It is widely known that Saudi-funded mosques pose a threat due to their spread of Wahhabi ideology. Now Turkey, with its dreams of reviving the Ottoman Empire, is spreading its jihadist ideology through its own mosques in the U.S.:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent re-election is fueling concerns about his growing powers not just in Turkey but here in the U.S., according to experts who believe he’s determined to spread his controversial brand of Islamist-nationalistic fervor through a network of mosques and religious centers.
These mosques need to be monitored. This shouldn’t even be controversial. Catholic churches were surveilled in Italy in Mafia investigations — and not only in Italy but also in New York City.
It is long overdue that mosques be surveilled, given the likelihood that many are promoting the jihad ideology. What’s stopping the surveillance of mosques? The fear of Muslim Brotherhood-linked lobbies screaming “Islamophobia.”
“These mosques are not places of worship,” charged David L. Phillips, Director for the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights. “They are centers for political mobilization functioning like madrasas, distorting Islamic [sic] and radicalizing youth.”
The West is finished, unless it starts to treat the defense against the global jihad as what it is: a war.
“Critics say Turkish government using US mosques to play politics, spy on foes,” by Hollie McKay, Fox News, July 17, 2018:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent re-election is fueling concerns about his growing powers not just in Turkey but here in the U.S., according to experts who believe he’s determined to spread his controversial brand of Islamist-nationalistic fervor through a network of mosques and religious centers.
Some of that concern is focused on the Diyanet Center of America (DCA), a mosque and Islamic center in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. The DCA was built with the strong support and funding from the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs, or Diyanet, which under the 15-year Erdogan administration has pushed for the building of mosques and Islamic centers around the world.
Erdogan himself attending the opening of the $110 million center in 2016. But while the DCA’s primary goal, according to its website, is to “providing religious services without regard to politics,” critics say that’s not the case.
“These mosques are not places of worship,” charged David L. Phillips, Director for the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights. “They are centers for political mobilization functioning like madrasas, distorting Islamic [sic] and radicalizing youth.”
Poised in a quiet neighborhood in the town of Lanham, Md., across the road from a small church and a cluster of humble homes, the DCA fills an entire block, with a series of impressive buildings. And it’s from this location that critics say the Turkish government spreads Erdogan’s brand of Islam, spies and gathers information for his national intelligence service, and tracks Turkish-Americans who they suspect of following Fetullah Gulen, a Pennsylvania-based cleric and one-time ally the president has named public enemy number one in Turkey. ….
elee says
Thank you for shining a light on this. Keep watching. This is not benign.
The European says
“They are centers for political mobilization functioning like madrasas, distorting Islamic (sic) and radicalizing youth.”
Well said, but a bit off the mark, too. While Mr.Philips is right about qualifying these centers as institutions of propaganda, he seems to overlook that they do not distort Islam. Politics and the struggle for political power is a core element of Islam, So, these centers are preaching nothing but true Islam. Despite his appropriate remarks, Mr. Philips is still falling for political correctness.
somehistory says
+2 The truth still gets varnished somewhat. Fear and ignorance keep some of the adjectives and qualifiers in use. islam is islam and it is evil throughout.
Tom says
“Assimilation is a crime against humanity. There is no moderate or immoderate Islam, Islam is Islam. The mosques are our barracks, The minorets are our bayonets, The cupolas our helmets, and the faithful our soldiers.” Tyyip Erdogan, President of Turkey 2008.
I don’t think anything else needs to be said here.
gravenimage says
Yes–important quote that says it all.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Christine Williams, the only fear on re-election of Erdorgan in the west is consolidation of booming Turkish economy that could surpass most economies in the west. Such vicious propagandas against Erdorgan will never retard the progress. wicked scums of evils!!
Gbox says
Oh look, someone as crazy and delusional as Erdogan and his new world caliphate dream.
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed wrote:
Christine Williams, the only fear on re-election of Erdorgan in the west is consolidation of booming Turkish economy that could surpass most economies in the west. Such vicious propagandas against Erdorgan will never retard the progress. wicked scums of evils!!
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This is not a real election–Erdogan is a dictator who has been in power since 2003.
And Ibrahimitace muhammed’s constant claims that Muslim nations are about to surpass the West–or have already surpassed the West–is just laughable.
The only “progress’ in Turkey is the rapid re-Islamization of that stretch of Dar-al-Islam. Any economic progress they made was under secularism.
More, in reply to Joe:
Joe, your brother Darwin in his theory of evolution made an observation on you ugly people and concluded that you are specie of baboon. Look at savage mad devil Trump, he exactly looks like an old baboon. Also, any mithraist christian looks wild due to possession the satan you call Holy Spirit.
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What makes a Christian “wild”, as Ibrahim itace muhammed claims? Why, opposing pedophilia, rape, enslavement, and mass slaughter.
Muslims use words differently from us…
DMA says
Why Turkey is still in NATO is a bit of s joke , Erdogan and his Islamic buddies will never militarily or economically match the west but they can in spreading Islam and bodies into the western system to bring it down from with in , its well under way now as we write !!
Stacy Girl says
Indeed. They purposely left their border with Syria wide open for Isis. When the girlfriend of the French Jewish bakery butcher fled, there’s no doubt she went to Turkey. And Turks love to imprison Christians under terrorism charges for simply worshiping Jesus. They are partners with Russia in weapon purchases and need to be kept in check.
gravenimage says
Yes–they should be kicked out of NATO. It is grotesque that they are still part of it.
MFritz says
Still wondering?
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar… wherever an imam “pops up” in a mosque one of these countries is financing it.
gravenimage says
Very frequently the case.
Renee says
Note: The USA would like to see Turkey in EU because of American bases. Please don’t. In Europe the influence of Turkey is already too much. Turkey is holding an innocent US pastor hostage, threatening with 30 years jailtime. Erdogan is islamist having stated that the mosque towers are the bajonets or Rockets of islam. He is also attacking Kurds. Not in his country but in the neighboring countries.
Stacy Girl says
Renee- President Trump is attempting to use influence for the pastor’s freedom. As
with Tommy Robinson, Trump is exerting American influence with our “ally.” N Korea freed prisoners. What did Obama do- freed a traitor. And let a Marine rot in Mexico.
Renee says
Lets not go Trump versus Obama, the American people are divided whereas they should stand as one and pray for their presidents, democratic or republican. I am talking about decades of interests to include Turkey. The politicians in EU and USA seem to want to go that way, but not the peoples in Europe. Their voices are silenced though, even when via referenda they scream “NO!! We do not want Turkey in the EU”
gravenimage says
No, President Trump has not been pushing this–that was Obama.
Renee says
When and where did I mention Trump? I did not even imply that! Is everything in the USA now Trump versus Obama? The interests in Turkey goes back much longer. Perhaps I am old :-). At the time it may have seemed OK, because the state was not tending to islamism. But nowadays, too many innocent people in jail, too many pastors expelled, too much verbal aggression towards Israel and illegal attacks on the Kurds in Syria. Read carefully my post: I am not criticising Trump, nor Obama, but Erdogan! Stop being so hard on any USA president. The USA was great, is great and I hope will remain great. God bless you.
gravenimage says
Renee, ordinary Americans are not clamoring for Turkey to be admitted to the EU, either.
Walter Sieruk says
From the information I have obtain from books written by former Muslim’s the old and recent history and tradition concerning the many uses of the mosque is that the mosque is a building the serves as Muslims as worship gathering center, a social center and a military strategy and military might storehouse center.
gravenimage says
True, Walter.
andra says
I am surprised that it takes the US so long to take a closer look to Turkish mosques. All over Europe Turkey has infiltrated the countries through Diyanet headed mosques for decades. Why did the States ignore that?
gravenimage says
It is not that the US has ignored this–almost all Americans are ignorant about it.
gravenimage says
Turkish government using US mosques to spread “Islamist-nationalistic fervor”
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Yes, this is a serious threat. These Mosques should be monitored at least.
Brian hoff says
I see Robert Spencer is now than member of the Fethullah Gulen now. Some cult member of Guden movement who where the coup in Turkey. They broke one rule of croup avoid useing too force. Napoleon carry out his coup with no one being kill or wouind.. Many nations have look at Turkey evidences than they say if is solid evidences Putin after looking at the evidences close down all of they schools in Russia. The Guden where setiup by the CIA.
gravenimage says
The vile “Brian hoff”–really, “DefenderofIslam”–assumes that if your are not for one example of Islamic savagery, then you must be for another one. The idea that free and decent people reject *all* of these Muslim thugs is something he is incapable of grasping. *Ugh*.