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November 22, 2006
Ejected Imam Linked To Hamas and bin Laden
Spokesman for 6 Muslim clerics barred from US Airways flight
Jihad Watch
Spokesman for 6 Muslim clerics barred from US Airways flight
One of six Muslim imams pulled from a US Airways flight in Minneapolis last night by federal authorities is affiliated with a Hamas-linked organization and acknowledged a connection to Osama bin Laden in the 1990s.
Omar Shahin, who served as a spokesman for the clerics, is a representative of the Kind Hearts Organization, which had its assets frozen by the U.S. Treasury pending an investigation, notes Islam scholar Robert Spencer on his weblog JihadWatch
Treasury spokesman Stuart Levey in February said KindHearts "is the progeny of Holy Land Foundation and Global Relief Foundation, which attempted to mask their support for terrorism behind the façade of charitable giving."
The imams had attended a conference in Minneapolis of the North American Imams Federation, said Shahin, who is president of the group.
"They took us off the plane, humiliated us in a very disrespectful way," Shahin said after the incident last night.
Today, Shahin called for Muslims and non-Muslims to boycott US Airways unless the company changes its policy.
"They know what they have to do, they have to be fair and just with everybody," he said.
The Washington, D.C., based lobby group Council on American-Islamic Relations planned to file a complaint, said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper.
"Because, unfortunately, this is a growing problem of singling out Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims at airports, and it's one that we've been addressing for some time," Hooper said.
CAIR, however, has its own ties to Hamas, having been identified by two former FBI counter-terrorism chiefs as a spinoff of a front group for the Palestinian terrorist organization.
A Sept. 28, 2001, story in the Arizona Republic that said Arizona appears to have been the home of an al-Qaida sleeper cell, named Shahin as one of three part-time Arizona residents who "fits the pattern" of the terrorist group.
Shahin, identifed as being with the Tucson Islamic Center, said members of his mosque may have helped bin Laden in the early 1990s when the al-Qaida leader was fighting against the Russians.
The CIA at that time, Shahin said, called bin Laden a "freedom fighter."
"Then they tell us he is involved in terrorist acts, and they stopped supporting him, and we stopped," he said.
In the story, Shahin expressed doubt that Muslims were responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks and said he "didn't trust much of what the FBI has divulged - including the hijackers' identities."
As for Al-Qaida nests in America, Shahin said, "All of these, they make it up."
Witnesses to the imam's explusion last night said some of them made anti-American comments about the war in Iraq before boarding the flight, according to Minneapolis airport spokesman Patrick Hogan.
Also, some of the men asked for seat belt extensions even though a flight attendant thought they didn't need them.
"There were a number of things that gave the flight crew pause," Hogan said.
Shahin claimed three members of the group prayed in the terminal before the six boarded the plane. Last night, however, he said they had prayed on the plane.
The imams boarded the plane individually, Shahin said, except for a blind member who needed assistance. They didn't sit together and "did nothing," he contended.
Wild Thing's comment........
Nothing better to sooth your soul before a flight like a group of Imams getting in the aisle of the airplane and begin praying! They are lucky the passengers didn't hit them over the head with a metal fire extinguisher.
I could care less if they do boycott the airlines. I'd prefer the airline that throws imams off the plane personally.
CAIR must have their their fax machine on speed-dial so they can file complaints more rapidly.
Just thinking here but how about if US airlines would switch from peanuts and other crunchies to pork rinds.
Posted by Wild Thing at November 22, 2006 12:55 AM
Comments
If Muslims boycott US Airways, then you know that airlines is safe to fly.
Stinking ragheads think they can antaonise people and get away with it. They knew exactley what they were doing while they held their little prayer session. They knew it would intimidate people and they wanted the resopnse they got. They were looking to stir up trouble.
Posted by: BobF at November 22, 2006 07:34 AM
You know the word 'Profiling' will rear its head, eventually. I am surprised the press hasn't suggested it already.
As if we don't have good reason to be suspicious of these 'EE-mams' or any of their ilk. No we should stick our heads in the sand and pretend it never happened, and resume life pre 9-11.
Well thats what the new congress wants to do.
These Imams should take heed, if there is another attack on this country all bets are off as far as their safty goes. If I were them I would sit down and shut up.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, it can also draw undue attention around that part of the wheel that is making the noise too.
Posted by: Mark at November 22, 2006 08:37 AM
These shit stain muslims were looking to antagonize others. They wanted to be public victims. Accolades to the passengers who raised concern about these bastards and their provoking actions.
Our elected pussies, on both sides of the aisle, will not take the actions necessary to deal with the islamic enemy. However, the American public will. When we are hit again with a major terrorist act by the "peaceful religion of sniveling whiners" I have a gut feeling that armed Americans will take the steps our elected heroes don't have the courage to take.
Kudos also to US Airways and the Federal officials who took action.
Posted by: TomR at November 22, 2006 09:28 AM
As I said yesterday, there is much more to the story than the Muslims, CAIR, and the Democratic U.S. Rep.-elect Keith Ellison want the public to know. He attended the conference of Imams, his first visit after getting elected was to give a speech at CAIR.
I knew the pilot would not asked them to be removed from the plane just because they said evening prayers in the airport. When they entered the plane, they split up into pairs, sat in UNASSIGNED seats, were making anti-American statements, according to the stewardess and other passengers.
Good post.
Posted by: Debbie at November 22, 2006 11:30 AM
p.s. Where did these imams come from anyway, they can hardly speak English?
Posted by: Debbie at November 22, 2006 11:31 AM
With the news story in mind, I wanted to give you a few facts we’ve found in our studies. While Americans were more likely to favor stricter security measures directly after 9/11, there is still some concern today. Half of Americans say there is no excuse for the racial profiling of African Americans, but two-thirds say greater scrutiny of Middle Eastern people is "understandable."
Posted by: William at November 22, 2006 12:02 PM
I think these assholes are eventually going to miscalculate in some serious way. Muslim boasting and arrogance has bubbled over, so that these six dipwads think they can get away with this crap. It's long past time to do some punishing.
Posted by: Rhod at November 22, 2006 12:16 PM
Well stated Rhod. Just keep an eye on Dearbornistan, the land of terrorist lovers like U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham, U.S. Congressman Joe Knollenberg, U.S. Senator Carl Levin and Rep. David Bonior, who openly campaign for Moslem rights.
Posted by: Jack at November 22, 2006 12:56 PM
Everybody go book a flight on US Airways! :-)
Posted by: Nick Byram at November 22, 2006 06:39 PM
This is why I'm not a Sky Marshall. I'd have shot them.
Billy
Posted by: Billy at November 22, 2006 08:18 PM
Bob I agree, that is the airline I would pick as well. They too a stand for what had to be done and I respect that a lot.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 22, 2006 11:51 PM
Mark, yes I agree. Great way to put it too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 22, 2006 11:54 PM
Tom I will double your kudos for them too. With all the PC around it was not a popular thing for them to do, but it had to be done and I am proud of them.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 22, 2006 11:55 PM
Thanks Debbie and thank you for the added information.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 22, 2006 11:57 PM
William I am all for profiling anyone. Heck we all do it anyway. Profiling can be anything from sizing up a person as to if we are interested in them, or not in having anything to do with them to seeing a person and being careful of them for safety purposes. It does not matter to me what color they are. Some people are suspicious even if they were poka dotted.
For Muslims to complain about profiling is stupid and that alone raises my alarm system.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 23, 2006 12:01 AM
Rhod I sure do agree and that is just what is happening.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 23, 2006 12:02 AM
Nick Byram I hope a lot of people do just that. I know I would if I had to fly someplace.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 23, 2006 12:03 AM
Billy, giggle. Me too! I am way too much a take no prisioners kind of gal. hahhaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 23, 2006 12:05 AM
http://www.animatronics.org/strangers/strangers.htm
This is just for you guys.....lol...lol...lol!!
I thought it was hilarious!!
Posted by: Lyn in Australia at November 24, 2006 10:42 AM
