HARVARD INSTRUCTOR RECOMMENDS DEMOLISHING MOSQUES - TOP
Leanna Erhlich, The Harvard Crimson, 7/27/2011

A group of Harvard students have started a petition calling on the University to sever ties with Subramanian Swamy, a Harvard Summer School economics instructor who wrote an op-ed against Islamic terrorism that many have called offensive and inflammatory.

In an article published July 16 in the Indian newspaper Daily News and Analysis, Swamy recommended demolishing hundreds of mosques, disenfranchising non-Hindus who do not acknowledge their alleged Hindu ancestry, and banning conversion from Hinduism.

The op-ed came in response to a series of bombings in Mumbai that killed 23 on July 13.

"The first lesson to be learnt from the recent history of Islamic terrorism against India and for tackling terrorism in India is that the Hindu is the target and that Muslims of India are being programmed by a slow reactive process to become radical and thus slide into suicide against Hindus," Swamy wrote.

His op-ed spurred over 200 people to sign a petition condemning Swamy and calling on Harvard to end its relationship with him. (More)

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GOP ADVISER OKs SHOOTING AMERICANS - TOP

Former speechwriter for the Bush administration and current GOP advisor Joshua Treviño tweeted his 5,716 Twitter followers days before the second flotilla was set to embark to Gaza, saying:

"Dear IDF: If you end up shooting any Americans on the new Gaza flotilla - well, most Americans are cool with that. Including me." [Editor’s note: “IDF” refers to the Israeli military.]

You can see his Tweet here.

The American activists headed to Gaza include Hedy Epstein, an 86-year-old Holocaust survivor, Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern, and Ann Wright, a retired army colonel and former U.S. diplomat.

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INCITEMENT WATCH: CAIN KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT ON ISLAM (Letter) -TOP
Judy Guthrie, The Commercial Appeal, 7/26/2011

Eugene Robinson attacked Herman Cain's remarks against the mosque that is proposed in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (July 19 Viewpoint column, "Herman Cain's bigotry unbound"). In an effort to find a plausible charge against Cain, Robinson couldn't resist pulling the race card. He goes all the way back to the Jim Crow laws and the segregation of the 1950s and 1960s. Come on, Robinson, you can do better than that. This is the 21st century.

You had better educate yourself on Shariah law. Islam is a theocracy governed by Shariah law whose purpose is to subjugate this country, Europe, the Middle East and eventually the world. Look it up. It is called a caliphate, and the Muslims have established military camps for this event right here in this country. I, for one, call that treason.

Robinson's poor attempt to accord Islam the same favorable regard as traditional Judeo Christian religions is ludicrous! Eighty percent of the mosques in this country are connected either to Hamas, CAIR or the Muslim Brotherhood, or they are funded by them. Cain stated, "I'm willing to take a harder look at people that might be terrorists." In today's world, I stand with Herman Cain. (More)

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ACTION: SUBMIT A POLITE LETTER TO THE EDITOR - TOP

Respond to the above letter here.

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PAKISTANI-AMERICANS WELCOME DR. FAI'S RELEASE ON BOND - TOP

Alexandria, VA 7/26/2011: Muhammad Salim Akhtar, the Interim Executive Director of the Pakistan American Democratic Forum, who had flown in from Chicago, welcomed release of Dr Fai. "This is clear setback for the RAW-led Indian lobby," he said. Commenting on Fai's arrest, India's Home Secretary RK Singh said: "Yes, his arrest was long overdue," the Press Trust of India reported

As reported by the media "After the arguments by both the prosecution and defense, the judge set a bond of $100,000 for Fai, which is to be signed by his wife as the co-guarantor. Amongst conditions set by the judge, Fai will be placed under house arrest with an electronic monitoring device, and will not be allowed to leave the Washington area. Fai's wife has also been asked to surrender her passport to US authorities; Fai's passport is already with the USG.

"Fai has also been asked to not maintain any contact with any foreign government or witness.

"Speaking to the media after the court proceedings, Fai's lawyers handed out a statement prepared by Fai. According to the statement, "It has been my lifelong commitment to the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their religious background and cultural affiliations to help achieve the right of self-determination to decide their future. God willing, I will continue to do that in days, weeks, months and years to come."

"Fai was arrested earlier this month, and was working as the director of the Kashmiri American Council. He has been charged with not informing the US government that he was in the pay of the Pakistan government while lobbying for the Kashmir cause and donating funds to Congressmen. Fai's lawyers said that they have waived the 30-day speed trial option, and will, over the next few months, be studying the documents associated with the case."

The PADF has urged "the Pakistani community and all freedom-loving people" to remain fully engaged by staying informed of all the developments. "Beware, this is only the beginning of a long, drawn out, process," said the PADF President Dr Muhammad Ashraf Toor. Once again, he has called on community members to "donate generously" to the Dr Fai Legal Defense Fund.

Contact Info:

Tel: 510.252.9858; Fax: 510.252.9863

Pakistani American Democratic Forum
39675 Cedar Blvd.,
Newark, CA 94560

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CAIR-MI: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREES TO HELP MUSLIM GROUP - TOP
Amelia Carpenter, Michigan Radio, 7/26/2011

The Justice Department has expressed an interest in helping a Muslim civil rights advocacy group in Michigan. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is concerned the Pittsfield Township community may influence the approval of a neighborhood Muslim school. The Michigan Islamic Academy in Ann Arbor wants to move to a new building in Pittsfield to accommodate its growing student population. In a meeting last month, some people spoke against the Muslim school. CAIR asked the Justice Department to monitor the next meeting on August 4. (More)

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CAIR-MI CALLS FOR DOJ INVESTIGATION OF MOSQUE REFUSAL - TOP
Ed Brayton, The Michigan Messenger, 7/27/2011

The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR MI) has written a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking for an investigation into whether Pittsfield Township violated the First Amendment rights by rejecting a Muslim group’s application to build a Muslim private school.

The Michigan Islamic Academy applied to have a piece of property they own rezoned so they could build a Muslim school on the property and the Pittsfield Township Planning Commission rejected that request. The letter alleges that opponents of the rezoning made "derogatory comments ... regarding the religious practice of Muslims" along with their concerns about traffic and neighborhood harmony.

CAIR-MI Executive Direcor Dawud Walid asked the DOJ to monitor a planning commission meeting on Aug. 4, when they are expected to formally reject the request for rezoning. Walid says that a final rejection may violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLIUPA). (More)

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NJ GOV. CHRISTIE BLASTS CRITICS OF NEW MUSLIM JUDGE - TOP
Lisa Fleisher, The Wall Street Journal, 7/27/2011

PATERSON--A lawyer who defended Muslims detained after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was sworn in as a New Jersey Superior Court judge on Tuesday, as Gov. Chris Christie called those who criticized his nomination ignorant.

The appointment of Sohail Mohammed, 47 years old, angered some conservatives, who said they were concerned about the influence of Sharia law, an Islamic code of law.

Mr. Christie defended Mr. Mohammed, who is Muslim, calling him an extraordinary American and an outstanding lawyer who helped strengthen ties between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muslim community after the 2001 attacks.

Mr. Christie said the people Mr. Mohammed represented were inappropriately detained by the FBI after what he called a very difficult time for law enforcement. (More)

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AUDIO: DID ANTI-MUSLIM EXTREMISTS IN U.S. INFLUENCE ANDERS BREIVIK? - TOP
Joseph Capriglione, The Takeaway, 7/26/2011

Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian charged with carrying out a mass killing last week in his home country, told his lawyer he was saving Norway from Muslim domination. Breivik is an anti-Muslim extremist, and it has become clear that he was heavily influenced by American bloggers, who share his fears about the threat of Muslim immigrants on Western culture.

Pam Geller is one of those bloggers. On her blog, "Atlas Shrugs," Geller speaks about the threat of Islam in America. She spoke with our producers last night. Wajahat Ali joins us this morning. Ali is a journalist who is currently researching Islamophobia in America for the Center for American Progress. The report is due out in August. (Listen to the segmenthere.)

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CAIR: TEXAS, HOUSTON MENTIONED IN NORWAY SUSPECT'S MANIFESTO - TOP
Kevin Reece, KHOU 11, 7/26/2011

HOUSTON--The suspect in the massacre in Norway mentions Texas five times in his online manifesto, suggesting that he has traveled to the Lone Star State.

Anders Breivik remains jailed for the bombing and mass shooting that killed 76 people in Norway. He sees himself as "some kind of savior" and is likely insane, his attorney said Tuesday.

Breivik’s 1,500-page, rambling attack on "multicultural societies" praises Texas for its number of gender-segregated schools.

In a section where he discusses different types of "sabotage operations" that could "cripple Western European multiculturalist regimes," he cites the accidental explosion at the Phillips Petroleum in Pasadena that killed 23 workers at the plant along the Houston Ship Channel in October 1989.

And when describing his favorite travels Brejvik gives a back-handed complement to Texas. Writing that he "dislikes the superficial aspects of American society," he goes on to say that "the American State I found least superficial was Texas."

The manifesto also mentions CAIR members in Dallas who were found guilty of providing financial help to Hamas. Breivik cites the 2005 case in a paragraph called "Why We Cannot Rely on Moderate Muslims."

"I can’t understand this mindless violence of any sorts," said Mustafaa Carroll, the Executive Director of the Houston office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Carroll issued an alert to Houston-area mosques on Tuesday, telling them to be vigilant for anyone who might sympathize with the actions and twisted logic of the Norway attacker.

"This element exists around us," said Carroll. "Even if this hadn’t happened the element still exists."?

"I can’t fathom the logic as to what is this going to accomplish," added Carroll, when asked about the attacks and the manifesto. "It’s just unfathomable. I can’t understand." (More)

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MUSLIM REP. ELLISON DENIED REQUEST TO TESTIFY AT LATEST KING HEARING -TOP
Devin Henry, Minnesota Post, 7/26/2011

WASHINGTON -- Peter King, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, denied Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison’s request to testify before at a committee hearing on Islamic radicalization scheduled for Wednesday.

Ellison, a Democrat who is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, sent King a letter Monday asking if he could testify at a hearing on the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization operating in Somalia. The hearing is the third in a series of controversial meetings on the matter of radical Islam in America.

King responded that Wednesday’s hearing is an extension of the first couple the committee has held, and since Ellison testified at the first hearing on the issue, in March, he would not be permitted to testify Wednesday. (More)

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MAYOR RYBAK: MINNEAPOLIS IS PROUD HOME TO COMPLEX SOMALI COMMUNITY WITH MANY AMERICAN SUCCESS STORIES - TOP
City of Minneapolis, 7/27/2011

While Rep. King’s hearing focuses on "radicalization," Somalis in Minneapolis strive to succeed and give back

(MINNEAPOLIS) -- As U.S. Representative Peter King today holds another hearing in Washington, D.C. on "radicalization" in Muslim communities in America that is focused on the Somali-American community, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak issued the following statement:

"When Al-Shabaab tries to recruit our youth here to fight their battles there -- and sadly, sometimes succeeds in doing so -- we take it very seriously: indeed, Minneapolis’ large and vibrant Somali community has been bravely dealing with this problem head-on for years, and I fully support their efforts to do so. But Minneapolis is proud to be home to a complex, many-sided Somali community that has many American success stories to tell, stories of which everyone can be proud. (More)

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U.S. SOMALIS RALLY TO SEND HELP FOR FAMINE BACK HOME - TOP
The Associated Press, The Washington Post, 7/27/2011

MINNEAPOLIS -- Mohamed Hassan gets emotional when he hears about the famine devastating Somalia, recalling his own months-long walk from Mogadishu to Kenya two decades ago as a teenager fleeing the civil war.

Now Hassan and other Somalis here are digging deep to help.

"I’ve lived through starvations, hunger. I’ve lived in a refugee camp," Hassan said. "Because of my relationship to the people of Somalia back home, but also because of past experiences, I feel the pain. I cannot afford to sit back and watch people go through these experiences."

From Facebook campaigns to car washes and concerts to local collection sites, Minnesota’s Somali community -- the nation’s largest at an estimated 25,000 people -- is raising tens of thousands of dollars to help the starving masses.

Though an overall total isn’t known, Somalis have helped raised roughly $100,000 for the American Refugee Committee, including $47,000 at a single event last week. Another group, Amoud Foundation, reported raising $94,000 from the Twin Cities in less than two weeks. (More)

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SETTLEMENT REACHED IN ARIZONA MUSLIM FAIR HOUSING LAWSUIT - TOP
Sean Crowley, KPHO 5, 7/26/2011

PHOENIX - Attorney General Tom Horne announced today the largest settlement of a fair housing lawsuit in the Civil Rights Division's history.

Soha Abdelrahman and her husband Hany Ibrahim have received $197,000 in compensation from Hall apartment entities.

According to the lawsuit, Hall agents discriminated against Abdelrahman and Ibrahim because of their race (Arab), national origin (Egyptian) and religion (Muslim) by complicating the application process to discourage them from renting and by inspecting their apartment without permission while they were moving into Villatree Apartments in Tempe. (More)

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