Islamic "charities" supporting jihadists: funny how that keeps happening. And it does because there is not the traditional separation between combatant and charitable activities in zakat as there is in the Western tradition, where charitable groups are strictly non-combatant. Rather, Qur'an 9:60 makes no such distinction when discussing groups to whom zakat may be allotted, including those fighting "in the cause of Allah" (jihad fi sabil Allah).
An update on this story, and yet another report related to the "volatile Caucasus." One can't help but wonder which attack (or attacks) in our years archived stories about the region might have been the fruits of Sedaghaty's "charity."
"Founder of Islamic Charity Convicted," from Right Side News, September 11:
After a week-long trial, a federal court in Eugene, Oregon has convicted Pete Seda, the founder of an Islamic charity accused of funneling $150,000 to Chechen mujahideen.
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, was charged with conspiring to move money out of the United Sates without declaring it, as required by federal law, and with filing false tax returns to hide the fact that the money ever existed. According to federal officials, Seda accepted a large donation intended to support "our Muslim brothers in Chychnia," and then surreptitiously shifted the money to Saudi Arabia in the form of difficult to trace traveler's checks.
The lifeblood of terrorism is money--if we can stop the flow of money to violent extremist organizations, we'll be safer both here and abroad," U.S. Attorney Dwight C. Holton said in a statement. "By lying to the IRS about where this money went, the defendant sought to hide the true destination of this money." Holton continued, "The jury's verdict demonstrates once again the critical role--and effectiveness--of civilian criminal courts in the battle against terrorism."
During the trial, officials described how they lost track of the money when it was deposited in Saudi Arabia, but they suspected that it eventually made its way into the hands of Chechen rebels. Prosecutors had argued that Seda had a "dark side," one that was "insistent on helping the cause of the mujahideen covertly, secretly, and without leaving a paper trail."
Seda came under the scrutiny of U.S. law enforcement because of his leadership within the U.S. branch of al Haramain Islamic Foundation (AHF), an international organization that has been banned by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Nations for its support of international terrorist organizations. During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cardani told jurors that "al Haramain subscribed to a very violent form of Islam." He told the jury that the organization supported "violent jihad...aggressive, kill people jihad."
Knowing of the organization's role in the global terrorist support structure, Seda opened up the American branch of al Haramain in Ashland, Oregon. Despite attempts by the defense to paint Seda as a man dedicated to interfaith dialogue and peace building, the government presented witnesses who describe the "darker" side of the defendant.
Former congregants of AHF detailed how they would occasionally hear fiery prayers denouncing the United States and Muslim integration in the West. A former employee, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, explained that it was his job was to distribute moderate materials to non-Muslims, but to provide "true believers" with copies of the "Noble Quran," which contained an appendix entitled, "A Call to Jihad: Holy Fighting in Allah's Cause," extolling the righteousness of violent jihad. Gartenstein-Ross also testified how he had distributed Mohammad bin Jamil Zino's "Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform." In the book, Zino explains:
"Jihad is obligatory on every Muslim in two ways: by spending one's wealth or offering oneself for fighting in the cause of Allah."...
Wasn't it prince barry who said he was determined to make it easier for muzlims to make zakat?
Sorry, OT but does everyone else have to sign in to Typepad every day or two or is it only me? This seems a bit excessive, wouldn't once a week do?
I ticked the "remember me" box but it doesn't seem to have made a difference.
Marisol, forgive me. I realize this is your story, and the comment I give is unrelated to it. But pass this on to Robert and Pamela.
Today's rally at Park Place was awesome, and is direct evidence that more and more Americans are learning the truth about Islam and is menancing threat. While imperfect, accept this analogy. Turning the direction of a large ocean-going vessel is difficult and does take some time. In our case we have Muslim apologists and their cohorts, most notably the MSM and conniving politicians, fighting us on the bridge trying to prevent us from turning the helm. But with our increasing numbers, each armed with the truth, the point of the ship's bow is slowly being turned from what is otherwise an undeniably disastrous course.
Robert, your teaching instills us all. Pamela, your hard work and your presence in the media are immeasurable. Yes, I understand that there are lots and lots of others supporting you and this overall effort. But both of you should be thanked for your leadership in the education of Americans about Islam.
Fscarn-- no worries at all! Wish I could have been there, but it's an honor to be able to hold the fort when asked.
Marisol, you're one of Robert's supporters whose considerable efforts enhance JW.
I drove throughout the night to be at this morning's services, and more importantly to be at the NO MOSQUE rally. Energizing to be among the growing ranks of the informed. Without doubt the MSM will do its utmost to minimize us, even to the point of ignoring us. But we are being educated and in turn educating others about Islam and the obvious conspiracy (what else can it be called) of the MSM and conniving politicians to subject the greatness and exceptionalism of America. The people of United States still stand alone in a notable accomplishment: ours is the only country in the history of the world whose first act in creating its forms of government - first with colonies-to-state constitutions, then with the 1777 Articles of Confederation, then with the 1787 Constitution - was TO LIMIT the created government.
What the participants at today's rally and those who work in the Tea Party movement generally want to do is to restore that first principle over governments which have slipped their leashes. Restrain government, but have the people be as free as possible. In the mid-1800 one of England's far-seeing politicians, Richard Corben, is credited with the following (even if somewhat paraphrased), "Let the peoples of the world have as much to do with one another as they wish, their governments the least."
Can somebody please fire Geraldo. His treatment of Pamela was less than professional and bringing on that nutjob, Shabazz al whatever was shameless- and counter to the point.
Islamic "charities" supporting jihadists: funny how that keeps happening. And it does because there is not the traditional separation between combatant and charitable activities in zakat as there is in the Western tradition, where charitable groups are strictly non-combatant.
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Very, very true—Zakat is *not* "charity"—not in the way we in the civilized West understand it, anyway.
I have that too, every day, and I even have a TypePad blog. And even when I'm already signed in on my TypePad blog and at (TypePad) Atlas, I still have to sign in here.
I think the "remember me" is just for password recall, but I could be wrong?
I'm always cursing under my breath every. time. I. have. to. sign. in. again. on. TypePad.
Again.
Here is the best source on the case
http://www.investigativeproject.org/case/248
More in-depth trial coverage thru their blog.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/09/day-four-in-united-states-v-seda
Guilty.
the guy also ran a prison recruitment program using the jihadist "Noble koram" and had trophy pictures of executed Russian POWs, bound and bootless, and stacked in a ditch, on his computer ('how'd they get there? he cried')
He sure fooled a bunch of nice local folks, some who still insist he did no wrong. I think they have not bothered to read the evidence... hard to admit when you have deceived.
Yes, Typepad demands a new sign-in every other day or so.
We see the usual involvement of charities meaning we really cannot trust them at face value, and we see the usual involvement of a Saudi money trail meaning that notwithstanding their promises and formal obligations the Saudis are always in there somewhere. And we see the usual claims of Interfaith dialogue slammed by witnesses .....but we do see witnesses here, the "former congregants of AHF". And finally we see the two faces of Islam depending on who is the recipient.
All of which tends to make me a bit more prejudiced and Islamophobic, which is not very pleasant but what can a man do? Ignore it?
How do you get every OTHER day?? I have to sign in sometimes three, four times a day, even when I'm ALREADY signed in on Atlas, or my TypePad blog!
I'm not angry Steffen, I'm just jealous! They like you better! :(
What if you just leave the window open?
When I close my laptop and reopen the site says I'm still signed in...
OT
Quran-burning outrage builds across the globe
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\09\11\story_11-9-2010_pg1_1
We're prob'ly going to anger Marisol (and you won't like her when she's angry!!!) with this OT subject, but funny, if I'm signed into my blog, I'm ALWAYS also signed in at ATLAS, but not here, even if I don't have Atlas open and minimized. I always have JW open, but minimized when doing other things, and after awhile, if it's a number of hours, I usually have to re-sign in. It's really no big deal, just a little annoying.
http://newstime.co.nz/first-muslim-us-president-barack-hussein-obama-working-with-american-muslims-to-ensure-that-they-can-fulfill-zakat.html
"Understanding Muhammad" Page 224 “… Even today, Muslims who earn their living through honorable professions are required to pay khoms and zakat. There are constant reminders to believers to “spend of your substance in the cause of Allâh” (Q.2:195) and exhortations to “fight for the Faith, with their property and their persons.” (Q.8:72)
I sign in from Facebook and then always open Facebook before I go to JW. That is, I first open Facebook from the Flock browser and then JW in a new Tab. I don't know .....it keeps me signed in for maybe a couple of days even when quitting and restarting the browser regularly.
We have to discuss the inner workings of JW somewhere, lol.
I post this every now and then because it is as good a description of jihad as you can get...
Noble Qur'an:2:190 Footnote: "Jihad is holy fighting in Allah's Cause with full force of numbers and weaponry. It is given the utmost importance in Islam and is one of its pillars. By Jihad Islam is established, Allah's Word is made superior (which means only Allah has the right to be worshiped), and Islam is propagated. By abandoning Jihad Islam is destroyed and Muslims fall into an inferior position; their honor is lost, their lands are stolen, their rule and authority vanish. Jihad is an obligatory duty in Islam on every Muslim. He who tries to escape from this duty, or does not fulfill this duty, dies as a hypocrite."
"Jihad is an obligatory duty in Islam on every Muslim. He who tries to escape from this duty, or does not fulfill this duty, dies as a hypocrite."
There are no hypocrites in Heaven...
'Living in fear of the Religion of Peace'...The Movie...
Chapter 19...Criminal courts, or the 'head stuck in the sand' syndrome...
"The jury's verdict demonstrates once again the critical role--and effectiveness--of civilian criminal courts in the battle against terrorism."
Was this sales pitch necessary? This idea that 'criminal courts' are effective, stems from the willful inability to identify the enemy...Lets just call them criminals...and then we don't have to face the truth...
Sashland
so this creep "had trophy pictures of executed Russian POWs, bound and bootless, and stacked in a ditch, on his computer ('how'd they get there? he cried')"?
If that's so, then I vote to strip him of citizenship (if he has it) and give him to the Russians.
Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty...
So much for the quotidien charge of us Islamophobes being racists. Can u spell Caucasian? I knew you could.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/489.pdf
Probably no way to prove that he personally downloaded (received via email?) the photo files, but the reports mention that some information had been recovered from a hard drive that had been erased, so there is circumstantial evidence that he was trying to cover up something. They did say the links to OBL were via emails; arguably it could have been the Saudi conspirator who was using the computer also, or some third party, so these photos and OBL links can't be pinned directly to Seda, hence no terror related charge [or maybe that was the deal to have him to return for trial].
I don't think the Judge allowed the photos into Evidence, but they were on his computer. Do you know what's on your computer? Would you have any questions about photos like these when you found them? or, do you have a special interest in Chechen affairs?
Prison recruitment using the ignoble koram and trophy photos; just set me off on the guy as a criminal flim-flam man. No more "alleged". Its such a stretch to believe the guy was just an innocent and naive dupe, even though the guy was so good at making friends and getting people to believe in him.
I really thought that the Justice Dept. was going to delay and "settle" and not push to trial. The reports of Courtroom reaction indicate that his supporters were surprised he was found guilty - the evidence seemed strong and convincing to me that he highly likely to be found guilty so I don't know what to make of that as either over-optimistic lawyering or self-delusion.
Either way, I can now say Guilty Criminal, just like with Sammy Al-Arian... money funneled to terrorists and untold deaths paid.
It maddens me to type it, untold deaths paid. And he is such a nice guy.
I better stop now; I'm getting livid.
Guilty Criminal go to Jail.
Oh, dang, he'll be doing PRISON RECRUITMENT.
There, I just ruined by day. Bye.
Nope, no skin turning green or sudden muscle bulging! If we know about technical issues, we can see if there's anything that can be done, or if it's just Typepad being Typepad.
Come to think of it, I have to sign in pretty frequently. I don't know if it "remembers" me at all.
Eleanor & Steffen, thanks for responding, now i will no longer nurse a persecution complex.
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Hi, Marisol, do you have any strings you can pull?