/PRNewswire/ -- Nathan Daschle, Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association, issued the following statement in response to Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra using an attempted terrorist attack to fundraise for his gubernatorial campaign.
"We're deeply disappointed that Rep. Hoekstra would use an attempted terrorist attack to fundraise for his gubernatorial campaign," Daschle said. "That's a shallow political ploy at a time when Americans need leaders who will take our national security seriously - not as opportunities to build a campaign war chest. Michiganders deserve a governor who cares more about serious issues than about politics, and today Rep. Hoekstra showed that he's more interested in the politics of the past than showing true leadership."
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Showing posts with label terrorist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terrorist. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Fox News Report Highlights House Republicans' Keep Terrorists Out of America Act
Fox News’ Special Report last evening highlighted House GOP legislation – the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act – aimed at stopping the Obama Administration from importing these terrorists into the United States. In January, the Administration made the political decision to close the prison within one year even though no backup plan was in place for what to do with the terrorists housed there. The House GOP measure unequivocally opposes releasing terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay facility and transferring them to the United States, makes clear that governors and state legislatures must pre-approve the transfer or release of any terrorist detainee into their respective states, and requires the Administration to meet strict criteria and certification standards before terrorists housed at the Guantanamo prison could be brought to the United States
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Thursday, May 7, 2009
House GOP Introduces Keep Terrorists Out of America Act
House Republicans today introduced the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act, legislation aimed at stopping the transfer or release of terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. The legislation unequivocally opposes releasing terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay facility and transferring them to the United States, makes clear that governors and state legislatures must pre-approve the transfer or release of any terrorist detainee into their respective states, and requires the Administration to meet strict criteria and certification standards before terrorists housed at the Guantanamo prison could be brought to the United States. Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the legislation:
“This bill has a straightforward but vital purpose: to ensure that the terrorists held in the Guantanamo Bay prison are not imported into the United States. We are giving every member of Congress an opportunity to stand with the American people by affirming their opposition to bringing these terrorists into our communities, and we hope they join us. Equally as important, this bill holds the Administration accountable if it acts unilaterally against the will of the American people.
“The world did not suddenly become safe in January 2009. There are still terrorists around the world who are committed to killing Americans and destroying our way of life. A number of those terrorists are being held at the prison in Guantanamo Bay right now. If the Administration is allowed to proceed, they won’t be there for long. In fact, they may be right here, in the United States. I have been urging the Administration to finally present to the American people its plan for what to do with the terrorists held at Guantanamo and for confronting and defeating the global terrorist threat. Right now, that plan does not exist, and the safety of our nation depends on it.
“Our ranking members John McHugh, Pete Hoekstra, Lamar Smith, Peter King, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen all deserve great credit for their work on this measure. I thank them for their efforts in crafting this critically important bill.”
NOTE: Following is a summary of the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act:
Affirming Congress’ Opposition to the Release and Transfer of Terrorists. The bill affirms Congress’ opposition to transferring or releasing terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. Most Americans do not support releasing these terrorists from Guantanamo Bay prison and transferring them into the United States. The bill gives Congress an opportunity to show that it stands with the American people on this critical matter, and opposes the release and transfer of these terrorists.
Governor & State Legislature Pre-Approval. The measure prohibits the Administration from transferring or releasing any terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay to any state without express approval from the state’s governor and legislature, and certifies to Congress that strict requirements have been met. For example, the Administration must certify to the respective governor and state legislature that the detainee does not pose a security risk to the United States. The certifications must be made 60 days before any transfer or release.
Presidential Certification Requirements. The measure prohibits the President from transferring or releasing a terrorist detainee into the United States unless he provides the following notification and certification to Congress regarding:
- The name of the detainee and transfer/release location in the United States.
- The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued prosecution of the detainee.
- The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued detention of the detainee.
- The ability of federal judges to release detainees into the United States.
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“This bill has a straightforward but vital purpose: to ensure that the terrorists held in the Guantanamo Bay prison are not imported into the United States. We are giving every member of Congress an opportunity to stand with the American people by affirming their opposition to bringing these terrorists into our communities, and we hope they join us. Equally as important, this bill holds the Administration accountable if it acts unilaterally against the will of the American people.
“The world did not suddenly become safe in January 2009. There are still terrorists around the world who are committed to killing Americans and destroying our way of life. A number of those terrorists are being held at the prison in Guantanamo Bay right now. If the Administration is allowed to proceed, they won’t be there for long. In fact, they may be right here, in the United States. I have been urging the Administration to finally present to the American people its plan for what to do with the terrorists held at Guantanamo and for confronting and defeating the global terrorist threat. Right now, that plan does not exist, and the safety of our nation depends on it.
“Our ranking members John McHugh, Pete Hoekstra, Lamar Smith, Peter King, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen all deserve great credit for their work on this measure. I thank them for their efforts in crafting this critically important bill.”
NOTE: Following is a summary of the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act:
Affirming Congress’ Opposition to the Release and Transfer of Terrorists. The bill affirms Congress’ opposition to transferring or releasing terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. Most Americans do not support releasing these terrorists from Guantanamo Bay prison and transferring them into the United States. The bill gives Congress an opportunity to show that it stands with the American people on this critical matter, and opposes the release and transfer of these terrorists.
Governor & State Legislature Pre-Approval. The measure prohibits the Administration from transferring or releasing any terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay to any state without express approval from the state’s governor and legislature, and certifies to Congress that strict requirements have been met. For example, the Administration must certify to the respective governor and state legislature that the detainee does not pose a security risk to the United States. The certifications must be made 60 days before any transfer or release.
Presidential Certification Requirements. The measure prohibits the President from transferring or releasing a terrorist detainee into the United States unless he provides the following notification and certification to Congress regarding:
- The name of the detainee and transfer/release location in the United States.
- The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued prosecution of the detainee.
- The release/transfer would not negatively impact continued detention of the detainee.
- The ability of federal judges to release detainees into the United States.
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Thursday, January 22, 2009
Closing Guantanamo and Keeping America Safe: New Policy Brief
Closing Guantanamo and Keeping America Safe: New Policy Brief From The Century Foundation Urges New Administration to Return to Pre-9/11 Laws to Deal With Detentions, Trials, and the 'Global War'
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Barack Obama has just signed an executive order to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but many controversies remain over how to proceed, how long that process should take, and what should happen to current and future detainees. In a new policy brief from The Century Foundation, Guantanamo and Beyond: What to Do about Detentions, Trials, and the "Global War" Paradigm, Stephen J. Schulhofer, the Robert B. McKay Professor of Law at New York University, writes that, while the issues are complex, the immediate need to address Guantanamo and the broader imperative to find a framework for the future can be met by a straightforward principle: the acceptance of pre-September 11 rules of international law and domestic due process. In particular, this would include the Geneva Convention governing the treatment of prisoners of war, the obligation to refrain from using military force against civilians, and the right of all individuals facing detention to contest the allegations against them in court, with the assistance of counsel.
This approach means restoring the domestic and international principles traditionally applicable to armed conflict: preserving law-of-war powers in regard to ordinary combatants, but reinstating and fully respecting the essential distinction between combatants and civilians. Schulhofer writes that pre-September 11 principles do not preclude reliance on our military, but they require recognition that military deployments are often justified where the legal framework of warfare is not. For instance, the United States has long used military personnel to deliver earthquake relief and to apprehend fugitives from civilian justice, as in the seizure of the terrorists responsible for hijacking the Achille Lauro.
In the report, Schulhofer addresses the frequently voiced concerns that international terrorism makes civilian conceptions of due process impractical -- concerns that he says are based on myth, misinformation, and exaggeration. He states that the nation's law-enforcement and judicial institutions possess ample resources to cope with modern terrorism. He notes that federal courts are not bound by geographical limits and, in fact, have jurisdiction over worldwide terrorist activity and over defendants captured abroad, even when forcible abduction is used to bring them here. Contrary to the mythology, Miranda warnings are not required on the battlefield or when public safety concerns prompt the questioning, and the rules for authentication of evidence are flexible; they have never posed a barrier to prosecution in a terrorism case. Similarly, the rule against using hearsay is subject to a host of exceptions; many out-of-court statements are routinely admitted in criminal trials. Classified evidence never has to be presented in open court, and for decades, the Classified Information Procedures Act has successfully protected sensitive information while providing redacted summaries sufficient to meet legitimate defense needs.
Schulhofer concludes that an approach that turned back the clock to pre-September 11 execution of the law would solve the conundrums of Guantanamo and the broader "global war" quickly, economically, and effectively, with tools of well-established legitimacy. He adds that restoring that framework quickly has broad strategic importance, because the United States cannot maintain a credible commitment to due process values if it simultaneously claims the right to invoke the prerogatives of warfare against shadowy enemies who live among civilians throughout the world.
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/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Barack Obama has just signed an executive order to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but many controversies remain over how to proceed, how long that process should take, and what should happen to current and future detainees. In a new policy brief from The Century Foundation, Guantanamo and Beyond: What to Do about Detentions, Trials, and the "Global War" Paradigm, Stephen J. Schulhofer, the Robert B. McKay Professor of Law at New York University, writes that, while the issues are complex, the immediate need to address Guantanamo and the broader imperative to find a framework for the future can be met by a straightforward principle: the acceptance of pre-September 11 rules of international law and domestic due process. In particular, this would include the Geneva Convention governing the treatment of prisoners of war, the obligation to refrain from using military force against civilians, and the right of all individuals facing detention to contest the allegations against them in court, with the assistance of counsel.
This approach means restoring the domestic and international principles traditionally applicable to armed conflict: preserving law-of-war powers in regard to ordinary combatants, but reinstating and fully respecting the essential distinction between combatants and civilians. Schulhofer writes that pre-September 11 principles do not preclude reliance on our military, but they require recognition that military deployments are often justified where the legal framework of warfare is not. For instance, the United States has long used military personnel to deliver earthquake relief and to apprehend fugitives from civilian justice, as in the seizure of the terrorists responsible for hijacking the Achille Lauro.
In the report, Schulhofer addresses the frequently voiced concerns that international terrorism makes civilian conceptions of due process impractical -- concerns that he says are based on myth, misinformation, and exaggeration. He states that the nation's law-enforcement and judicial institutions possess ample resources to cope with modern terrorism. He notes that federal courts are not bound by geographical limits and, in fact, have jurisdiction over worldwide terrorist activity and over defendants captured abroad, even when forcible abduction is used to bring them here. Contrary to the mythology, Miranda warnings are not required on the battlefield or when public safety concerns prompt the questioning, and the rules for authentication of evidence are flexible; they have never posed a barrier to prosecution in a terrorism case. Similarly, the rule against using hearsay is subject to a host of exceptions; many out-of-court statements are routinely admitted in criminal trials. Classified evidence never has to be presented in open court, and for decades, the Classified Information Procedures Act has successfully protected sensitive information while providing redacted summaries sufficient to meet legitimate defense needs.
Schulhofer concludes that an approach that turned back the clock to pre-September 11 execution of the law would solve the conundrums of Guantanamo and the broader "global war" quickly, economically, and effectively, with tools of well-established legitimacy. He adds that restoring that framework quickly has broad strategic importance, because the United States cannot maintain a credible commitment to due process values if it simultaneously claims the right to invoke the prerogatives of warfare against shadowy enemies who live among civilians throughout the world.
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Stephen Halbrook Testifies Against Confirmation of Eric Holder for Attorney General at Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing for the controversial nomination of Eric Holder to the position of Attorney General of the United States.
Independent Institute Research Fellow and attorney Stephen Halbrook is among the witnesses testifying, arguing that Holder's reputation as a steadfast opponent of Second Amendment rights makes him an unfit candidate for the job.
Halbrook, author of the new Institute book The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 300 members of Congress in the recent Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller. But the landmark decision, affirming an individual right in the Second Amendment, conflicts with Holder's track record, claims Halbrook. In fact, Holder joined in a brief arguing that the Second Amendment only concerns the "State's operation of a well-regulated militia" and does not protect an individual right, a position at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's approval of Heller.
"When Mr. Holder served as Deputy Attorney General (1997-2001) and Acting Attorney General (2001), the Department of Justice implemented policies hostile to Second Amendment rights," states Halbrook in his prepared written testimony. "In the establishment of the national instant criminal background check system ('NICS') in 1998, the Department claimed the authority to keep records on lawful firearm purchasers for an alleged 'audit log' for six months, despite the law's requirement that such records be destroyed and its prohibition on registration of firearm owners."
"In that same period, the Department circulated draft legislation that would be included in a bill introduced by Congressman John Conyers as H.R. 1768 (106th Cong., 1999). The bill would have: Imposed felony penalties on a person who planned a gun show without registering with and reporting to ATF; made it unlawful for persons under age 21 to possess firearms, even though they vote, serve on juries, and serve in the military; imposed a 3-day waiting period, and limited handgun purchases to one per month."
"After terrorists struck with box cutters on 9/11, Mr. Holder responded with an op ed arguing for 'background checks on all gun sales,' which would have extended felony penalties to the otherwise innocent, intrastate conduct of law-abiding private individuals. He added: 'Congress should also pass legislation that would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale.' Under the guise of combating terrorism, every American firearm owner would thus be registered with the government," Halbrook states.
Continuing to reveal Holder as a staunch opponent of the Second Amendment, Halbrook concludes, "Eric Holder has taken a constricted view of Second Amendment rights. Millions of law-abiding Americans exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Mr. Holder's opinion is that the people have no such right unless they are commanded to exercise it in a formal militia, which renders the right meaningless... Many Americans have reason to be uneasy about Mr. Holder's nomination for Attorney General. They deserve to have a person in this role who is committed to upholding all parts of the Constitution, including the Second Amendment. Unfortunately, Mr. Holder has proven himself not to be that person."
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Independent Institute Research Fellow and attorney Stephen Halbrook is among the witnesses testifying, arguing that Holder's reputation as a steadfast opponent of Second Amendment rights makes him an unfit candidate for the job.
Halbrook, author of the new Institute book The Founders' Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 300 members of Congress in the recent Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller. But the landmark decision, affirming an individual right in the Second Amendment, conflicts with Holder's track record, claims Halbrook. In fact, Holder joined in a brief arguing that the Second Amendment only concerns the "State's operation of a well-regulated militia" and does not protect an individual right, a position at odds with President-elect Barack Obama's approval of Heller.
"When Mr. Holder served as Deputy Attorney General (1997-2001) and Acting Attorney General (2001), the Department of Justice implemented policies hostile to Second Amendment rights," states Halbrook in his prepared written testimony. "In the establishment of the national instant criminal background check system ('NICS') in 1998, the Department claimed the authority to keep records on lawful firearm purchasers for an alleged 'audit log' for six months, despite the law's requirement that such records be destroyed and its prohibition on registration of firearm owners."
"In that same period, the Department circulated draft legislation that would be included in a bill introduced by Congressman John Conyers as H.R. 1768 (106th Cong., 1999). The bill would have: Imposed felony penalties on a person who planned a gun show without registering with and reporting to ATF; made it unlawful for persons under age 21 to possess firearms, even though they vote, serve on juries, and serve in the military; imposed a 3-day waiting period, and limited handgun purchases to one per month."
"After terrorists struck with box cutters on 9/11, Mr. Holder responded with an op ed arguing for 'background checks on all gun sales,' which would have extended felony penalties to the otherwise innocent, intrastate conduct of law-abiding private individuals. He added: 'Congress should also pass legislation that would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale.' Under the guise of combating terrorism, every American firearm owner would thus be registered with the government," Halbrook states.
Continuing to reveal Holder as a staunch opponent of the Second Amendment, Halbrook concludes, "Eric Holder has taken a constricted view of Second Amendment rights. Millions of law-abiding Americans exercise the right to keep and bear arms. Mr. Holder's opinion is that the people have no such right unless they are commanded to exercise it in a formal militia, which renders the right meaningless... Many Americans have reason to be uneasy about Mr. Holder's nomination for Attorney General. They deserve to have a person in this role who is committed to upholding all parts of the Constitution, including the Second Amendment. Unfortunately, Mr. Holder has proven himself not to be that person."
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As Eric Holder Faces A Nomination Hearing For Attorney General, Will He Continue To Show A Lack Of Judgment And Independence?
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Republican National Committee:
In August 1999, President Bill Clinton Offered Clemency To 16 Former Members Of The Puerto Rican Terrorist Group The Armed Forces Of National Liberation (FALN). "The dustup began Aug. 11, when the President offered clemency to 16 former members of the FALN..." (Edward Lewine, "How Bill Chose Clemency," [New York] Daily News, 9/5/99)
-- FALN Was Responsible For Bombings In The 1970s And 1980s That Killed
Six People. "The FALN was responsible for a wave of bombings in the
late 1970s and early 1980s that left six dead, although none of those
freed were tied to any deaths." (Shannon McCaffrey, "Reno: Puerto
Rican Terrorists An 'Ongoing Threat'," The Associated Press, 10/20/99)
Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Played A Major Role In The FALN Clemency Decision According To FALN Documents And Memos. "Holder, a Barbadian immigrant's son who grew up in Queens and received his law degree from Columbia, has played major roles in the probe of Democratic funny-money in the 1996 elections, the Sexgate scandal and the recommendation to President Clinton on whether to free FALN terrorists from jail. A list of FALN documents withheld from Congress shows that many memos on the FALN clemency decision went directly to Holder, while Reno's role was minimal." (Brian Blomquist, "Ailing Reno Yielding Reins Of Justice," New York Post, 12/1 5/99)
Although The FBI Opposed Clemency, Holder Supported Clemency For The FALN Members. "Although The New York Times reported that the FBI, Bureau of Prisons and U.S. state attorneys opposed clemency, Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, the Justice Department official most involved with this issue, reportedly supported clemency. 'Eric Holder told me he was recommending that,' a high-ranking official said. Ruff also supported clemency, sources said. Holder declined to comment." (Edward Lewine, "How Bill Chose Clemency," [New York] Daily News, 9/5/99)
In 1997, Holder Met With Three Members Of Congress And Made Recommendations To Them About How The FALN Members Could More Easily Be Granted Clemency. "The committee's documents show that Mr. Adams and Eric Holder, the Deputy Attorney General, met on Nov. 5, 1997, with Representative Luis V. Gutierrez, Democrat of Illinois, and Representatives Jose E. Serrano of the Bronx and Nydia M. Velazquez of Brooklyn, both Democrats, to discuss the case of the Puerto Rican inmates. According to Mr. Adams's notes, Mr. Holder told the members of Congress that because the prisoners had not applied themselves for clemency this could be taken that they were not repentant, and he suggested that a statement expressing some remorse might help. In their testimony today, both Mr. Adams and Mr. Holder declined to answer several questions about how the clemency decision was reached, citing executive privilege. Both said, however, that the Justice Department had acted appropriately throughout the process." (Neil A. Lewis, "Records Show Puerto Ricans Got U.S. Help With Clemency," The New York Times, 10/21/99)
Holder Played A Major Role When President Clinton Pardoned Fugitive Marc Rich In His Final Week In Office:
During His Final Week In Office, President Bill Clinton Pardoned Marc Rich, An International Financer Who In 1983 Was Indicted For Evading Nearly $50 Million In Taxes. "As one of his last official acts, Mr. Clinton released a list of almost 140 people to whom he had granted pardons, which restore civil rights like voting, or commutations, which shorten prison terms. Many of the people from the metropolitan area were white-collar criminals who had committed financial fraud or similar acts, including Marc Rich, a commodities trader wanted for evading nearly $50 million in taxes." (Edward Wong and Sherri Day, "Former Terrorist Is Among Those Pardoned Or Freed In Clinton's Final Acts In Office," The New York Times, 1/21/01)
A Report By The House Government Reform Committee Said That Eric Holder Played A Major Role In The Pardon Of Marc Rich. "A forthcoming Congressional report on the last-minute pardons by President Bill Clinton says Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. was a 'willing participant in the plan to keep the Justice Department from knowing about and opposing' a pardon for Marc Rich, the financier. ... Mr. Holder, the report says, played a major role, steering Mr. Rich's lawyers toward Jack Quinn, a former White House counsel. Mr. Rich hired Mr. Quinn, whose Washington contacts and ability to lobby the president made the difference, according to the report. It says that Mr. Holder's support for the pardon and his failure to alert prosecutors of a pending pardon were just as crucial." (Allison Leigh Cowan, "Panel Says Top Justice Dept. Aide Held Information On Rich's Pardon," The New York Times, 3/13/02)
Documents Emerged That Indicated Holder Knew Of Pardon "Well In Advance" And Gave Rich's Lawyer Jack Quinn "Public-Relations" Advice. "New documents suggest ex-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder knew about Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of fugitive felon Marc Rich well in advance - contrary to Holder's claims. The memos raise the question of why Holder failed to notify Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White and the FBI in time for them to argue strongly against the pardon, as he knew they would. Rich's lawyer, Jack Quinn, Clinton's former White House counsel, released his own memos and e-mails yesterday. They buttress his claim that Holder supported - or at least didn't oppose - the pardon, met with Quinn to discuss it, and even gave Quinn public-relations advice on getting out the 'legal merits' of the case." (Brian Blomquist, "Memos Add To Furor Over Rich's Pardon," New York Post, 2/2/01)
-- Holder Had Close Relationship With Rich's Lawyer And Delivered
"Crucial" Endorsement Of Pardon. "The lawyer Mr. Rich selected, the
former White House counsel Jack Quinn, turned out to have the
connections that counted most. He had a close relationship with Eric
Holder, the deputy attorney general at the time. It was Mr. Holder who
delivered a lukewarm but crucial endorsement of the pardon in the
waning hours of the Clinton presidency." (Alison Leigh Cowan,
"Plotting A Pardon," The New York Times, 4/11/01)
-- Rich's Attorney Had Been In Touch With Holder About The Pardon.
"International financier Marc Rich's attorney said yesterday that he
told Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder two months ago that he would
be seeking a pardon for Rich and that Holder told him later that he
had no problem with the clemency plea." (James V. Grimaldi and Robert
O'Harrow Jr., "Recollections At Odds On Pardon," The Washington Post,
1/26/01)
Holder Was Involved In The Seizure Of Elian Gonzalez And His Return To Cuba:
Then-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Was Involved In The Seizure Of Elian Gonzalez And His Return To Cuba. "At issue ... legal advisor Eric Holder, a member of Obama's vice-presidential search committee who was deputy attorney general when the 6-year-old boy was seized by federal agents and returned to Cuba." (Beth Reinhard, "Elian Saga Might Hound Obama Visit," The Miami Herald, 6/19/08)
-- Holder Defended The Right Of The Federal Government To Seize Gonzalez
By Force. "The Justice Department yesterday warned the Miami relatives
of Elian Gonzalez that force could be used 'if it becomes necessary'
to return the boy to his father. 'We have that power,' said Deputy
Attorney General Eric Holder." (Richard Sisk, "Gov't Says Force An
Option Reunite Father, Son," [New York] Daily News, 4/7/00)
-- Holder Also Defended The Use Of Guns In The Raid. "Mr. Holder said his
agents were heavily armed when they entered the house because they had
'intelligence that the possibility existed there were guns in the
house. We had to make sure our people were protected and they were in
a position to protect people within the house. I don't know if there
were any guns in the house. I don't know if they found any guns. We
had to deal, however, with the intelligence we had that we got from
local sources and make sure everybody was adequately protected.'
Apparently no guns were found." (Jerry Seper and Clarence Williams,
"Holder Defends Sudden Raid For Elian," The Washington Times, 4/24/00)
Holder Also Engaged In Lobbying For A Controversial Company:
In 2002, Eric Holder Lobbied On Behalf Of Global Crossing After The Company Had Accumulated Nearly $12 Million In Debt. "Smelling blood in the water, Republicans now plan to pounce on another member of Obama's veep-selection committee, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, for his lobbying on behalf of telecom giant Global Crossing. Holder lobbied for the company, which underwent one of the largest bankruptcies in American history after racking up nearly $12 million in debt, as it emerged from bankruptcy in 2002, Senate lobbying disclosure documents reveal." (Charles Hurt and Geoff Earle, "O's Veep Hunter Quits," New York Post, 6/12/08)
Eric Holder Helped Chiquita Secure A "Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal" Related To Their Involvement With Columbian Paramilitary Forces:
As An Attorney At Covington& Burling, Holder Has Represented Many High-Profile Clients, Including Chiquita. "And if Holder's partners at Covington were listening -- a highly unlikely prospect -- there would have been a collective sigh of relief at his response; in seven years at the firm Holder has become a sought-after attorney, with high-profile assignments from the National Football League, Merck & Co. Inc. and Chiquita last year alone." (Andrew Longstreth, "Making History With Obama," The American Lawyer, 6/5/08)
-- "[H]older Helped Chiquita Secure A Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal To
Charges That It Had Paid Off The Terrorists." (Andrew Longstreth,
"Making History With Obama," The American Lawyer, 6/5/08)
In 2007, Ohio-Based Chiquita Brands International Admitted To Paying $1.7 Million To "Right-Wing Death Squads That Have Killed Thousands." "Colombia's attorney general said Tuesday that his office would try to seek the extradition of eight executives from Chiquita Brands International, the Ohio banana company that last week admitted to paying $1.7 million to right-wing death squads that have killed thousands in this country's long civil conflict." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
-- Chiquita Reached An Agreement With The Justice Department When The
Company Plead Guilty To Doing Business With The Paramilitary Group And
Paid A $25 Million Fine. "In deal with the Justice Department,
Chiquita last week agreed to plead guilty to doing business with the
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia... In agreeing to pay a $25
million fine, the company characterized the payments as extortion that
helped protect banana workers in the northwest Uraba region near the
border with Panama." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita
Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
The Paramilitary Organization Had Been Declared An "International Terrorist Group" By The State Department In 2001. "Chiquita admitted making payments to the paramilitaries from 1997 to 2004, which Iguaran said violated Colombian law. On Sept. 10, 2001, the State Department declared the AUC, as the paramilitary coalition is known, an international terrorist group, making it a violation of U.S. law for a U.S. company to conduct business with the organization." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
Chiquita's Case Was The "First Time A Major U.S. Company Was Charged With Having Financial Dealings With Terrorists." "In March of this year, Chiquita pled guilty to engaging in transactions with a terrorist group and agreed to pay $25 million in fines, the first time a major U.S. company was charged with having financial dealings with terrorists." (Laurie P. Cohen, "Chiquita Under The Gun," The Wall Street Journal, 8/2/07) .
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In August 1999, President Bill Clinton Offered Clemency To 16 Former Members Of The Puerto Rican Terrorist Group The Armed Forces Of National Liberation (FALN). "The dustup began Aug. 11, when the President offered clemency to 16 former members of the FALN..." (Edward Lewine, "How Bill Chose Clemency," [New York] Daily News, 9/5/99)
-- FALN Was Responsible For Bombings In The 1970s And 1980s That Killed
Six People. "The FALN was responsible for a wave of bombings in the
late 1970s and early 1980s that left six dead, although none of those
freed were tied to any deaths." (Shannon McCaffrey, "Reno: Puerto
Rican Terrorists An 'Ongoing Threat'," The Associated Press, 10/20/99)
Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Played A Major Role In The FALN Clemency Decision According To FALN Documents And Memos. "Holder, a Barbadian immigrant's son who grew up in Queens and received his law degree from Columbia, has played major roles in the probe of Democratic funny-money in the 1996 elections, the Sexgate scandal and the recommendation to President Clinton on whether to free FALN terrorists from jail. A list of FALN documents withheld from Congress shows that many memos on the FALN clemency decision went directly to Holder, while Reno's role was minimal." (Brian Blomquist, "Ailing Reno Yielding Reins Of Justice," New York Post, 12/1 5/99)
Although The FBI Opposed Clemency, Holder Supported Clemency For The FALN Members. "Although The New York Times reported that the FBI, Bureau of Prisons and U.S. state attorneys opposed clemency, Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, the Justice Department official most involved with this issue, reportedly supported clemency. 'Eric Holder told me he was recommending that,' a high-ranking official said. Ruff also supported clemency, sources said. Holder declined to comment." (Edward Lewine, "How Bill Chose Clemency," [New York] Daily News, 9/5/99)
In 1997, Holder Met With Three Members Of Congress And Made Recommendations To Them About How The FALN Members Could More Easily Be Granted Clemency. "The committee's documents show that Mr. Adams and Eric Holder, the Deputy Attorney General, met on Nov. 5, 1997, with Representative Luis V. Gutierrez, Democrat of Illinois, and Representatives Jose E. Serrano of the Bronx and Nydia M. Velazquez of Brooklyn, both Democrats, to discuss the case of the Puerto Rican inmates. According to Mr. Adams's notes, Mr. Holder told the members of Congress that because the prisoners had not applied themselves for clemency this could be taken that they were not repentant, and he suggested that a statement expressing some remorse might help. In their testimony today, both Mr. Adams and Mr. Holder declined to answer several questions about how the clemency decision was reached, citing executive privilege. Both said, however, that the Justice Department had acted appropriately throughout the process." (Neil A. Lewis, "Records Show Puerto Ricans Got U.S. Help With Clemency," The New York Times, 10/21/99)
Holder Played A Major Role When President Clinton Pardoned Fugitive Marc Rich In His Final Week In Office:
During His Final Week In Office, President Bill Clinton Pardoned Marc Rich, An International Financer Who In 1983 Was Indicted For Evading Nearly $50 Million In Taxes. "As one of his last official acts, Mr. Clinton released a list of almost 140 people to whom he had granted pardons, which restore civil rights like voting, or commutations, which shorten prison terms. Many of the people from the metropolitan area were white-collar criminals who had committed financial fraud or similar acts, including Marc Rich, a commodities trader wanted for evading nearly $50 million in taxes." (Edward Wong and Sherri Day, "Former Terrorist Is Among Those Pardoned Or Freed In Clinton's Final Acts In Office," The New York Times, 1/21/01)
A Report By The House Government Reform Committee Said That Eric Holder Played A Major Role In The Pardon Of Marc Rich. "A forthcoming Congressional report on the last-minute pardons by President Bill Clinton says Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. was a 'willing participant in the plan to keep the Justice Department from knowing about and opposing' a pardon for Marc Rich, the financier. ... Mr. Holder, the report says, played a major role, steering Mr. Rich's lawyers toward Jack Quinn, a former White House counsel. Mr. Rich hired Mr. Quinn, whose Washington contacts and ability to lobby the president made the difference, according to the report. It says that Mr. Holder's support for the pardon and his failure to alert prosecutors of a pending pardon were just as crucial." (Allison Leigh Cowan, "Panel Says Top Justice Dept. Aide Held Information On Rich's Pardon," The New York Times, 3/13/02)
Documents Emerged That Indicated Holder Knew Of Pardon "Well In Advance" And Gave Rich's Lawyer Jack Quinn "Public-Relations" Advice. "New documents suggest ex-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder knew about Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of fugitive felon Marc Rich well in advance - contrary to Holder's claims. The memos raise the question of why Holder failed to notify Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White and the FBI in time for them to argue strongly against the pardon, as he knew they would. Rich's lawyer, Jack Quinn, Clinton's former White House counsel, released his own memos and e-mails yesterday. They buttress his claim that Holder supported - or at least didn't oppose - the pardon, met with Quinn to discuss it, and even gave Quinn public-relations advice on getting out the 'legal merits' of the case." (Brian Blomquist, "Memos Add To Furor Over Rich's Pardon," New York Post, 2/2/01)
-- Holder Had Close Relationship With Rich's Lawyer And Delivered
"Crucial" Endorsement Of Pardon. "The lawyer Mr. Rich selected, the
former White House counsel Jack Quinn, turned out to have the
connections that counted most. He had a close relationship with Eric
Holder, the deputy attorney general at the time. It was Mr. Holder who
delivered a lukewarm but crucial endorsement of the pardon in the
waning hours of the Clinton presidency." (Alison Leigh Cowan,
"Plotting A Pardon," The New York Times, 4/11/01)
-- Rich's Attorney Had Been In Touch With Holder About The Pardon.
"International financier Marc Rich's attorney said yesterday that he
told Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder two months ago that he would
be seeking a pardon for Rich and that Holder told him later that he
had no problem with the clemency plea." (James V. Grimaldi and Robert
O'Harrow Jr., "Recollections At Odds On Pardon," The Washington Post,
1/26/01)
Holder Was Involved In The Seizure Of Elian Gonzalez And His Return To Cuba:
Then-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Was Involved In The Seizure Of Elian Gonzalez And His Return To Cuba. "At issue ... legal advisor Eric Holder, a member of Obama's vice-presidential search committee who was deputy attorney general when the 6-year-old boy was seized by federal agents and returned to Cuba." (Beth Reinhard, "Elian Saga Might Hound Obama Visit," The Miami Herald, 6/19/08)
-- Holder Defended The Right Of The Federal Government To Seize Gonzalez
By Force. "The Justice Department yesterday warned the Miami relatives
of Elian Gonzalez that force could be used 'if it becomes necessary'
to return the boy to his father. 'We have that power,' said Deputy
Attorney General Eric Holder." (Richard Sisk, "Gov't Says Force An
Option Reunite Father, Son," [New York] Daily News, 4/7/00)
-- Holder Also Defended The Use Of Guns In The Raid. "Mr. Holder said his
agents were heavily armed when they entered the house because they had
'intelligence that the possibility existed there were guns in the
house. We had to make sure our people were protected and they were in
a position to protect people within the house. I don't know if there
were any guns in the house. I don't know if they found any guns. We
had to deal, however, with the intelligence we had that we got from
local sources and make sure everybody was adequately protected.'
Apparently no guns were found." (Jerry Seper and Clarence Williams,
"Holder Defends Sudden Raid For Elian," The Washington Times, 4/24/00)
Holder Also Engaged In Lobbying For A Controversial Company:
In 2002, Eric Holder Lobbied On Behalf Of Global Crossing After The Company Had Accumulated Nearly $12 Million In Debt. "Smelling blood in the water, Republicans now plan to pounce on another member of Obama's veep-selection committee, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, for his lobbying on behalf of telecom giant Global Crossing. Holder lobbied for the company, which underwent one of the largest bankruptcies in American history after racking up nearly $12 million in debt, as it emerged from bankruptcy in 2002, Senate lobbying disclosure documents reveal." (Charles Hurt and Geoff Earle, "O's Veep Hunter Quits," New York Post, 6/12/08)
Eric Holder Helped Chiquita Secure A "Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal" Related To Their Involvement With Columbian Paramilitary Forces:
As An Attorney At Covington& Burling, Holder Has Represented Many High-Profile Clients, Including Chiquita. "And if Holder's partners at Covington were listening -- a highly unlikely prospect -- there would have been a collective sigh of relief at his response; in seven years at the firm Holder has become a sought-after attorney, with high-profile assignments from the National Football League, Merck & Co. Inc. and Chiquita last year alone." (Andrew Longstreth, "Making History With Obama," The American Lawyer, 6/5/08)
-- "[H]older Helped Chiquita Secure A Slap-On-The-Wrist Plea Deal To
Charges That It Had Paid Off The Terrorists." (Andrew Longstreth,
"Making History With Obama," The American Lawyer, 6/5/08)
In 2007, Ohio-Based Chiquita Brands International Admitted To Paying $1.7 Million To "Right-Wing Death Squads That Have Killed Thousands." "Colombia's attorney general said Tuesday that his office would try to seek the extradition of eight executives from Chiquita Brands International, the Ohio banana company that last week admitted to paying $1.7 million to right-wing death squads that have killed thousands in this country's long civil conflict." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
-- Chiquita Reached An Agreement With The Justice Department When The
Company Plead Guilty To Doing Business With The Paramilitary Group And
Paid A $25 Million Fine. "In deal with the Justice Department,
Chiquita last week agreed to plead guilty to doing business with the
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia... In agreeing to pay a $25
million fine, the company characterized the payments as extortion that
helped protect banana workers in the northwest Uraba region near the
border with Panama." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita
Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
The Paramilitary Organization Had Been Declared An "International Terrorist Group" By The State Department In 2001. "Chiquita admitted making payments to the paramilitaries from 1997 to 2004, which Iguaran said violated Colombian law. On Sept. 10, 2001, the State Department declared the AUC, as the paramilitary coalition is known, an international terrorist group, making it a violation of U.S. law for a U.S. company to conduct business with the organization." (Juan Forero, "Colombia May Seek Chiquita Extraditions," The Washington Post, 3/21/07)
Chiquita's Case Was The "First Time A Major U.S. Company Was Charged With Having Financial Dealings With Terrorists." "In March of this year, Chiquita pled guilty to engaging in transactions with a terrorist group and agreed to pay $25 million in fines, the first time a major U.S. company was charged with having financial dealings with terrorists." (Laurie P. Cohen, "Chiquita Under The Gun," The Wall Street Journal, 8/2/07) .
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Friday, January 9, 2009
Blunt Votes for Resolution Supporting Israel's Right to Protect Citizens
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt issued the following statement today after voting for a resolution to reaffirm the United States' ties with Israel and condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas:
"When Hamas, with the support of outside agitators, declared the end of a six-month ceasefire with Israel, they began this conflict. Israel's leaders had no choice but to defend their borders, their sovereignty and their citizens from violent border attacks and rocket fire by Hamas militants.
"The actions of Israel are nothing more than self-defense. It is unrealistic to expect Israel to stand idly by waiting for a terrorist organization to commit to another short-term ceasefire.
"I am hopeful that peace can return to the border between Israel and Gaza, but peace is only possible if Hamas ceases their continued and unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians."
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"When Hamas, with the support of outside agitators, declared the end of a six-month ceasefire with Israel, they began this conflict. Israel's leaders had no choice but to defend their borders, their sovereignty and their citizens from violent border attacks and rocket fire by Hamas militants.
"The actions of Israel are nothing more than self-defense. It is unrealistic to expect Israel to stand idly by waiting for a terrorist organization to commit to another short-term ceasefire.
"I am hopeful that peace can return to the border between Israel and Gaza, but peace is only possible if Hamas ceases their continued and unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians."
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Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Treasury Secretary to Stop AIG Bailout Financing of Terrorist Activities
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A federal lawsuit was filed December 15 against U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and the Federal Reserve Board to stop all bailout funds from going to American International Group, Inc. ("AIG"). According to the lawsuit, the U.S. government, through its ownership of AIG, is not only violating the Constitution, but also promoting and financing the destruction of America using American tax dollars.
The basis of the lawsuit is that AIG intentionally promotes Shariah-compliant businesses and insurance products, which by necessity must comply with the 1200 year old body of Islamic cannon law based on the Quran, which demands the conversion, subjugation, or destruction of the infidel West, including the United States. To help achieve these objectives and with the aid of federal tax dollars, AIG employs a three-person Shariah Advisory Board, with members from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Pakistan. According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority "is to review [its] operations, supervise its development of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and [its] investments."
Of particular significance is the Pakistani Board member, Dr. Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani. Dr. Usmani is the son and devoted disciple of Sheik Mufti Taqi Usmani, the leading authority on Shariah financing who, in 1999, authored a book dedicating an entire chapter on why a Western Muslim must engage in violent jihad against his own country - even if Muslims are given equality and freedom to practice their religion and to proselytize.
The lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of Kevin J. Murray, a former Marine infantryman who served two tours of duty in Iraq. Murray is represented by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and David Yerushalmi, an associated attorney who specializes in litigation and is an expert on Shariah law (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1105101) and Shariah compliant financing. Mr. Yerushalmi also serves as general counsel to the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.
According to the lawsuit, use of taxpayer funds to acquire ownership of a business that intentionally promotes, endorses, supports, and funds Shariah-based Islamic religious practices violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, "This lawsuit not only raises significant constitutional issues, it also shines a light on serious national security issues that our own government has created by direct financial support and ownership of a business that supports anti-American, radical Islamic activities. Make no mistake, there is an internal cultural jihad underway against our great nation, and I fear that many of our political leaders are unwittingly complicit in it."
On September 11, 2001, Islamic terrorists, guided by principles of Shariah-mandated jihad against "infidels," attacked and killed thousands of innocent American civilians. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. went on the offensive by engaging Islamic terrorists overseas in Iraq and in Afghanistan. As in the past when our Nation faced great crisis, American servicemen were called to action, and Kevin Murray answered the call. From March to October 2003, Murray - a U.S. Marine - was deployed overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Yet today, Murray's federal tax dollars are being used to advance the very cause of global jihad he and his fellow servicemen were placed in harm's way to overcome. Shariah explicitly demands the murder of infidels like Kevin Murray and the destruction of the United States, which Murray took an oath to defend. Shariah is the same law that is used to justify beheadings, stonings, and amputation for petty crimes in places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sudan, which Americans deplore.
Nevertheless, AIG acknowledges and boasts its promotion of Shariah law and Shariah-based business practices. AIG itself describes "Sharia" as "Islamic law based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet [Mohammed]."
In further support of the federal government's endorsement of Shariah, the U.S. Treasury department co-sponsored a seminar in November of this year entitled "Islamic Financing 101" (http://www.thomasmore.org/downloads/sb_thomasmore/-AnnouncementonIslamicFinan ce.pdf) to promote Shariah financing among American institutions. The Seminar was jointly sponsored by Harvard University, one of the many American universities and colleges receiving millions of dollars from oil-producing countries to influence their Middle East programs, which are often staffed with professors who are anti-American, anti-Israeli, and pro-Islamic.
"It is clear," said Thompson, "oil money is purchasing the sovereignty of the United States and whatever loyalty to America these greedy financial institutions, corporations, and universities have left. It's up to the American people to take back their country from those who so easily betray its interests."
The federal lawsuit challenges that portion of the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" that appropriated $40 billion in taxpayer money to fund and financially support the United States government's majority ownership interest in AIG, which engages in Shariah-based Islamic religious activities that are anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, and anti-American.
According to the lawsuit, through the use of taxpayer funds, the U.S. government acquired a majority (79.9%) ownership interest in AIG, and as part of the bailout, Congress appropriated and expended an additional $40 billion of taxpayer money to fund and financially support AIG and its financial activities. AIG, which is now a government owned company, engages in Shariah-compliant financing, which subjects certain financial activities, including investments, to the dictates of Islamic law and the Islamic religion. This specifically includes any profits or interest obtained through such financial activities.
An important element of Shariah-compliant financing is a form of obligatory charitable contribution called zakat, which is a religious tax for assisting those that "struggle [jihad] for Allah." The amount of this tax is between 2.5% and 20%, depending upon the source of the wealth. The zakat religious tax is used to financially support Islamic "charities," some of which have ties to terrorist organizations that are hostile to the United States and all other "infidels," which includes Christians and Jews.
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, recently convicted for providing material support to Islamic terrorist organizations, is an example of an Islamic "charity" that qualifies for receipt of the zakat. Thus, as a direct consequence of the taxpayer funds appropriated and expended to purchase and financially support AIG, the U.S. government is now the owner of a corporation engaged in the business of collecting religious taxes to fund interests adverse to the United States, Christians, Jews, and all other "infidels" under Islamic law
Continued Thompson, "This lawsuit is as much about protecting constitutional principles as it is about protecting our national security and preventing another 9/11 - whether it be overt through flying planes into buildings or covert through appropriating taxpayer money to fund an Islamic cultural jihad."
The lawsuit seeks a court order to stop the taxpayer funding of AIG and its Islamic-based businesses and activities.
The Thomas More Law Center has been involved in several cases dealing with the insidious threat of radical Islam. Law Center attorney Robert Muise, who is handling this case involving AIG, is also one of the Law Center's attorneys defending LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC, the senior officer charged in the so-called "Haditha Massacre" case. Those charges were dismissed by a military judge, and the government has appealed that ruling. Muise is also representing former Marine Jesse Nieto, whose anti-Islamic terrorism message was recently banned by military authorities at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune because of some unknown complaints.
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America's Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.
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The basis of the lawsuit is that AIG intentionally promotes Shariah-compliant businesses and insurance products, which by necessity must comply with the 1200 year old body of Islamic cannon law based on the Quran, which demands the conversion, subjugation, or destruction of the infidel West, including the United States. To help achieve these objectives and with the aid of federal tax dollars, AIG employs a three-person Shariah Advisory Board, with members from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Pakistan. According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority "is to review [its] operations, supervise its development of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and [its] investments."
Of particular significance is the Pakistani Board member, Dr. Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani. Dr. Usmani is the son and devoted disciple of Sheik Mufti Taqi Usmani, the leading authority on Shariah financing who, in 1999, authored a book dedicating an entire chapter on why a Western Muslim must engage in violent jihad against his own country - even if Muslims are given equality and freedom to practice their religion and to proselytize.
The lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of Kevin J. Murray, a former Marine infantryman who served two tours of duty in Iraq. Murray is represented by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and David Yerushalmi, an associated attorney who specializes in litigation and is an expert on Shariah law (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1105101) and Shariah compliant financing. Mr. Yerushalmi also serves as general counsel to the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.
According to the lawsuit, use of taxpayer funds to acquire ownership of a business that intentionally promotes, endorses, supports, and funds Shariah-based Islamic religious practices violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, "This lawsuit not only raises significant constitutional issues, it also shines a light on serious national security issues that our own government has created by direct financial support and ownership of a business that supports anti-American, radical Islamic activities. Make no mistake, there is an internal cultural jihad underway against our great nation, and I fear that many of our political leaders are unwittingly complicit in it."
On September 11, 2001, Islamic terrorists, guided by principles of Shariah-mandated jihad against "infidels," attacked and killed thousands of innocent American civilians. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. went on the offensive by engaging Islamic terrorists overseas in Iraq and in Afghanistan. As in the past when our Nation faced great crisis, American servicemen were called to action, and Kevin Murray answered the call. From March to October 2003, Murray - a U.S. Marine - was deployed overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Yet today, Murray's federal tax dollars are being used to advance the very cause of global jihad he and his fellow servicemen were placed in harm's way to overcome. Shariah explicitly demands the murder of infidels like Kevin Murray and the destruction of the United States, which Murray took an oath to defend. Shariah is the same law that is used to justify beheadings, stonings, and amputation for petty crimes in places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sudan, which Americans deplore.
Nevertheless, AIG acknowledges and boasts its promotion of Shariah law and Shariah-based business practices. AIG itself describes "Sharia" as "Islamic law based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet [Mohammed]."
In further support of the federal government's endorsement of Shariah, the U.S. Treasury department co-sponsored a seminar in November of this year entitled "Islamic Financing 101" (http://www.thomasmore.org/downloads/sb_thomasmore/-AnnouncementonIslamicFinan ce.pdf) to promote Shariah financing among American institutions. The Seminar was jointly sponsored by Harvard University, one of the many American universities and colleges receiving millions of dollars from oil-producing countries to influence their Middle East programs, which are often staffed with professors who are anti-American, anti-Israeli, and pro-Islamic.
"It is clear," said Thompson, "oil money is purchasing the sovereignty of the United States and whatever loyalty to America these greedy financial institutions, corporations, and universities have left. It's up to the American people to take back their country from those who so easily betray its interests."
The federal lawsuit challenges that portion of the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" that appropriated $40 billion in taxpayer money to fund and financially support the United States government's majority ownership interest in AIG, which engages in Shariah-based Islamic religious activities that are anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, and anti-American.
According to the lawsuit, through the use of taxpayer funds, the U.S. government acquired a majority (79.9%) ownership interest in AIG, and as part of the bailout, Congress appropriated and expended an additional $40 billion of taxpayer money to fund and financially support AIG and its financial activities. AIG, which is now a government owned company, engages in Shariah-compliant financing, which subjects certain financial activities, including investments, to the dictates of Islamic law and the Islamic religion. This specifically includes any profits or interest obtained through such financial activities.
An important element of Shariah-compliant financing is a form of obligatory charitable contribution called zakat, which is a religious tax for assisting those that "struggle [jihad] for Allah." The amount of this tax is between 2.5% and 20%, depending upon the source of the wealth. The zakat religious tax is used to financially support Islamic "charities," some of which have ties to terrorist organizations that are hostile to the United States and all other "infidels," which includes Christians and Jews.
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, recently convicted for providing material support to Islamic terrorist organizations, is an example of an Islamic "charity" that qualifies for receipt of the zakat. Thus, as a direct consequence of the taxpayer funds appropriated and expended to purchase and financially support AIG, the U.S. government is now the owner of a corporation engaged in the business of collecting religious taxes to fund interests adverse to the United States, Christians, Jews, and all other "infidels" under Islamic law
Continued Thompson, "This lawsuit is as much about protecting constitutional principles as it is about protecting our national security and preventing another 9/11 - whether it be overt through flying planes into buildings or covert through appropriating taxpayer money to fund an Islamic cultural jihad."
The lawsuit seeks a court order to stop the taxpayer funding of AIG and its Islamic-based businesses and activities.
The Thomas More Law Center has been involved in several cases dealing with the insidious threat of radical Islam. Law Center attorney Robert Muise, who is handling this case involving AIG, is also one of the Law Center's attorneys defending LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC, the senior officer charged in the so-called "Haditha Massacre" case. Those charges were dismissed by a military judge, and the government has appealed that ruling. Muise is also representing former Marine Jesse Nieto, whose anti-Islamic terrorism message was recently banned by military authorities at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune because of some unknown complaints.
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America's Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.
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