Hilliard terror cleric’s Al-Qaeda and HAMAS Hajj Homeboys

Mohammad Al-Hanooti (left), Salah Sultan (center), and Anwar Al-Aulaqi (right)

Reading the Washington Post several weeks ago, a front page article caught my eye: “Imam from VA Mosque Now Thought to Have Aided Al-Qaeda”. The subject of the article, Anwar Al-Aulaqi, was a name familiar to me because of his past association with our former Hilliard terror cleric, Salah Sultan, who fled the country for Bahrain last March after having his citizenship application denied for his terrorist ties. Sultan was subsequently videotaped with several designated terrorists when he was a keynote speaker during a terror confab held in Doha, Qatar back in July. Al-Aulaqi and Sultan are also both tied to a known HAMAS fundraiser, Mohammed Al-Hanooti, who federal law enforcement authorities have claimed has raised millions of dollars for the terrorist organizations and who was also named an un-indicted co-conspirator in the 1993 WTC bombing.

The WaPo article discusses new evidence that after Sultan’s friend Al-Aulaqi fled to Yemen in 2002, he began working directly with the Al-Qaeda networks in the Persian Gulf. This is not the first time that Al-Aulaqi has been tied to Al-Qaeda, though, since he has been identified by government sources and media reports as the spiritual mentor to two of the 9/11 hijackers, Nawaf Al Hazmi and Khalid Al Mihdhar. Al-Aulaqi helped the two 9/11 terrorists locate housing in San Diego, and the pair followed Al-Aulaqi when he moved to the Washington DC area in 2001.

Just prior to Al-Aulaqi’s flight to Yemen in 2002, he was scheduled to help Salah Sultan lead a Hajj tour to Mecca, along with HAMAS fundraiser Al-Hanooti. The trip was coordinated by the DC-area Dar El-Eiman Tour Group, which was run by Fawaz Mushtaha. Mushtaha, a former official with the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), was listed, along with Al-Hanooti, as unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism finance trial last year. The Investigative Project has additional info on the background of Mushtaha, his tour company, Salah Sultan, and his Al-Qaeda and HAMAS Hajj homeboys.

Here’s the Hajj tour brochure, listing Al-Hanooti, Sultan and Al-Aulaqi as tour leaders:





As stated previously, this most recent WaPo article was not the first time that Al-Aulaqi had been in the news for his Al-Qaeda connections. In August 2003, Time Magazine asked the question, “Why Did the Imam Befriend the Hijackers?”, which observes that despite his association with two of the 9/11 terrorists, after the terror attacks he lied to the FBI claiming not to have known any of the hijackers. The FBI’s hands-off approach to Al-Aulaqi prompted criticism by congressional investigators.



And again in June 2004, US News and World Report featured an article on Al-Aulaqi, “The Imam’s Very Curious Story,” disclosing that the imam was known to have been engaging in some very un-Islamic behavior — namely, prostitution:

The probe of the 9/11 attacks soon led Washington FBI agents back to San Diego, where they found that al-Awlaki had twice been busted for soliciting prostitutes in 1996 and 1997 but had avoided jail time. Al-Awlaki has previously described these charges as “bogus.” But FBI agents hoped al-Awlaki might cooperate with the 9/11 probe if they could nab him on similar charges in Virginia. FBI sources say agents observed the imam allegedly taking Washington-area prostitutes into Virginia and contemplated using a federal statute usually reserved for nabbing pimps who transport prostitutes across state lines.

Salah Sultan’s other Hajj homeboy, Mohammad Al-Hanooti, was also the subject of an extensive investigative piece in June 2002 by the Albany Times-Union, "Religious leader tied to terror”. That report discusses Al-Hanooti’s longtime terror associations and activities:

But a classified memorandum written by the FBI’s counterterrorism director less than a month after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks describes Al-Hanooti as a “big supporter” of Hamas.

The memorandum from Dale L. Watson, head of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, was sent to the Department of Treasury as federal authorities prepared to clamp down on what they called terrorist fronts that had set up fund-raising operations on U.S. soil.

It was during his tenure as imam at a northern New Jersey mosque in 1993 that Al-Hanooti allegedly raised money for Hamas, according to Watson’s memorandum.

This information notwithstanding, there are still many in the Central Ohio area who are willing to stand up and defend Sultan and are quick to dismiss his open association with terrorist leaders and organizations, such as his appearance at a June 2005 HAMAS rally in Istanbul, where he spoke along with HAMAS head Ismail Haniyeh.

But even with Sultan’s flight to the Middle East, he has been replaced by an endless stream of hate speakers and terror sheikhs who go through some of the Islamic institutions in the Columbus area like a department store revolving door.

We’ll bring you more on Central Ohio’s Wahhabi Express soon!

We’ve got hate mail!

Abdul-Muhaimin Bayan says,

"Waah, waah, waaaaaah! Central Ohioans Against Terrorism is so mean!"
Awwwwww. Abdul-Muhaimin Bayan has got his feelings hurt. He spent some time perusing our website Thursday evening, and didn’t like what he saw. We were saying so many things he took offence to that he penned the following missive in defense of hate sheiks, like Siraj Wahhaj; extremist organizations, like CAIR; and politically-connected Islamist thugs, like Ahmad Al-Akhras.

So Abdul-Muhaimin Bayan says, “boo hoo hoo!”:

From: “A. M. Bayan”
To: Undisclosed-recipients: <>;
Subject: Hate and Smear Campaign Against Muslims by “Central Ohioans Against Terrorism”
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2008 01:46:19 -0500
Cc: Patrick Poole, Read Holy Qur’an

In the Name of ALLAH, The Compassionate, The Merciful

And ALLAH will never lead a people astray after HE has guided them until HE makes Clear to them as to what they should avoid. Verily, ALLAH is The Knower of everything. Verily, ALLAH ! To HIM belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, HE gives life and HE causes death. And besides ALLAH you have neither waliy (friend, guardian, protector) nor any naseer (helper). [Qur’an translation : at-Taubah, 9:115–116]

O you who believe, should any one of you turn back from his Religion, then ALLAH will bring a people whom HE Loves and who Love HIM, humble towards Believers, mighty against the disbelievers, striving hard in ALLAH’s Way and not fearing the censure of any censurer. This is ALLAH’s Grace — HE gives it to whom HE pleases.. And ALLAH is Ample-Giving, All-Knowing. [Qur’an translation : al-Ma’idah, 5:54]

Friday, March 7, 2008

As-Salaamu Alaikum To CAIR, CAIR-Ohio and To All Muslims and True Believers, and To All:

I seek the Guidance, Mercy, Forgiveness, Help and Protection of ALLAH in this matter and in all things. Ameen (May it be so).

Let me begin by saying that I am very happy and very blessed to be a Muslim. I am so thankful that ALLAH guided me to Islaam. I am not a terrorist. Further, I totally reject any and all forms of “terrorism” including the murdering, assaulting, maiming, raping and unjustified injuring (by hand or mouth) of any human beings. I totally reject the concept and the actual practice of torturing any human beings. I do however firmly believe in the Rule of Law and therefore believe in appropriate punishments for crimes and terrorists’ acts, in accordance with the requirements of due process.

Terrorism is terrorism, but State sponsored terrorism initiated by powerful nations against weak and defenseless nations, peoples and individuals is the most abhorrent terrorism of all.

All praise is due to ALLAH for all persons, organizations and groups which genuinely stand for truth and justice and the Rule of Law which does not discriminate between Muslims, Christians, Jews and any other classifications of people. A murderer is a murderer; a thief is thief; a liar is a liar; and all praise belongs to ALLAH Who Alone is the Judge of us all. Ameen.

CAIR and or CAIR-Ohio may already be well aware of the anti-Muslim activities of the so-called “Central Ohioans Against Terrorism”, but I have just recently become aware of this organization’s web site which constitutes a vicious hate and smear campaign against Central Ohio Muslims in particular and against all Muslims in general and also against any non-Muslims who do not express and manifest hatred for Muslims and Islaam..

The web site of the so-called “Central Ohioans Against Terrorism” slanders and targets various present and past leaders of CAIR and or CAIR-Ohio, and all of the masaajid (mosques) and all of Islamic institutions and organizations in Columbus and Central Ohio including the Noor Islamic Cultural Center, ISGC, IFCO and Sunrise Academy, for example. Hilliard, Ohio where Sunrise Academy is located is specifically targeted.

The web site slanders and targets nationally and internationally well-known, beloved and respected Muslim leaders such as Imam Siraj Wahhaj who has been a guest speaker in Columbus, Ohio on many occasions over a period of several years now.

The web site slanders and targets well-known, beloved and respected, former and current CAIR officials, including brother Ahmad Al-Akhras and sister Asma Mobin-Uddin and others.

The web site slanders and targets government officials including Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and others.

The web site slanders and targets presidential candidate Senator Barack Hussein Obama.

One of the obvious goals of the web site is to insinuate that all Muslims and non-Muslims mentioned at the site are terrorists and or supporters of terrorists. Another goal is to incite fear and panic and irrational thinking and irrational behavior against Islaam and Muslims by anyone who visits the site. The producers of the site allege that Hilliard, Ohio, a Columbus suburb, is a center of support for violent jihad, by using various fabrications.

Jihad in Central Ohio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eLqbNiP45k

The publishers of the web site use a mixture of truths and falsehoods as well as pure fabrications, conjecture, speculation, inference, disparaging remarks, character assassination, guilt by association, allusion and innuendo, etc., to connect, --- some specific Muslim leaders, and more so, all Muslims and all non-Muslim leaders and officials who work with or interact in good faith with Muslims, --- to terrorism and terrorists’ plots.

Inshaa’ALLAH, if it pleases ALLAH, CAIR and or CAIR-Ohio has already been responding to, and best knows how to respond to, the web site of the so-called “Central Ohioans Against Terrorism”.

Links to some of the content on the site follows but there is much more:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008

HTTP://OHIOAGAINSTTERROR.BLOGSPOT.COM/

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008

http://ohioagainstterror.blogspot.com/search/label/Sunrise%20Academy

___________________________________________________________

Jazakum ALLAHU Khairan wa-Salaam.

Abdul-Muhaimin Bayan
Columbus, Ohio

________________________

Read Holy Qur’an

dawah@erinet.com

Needless to say, Abdul-Muhaimin Bayan is not the first individual to wail and pout about our little website here, but at least he didn’t praise al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups like the last one.

So here’s a challenge, Abdul: if you don’t like us publishing stories about local terror sheiks, such as Salah Sultan, and note his open association with terrorist leaders (like the picture below where he is sitting at a table with Yousef al-Qaradawi and Khaled Mish’al of HAMAS - both designated as terrorists by the US government);



Or you don’t like us pointing out that local organizations, such as Sunrise Academy, Masjid Abubakar Siddique, CAIR-OH, Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio and Noor Islamic Cultural Center, are bringing in unindicted co-conspirators named as such by the US Department of Justice for terrorist acts against the US and its citizens, such as Siraj Wahhaj pictured below, to speak and fundraise on behalf of their groups;



And you don’t want us mentioning how CAIR officials openly praise terrorist organizations, like the blog post by CAIR-OH board member Abukar Arman below, or defend convicted cop-killers;



Then you’re free to whine all you want. But perhaps this is another Quranic verse you should reflect on:

Do not withhold any testimony by concealing what you had witnessed. Anyone who withholds a testimony is sinful at heart. (2:283)

If you find fault with the truth we speak here, you’re problem isn’t with us; it’s with Allah.

Trial begins for Toledo terror trio

Jury selection began this past Monday in trial of the Toledo terror trio, Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi and Wassim I. Mazloum (additional coverage from the Associated Press).



The trio are accused of plotting to kill US military personnel in a plan devised and discussed at the 2004 Muslim American Society/Islamic Circle of North America convention held in Cleveland. As I reported last week, “The Muslim Brotherhood’s Grand Jihad in Toledo”, the Muslim American Society recently showed up in Toledo apparently not content with the havoc and terror their extremism has already brought to Northwest Ohio. Perhaps not coincidentally, we reported last month that the Department of Homeland Security recently added Toledo to its list of terror high risk areas.

Here is the Feb 2007 DOJ press release on the Toledo terror trio’s indictments. Additional trial documents can be found at The Investigative Project’s terrorism cases page (USA v. Amawi et al.).

CAIR-OH official defends Harvard’s gender apartheid policies on CNN

Demonstrating that CAIR has yet to reach bottom of its institutional bigotry, witness the appearance of CAIR-Cleveland executive director Julia Shearson earlier this week on CNN to defend Harvard’s gender apartheid policies (discussed in this March 4th USA Today article, also quoting CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper).



CAIR is so proud of Shearson’s defense of gender apartheid that they are featuring it on their own website. They are enthusiastically promoting their neo-segregationist policies, as CAIR officials are making the rounds at other news outlets, such as FOX, touting their pre-Civil Rights era, Jane Crow views and successes.

For an alternative view protesting Harvard’s acceding to CAIR’s demands for gender apartheid, read Michael Graham’s Boston Herald article, “An Exercise in Discrimination at Harvard”.

Terror apologist Abukar Arman appointed head of CAIR-Columbus

It is profoundly sad to see CAIR-Ohio descending further into extremism as witnessed by the recent appointment of local Somali terror apologist Abukar Arman to head the local CAIR-Columbus office as indicated by the email announcement from CAIR-OH figurehead Asma Mobin-Uddin back in January (see below). Arman has steadfastly defended the al-Qaeda-backed Somali Islamic Courts Union and is one of its most outspoken apologists in the West (see my article, “Hometown Jihad: The Somali terror apologist next door”). One only need visit his article, “Engaging Somalia via the Road Less Traveled”, from back in January to see how shamelessly he defends as “moderate” the very organization waging a bloody insurgency against the Somali people, and who’s leaders have been designated as terrorists by the US government.

Then again, no one should be surprised at this sudden lurch towards extremism by CAIR-OH. Abukar Arman has been on the state chapter board, and with the very sudden flight of his business partner Ahmad Al-Akhras (CAIR national vice chairman and former CAIR-OH founder and president) to the Middle East, Arman has no doubt been designated by his friend to help keep a tight rein on the group in his absence. Thus, this move is one of sheer pragmatism. While Asma Mobin-Uddin is the titular figurehead of CAIR-OH, the real power behind the local organization has always been and remains Ahmad Al-Akhras and his HAMAS/Muslim Brotherhood masters.

But Arman’s new position will drop the facade of “moderation” that CAIR-OH has tried to foist, with his open enthusiasm for terrorist organizations (see, for instance, his January 2006 blog post “HAMAS Victory is a Victory for Democracy and Peace!”, which has been proven manifestly false in the past two years; also remember that HAMAS has been designated a terrorist organization since 1995); his organizing conferences in our area with known Islamic extremists (e.g. the terror-fest held at the Ohio Statehouse back in October); his forced resignation back in August from the Franklin County Criminal Justice Planning Board, which oversees area Homeland Security; and simultaneously losing his job with the Columbus Public Schools. And I’ve previously written about the time that Abukar Arman, Ahmad Al-Akhras and Asma Mobin-Uddin went to a local combat Marine veteran’s home to provoke a confrontation over the man’s bumper sticker (“CAIR Thugs on Islamophobia Patrol”).

Here is his article praising the terrorist HAMAS organization (click to enlarge):


And then there was the eviction of a scheduled conference featuring Abukar Arman, Ahmad Al-Akhras and Anisa Abd El Fattah at the US Capitol by the US House of Representatives Sergeant-at-Arms back in August due to the speakers’ extremism.

Two other things should be mentioned before turning to the CAIR-OH announcement. The first is that Abukar Arman was appointed to this position; there is no democracy within CAIR. One reason might be is that according to the most recently released IRS Form 990 for the organization, CAIR-OH has no membership; it lists nothing received in terms of membership receipts. It represents no one but itself. When, if ever, did CAIR ever go to the Muslim American community in Ohio for the right to speak in their name? The answer is: never. CAIR has never had an election.

Secondly, as was observed in August by the Columbus Dispatch, Abukar Arman is not a citizen of the US (at least he wasn’t then). This would not otherwise be a problem except that CAIR continuously denies and dismisses their ties to foreign powers and foreign agents. And this move demonstrates clearly that Ahmad Al-Akhras has no difficulty turning to non-US citizens to run the show in order to keep his iron-fisted grip on the CAIR-OH chapter following his flight.

Here is CAIR-OH’s two announcements regarding Abukar Arman’s appointment (my thanks to ***** for forwarding it to me):

From: “Asma Mobin-Uddin”
To:
CC: ,
“Jennifer Nimer” , “‘Romin Iqbal’”
Subject: Br. Abukar Arman to head new local Columbus board of CAIR-Ohio
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:15:16 -0500

Salaam,
As I have received some questions about this, I wanted to repost the following update to the community about leadership updates within CAIR-Ohio for the next term, starting in Jan. 2008.

Br. Abukar Arman has been elected by the state board to be president of the new local Columbus chapter of CAIR-Ohio, and I was re-elected to do another term as president of the state board of CAIR-Ohio (which oversees the Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland chapters).

I posted the following email to the professional’s list but it came back to me so I’m not sure people have seen it.
Salaam,
Asma Mobin-Uddin
CAIR-Ohio

[the initial announcement]
Jan. 2008
Salaam,
I wanted to let everyone know of our brother Abukar Arman’s new position within CAIR-Ohio. Br. Abukar is a member CAIR-Ohio’s state board. Until this year, our state board also oversaw the function of the Columbus office, our largest office.

This year due to continued growth, we have separated the Columbus board into its own local entity, overseen by the CAIR-Ohio state board, just as Cincinnati and Cleveland have local boards to manage the affairs in their cities. Now all three offices have local boards, and all three are still overseen by the state board. Br. Abukar was elected to be the first president of the new Columbus office board. We also welcome Sr. Roofi Ahmed, Sr. Hend Al-Kharashi, Br. Don Furbee, and Br. Sunni Islam to the local Columbus board of CAIR-Ohio. We are blessed to have this strong and talented team in the new Columbus chapter of CAIR-Ohio.

Salaam,
Asma Mobin-Uddin
(state board president of CAIR-Ohio)

From Mobin-Uddin’s two emails above it appears that Abukar Arman’s new position has not been without difficulty and turmoil even within their own ranks. Something outside observers should take note of.

Does Obama campaign email indicate illegal electioneering in Ohio mosques?

In 2006, a group of local Democratic Party-aligned clergy sent a letter to IRS Commissioner demanding that World Harvest Church in Columbus be investigated for violating its tax exempt status because of their close ties to then-GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell. Thirty-one Columbus-area ministers and rabbis signed the letter to the IRS, making national news. Their attorney said that World Harvest had stepped so far over the line that it could be characterized as, “Here’s the handbook from the IRS on what to do and not do. They’ve done the ‘not do’ stuff right out of the book.”

These clerics later organized themselves in a campaign they called “We Believe” to promote the whole slate of predictable liberal causes (the Christian clerics apparently unconcerned about Jesus’ repeated condemnations of hypocrisy). The usual suspects (Americans United for Separation of Church and State, People for the American Way, Huffington Post, et al) all jumped on board to decry this supposed destruction of the wall of separation.

Now it is 2008, and after seven years out of the White House, Democrats are pulling out all the stops. Next week’s primary elections here in Ohio are make or break for Hillary Clinton, and a win in Ohio for Obama would probably secure his nomination. To say that this primary is important for both candidates would be an understatement.

But there are already indications that both campaigns may be skirting campaign and tax laws in their efforts to win the Buckeye State. The Columbus Dispatch reported just a few weeks ago how both the Hillary and Obama camps are targeting pastors in the area seeking their endorsements (yes, the same thing that World Harvest pastor Rod Parsley and his church were accused of) in anticipation of the Ohio primary next Tuesday. So it’s going to be interesting to see if the “We Believe” group of local ministers and rabbis who previously protested the supposed violation of church and state, and publicly called Rod Parsley and World Harvest “theocrats” and “Christocrats” for their alleged illegal political activity, will respond with the same outrage that Barack Obama’s camp is coordinating a massive primary election push this coming Friday at Columbus-area mosques.

An email is circulating from an Obama campaign official calling for volunteers to spread out to all of the area mosques in Central Ohio for afternoon prayers to bring in the vote for Barack Hussein Obama (thanks to my friend ***** who forwarded me the email):

Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:37:04 -0500
From: ahmad.sean.khan81@gmail.com
To: [removed]
Subject: This is Ahmad S. Khan (Volunteering for Barack Obama)

Assalam Alaik-kum,

Thanks so much for volunteering to help Senator Barack Obama turn out the Muslim vote inshalla. On Friday March 29th we want to have Muslim volunteers pray at the Mosques during Juma at around 12:45. After prayer when people are socializing outside we want to have the volunteer pass out Obama civil rights literature, faith based literature, general literature, stickers and bumper stickers. In addition we want the volunteers to emphasize that the election is the following Tuesday and encourage them to vote. That way we can reach every Muslim that went to Mosque the Friday before the election inshalla. Attached is a list of every Mosque in Columbus, if we have missed one please let me know ASAP. In addition if there is a particular Mosque you would prefer to attend Juma at and volunteer let me know.

To accomplish this we need to have a training/meeting and have volunteers pick up the necessary materials before volunteers go to the Mosques. We will be having a training/meeting at 9:30 A.M on March 29th at the Obama campus office 2240 N. High Street Columbus Ohio 43201. I will be providing everyone with more information as we get closer to Friday. Please feel free to contact me through email, or call me at 352-874-1195. If my phone is not on please leave me a voice mail with you number and I will get back to you right away. Also please feel free to pass this on to any brothers or sisters who support Senator Obama and would not mind volunteering for just half a day. Thanks again for everything.

Sincerely
Ahmad S. Khan

[It’s not entirely clear if Khan meant to say February 29th — this Friday — instead of March 29th, or if they are planning something after the primary. My read based on follow-up emails is that he got the date wrong and this is planning a pre-primary push. I could be entirely wrong on that, but regardless of whether it is Feb. 29 or March 29, it doesn’t change the potential illegality of targeting tax exempt institutions.]

Now, there’s no way for the Obama campaign to distance themselves from this potentially illegal effort as the scheduled meeting will be taking place in the Obama OSU campus headquarters. While the mosques themselves might have plausible deniability (we didn’t know they were going to show up), it appears that the Obama campaign may be involved in illegal electioneering by deliberately targeting tax exempt institutions.

While that’s for the IRS to decide, it remains to be seen if the “We Believe” clergy are as enthusiastic in their denunciations and protests as they were in 2006. My money will be on “no”.

The Central Ohio connection to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing — 15 Years Ago Today

On February 26, 1993, a bomb exploded in the parking garage of the World Trade Center, announcing that war had come to America.

Seven people were murdered that day by Islamic extremists:

John DiGiovanni, 45 (Valley Stream, New York)
Robert Kirkpatrick, 61 (Suffern, New York)
Steven Knapp, 47 (Manhattan, New York City)
William Macko, 57 (Bayonne, New Jersey)
Wilfred Mercado, 37 (Brooklyn, New York City)
Monica Rodriguez Smith and her unborn child (Seaford, New York)

Memorial to the souls lost on 2/26/1993 (destroyed on 9/11)

Another 1,042 people were injured, some severely. The Islamic terrorists who committed this act had intended to kill tens of thousands, if not more.

This day should be important to us in Central Ohio, in that one of the unindicted co-conspirators in this terrorist act, Siraj Wahhaj, named as such by US Attorney Mary Jo White, is a regular speaker in our area. In just the past two years, Wahhaj has been the keynote speaker at fundraising events for Sunrise Academy, Masjid Abubakar Al Siddique, CAIR-Ohio, the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio, and most recently, the Noor Islamic Cultural Center.

On March 10, 2006, he was the keynote speaker at the Sunrise Academy (the area’s full-time Islamic school) sports complex fundraiser at the Makoy Center in Hilliard. I discussed the event in my article, “Hometown Jihad: The School Gym that Terror Built”. Here’s the announcement (click to enlarge):



Then on February 16, 2007, Wahhaj again appeared in Central Ohio for a fundraiser for Masjid Abubaker Al Siddique on Sullivant Ave held at Sunrise Academy. This mosque is part of the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus (ISGC). Here is that announcement (click to enlarge):



On June 6, 2006, Siraj Wahhaj was back again in Columbus for a fundraiser for CAIR-OH. I wrote about this event previously, “CAIR’s Blood Money”. CAIR-OH later bragged how the Wahhaj fundraiser had netted them more than $100,000 in one evening to help spread their hate speech and terror apologies. Here is the CAIR press release following the event (click to enlarge):



This past September 9th, Wahhaj was the keynote speaker for the Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio (IFCO), appearing on behalf of his friend Ahmad Al-Akhras, CAIR national vice chairman and president of IFCO. (See our post here, “Mayor Coleman advisor brings hate shiekh to town”, which discusses in detail Wahhaj’s virulent hate speech and violent rhetoric.)

And most recently, Wahhaj was the featured speaker at the Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Hilliard on December 19, 2007 for their Eid celebration.

Very few Muslims in our area agree with the extremist ideology of Siraj Wahhaj and his local allies. In fact, these events were attended by only a very tiny minority of supporters from the Muslim community. But these same supporters are not only very vocal, but are well-funded, control several of the prominent Islamic institutions in town, and have the ear of our local and state political establishment (as has been observed, Wahhaj’s 2006 CAIR-OH fundraiser was followed in 2007 by an appearance by Governor Strickland, “Not in our name, Gov. Strickland”). As we remember what happened on February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001, it would do us well to remember all those who have been murdered and vow to be vigilant in confronting the hate and extremism that is alive and well in Central Ohio.

Andrew McCarthy, the Assistant US Attorney in charge of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing prosecutions, published an article about the attacks today that is worth reading in its entirety. As you read the excerpt below and the rest of the article, remember that the violence at work on that day 15 years ago is still with us:

On the morning of February 26, 1993, Islamic militants steered a nondescript Ryder van through the winding darkness of the parking garage under the World Trade Center. They had spent years planning this moment in secret meetings at mosques and jailhouses, in rural outposts that served as paramilitary camps, and in safehouses where explosive compounds were mixed in makeshift labs.

Loaded into the van’s rear compartment was a 1,400-pound chemical bomb.

The explosive detonated at a few minutes after noon. The hyper-intensive shockwave bored a six-story canyon into the bowels of the complex. Seven people were killed (one of the six officially listed murder victims having been well along in her pregnancy), over a thousand were injured, and the structural damage would cost nearly a billion dollars to repair.

Amid the terror, the dark cloud that envelops us still 15 years later, was a silver lining. This time, the “battalion of Islam” — as the “blind sheikh,” Omar Abdel Rahman, liked to refer to the cells in his emerging jihad army — had failed.

It had been the intention of the World Trade Center bombers to annihilate tens of thousands of Americans, in addition to rendering the world’s most significant financial district uninhabitable. Detonation was consciously timed for maximum carnage: high noon on a Friday, when as many as 120,000 business professionals, laborers, diners, tourists, and area residents typically swarmed the Twin Towers and their immediate Wall Street environs.

More diabolically, not content with their sophisticated, powerfully combustible urea-nitrate mixture, the jihadists laced the compound with deadly sodium cyanide and attempted to boost the explosion with hydrogen tanks. The aim was a horror virtually unimaginable back then (though it is, today, an omnipresent fear): wide dispersal of a lethal, aerated chemical, killing the thousands too distant to be obliterated by the sheer force of the blast.

May God bless the souls of those lost that awful day. And may we never forget.