House Republicans tonight surprised Democrats with a procedural vote to protect public-transportation passengers from being sued if they report suspicious activity -- the first step by lawmakers to protect "John Doe" airline travelers already targeted in such a lawsuit.
After a heated debate and calls for order, the motion to recommit the Democrats' Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007 back to committee with instructions to add the protective language passed on a vote of 304-121.
Check out the roll-call vote and other updates at The Jawa Report.
Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, of which I am cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday for one hour at noon, Pacific Time.
The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.
Friday, March 30: This week's scheduled guest for the second half hour of the show is Jeff Epstein of America's Truth Forum, which provides news and information on terrorism from around the world.
America's Truth Forum also presents symposiums, one of which I was attended in April 2006. Two of my blog articles on that symposium: Brigitte Gabriel and Islam and the Criminal Mind. Summaries of each of the symposiums held by America's Truth Forum are HEREand HERE.
If you are unable to listen to the radio show live, you can listen to recordings of the radio broadcasts later by CLICKING HERE.
On Saturday March 31st Americans of all ethnicities and of all religious backgrounds are urged to take to the streets in peaceful protest of Islamic radicalism. The primary locations of the rallies will be in front of several offices of the Council on American Islamic Relations deemed by many as a radical Islamist front organization.
Rallies are scheduled in New York City; Boston, Massachusetts; Orlando, Florida; Columbia, Missouri; and Anaheim, California. CLICK HERE for details.
The following is the press release from The United American Committee (emphases mine):
A prominent educational and action group today announced the date set for a second annual Rally Against Islamofascism Day, with rallies planned for various locations across the United States, as well as around the world.
(LOS ANGELES, CA, 12/13/2006) - With the successful execution of simultaneous rallies against Islamic militancy held across the United States in early 2006, the United American Committee today announced a second Rally Against Islamofascism Day (R.A.I.D.), this time international, set for Saturday March 31st, 2007. The event, described on the UAC's website at www.unitedamericancommittee.org will be a joint effort of organizations in a common goal of educating others to the dangers posed by radical Islam. “This is an opportunity for people of all walks of life to come together, setting aside political or religious differences.” remarks United American Committee Chairman Jesse Petrilla, who also noted that Muslims are especially encouraged to join in the rallies.
Prior to the announcement, the UAC reached out to an array of organizations to build a coalition to ensure the success of the rallies. While many organizations joined in support, one organization in particular refused to unite in the effort. CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations, when asked by the United American Committee if they would join in the rallies, refused by not answering e-mails from the group's members, and even hung up on UAC officials when the United American Committee attempted to contact CAIR's Washington DC offices. CAIR has been criticized by many prominent individuals including U.S. Senators Richard Durbin, and Charles Schumer, due to CAIR's documented ties to the militant group Hamas as well as their engagement in what many view as suspect activities. Some individuals have gone as far as stating that CAIR is a front for supporting Islamic terror.
The UAC has engaged in past activities which it will tie into the March 31st rallies. In July of 2006, the United American Committee issued a challenge to patriotic American Muslim leaders to issue a fatwa, or Islamic edict, calling for condemnation and denunciation of Osama bin Laden and other terrorists by name. This was in response to a previous fatwa supported by The Council on American Islamic Relations which according to the UAC ambiguously defined terrorism without naming specific terrorists. CAIR was personally sent the challenge for the new fatwa by the UAC, and has as of yet not issued a letter of support for such an edict. “Why won't they [CAIR] issue a fatwa against bin Laden? Against Ayman al-Zawahiri? Or against other terrorists by name? They issue a fatwa condemning the killing of innocents, but who is innocent? Are the infidels innocent to them?” said homeless activist and UAC Board Member Ted Hayes. When the UAC's challenge was taken to the Saudi funded King Fahd Mosque in Culver City, California the leaders of the mosque refused to entertain the idea, so on September 10th, 2006 the United American Committee staged a protest outside of the mosque where they hung an effigy of Osama bin Laden from makeshift gallows, inviting all of the mosque's members and leaders to join in the rally. While some members of the mosque came out and stood alongside UAC members hitting and throwing shoes at the dummy, the leadership of the mosque remained on the opposite side of the road where a counter protest was staged. “The hanging of bin Laden in effigy was an opportunity to hold the mosque leaders' feet to the fire for not supporting the fatwa, and I believe this Rally Against Islamofascism Day will be an opportunity to hold CAIR's feet to the fire.” said UAC Chairman Petrilla. The UAC stated that by CAIR's refusing to support the fatwa, and by their nonsupport of the Rally Against Islamofascism Day, that CAIR has unwittingly chosen the location of the rallies. The United American Committee plans on setting the location of the March 31st rallies to take place in front of many of CAIR's 32 nationwide offices. “I want to see effigies of Osama bin Laden hung at all of these rallies, let the terrorists know we are on the offense, and let those who are with us join with us.” said Petrilla, urging those who will be organizing rallies to include a hanging of bin Laden in effigy at each event if possible.
Some members of Islamic groups have expressed concern over the set date of the rallies against Islamofascism, March 31st, 2007 being the Islamic holiday Mawlid al-Nabi, the Islamic prophet Mohammad's birthday. United American Committee officials contend that this is purely by coincidence, saying the last Saturday in March was chosen for its generally good weather and the fact that most people will be off work on a Saturday and available to attend a rally. UAC has assured that the rally will stride forward to be held on the date set.
Individuals are encouraged to organize rallies in their areas on the date of the Rally Against Islamofascism Day, and may contact the United American Committee via the UAC's web page which will post the locations of rallies as they are formed at www.UnitedAmericanCommittee.org
##
Contact: United American Committee P.O. Box 3301 Burbank, CA 91508 info@unitedamericancommittee.org
Both LionHeart and I received the following emails, quoted word-for-word, from ultimateorganization@hotmail.co.uk:
1.
You need to listen to this very carefully! In order to stay in this violent, wicked, devilish, country like this you need to remove this blog, remove the information you put on.
You are embarrassing you self and the public of my and your Country. Statements like these will cause hatred and the hatred that we really don't want anywhere in this world. Mine and your job is to create unity in this world not to make it more violent.
Stop your foolishness and live like a human rather than an animal. I, my self studied Islam is a peaceful religion, it shows you to go on the right path. Investigate it and (if God Willing) it will head you on the right way, now I値l state here a link ( ) where you can investigate and learn more about Islam and Christianity, this link will take you to the website where you can watch videos of the Christians converts that explains everything you need to understand. Unlock your ignorance of this beautiful faith, end-of-day it is your decision but we are all human beings and you should not make a statements like this again in the future it is not right to discriminate anyone no one is perfect. Live your life in peace people who are creating conflicts will never succeed and God will curse them you must know that.
Thank You for your attention.
2.
promise me not to encourage such an idea, think about your own family.
http://www.islaminireland.com/multimedia/video.html please download the three last videos i.e
I'm not sure, but I suspect my comment to this article by LionHeart is what prompted "ultimate organization" to send me the above emails. Those interested might want to take a look at that lengthy essay by LionHeart UK.
Eavesdropper over at Maverick News Media has posted a list from Power Line Blog. These attorneys are pro bono and are offering to defend the "John Doe" passengers in the Six-Flying-Imams case.
That's not all!
Check out HR 1640 (Protecting Americans Fighting Terrorism Act), pdf file, introduced as follows by Representative Pearce of New Mexico:
It is a sad day in America when our own institutions of freedom are being used against us in the battle against terrorism. When I first heard about the lawsuit brought by the 'imams' in Minnesota, it was clear to me that this was an injustice against Americans who were simply trying to protect themselves. These brave citizens should be recognized as heroes for their efforts to report suspicious activity, particularly activity that has been associated with previous terror attacks.
As Americans, we must not allow ourselves to be bullied by individuals who seek to disrupt our way of life. We can not allow the sympathizers of terrorism to make Americans wonder if they could be sued before reporting possible terrorist activity. Whether it is an intimidation tactic or a full scale attack, Americans have the right and responsibility to protect themselves and their fellow citizens. I introduced this legislation to protect Americans... as they serve on the front line in our battle against terrorism here in America.
The following House Representatives are co-sponsors: Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-9), Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-1), Rep. John Kline(MN-2), Rep. Geoff Davis (KY-4), Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10), Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-2), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA-3), Rep. Dan Burton (IN-05), Rep. Thad McCotter (MI-11), and Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (CA-25).
Note that Virginia Rep. Moran is not on the list. No surprise there, of course.
The event sounds innocuous enough — “A First Freedom Project Seminar: Federal Laws Protecting Religious Freedom” — but the significance of the occasion is revealed by the inordinate interest in it displayed by MPAC and other Muslim advocacy groups. The fact that these organizations are anxious to get their members to this meeting and intend to have an impact on it tells you a lot about what they hope to accomplish.
[...]
The upshot is that Justice Department policy on religious discrimination is being guided by leaders from CAIR, ISNA, MAS Freedom Foundation (co-sponsors with ANSWER of the March 17 demonstration against the war), and MPAC.
As I’ve said before, this is a Trojan horse being rolled into the heart of the United States Constitution, and we have to make our voices heard if we want to stop it.
[...]
The Department of Justice’s The First Freedom Projecton religious liberty, starting next week with a March 29 public meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, may be monopolized by Islamist organizations. Other seminars will be held in Tampa, Florida, on April 25, 2007 and Seattle, Washington, on May 10, 2007. If members of other religions attend these DOJ meetings, a more balanced view can be presented. Criticism of other religions should not be criminalized, including criticism of Islam or the Koran.
Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, of which I am cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday for one hour at noon, Pacific Time.
The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.
Friday, March 23: This week's scheduled guest for the second half hour of the show is LionHeart of the UK. His profile states the following:
Islam has declared War on the non-Muslim World and as a Christian it is my responsibility to stand before my God and my country in defence of this Evil enemy that has invaded our shores - 'Islam'.
You can also listen to recordings of the broadcasts later by CLICKING HERE.
The title for this posting reflects one sign which participants in A Gathering Of Eagles were carrying yesterday. For my husband and me, as well as for others who were part of A Gathering of Eagles, those words sum up what's at stake for all of Western civilization.
This video will give you an idea as to what we saw and heard yesterday:
See all those American flags? All those American flags waving in the strong breeze made it easy to locate where we supposed to assemble yesterday once we arrived to the general area for our rally of Eagles.
A few of the anti-war protesters were carrying our nation's flag. But many were not; instead, they opted to carry peace signs or the signs of other nations. Furthermore, many of the protesters wore Muslim face-scarves. Carrying his sign saying "Veteran," my husband harassed some of the protesters who were clearly not those who love America: "Why are you wearing a mask? Ashamed to show your face? You should be!"
At the Gathering of Eagles Rally, for the first time since his service long ago in the army, my husband had strangers come up to him and thank him for serving. I can't tell you the emotions which that simple "Thank you" evoked in my husband's heart!
My back problems forced me to leave the downtown area before the Communists and other moonbats marched to the Pentagon. But others with whom we went — including Steve Harkonnen, cofounder of Anti-CAIR, Eavesdropper, and Maccus Germanis — stayed all day long. We reunited afterwards at the house of one of the 910 Group's members for chili and good company including that of Baron Bodissey, who joined us for dinner. Baron's first report, with excellent photographs, is HERE. Don't miss it! Also be sure to visit Mike's America for several reports. He has pictures too!
According to this source, 30,000 Eagles gathered yesterday, and
Fox News reported today that the anti-war protesters had significantly less than they expected. However, they are erroneously reporting that the Eagles were there in “equal numbers”. The truth is that we outnumbered them [ANSWER] by at least three to one!
The Federal government is really bungling these terrorism cases, aren't they? The videotape of Pentagon officials' final interrogation of Padilla has gone missing. In the case of Abdulhalim Ashqar, the government failed to convict Ashqar on the more serious charges of a racketeering conspiracy involving laundering and delivering money to Hamas.
Long before 9/11, I had thought that CAIR's aim was to conduct witch hunts against anyone who dared to say any critical about Islam, thereby threatening people's lives and livelihoods. Shortly after 9/11, CAIR had set up a bulletin board on its web site, no doubt expecting an outpouring of goodwill from people who didn't fault Islam or the ummah for 9/11. What CAIR got were articulate criticisms of Islam by people writing under names such as "Al-Hallaj" or "Asma bint Marwan," the name of a poetess murdered by Muhammad's henchmen for writing satiric verse about him.
In response to a defense of CAIR as a "civil rights group" I posted a message about CAIR's true aims. My friend The Adventuress, whose presence on the Web is sorely missed, alerted me to the fact that CAIR's webmaster had deleted my message. CAIR is backing the Flying Imams' lawsuit, in which the imams seek to identify the passengers who tipped off the crew in order to sue them as well.
Who are these unnamed culprits? The complaint describes them as “an older couple who was sitting [near the imams] and purposely turn[ed] around to watch” as they prayed. “The gentleman (’John Doe’) in the couple … picked up his cellular phone and made a phone call while watching the Plaintiffs pray,” then “moved to a corner” and “kept talking into his cellular phone.”
In retribution for this action, the unnamed couple probably will be dragged into court soon and face the prospect of hiring a lawyer, enduring hostile questioning and paying huge legal bills. The same fate could await other as-yet-unnamed passengers on the US Airways flight who came forward as witnesses.
The imams’ attempt to bully ordinary passengers marks an alarming new front in the war on airline security. Average folks, “John Does” like you and me, initially observed and reported the imams’ suspicious behavior on Nov. 20. Such people are our “first responders” against terrorism. But the imams’ suit may frighten such individuals into silence, as they seek to avoid the nightmare of being labeled bigots and named as defendants.
This lawsuit confirms my longheld suspicions about CAIR.
Those of you who follow Little Green Footballs and Robert Spencer's web sites were no doubt appalled by this story:
Dhimmi Watch: Terror suspect allowed to take off monitoring bracelet, go to Disney World, in which U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve gave Muhammad Salah permission to have his monitoring bracelet removed so that he could go to Disney World. [Note: Salah was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy involving laundering and delivering money to Hamas, but convicted of lying under oath in a civil lawsuit].
My goal in setting up Northern Virginiastan was to "think globally, act locally," to borrow an expression used by environmentalists. I wanted to focus on terrorist links in the DC area.
Although Salah was based in Chicago, his co-defendant Abdelhaleem Ashqar had been a resident of Alexandria. Ashqar has figured in many posts to Northern Virginiastan. While I could not find up-to-date address information for Ashqar, I found this address for Asma Ashqar. Asmaa (or Asma) is the name of Ashqar's wife. The Washington Post notes that Fred R. and Nancy L. Nelson sold this house to Asmaa Jamal Ashqar for $623,000 in 2005.
Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, of which I am cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday for one hour at noon, Pacific Standard Time.
The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.
Friday, March 9: This week's scheduled guest for the second half hour of the show is Fausta. Biographical sketch:
Fausta was born and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico and is a long-term resident of Princeton, New Jersey. She discusses New Jersey, taxation, current events, and how news are reported in the French and Spanish-language media....
You can also listen to recordings of the broadcasts later by CLICKING HERE.
From an article which appeared in the March 5, 2007 Washington Times:
Millions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid have been given in the past several years to two Palestinian universities -- one of them controlled by Hamas -- that have participated in the advocacy, support or glorification of terrorism.
The funding -- principally in scholarships to individual students -- is being eyed by several members of Congress and their aides, who say it may violate U.S. law.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided more than $140,000 in assistance to the Hamas-controlled Islamic University in Gaza -- including scholarships to 49 of its students -- since Congress changed the law in 2004 to restrict aid to entities or individuals "involved in or advocating terrorist activity."
No U.S. assistance was directed to Islamic University last year, but USAID continues to fund multimillion-dollar programs through American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), which is building a high-tech facility for the school. U.S. law requires that any recipient of U.S. aid have no association with terrorists.
USAID also gave $2.3 million in aid last year to Al-Quds University, which has student groups affiliated with designated terrorist organizations on campus and last month held a weeklong celebration of the man credited with designing and building the first suicide belts more than a decade ago.
[...]
Aides to several congressmen said they were most troubled by USAID assistance to Islamic University in Gaza City, which is openly controlled by Hamas leaders.
The organization held a two-day conference in 2005 on the "martyrdom" of former Hamas spiritual leader and founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in 2004. Sheik Yassin founded the school in 1978.
Sheik Yassin and former Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi used Islamic University as a base, as has Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister in the Hamas-led Palestinian government and a member of the school's board of trustees.
Sixteen Islamic University lecturers and teachers are elected Hamas members of the Palestinian legislature. In 2005, 78 percent of the student council vote went to Hamas, according to a Palestinian newspaper article provided by Palestinian Media Watch.
When challenged by Congress last year on its assistance to the school, USAID noted that the funding was not renewed last year. Nonetheless, the agency is providing millions in grants to ANERA, which is building a high-tech facility in Gaza City for the university. California-based Intel Corp. is underwriting the project.
From this March 5, 2007 article in the Washington Post:
Muslims bury their dead with neither flourish nor casket, but a ritual cleansing before the body is quickly returned to the earth, cocooned in a white shroud. But this tradition handed down over centuries has eluded Muslims around Washington, who, like Jews, do not practice embalming -- and are served by just one licensed mortician.
That's changing, though. Virginia licensed its first Muslim-owned funeral home last month, in Woodbridge. And Friday, a committee of Maryland lawmakers approved a bill that would open the industry to Muslims by exempting them from embalmings as they learn the trade.
If the General Assembly approves the bill, Muslims say they would be spared long trips to find mortuaries that will perform a last ablution.
The Maryland legislation is the work of two state delegates, Saqib Ali (D-Montgomery) and Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore), who have formed a politically deft partnership: a freshman and the legislature's first Muslim, and a Jew who says he is drawn to issues of religious freedom.
[...]
The bill asks the state Board of Morticians to issue a permit to religious leaders, who would take care of the body from death to burial instead of licensed morticians. Muslims say they pay thousands of dollars for embalming, caskets, flowers and other services they don't use, creating an urgent need for morticians who follows their custom. But several who testified at a hearing last week said the mortuary industry, which could face new competition, has shut them out.
Sounds reasonable. So, what't the problem?
The bill rankled funeral home owners, who said they oppose giving one group special treatment, on the grounds that public health could be compromised.
[...]
The bill's language does not use the word Muslim, as did a similar measure that failed twice in recent years. The delegates said they tried to make their legislation palatable to those who might bristle at a law designed for one community. But now, as many as 300,000 Muslims live in the District and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs.
"I heard from many Muslims throughout Maryland," Ali testified last month before the House Health and Government Operations committee. "There is an impediment to getting a mortician's license."
Even if Muslims would agree to perform embalmings, he said, no one in the industry would take them as apprentices. "The funeral industry is insular and family-owned. They have their own people in the pipeline."
The state's leading mortuary owners say that entrusting dead bodies to religious leaders who lack training in how to handle the bodies could expose them to HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis or other diseases.
"There could be leakage from bodies that are autopsied in hospitals," said Earl Canapp, executive vice president of Ruck Funeral Homes in Baltimore, a member of the state board....
I know from my own experience in burying family members that, by law, the grave had to have a liner. Of course, the cemetery director presses for a vault, a much more expensive alternative. Do certain cemeteries or certain sections of cemeteries get an exemption from that law based on religious reasons? Just wondering.
As to embalming, except for public health reasons, embalming is not required for burial, though many mourners opt for that embalming because of certain funeral rites. Shouldn't all morticians be qualified to embalm?
CAIR: Admits Officials Have Ties to Islamist Terrorism
In a stunning revelation, Corey Saylor, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) government affairs director, on 2 March admitted that convicted Islamic terrorists were CAIR officials when they committed terrorist acts against the United States:
In an article carried by Delcotimes.com, Saylor is responding to questions about Ghassan Elashi and Ismail Royer and their ties to the leader of Hamas and activities in support of overseas terrorist organizations. While Saylor first said that Elashi and Royer were not working on behalf the group, he was later quoted:
"Some people try to hold us responsible for the actions of people that are associated with our organization. That’s absolutely ludicrous…you don’t hold all of Enron responsible for what Ken Lay did."
For those North Americans that ever had any questions about CAIR’s ties to Elashi and Royer, and, by association, tied directly to Islamist terrorists, those questions have been answered by CAIR’s own spokesman.
Saylor seems to have forgotten that Enron folded like a cheap tent when the criminal activities of its leadership were exposed…
Andrew Whitehead Director Anti-CAIR (ACAIR) ajwhitehead@anti-cair-net.org www.anti-cair-net.org
Sooner or later, these CAIR folks trip themselves up.
