window of opportunity to build on this momentum: urge
0K7OLJeLZE> Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Susan Rice to push for a
full-fledged independent investigation.
This investigation is critical for many reasons, not the least of which is
the clear evidence of the use of white phosphorous, as well as the mounting
evidence of the misuse of US arms3. As you read this, Amnesty researchers
continue documenting the use of arms, and we expect an action specifically
calling on Congress to investigate the misuse of US weapons in this conflict
in the coming weeks.
Everyone is responsible for the protection of international law. The US
government must not turn a blind eye to possible war crimes and crimes
against humanity. It should support an independent international inquiry by
the United Nations into allegations of violations of international
humanitarian and human rights law - by all groups participating in the
conflict.
The story of the paramedics and the young boy is not an anomaly. Write
0K7OLJeLZE> Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice today and urge
accountability for abuses in Gaza and southern Israel now.
Thank you for your continuing support,
Zahir Janmohamed
Advocacy Director
Middle East and North Africa