And indeed, there are aspects of what has been reported about them, as we have noted here, that suggests they are not orthodox Muslims. But as they seem to have identified themselves as Muslims and their cause with Al-Qaeda’s, it would be foolish to take CAIR’s advice and ignore that element of the case.
“US Terror Suspects Not Muslims: CAIR,” from IslamOnline, with thanks to all who sent this in:
CAIRO “” The Council on American-Islamic Relations, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, has urged the media not to associate the seven suspects arrested on charges of plotting terrorist attacks in the US with the country’s Muslim minority, insisting they were not Muslims.
“Given that the reported beliefs of this bizarre group have nothing to do with Islam, we ask members of the media to refrain from calling them Muslims,” Ahmed Bedier, Director of CAIR Florida chapter, said in a statement e-mailed to IslamOnline.net.
Seven men “” five US citizens, a legal resident and a Haitian “” appeared in court on Friday, June 23, a day after they were arrested in Miami.
US Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales said the seven were charged with conspiracy to provide material support to Al-Qaeda and terrorists.
They face four terrorism charges, including a plot to blow up the 110-floor Sears Tower, the world’s third tallest building, in Chicago and the FBI regional headquarters.
The charges sheet said the group’s leader, Narseal Batiste, recruited individuals for an operation “which included a plot to destroy by explosives the Sears Tower.”…
Bedier criticized the media for referring to the arrestees as Muslims.
He regretted “a lot of talk on conservative radio and television stations and opinion that this is militant Islamism, radical Islamism.”
The Muslim activist asserted that the suspects seem to belong to “some sort of cult group.”
Media reports said the seven detainees were part of the “Seas of David” religious group.
A man identified himself as a member of the “Seas of David” told CNN on Thursday, June 22, that they had no connection to terrorists.
“We are not terrorists. We are members of David, Seas of David,” said the man, identifying himself as Brother Corey.
He said the group blends the teachings of Christianity and Islam.
“We study Allah and the worship of the regular Bible.”
He went on: “We study and we train through the bible, not only physical — not only physical, but mentally.”