He called the blind Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who is in prison for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, a "respected scholar" and "strong preacher of Islam." It is not "guilt by association" to bring this up. It raises the question of how his views of Islam and jihad coincide with those of Sheikh Omar.
"Leading Muslim to speak in city," by Kathryn Marchocki for the New Hampshire Union Leader, with thanks to Chrys:
MANCHESTER – The Islamic Society of Greater Manchester will host a renowned and, to some, controversial American Islamic scholar as keynote speaker at a fundraiser to help finance their continuing efforts to build the first mosque in New Hampshire.Imam Siraj Wahhaj, the religious leader of Masjid at-Taqwa in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the first Muslim to give the opening prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives in 1991, will be guest speaker at the group's April 20 dinner at the Radisson Hotel.
As an expert religious witness at the 2001 federal trial of four Muslims convicted of bombing two U.S. embassies in Africa, Wahhaj testified there is nothing in Islam that endorses killing people and was described by the prosecutor as someone whose "jihad is a real struggle to do good" for his efforts to combat drug addiction in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
In the same courtroom six years earlier, Wahhaj was a character witness for Sheik Abdel-Rahman, the blind Egyptian cleric convicted in 1995 of conspiring to bomb the World Trade Center in 1993 and other New York-area landmarks. At trial, Wahhaj described Abdel-Rahman, who had visited Wahhaj's mosque in the early 1990s, as a "respected scholar" and "strong preacher of Islam," the Wall Street Journal reported in an in-depth article on the imam published in 2003.
Before the landmarks-bombing trial got under way, then-U.S. Attorney for New York Mary Jo White wrote a letter to defense attorneys in the case identifying Wahhaj as among about 170 people as "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators," the Wall Street Journal reported. Wahhaj was never charged; White offered no further comment, the newspaper reported.
"That is kind of a meaningless, but indefensible, slander," Dartmouth College profession of religion Kevin A. Reinhart said of Wahhaj's name being included on the list.
"Knowing (Abdel-Rahman) before he is convicted is not a crime. Guilt by association is just an un-American concept," Reinhart added of Wahhaj's hosting the visiting cleric at his mosque in the early 1990s.
Sure. But the problem here is that Wahaj didn't just know Sheikh Omar; he invited him to speak. How much congruence was there between their views?
"I've seen no evidence that suggests that (Wahhaj) is either a terrorist or a sympathizer of terrorism. He is, like a lot of Americans, very critical of American policies. But that's true of evangelical Christians as well as orthodox Muslims," added Reinhart, who specializes in Islamic studies and currently is teaching a course on "Islam in North America."Islamic Society of Greater Manchester members said they hope Wahhaj's reputation as a leading, respected Islamic scholar and dynamic speaker will make for a successful fundraiser for the mosque they have been striving to build on Karatzas Avenue for several years....
Wahhaj was a former Nation of Islam member whose has emerged as a "significant figure" in Islam following his studies at the University of Saudi Arabia in Mecca, according to Reinhart and trial transcripts.
Wahhaj later returned to Brooklyn, where he established his mosque and "turned it into an attractive religious center and a force for good in the neighborhood," Reinhart said. But Wahhaj "has been made a controversial figure" by people "who believe he has been too critical of American policies," he added....
The Wall Street Journal, citing one of Wahhaj's audiotaped sermons available for purchase online, quoted Wahhaj as saying: "In time, this so-called democracy will crumble, and there will be nothing. And the only thing that will remain will be Islam."
Wahhaj told the newspaper he regretted "some of his harshest comments about democracy," saying he hopes "Americans one day will be persuaded -- not coerced -- to embrace Islamic law."
Persuaded? Actually, he has said, “If only Muslims were clever politically, they could take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a caliphate.”
People who choose to sleep with dogs are subject to fleas.
Again and again the media forgets (if they ever knew) that once Homeland Security is in the picture, all their "pretty rules about how life should be" go right out the window.
People are scrutinized by association. Simple fact.
Poor Mark Steyn.
The islamists keep following him, first to Montreal, and now this.
May one live in interesting times (lol).
Re: Siraj Wahhaj
I'll bet this guy is a regular Jew hater too. I find that to be par for the course with Muslims (especially Arabs). It's in the Koran. Look it up.
"Wahhaj was a character witness for Sheik Abdel-Rahman, the blind Egyptian cleric convicted in 1995 of conspiring to bomb the World Trade Center in 1993 and other New York-area landmarks."
...this tells me all I need to know....I would be looking into all who have contact with man, where he goes, how he spends his money, how he spends his time, more info needed...
Apparently the new mantra is "Mosque in every town and a Muslim in every pothole".
Actions speak louder than words, as they say.
this man's past 'allegiances,' as well as his current position, make him untrustworthy.
The Koran, that contemptable book of pure hate, allows for its followers to lie, in order to gain the trust of unsuspecting 'infidels.' they use these lies as well as the USA's sense of 'political correctness' and fair play to condemn us and overtake us... bit by bit.
It's time to wake up. Those that hate us are gaining ground and the tree-hugging, Patchouli-whiffing, Barbara Streisand-loving hippie set are leading us down the road to ruin.
I wonder if they think this approach will gain them favor in the eyes of the Islamic invaders? Do they think when these Muslims are dancing and chanting 'DEATH TO AMERICA' in their own countries that they mean just the 'red' states?
It's time to stop the entry of those from Muslim nations to this country. It's time to deport those who participate in anti-US, pro-Islam rallies and speeches. It's time to shut down or at least CLOSELY monitor any Muslim schools or mosques in the US, as well as keeping tabs on any US college that offers 'Middle Eastern studies' courses.
I know how that sounds and I understand 100% why it would disturb some people, but we all need to realize, this is new. We're not dealing with conventional enemies or conventional warfare. We need extreme measures to protect ourselves. We cant just wait and hope. Peace rallies arent going to help us. 'Tolerance' training isnt going to help us. These guys arent playing fair. Neither should we.
Wahhaj was a former Nation of Islam member whose has emerged as a "significant figure" in Islam following his studies at the University of Saudi Arabia in Mecca, according to Reinhart and trial transcripts.
-From the article
Why is a Dartmouth professor, with a doctorate in Islamic studies, even given the forum to discuss and defend the character of Wahhaj? What qualifies his opinion, specifically?
Wahhaj's past, present and probable future associations, and mutterings, have spoken and will continue to speak for themselves. Historically, they have been dubious at best.
We all know the Saudis can bankroll that mosque in a second, and probably will kick in the difference, but only after some more jizya is extracted from the willfully ignorant in the US. And incidentally, why shouldn't they? We have proven to be quite accomodating, to date.
From Molly and John Stark, and Daniel Webster at Dartmouth ("A small college, but there are those who love her") and Robert Frost, to Siraj Wahhaj, in only two hundred years? Make it, please, at least another two hundred. Make it, preferably, never.
A little reminder to the farmers and computer programmers of New Hampshire --the words of General Stark at Saratoga:
"Tonight, the American flag floats over yonder hill, or Molly Stark sleeps a widow!"
and don't forget that other remark of John Stark, as he ended a toast, and lifted his glass to a veteran's reunion he was unable to attend in far-off Vermont, a remark now carried on cars on the highways and byways of Upper New England. In the starkness of its offered choice, those four words may once have offended, but for many do so no longer. And the poetic novahantonian license for those four words deserves to be renewed without interruption:
"Live Free, or Die."
I'm surprised some Saudi prince doesn't simply give him the money to build this mosque. After all, there just aren't enough mosques in the US spewing Wahabbi filth as far as the Saudis are concerned.
"Live Free, or Die."
...absolutely....
All taqiyya, all the time. No news here, folks. Nothing to see. Move along.
Sadly, Muslims interpret "Live free or die" as them coming here to live free on our welfare system or threatening to make Americans die if we do not cheerfully acquiesce to such a totally gross abuse of our good will.
We must now make sure to live free or cause Islam to die if it interferes. As that delightful Navy billboard says:
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF ALL THOSE WHO THREATEN IT.