Homeland Security Appeals Qatanani Ruling

The Department of Homeland Security has appealed a judge's order granting permanent residency to a New Jersey imam with ties to Hamas. Mohammad Qatanani's failure to report a 1993 arrest and detention by Israeli officials when he applied for his green card is at the heart of the government appeal, the Hackensack Record reports.

Qatanani denies having Hamas links and said that, while he was detained by Israel, he did not include the information on his application because he was not convicted of a crime. A federal judge sided with him last September.

Qatanani had widespread support in New Jersey, despite a record of condemning Christians to eternal hellfire and his attendance at numerous radical conferences in the United States. For example, Qatanani spoke at the 1999 Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) conference in Chicago. The IAP served as a Hamas propaganda arm in the United States and was part of a secret Muslim Brotherhood committee assembled to help Hamas politically and financially.

The appeal is before the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Source: IPT Blog

Imam's victory short-lived

BY ELIZABETH LLORENTE

What was expected to be a day of jubilation at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson Friday turned into one of bitterness as news spread that the mosque's spiritual leader must renew his fight against deportation.

"We thought it was over," said Awatif Abadrabbo, referring to the announcement by Homeland Security officials that were appealing an immigration judge's ruling last month granting Imam Mohammad Qatanani permanent U.S. residency.

"We want him to stay," she said. "He has been good for us, for our children."

Other congregants said the appeal would taint a relationship between the mosque and federal officials developed since Sept. 11, 2001, when Qatanani was one of the first imams nationwide to condemn the attacks and invited the FBI to the mosque to address the congregation.

"This is vindictive," said Aref Assaf, spokesman for the imam. "The implications for relations between our community and the federal government are damaging and far-reaching." Read more ...

Source: The Record

ICE: "Intelligent, Competent, Enforcement?" Not Quite

By Dan Vara

In yet another example of why, as the presidential candidates have so accurately and understatedly described, the workings of the federal bureaucracy need to change, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to demonstrate that despite being part of the Department of Homeland Security, it simply is nowhere near on top of the national security game.

In a nutshell, an influential New Jersey Muslim leader whom U.S. authorities had sought to deport by proving his link to terrorist activity has won his fight to gain permanent U.S. residency. A federal immigration judge in Newark ruled last Thursday that Mohammad Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, can remain in the U.S.

Through the obvious mishandling of a case which, based on its subject matter, had to be considered high profile and very sensitive, the leadership of ICE has once again proven that it cannot be trusted to competently meet its statutory obligation in the counterterrorism arena. Read more ...

Source: IPT News

Terror claims against NJ Muslim leader rejected

NEWARK, N.J.: An influential New Jersey Muslim leader accused by some federal officials of having terrorist ties but praised by others as being an important ally won his fight to gain permanent U.S. residency Thursday.

A federal immigration judge in Newark ruled that Mohammad Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, can remain in the U.S.

The ruling brought cheers, tears and applause from about a dozen Qatanani supporters who gathered in the courtroom.

"I would like to thank the judge for working hard in this case," Qatanani said. "This is a beautiful thing. The justice system in this country is great."

U.S. immigration authorities had sought to deport Qatanani on grounds that he failed to disclose on his green card application a prior arrest and conviction in Israel for being a member of Hamas - a group classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Read more ...

Source: APAlberto J. Riefkohl
Latest recipient of The Dhimmi Award

A Man of Peace?

By Jacob Laksin

Newark, N.J. – New Jersey residents may be pardoned for thinking that an admired religious leader and devout man of peace is being persecuted by bigoted government agents in their state.

That certainly is how much of the local media has chosen to portray the ongoing trial of Mohammed Qatanani, an imam at of one of New Jersey’s largest and most controversial mosques, the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC).

To Qatanani’s supporters, his trial is a cruel assault on a man guilty only of preaching “interfaith” harmony. Stoking this sentimental narrative, the New York Times has generously described Qatanani as a “revered imam” whose life has been so interrupted by federal immigration authorities that he must rely on the support and “hugs” of his congregation.

Coverage of the trial itself has come uncomfortably close to cheerleading. “Imam Receives Strong Support in Court,” was how the state’s leading newspaper, the Star Ledger, headlined a recent story from the trial, which did not fail to record one supporter’s breathless effusion that the imam “radiates peace.”

Politicians, too, have rallied to the imam's side. Governor Jon Corzine, who has addressed Qatanani’s ICPC in the past, is among the imam’s most prominent supporters. In his corner, the imam also has a rabbi, Roman Catholic and Episcopalian priests, and police officers who insist that the imam cannot be confused with an extremist. Read more ...

Source: FrontPage MagazineMohammad Qatanani
Latest recipient of the Distinguished Islamofascist Award

The latest "Interfaith" leader with terror ties

In anticipation of the deportation proceedings of Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic in New Jersey, New York Times trumpeted "Revered New Jersey Imam, Facing Deportation, Has Interfaith Support." And indeed, the Imam has had various "interfaith" leaders testify on his behalf, as reported by Newsday:

Several Catholic priests and a Jewish rabbi became emotional on the stand when describing how much Qatanani had done for interfaith understanding.

Qatanani is accused of having lied on his immigration documents both about his arrest and conviction in Israel (which he now claims was merely a "detention") and his confession that he was a member of Hamas (which he now claims was procured under torture). Qatanani also claims he only recently became aware of his conviction by Israeli authorities. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Heather Philpott has testified:

...during the 2005 meeting Qatanani admitted he had been arrested and convicted by Israeli authorities, and that he had been advised by an attorney at the time to plead guilty to being a member of Hamas and sign an affidavit to that effect.

Read more ...

Source: IPT NewsMohammad Qatanani
Latest recipient of the Distinguished Islamofascist Award

Muslim cleric fighting deportation linked to terror group

NEWARK (AP) -- When he faces an immigration judge in two weeks, a popular Muslim cleric fighting deportation may have to counter claims that he confessed to being a member of a terrorist group.

According to Israeli military authorities, Imam Mohammad Qatanani admitted being a member of the militant Hamas organization during interrogation in 1993 in Israel.

"Imam Mohammed Katanani was convicted based on his own admission on charges of belonging to an unauthorized association and providing services to an unauthorized association, for being a member of Hamas and acting on its behalf," the Israeli army said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press.

Source: APMohammad Qatanani
Latest recipient of the Distinguished Islamofascist Award