"Outside View: Terrorist Financing and Crime" is an egregious piece of ignorance and dhimmitude by Juan Carlos Zarate, U.S. assistant secretary of the Treasury Department for terrorist financing. Among other duties, Zarate is responsible for formulating and coordinating the department's counter-terrorist financing and anti-money laundering efforts. From UPI, with thanks to EPG:
Washington, DC, Over the last several years, the U.S. Treasury has established an important relationship and dialogue with the Muslim and Arab-American communities as we work together to deal with the corrosive effects and threat of terrorist financing to the United States and the Muslim and Arab worlds. This relationship is acutely necessary as we work to protect and preserve the sanctity of charitable giving and Zakat from terrorist groups like al-Qaida, which have purposely usurped the goodwill and donations of Muslims around the world to fuel their terrorist agenda.This relationship is also critical to advancing our collective mission of promoting charitable relief and development around the world to those most in need of our assistance. The American Muslim and Arab communities are uniquely situated because they have the powers of the purse and persuasion to affect global practices and perceptions that are essential to advancing both of these goals and winning the long-term battle against terrorism.
Charitable giving is a proud and vibrant component of virtually every community in America, regardless of religion, culture or background. This is especially true in the case of Islam, where Zakat -- charity -- is a pillar of the faith. The unfortunate reality of the post-9/11 world is that terrorist groups like al-Qaida and Hamas have abused charitable organizations to finance their lethal schemes. Terrorists have created charitable fronts and have sought out corrupt or vulnerable non-profits to raise and move money, to transport operatives and materiel, to recruit and indoctrinate new members, and to support family members of operatives or deceased suicide bombers.
Yes, and nobody -- but nobody -- who gave money to these groups had any idea of where their money was going. Every last one of them was shocked, shocked!
This is the sad reality of a violent minority that has corrupted the goodwill of the donor community, and in particular, the good faith of Muslims....
If you plan on reading it all, it might be wise to keep a bottle of Pepto-Bismol handy.
"I was pleased therefore to participate again in the Islamic Society of North America's Sixth Annual Education Forum and the Muslim Public Affairs Council's American Muslim Policy Forum in Chicago on March 25."
How did this bum get appointed? This looks more like the kind of crap I'd read in the Washington Post by a sleazebag like Conyers or Kucinich.
Do any Washington Times columnists have the cojones to expose this turkey? What about that non-dhimmi columnist Diana West? Does anyone have her email?
It's funny, isn't it, that the money seems to get "diverted" to terrorists, but when it comes to tsunami relief or rebuilding Bam, Iran after the earthquake, there isn't this incredible outpouring from Muslims (unless they are shamed into it). But holding telethons for the families of Palestinian suicide bombers are another matter.
I guess what westerners deem as supporting charitable and humanitarian relief efforts differ somewhat from supporting jihad operations around the world.
"Charitable giving is a proud and vibrant component..."
"This is especially true in the case of Islam..."
"...terrorist groups like al-Qaida and Hamas have abused charitable organizations to finance their lethal schemes.."
"Proud and vibrant component" -- never mind the affront to English. What is he talking about? Zakat is supposed to be given to further the way of Allah. Why, it can even at times be given to non-Muslims so long as it will help turn them toward Islam (but not out of simple charity). So many "charities" have been closed down, so many donors been implicated so tightly in the network of terrorism and other instruments of Jihad -- very few of those involved could have been unaware of what "zakat" given to organizations with names like the Holy Land Foundation (chosen to extract money as well from Infidels who will be fooled by the title) would end up doing -- if not buying weapons, then buying more support for various terrorist groups.
Zakat is part of "soft" jihad when it's used to turn non-Muslims to Islam. "Soft" jihad is more dangerous than the terrorists' bombs.
Too bad Rublev won't revisit this article, he/she would do well reading Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives have infiltrated Washington It isn't just the Democrats from Detroit, whose constitutency is Muslim, that are the problem, it is Grover "Abudullah" Norquist, Karl "Ali" Rove and Robert "Muhammad" Mueller who work for George bin Bush who are the real problem.
Saudi Money and Muslim votes (remember America is addicted to Muslim oil, shareholders profits depend on Muslim oil, the House of Bush and House of Saudare tighter than thieves and business partners at that. Bandar has slept 14 times in the Lincoln Bedroom, he and Prince Abdullah visit Bush in Crawford and can call on him at the Whitehouse anytime day or night. And then there is the Muslim vote, which can be delivered en bloc to the RNC.
But don't take my word for it read Infiltration.
"And then there is the Muslim vote, which can be delivered en bloc"
Gee, I guess that's why 80% of Muslims voted AGAINST Bush in 2004.
Then again, you can't expect much credibility from a blogger who defends professor Juan Cole.