Protesters Target Islamic Convention In Hartford
By LYNN DOAN
HARTFORD - Anti-terrorism protesters rallied in Hartford Sunday outside the annual convention of the Islamic Circle of North America, despite the organization's recent efforts to fight the characterization of Muslims as terrorists.
For the first time since the Islamic Circle of North America began holding its annual convention at the Connecticut Convention Center two years ago, a group of about 12 protesters rallied to demand that the U.S. government shut down the organization and freeze its accounts.
Coincidentally, this year's convention also marks the first time the organization has opened its doors to non-Muslims in an effort to dispel suspicion and misconceptions about the faith and its followers.
Joe Kaufman, head of Americans Against Hate, a Florida-based group whose website describes it as a terrorist watchdog group, on Sunday accused the Islamic Circle of North America of making $99,000 in charitable contributions the protesters say ended up in the hands of Hamas militants.
Kaufman demanded that the federal government freeze the organization's bank accounts and place the Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan, which he believes is affiliated with the organization, on the U.S. Department of State's list of foreign terrorist organizations.
"Giving money to a terrorist organization is illegal in the United States, and many groups have been shut down for this," said Kaufman, who flew in from Coral Springs, Fla., for the protest. "I expect the same for Islamic Circle of North America."
As Kaufman spoke and protesters held up signs reading "Young Muslims, Young Hamas" and "ICNA-Hamas Connection," convention organizers quickly ushered their visitors into the convention center and asked that they ignore the protest.
"They have the right to protest. That's the beauty of America," said Naeem Baig, secretary-general for the Islamic Circle of North America. "But they are obviously misinformed."
He said the Islamic Circle of North America is not connected to the group in Pakistan and only contributes to charitable causes related to emergency health care and education.
"We're not some secret organization," he said. "We're an open organization that works in relief and social services."
Baig said he wished the protesters had attended Saturday's full-day seminars for non-Muslims to learn about the religion and the organization's true beliefs and goals.
James Yee, a former U.S. Army Muslim chaplain who has regularly attended the Islam conventions, described Sunday's protest as "anti-American."
"It seems like these individuals are completely misinformed," said Yee, who was chaplain to prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, until he was arrested on espionage charges and then released three months later with the charges dismissed. "If the [Islamic Circle of North America] is in any way connected to terrorists, the U.S. government would have obviously cracked down against them."
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Islamists Attempt to Quash Free Speech that Unmasks their Radical Agenda
On October 14, 2007 Joe Kaufman, a chairman of American Against Hate, organized a protest against the Islamic Circle of North America. ICNA has well documented ties to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood and should really be called the ISLAMIST Circle of North America, especially, since it openly advocates for establishment of Sharia in the United States.
During the protest, Mr. Kaufman was served with temporary restraining order filed by Islamic Society of Arlington, Al Hedayah Islamic Center, Dar Elsalam Islamic Center, DFW Islamic Educational Center, Inc., Islamic Association of Tarrant County, Islamic Center of Irving, and Muslim American Society of Dallas.
The TRO restraints Joe Kaufman from the following:
- Threatening Plaintiffs in person, by telephone, or in writing to take unlawful action against any person, intending by this action to annoy or alarm Plaintiffs.
- Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' associates or members.
- Threatening Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' associates or members with imminent bodily injury.
- Inciting violence against Plaintiffs, their members or associates.
The Plaintiffs claim that Mr. Kaufman "operates a website ... that tries to foment hate and anger against law abiding United States citizens who practice their religion (Islam) freely as guaranteed by the United States Constitution. ... He wishes to stir up anger, resentment, bias, and hatred of peaceful, law abiding citizens, solely because of their religion. To this end, Defendant Kaufman organizes protests of all things Islamic, attempting to paint them in one broad swath as being allied with Hamas, Al Qaeda, and terrorists. ... To this end, Defendant has painted the Plaintiffs as terrorists."
Several members of Muslims Against Sharia went through multiple statements posted on Mr. Kaufman's website, www.AmericansAgainstHate.org. We have not found a single instance of Islam-bashing or Muslim-bashing that the Plaintiffs are complaining about. However, we found plenty of information that link ICNA and Muslim American Society (MAS) to Islamist groups both at home and abroad.
This is a despicable act of American Islamist establishment (which IS associated with terrorists) to quash any attempt to unmask its extremist agenda.
Muslims Against Sharia call on every American Muslim to condemn Islamism in general and Plaintiffs in particular and voice their support for Mr. Kaufman.
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