TENSIONS BUILD AT MEETING ON GROUND ZERO MOSQUE

TENSIONS BUILD AT MEETING ON GROUND ZERO MOSQUE

A June 6th rally opposing the construction is planned

BY: FERN SIDMAN

A palpable tension filled the air on Greenwich Street in lower Manhattan on Tuesday evening May 25th, as an emotionally charged meeting was held by Manhattan's Community Board 1 over the proposed construction of a 13-story mosque and cultural center just blocks away from Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 twin towers terror attacks.

After four hours of rancorous public debate, hostilities reached a zenith when members of the board voted 29-1 with 10 abstentions in support of the plan. Several board members proposed a postponement of the vote until the next meeting in order to obtain more detailed information about funding of the project and the organizations sponsoring it, but the motion failed.

The Cordoba Initiative, headed by Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, is the chief sponsor of the project that is to be called The Cordoba House, a name that refers to the city in Spain which, in the Middle Ages, was a center of Islamic culture and learning. Cordoba was also the seat of an Islamic caliphate in which Jews and Christians suffered under second-class dhimmi status. It was the site of a large-scale pogrom, perpetrated by Muslims, in the year 1011.

The mosque will be built at 45 Park Place, is the site of a four story edifice built in 1857 and was a Burlington Coat retail store until 9/11, when part of the plane's landing gear crashed through the roof. The building which currently houses a mosque will be razed to make room for the new structure. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission could conceivably thwart the intended project if they determine that the building has historic status, thus rendering it a landmark. Elisabeth de Bourbon, a spokeswoman for the Landmarks Commission said a hearing is scheduled to take place on that very subject.

Failing to abide by Roberts Rules of Order, project opponents jeered at the speakers and yelled comments such as, "You're building over a cemetery!" while holding signs that read, "Show respect for the 3000" among other things. Among the groups standing in opposition to the proposed mosque are the Families of the 9/11 Victims, the Tea Party activists of Staten Island and Brooklyn, the New York City Firefighters, Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA), Jihad Watch and the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam (HRCARI).

Pamela Geller, executive director of "Stop Islamization of America' (SIOA), an organization that is spearheading the June 6th rally to protest the proposed mosque blasted the Cordoba Initiative and its leader, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, saying the project is "an insult to the people who were murdered there on 9/11 to build a mosque that will teach the same holy book, the same belief-system, that motivated the 9/11 terrorists." She added that, "In Islam there is a history of placing mosques over the cherished sites of conquered people: the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where the Dome of the Rock now stands, and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia cathedral in Constantinople into a mosque are two of the most famous examples, but there are thousands of others. In the Islamic world a mosque at Ground Zero would be no less unmistakably a sign of Islamic triumphalism and supremacism."
Before the vote, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said that he understood the sensitivities of the families of the 9/11 victims. "I don't think anybody wants to do anything to disrespect those families. They made the ultimate sacrifice" he said. "At the same time, we have to balance diversity and look for opportunities to bring different groups together." Stringer released a statement on behalf of the community board saying that support of the construction of the mosque "sent a clear message that our city is one that promotes diversity and tolerance."

Stringer has been the target of disparaging remarks by Tea Party activist Mark Williams who has called the proposed center a monument to the terror attacks. Stringer has defended his position in support of the plans to build the mosque and has denounced what he perceives to be offensive speech directed at him or at Muslims.

Council member Margaret Chin said early in the meeting that those who assume a posture of strong resistance to the plans for the proposed mosque are "haters and bigots." The reference was directed at members of the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam (HRCARI) and others who held aloft signs condemning the decision of the board to support this endeavor. According to a 1991 article in "The City Journal" author Richard Brookhiser revealed Ms. Chin's political agenda. He states, "For Ms. Chin had risen to prominence by way of the Communist Workers Party, a Maoist sect that decided several years ago to begin infiltrating mainstream politics."

Satya Dosapati, a leader of the Hindu Human Rights Watch and an active member of the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam said that "my observation has been that people are waking up to the very real threat that Islamic radicalism represents." Mr. Dosapati is working on mobilizing the large Hindu population in central New Jersey and is arranging buses to the rally on June 6th. "We need exceptionally large numbers of people to attend this rally if we want our voices to be heard. We are assembling at 12 noon on June 6th at Zucotti Park on the corner of Church and Liberty Streets and we beseech all those who are concerned about the future of democracy, liberty and freedom to come out."

Imam Rauf insists that the $150 million project is meant to heal the wounds of 9/11. "We've approached the community because we want this to be an example of how we are cooperating with the members of the community, not only to provide services but also to build a discourse on how Muslims and non-Muslims can cooperate together to push back against the voice of extremism", he said.

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy says there are more productive ways to fight Islamic extremism and has questions about the financing. According to reports, the building that occupies the site was purchased last year for $4.85 million in cash by Soho Properties, a real estate company run by Muslims. Imam Rauf, who is also the founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement was an investor in that transaction.

Dr. Jasser said that with such a financial commitment, there needs to be full disclosure about where the money is coming from. "There should be transparency about who those investors are; whether that money is coming from a domestic source or not, and if it's coming from foreign interests we need to know, because I think that's a liability, and it shows that there is another agenda rather than domestic security and tranquility" he said.

Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch, a program of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, and the author of ten books on the nature of Islam expressed doubts about the purportedly benign views of Imam Rauf. "After the 9/11 attacks, Imam Rauf was quoted on the CBS 60 Minutes program of September 30, 2001 as saying, "US policies were an accessory to the 9/11 crime. In the most direct sense Osama Bin Laden was made in the USA". It is clear from the language that Imam Rauf uses now as opposed to back in 2001 that he is a prototypical dissembler as he boldly insinuated that American foreign policy was to blame for the heinous atrocities that took the lives of close to 3,000 people on 9/11" he said.

"Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is an open proponent of Sharia, which institutionalizes discrimination against Jews, Christians, women, and others, and denies freedom of speech and freedom of conscience" said Pamela Geller of SIOA. Her sober warning was crystal clear: "If we do not confront this threat now, then in the future we will see increasing assertiveness from Islamic supremacists in this country; demanding that we accept elements of Islamic law, and increasing conflict as free Americans see their rights being abridged and Muslims set up as a privileged class here."

Perspectives on the Afghan War

The problem lies in Pakistan


You are right that the "Afghan mission can still be made a worthwhile one, but not if it is left to drift rudderless". However, it is not the goals that need to be debated but rather the strategy.

Unfortunately, the root of the problem continues to be ignored: namely, the Pakistani military and intelligence's support for the various militant groups in Afghanistan as part of their expansionist policy of "strategic depth". The military and intelligence also play a double game as part of their half-hearted co-operation with Nato forces by attacking militant groups that directly threaten Pakistan's stability but providing early warnings and escape routes during security operations against those that do not. This is done in order to receive financial aid from countries such as the US.

Hence, increasing the number of troops could defeat the militant groups in Afghanistan, but the victory would be short-lived as they could simply retreat into Pakistan as they did in the period 2002-2004 and then infiltrate Afghanistan again, similarly to what happened in 2005 and 2006, as can be observed by the sudden spike in the number of troop deaths from 2005 onwards.

At the same time, the situation would deteriorate if Nato forces were to simply withdraw. The militant groups would be strengthened, and the Pakistani military and intelligence would be emboldened to pursue their policy of "strategic depth".

Given the close co-operation between al-Qa'ida, the Taliban Shura based in Quetta, and Punjab-based groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was responsible for the Mumbai attacks, the threat to the whole of South Asia would be increased, and in turn to the West itself, since India and Pakistan both have nuclear arsenals.

Thus, we must confront the Pakistani military and intelligence on this issue, rather than assuming that we have, in Obama's words, a relationship of "mutual trust" with Pakistan, and try to make them assume responsibility for the situation. This would allow for a safe withdrawal plan that would also put an end to the Pashtun nationalist insurgency in Afghanistan that has arisen in response to the prolonged presence of Nato forces.

Aymenn Jawad

Cardiff

TENS OF THOUSANDS MARK ISRAEL'S 62nd ANNIVERSARY

TENS OF THOUSANDS MARK ISRAEL'S 62nd ANNIVERSARY

BY: FERN SIDMAN

Fashionable 5th Avenue in New York City morphed into a virtual sea of blue and white on Sunday afternoon, May 23rd, as thousands marched down the famed thoroughfare in a passionate display of support for the State of Israel on her 62nd birthday. The flag of Israel was a ubiquitous site, as marchers representing synagogues, schools, yeshivos and Jewish organizations from around the tri-state area held aloft this indefatigable symbol of Jewish statehood with pride while hoisting decorative banners and signs calling for a united Jerusalem. Scores of spectators from all over the country lined the parade route and joyfully cheered on the marchers as they raised their collective voices in tribute to the glorious legacy of Israel.

For over 20 blocks, Hebrew songs blared through loudspeakers on the abundance of floats representing organizations and businesses supporting Israel as marching bands, dance troupes and choral societies provided their own unique backdrop to the day's festivities. Throngs of ebullient students representing such local area schools as Yeshiva of Flatbush, Magen David, Shulamith High School for Girls, Yeshiva of Manhattan Beach and the East Midwood Hebrew Day School proudly chanted, "Am Yisroel Chai" (the nation of Israel lives) as they paid homage to the rich heritage, ancestry, and history of the Jewish homeland.

Others schools and groups participating in the 2010 Salute to Israel parade included the Yeshiva of Central Queens, Yeshiva University High School for Boys and Girls, the JCH of Bensonhurst, HAFTR - Hebrew Academy of Far Rockaway and the Five Towns, the Jewish Foundation School, the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, the Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School, the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, the Kings Bay YM-YWHA, the Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, the Sephardic Heritage Alliance, the Solomon Schecter Day Schools of Bergen, Essex and Union counties in New Jersey, United Synagogue Youth, the Ramaz School, the Westchester Jewish Conference, Temple Israel of Great Neck, Tzofim Tzabar - Friends of Israel Scouts, the Republican Jewish Coalition, RAJE - Russian American Jewish Experience, the Jewish War Veterans, among many others.

Float sponsors included the American Friends of Magen David Adom, the America-Israel Friendship League, Bank Leumi, Bank Hapoalim, El Al Airlines, the B'nai Zion Foundation and the 92nd Street YM-YWHA.

The parade was not without a polemical element as opponents of the Jewish state gathered along the parade route between 58th and 59th Streets to voice their animus towards Israel. Members of the vociferously anti-Israel Chassidic sect known as Neturei Karta carried Palestinian flags and shouted epithets against the Zionist movement while holding signs saying, "Authentic rabbis oppose the creation of Israel". They were joined by members of the ANSWER Coalition, a left wing pro-Palestinian conglomerate who lambastes Israel as a "racist, apartheid state".

Directly across the street stood members of the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam (HRCARI), a nascent organization representing Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and ex-Muslims whose objective is to graphically depict the heinous atrocities committed by radical Islamists against all infidels. Andrew Upton, a founding member of HRCARI said, "We are here today to remind all Americans that Israel is on the front lines in the struggle against radical Islam. If we strengthen Israel, we thereby strengthen all of humanity as radical Islam represents the greatest threat to our freedoms since Nazism prior to World War II."

Christian supporters of Israel such as Linda Rivera of Manhattan also joined the HRCARI counter-protest. Said Ms. Rivera," The Jewish people are finally back in the land that G-d gave them as an everlasting possession and anybody who attempts to steal this land from the Jews is declaring war on G-d. The Obama administration has expressed nothing but extreme hostility towards our stalwart ally Israel while coddling our terrorist enemies such as Iran and that is nothing short of reprehensible."

"Haven't we learned from history that we can't appease terrorists?", intoned Coretta James, an African American woman and fervent supporter of Israel. "I am here today to say as a black woman, that our president if a blatant anti-Semite who should be ashamed of himself for his wayward policies concerning Israel. The Jewish nation cannot be coerced into making a so called 'peace' with an enemy who has sworn her destruction such as the Palestinian leadership", she added.

Rabbi Chaim Shimon of the Millinery Synagogue in Manhattan said, "We are here today to show our solidarity with the one and only Jewish nation. As a Torah observant Jew, my message to President Obama concerning his relations to Jews and Israel comes directly from the Bible which states, 'Those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed'. Mr. President - keep your hands off our holy city of Jerusalem because the G-d of Israel is watching over you."

As the parade reached its conclusion, both marchers and spectators headed towards the "Summerstage" in Central Park for the 17th annual Concert in the Park for Israel. Headlining at this year's musical tribute to Israel were renowned singers Eitan Katz, Gershon Veroba, Dr. Meyer and Baruch Abittan, Jerry Markowitz, Izzy Kieffer, Michael Ian Elias, Elad Snir, accompanied by Israeli pianist extraordinaire Shlomi Aharoni and such groups as Pey Dalid and the Maccabeats (a Yeshiva University a cappella group), among others

The concert, emceed by radio personality Nachum Segal, (JM in the AM), was dedicated to Jerusalem never being divided, not giving up any land anywhere in Eretz Yisroel, and standing up to the mullahs of Iran. Mr. Segal introduced such speakers as New York State Assemblyman David Weprin, director of the Igud HaRabonim, Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie of the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, Manhigut Yehudit international director, Shmuel Sackett, Rabbi David Algaze of the Chavurat Israel synagogue in Forest Hills, Rev. Michael Faulkner (Congressional candidate for the 15th district in northern Manhattan), and executive director of the Shomron Liason Office, David HaIvri.

The keynote speakers were MK Danny Danon, Chairman of the World Likud movement and deputy speaker of the Knesset and Michael S. Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee. "Israeli settlements are not an obstacle to peace in the Middle East" said MK Danon. "They are assets to Israel that must be preserved at all costs", he intoned. Mr. Danon, a member of the Betar Zionist youth movement founded by the legendary Zionist revisionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky said that "Jerusalem will remain undivided; despite the pressure that Israel finds herself under by the Obama administration. The real threat to peace and stability in the region is the Iranian nuclear threat which is very real and very lethal and that is something that the US is reluctant to confront in the strongest terms", he declared. In a private interview subsequent to his speech Mr. Danon said, "If need be, Israel has the nuclear capability to deal with Iran's burgeoning nuclear arsenal. Israel did not attend the recent global nuclear summit in Washington because we don't need to be on the receiving end of pressure regarding nuclear disarmament, especially now, as the clock is ticking concerning a possible strike against us by Iran."

"We need very clear indications from Washington concerning its commitment to Israel's security", said Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee. "And the major obstacle here is that we're not getting any indications from the Obama administration about what they are planning to do about the danger that Israel finds herself in, vis-a-via the Iranian nuclear threat. It is our belief that Israel should not be exhorted to make territorial concessions in the name of a false peace. We know that we cannot appease terrorists and the Palestinian Authority and the other Iranian proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah are clearly dedicated to Israel's annihilation", he said.

AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON KEYNOTES AT JRP/ATERET COHANIM DINNER IN NEW YORK

HON. JOHN BOLTON KEYNOTES AT JRP/ATERET COHANIM DINNER

BY: FERN SIDMAN

Warning of the existential perils to Israel, the United States and the entire western world that a nuclear empowered Iran represents, the Honorable John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations delivered a powerful address as keynote speaker at the 2010 Jerusalem Reclamation Project/Ateret Cohanim dinner on Thursday evening, May 13th at Terrace on the Park.

Citing the plethora of misinformation and misimpressions that swirl around the status of Israel, Jerusalem and its surrounding settlements, Ambassador Bolton made several oblique references to the current strain in US-Israeli relations and chastised the Obama administration for pressuring Israel to cease construction of new homes for Jewish residents in East Jerusalem. "People should be able to buy and sell property in Jerusalem, as in any other country, and clearly peace in the region is not dependent on Israel making territorial concessions", he intoned. Referring to the chilly reception and humiliating treatment that was accorded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his most recent visit to Washington, Ambassador Bolton said, "Today, Afghan president Hamid Kharzi was treated to a gala lunch at the White House and shown the kind of respect that we display to our allies. Lest we forget that Israel is our staunchest ally in the Middle East and as such the prime minister of Israel should receive the same respect."

Debunking the ubiquitous myth that peace in the Middle East will be achieved by settling the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ambassador Bolton opined, "The Palestinians are being exploited by their own leaders and the US should not force either proximity or direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians because there is no legitimate Palestinian entity to negotiate with. The US needs to stop digging the hole that they're in because undertaking this huge diplomatic task that will result in failed negotiations will leave the US in a much weaker position."

Calling Iran the "cradle of terrorism", Ambassador Bolton said, "Iran has been developing nuclear weapons for the last 20 years and neither diplomacy nor economic sanctions will be effective deterrents against them. Iran has been hiding from IAEA inspectors, concealing data and destroying concrete proof of nuclear facilities. He also provided evidence of Iran's nuclear ties to the rogue country of North Korea, whose nuclear power plant in Syria was destroyed in a 2007 attack by Israel and spoke of Iran's financing of such terrorist groups as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban. "Because of the ethnic dissatisfaction in Iran, a regime change is warranted and the ousting of the Islamic revolutionary regime that came to power there in 1979", he said to rousing applause. Until that time he said that "Iran cannot be contained or deterred" and suggested that Israel might be put in a position to launch a pre-emptive strike while there are no clear indications from Washington that it will support such a venture.

The ambassador concluded by thanking the members of the JRP/Ateret Cohanim for their unflinching devotion to building Jerusalem and for their tireless efforts on its behalf of its people. The Jerusalem Reclamation Project and Ateret Cohanim are organizations predicated on fulfilling a generations old dream of rebuilding and securing a united Jerusalem, strengthening Jewish roots and reestablishing thriving Jewish communities that are centered around educational institutes in and around the Old City of Jerusalem. Referring to Jerusalem as the "heart and soul" of the Jewish nation, its activities include establishing educational centers, helping to renovate old buildings, installing and maintaining security systems and initiating other Jewish educational projects in an effort to revitalize this important area and have a greater Jewish presence in and around the Old City.

The guests of honor at this year's dinner were Dr. Joseph Frager and Mr. Mel Wadler. Dr. Frager, a renowned gastroenterologist, is the chairman of the board of The Jerusalem Reclamation Project and is widely regarded as one of the leading Jewish activists of today. Mr. Wadler is one of the founding members of American Friends of Ateret Cohanim and established its first office in his home back in 1984. He is a tenacious visionary who has become a driving force in the JRP.

Philanthropists Joseph and Helen Mermelstein were this year's recipients of the auspicious Jerusalem Chai award and were hailed for their "tireless work on behalf of Jews around the world." Credited with securing the release of former Soviet prisoner of conscience Anatoly (Natan) Sharansky, the Mermelsteins are also active in helping the settlements in Judea and Samaria by donating swimming pools, basketball courts and day-care centers.

The Bonei Yerushalayim honorees of 2010 included three very special people. Mark and Galina Moerdler have been active involved in various Jewish causes including the JRP, Children of Chernobyl and Amit. Their exemplary dedication and commitment to Jerusalem and Israel is manifested through their constant support of JRP initiatives.

Introduced by Shani Hikind who is the JRP executive vice president, Mr. Moe Tawil was described as a "man of action and devotion" and "a Moses in our time" for his stalwart support of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Mr. Tawil was born into a family steeped in the Sephardic traditional way of life where education, the study of Torah and Yirat Hashem were woven into the fabric of their daily lives. Mrs. Hikind said that Mr. Tawil was a true Ohev Yisroel who cares deeply for his brethren and that he confided in her that "Torah is the secret to his longevity."

Other Jewish luminaries were also present at the dinner including Rabbi David Algaze of the Chavurat Yisrael synagogue in Forest Hills, New York. Commenting on the recent terrorist attempt in Times Square on May 1st by Pakistani born American citizen, Faisal Shahzad, Rabbi Algaze said, "If our elected officials and the media do not name the enemy as radical Islamists, we will never find them. While stereotyping and profiling any group is abhorrent we must realize that Islam is like no other culture. It seeks worldwide domination in the form of a caliphate and their doctrine is based on the teachings of Muhammed who called for the death of all infidels. Islamic mosques and madrassas are breeding grounds for this kind of nefarious ideology and their preachers and imams cannot stop it."

New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D) representing the 48th assembly district in Boro Park since 1982 and husband of Shani Hikind of the JRP said of the burgeoning Iranian nuclear threat, "As Ambassador Bolton suggested in his speech, Israel may have no choice but to make the first move against Iran for self-preservation reasons and not to take action may prove to be worse later on." Opining on the US position of such an engagement by Israel he said, "the Obama administration has been a disaster for Israel and the US. This administration has done everything in its power to undermine Israel's security, and thus the ultimate security of the United States."

Deoband fatwa: It's illegal for women to work, support family

LUCKNOW: Darul Uloom Deoband, the self-appointed guardian for Indian Muslims, in a Talibanesque fatwa that reeked of tribal patriarchy, has decreed that it is "haram" and illegal according to the Sharia for a family to accept a woman's earnings. Clerics at the largest Sunni Muslim seminary after Cairo's Al-Azhar said the decree flowed from the fact that the Sharia prohibited proximity of men and women in the workplace.

"It is unlawful (under the Sharia law) for Muslim women to work in the government or private sector where men and women work together and women have to talk with men frankly and without a veil," said the fatwa issued by a bench of three clerics. The decree was issued over the weekend, but became public late on Monday, seminary sources said.

At a time when there is a rising clamour for job quotas for Muslims in India and a yearning for progress in the community that sees itself as neglected, the fatwa, although unlikely to be heeded, is clearly detrimental.

Even the most conservative Islamic countries, which restrict activities of women, including preventing them from driving, do not bar women from working. At the peak of its power, the Taliban only barred women in professions like medicine from treating men and vice versa. But there was a never a blanket ban on working, although the mullahs made it amply clear that they would like to see the women confined to homes.

The fatwa, however, drew flak among other clerics.

"Men and women in Sharia are entitled to equal rights. If men follow the Sharia, there is no reason why women can't work with them," said Rasheed, the Naib Imam of Lucknow's main Eidgah Mosque in Aishbagh.

Mufti Maulana Khalid Rasheed of Darul Ifta Firangi Meheli -- another radical Islamic body which also issues fatwas -- criticized the Deoband fatwa as a retrograde restriction on Muslim women.

The fatwa was in response to a question whether Muslim women can take up government or private jobs and whether their salary should be termed as `halal' (permissible under the Sharia) or `haram' (forbidden).

Well-known Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, however, justified the fatwa. "Women in Islam are not supposed to go out and earn a living. It's the responsibility of the males in the family," he said. "If a woman has to go for a job, she must make sure that the Sharia restrictions are not compromised," he added, citing the example of Iran, where Muslim women work in offices but have separate seating areas, away from their male counterparts.

In Lucknow, a city with strong secular and progressive traditions, where Muslim families train their daughters to be doctors, engineers and executives, there was a sense of shocked disbelief even in conservative quarters that such a decree could come from those who consider themselves to be advocates of the community.

"I am also a working woman and also ensure that my Sharia is not compromised," said Rukhsana, a lecturer at a girl's college in Lucknow and a member of the executive committee of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). "It's not necessary that one would have to go against the Sharia when going to work."

"Name one Islamic country which does not have a national airline and does not hire airhostesses? If I know correctly, even the Saudi Airlines has hostesses and they don't wear a veil," said Shabeena Parveen, a computer professional in the city.

Source: The times of India

India moves one step closer to 'Quranic values'....

ALLAHABAD: In a judgment with far-reaching implications, the Allahabad high court has ruled that a non-Muslim bride must convert to Islam to marry a Muslim. Failing that, the matrimony with a Muslim man would be void as it would contradict Islamic dicta and tenets of the Quran, the court said.

The ruling on Monday by a division bench comprising Justices Vinod Prasad and Rajesh Chandra, came on a writ petition filed by Dilbar Habib Siddiqui. The petitioner had sought quashing of an FIR registered against him on March 17 under sections 323, 366 and 363 of IPC with Naini PS, Allahabad and prayed the court not interfere in his peaceful matrimonial life with Khushboo Jaiswal. The judges directed a speedy probe into the marriage of Siddiqui and ordered the cops to separate Khushboo Jaiswal, who was lodged in Nari Niketan, and hand her over to her parents.

The primary question for adjudication was on whether the FIR could be quashed or not. A perusal of the contents of the FIR indicated that Khushboo Jaiswal was alleged to have been abducted by the petitioner three months prior to its lodging. However, the petitioner had succeeded in preventing the FIR from being registered. The FIR was filed by the girl's mother, Sunita Jaiswal, who alleged that the petitioner had abducted her daughter. She contended that Khushboo never converted to Islam and there was also no documentary evidence to suggest so.

"In our above conclusion we are fortified by the fact that in the affidavit filed by Khusboo herself subsequent to her alleged contract marriage, she has described herself as Khushboo and not by any Islamic name. As Khushboo, she could not have contracted marriage according to Muslim customs. In those documents she has addressed herself as Khushboo Jaiswal," the verdict said.

"Thus, what is conspicuously clear is that Khushboo Jaiswal never converted and embraced Islam and therefore her marital tie with the petitioner Dilbar Habib Siddiqui is a void marriage since the same is contrary to Islamic dicta and tenets of Holy Quran," the court ruled.

Source: The Times Of India

HUMAN RIGHTS RAINBOW COALITION STAGES RALLY IN TIMES SQUARE

HUMAN RIGHTS RAINBOW COALITION STAGES RALLY IN TIMES SQUARE

BY: FERN SIDMAN

On Tuesday evening, May 11th, the crossroads of the world, better known as Times Square in Manhattan was the scene of a passionate display of fortitude as members of the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam gathered for a rally to expose the existential perils that radical Islam represents to the Western world. Standing just a few blocks from the place where 30 year old Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani born and Taliban trained American citizen attempted to detonate his vehicle filled with deadly explosives on May 1st in order to murder as many tourists and innocent civilians as possible, the leaders of this rainbow coalition of activists sounded a clarion call as onlookers watched and listened.

Comprised of Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and ex-Muslims, the HRCARI is a nascent organization that champions the rights of those who have been victimized and slaughtered by Muslim extremists. Having staged its very first rally in Times Square in May of 2009, their ranks have swelled over the last year with those who are deeply concerned about the cultural indifference to the burgeoning growth of Islamic radicalism.

Charles Jacobs, a board member of the HRCARI and a writer for The Jewish Advocate in Boston said, "Our purpose here today is two-fold. We are here to send a clear message to the press and politicians who have intentionally obfuscated the nature of this most recent terrorist attempt by not labeling the enemy as radical Islam and acquiescing to political correctness. We are also here to educate the public about the pernicious agenda of those radical Islamists who would love nothing more than to obliterate our cherished values of democracy, freedom and liberty."

"The Western world is mired in self-doubt and self-guilt that has been imposed upon us by those post-modern forces on the left and in the sphere of academia who believe we are deserving of the animus of our enemies", he ruefully observed.

Holding aloft signs and banners saying, "Elected Officials and Mass Media - Unveil The Truth: Radical Islam Attacks Humanity", "Stop Billions of Saudi Oil Money that are Funding Worldwide Radical Islamic Intolerance and Terror", "Reform Radical Islmamic Madrassas: Stop Teaching Hate" and displaying placards of those Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, women and gays who have been summarily murdered by brutal Islamic regimes, the rally attendees graphically described the horrific consquences of being an "infidel" in the Muslim world. Martin Rosenthal, a rally attendee from Queens held a homemade sign that said, "Queers Against Radical Islam" and spoke of the heinous atrocities committed against both gay men and women in such countries as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Narain Kataria, the founder of the Indian American Intellectuals Forum said, "Since 9/11/2001, the followers of the so called "religion of peace" have carried out 15101 deadly terrorist attacks and killed more than 75,000 people. It does not requite a rocket scientist to tell us that the aim of the Jihadist is to dominate the entire world, force all of us to surrender and to plant the Islamic flag in Washington, London, Jerusalem and New Delhi, not to mention New York City." He also spoke the mass slaughter of Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan. "Pakistan is the nursery of terrorism. Pakistan is the epicenter of Jihad. Pakistan is the most untrustworthy ally in the war on terror. Pakistan is fooling us. They use sophistry and subterfuge to hoodwink us", he declared.

"What we need here in America and throughout the free world is intellectual clarity", said Madeline Brooks, the Manhattan chapter head of Act For America, a national human rights organization that stridently opposes radical Islam and serves as a bulwark against the mendacity of multi-cultural relativists in the progressive camp. "We here in New York are faced with mortal danger each day. We are the prime terror target on this planet. We are in daner of being nuked and the government's denial of this threat only leaves us in a much weaker state and undermines the confidence of the people who reside here. That is the reality of radical Islam and we do ourselves a grave injustice by not confronting it head on with the gravitas that it demands" she continued.

John Kenneth Press, a PhD in history and the author of "Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future" (2007 - Social Books) said, "Culturism is a political philosophy, art and science based upon the understanding that cultural diversity is real and important. Western culture believes in free speech, feminism, and the separation of church and state. Islam, for example, does not. Western culture is based on individuals applying their intelligence towards progressive and productive ends. For 1400 years there has been a worldwide Jihad fueled by radical Islam whose objective is death and destruction of all infidels and the sooner that we give voice to this, the sooner that we demand that our government consider this threat as a moral and physical exigency, the sooner we can increase our chances of not falling prey to an Islamic caliphate."

"21st century Nazism is now tantamount to radical Islam" said Andrew Upton, a board member of HRCARI. "There is someone here today holding a sign saying, "Queers Against Radical Islam". We applaud this person for spotlighting the fact that gays and lesbians are considered worthy of death in Islamic countries as are women who are consistently victims of honor murders by male family members for attempting to divorce their husbands, for being raped, for not allowing themselves to be party to forced marriages and for purported violations of Sharia law", he said.

At the conclusion of the rally, the participants took their signs and banners and staged a march throughout the Times Square area calling on all concerned citizens to lobby their elected officials and the press to "jettison the fraud of multi-cultural relativism and politcal correctness in the name of our survival."

THOUSANDS RALLY FOR ISRAEL IN NEW YORK CITY

THOUSANDS RALLY FOR ISRAEL IN NEW YORK CITY

BY: FERN SIDMAN

"Obama - Stop Pressuring Israel" was the rallying cry of the day, as over 2000 supporters of Israel gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate in New York City on Sunday afternoon, April 25th to express their views on the current strain in relations between the United States and Israel. Organizers of the rally had expected thousands more to attend but the inclement weather kept many away.

The rally was sponsored and organized by the Jewish Action Alliance, an pro-Israel activist organization that is renowned for championing issues of Jewish security. Beth Gilinsky, the spokesperson and chief strategist of the Jewish Action Alliance said, "We are outraged that President Obama is scapegoating Israel and wants to expel Jews from their homes in Jerusalem. President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton display more anger about a Jewish family building a home in Jerusalem than Iran building a nuclear bomb." Expressing the sentiments of those in attendance at the rally, she said, "Vast segments of the Jewish community will not tolerate the President's continuing attacks on Israel. Grassroots Jewry will not be silent."

Noticeably absent from the lengthy roster of organizations endorsing this rally were the major American establishment Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress, the ADL of B'nai Brith, the American Jewish Congress and the United Jewish Appeal. It has been suggested that these liberal Jewish organizations are supportive of President Obama's agenda in the Middle East and don't want to damage their relations with the current administration. Amongst the plethora of organizations endorsing and participating in the rally were, Stand With Us, a college campus activist organization that spotlights hate speech against Israel, Christians and Jews United for Israel, Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, Artists 4 Israel, Z Street, The Jerusalem Reclamation Project, The Center For Defense of Democracies, the AISH Center, AMCHA; Coalition for Jewish Concerns, The Jewish Political Education Foundation and the Endowment for Middle East Truth.

Radio talk show host Steve Malzberg and columnist Rabbi Aryeh Spero served as the masters of ceremony as they introduced a litany of speakers representing a broad spectrum of both Jewish and non-Jewish support for Israel. Rabbi Yaakov Spivak of Monsey, NY, a longtime Jewish activist, radio talk show host and a Daily News columnist intoned, "President Obama, we're here today to tell you something. In Warsaw, they told Jews where we could build, in Lodz they told Jews where we could build, in Paris they told Jews where we could build. You will never tell us where to build in Jerusalem. We are home and Israel is our country. You are not our landlord and we are neither a vassal state nor a banana republic. Our mandate to be here today is none other than our holy Tanach, our bible which says, 'For the sake of Zion I will not be silent and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet."

"The Jewish people are G-d's chosen people" said Rev. Michael Faulkner, an African American minister representing the New Horizon Church. "I remind those in the Obama administration that those who bless the Jewish people will be blessed and those who curse the Jewish people will be cursed. Israel is the only stable, democratic ally in the Middle East and this relationship must be preserved and protected. The strength of the land of Israel and the Jewish people lies with their G-d and I call upon all Jews to return to the mandate of the Almighty G-d of Israel and His holy Torah" he said

Holding aloft signs saying, "Jerusalem: Israel's United and Eternal Capitol", "Hillary Clinton: Pressure Iran, Not Israel", "Obama: Stand Up for America, Stop Bowing to Saudi Kings!" and "Obama: Jews Will Not Be Silent", the rally participants passionately expressed their anger at the shift in US foreign policy as it pertains to Israel. Jackie Donney, 55, a Christian supporter of Israel who traveled from Newton, Pennsylvania to attend the rally said, "Look, we all know the background of Barack Obama. He is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, one of the greatest haters of Israel and America. I think it is downright sinful that Obama has placed such tremendous pressure on Israel to make major territorial concessions in the name of a false peace. The Palestinian government is an Iranian proxy and such is bent on the destruction of Israel and the Western world. Just look what happened when Israel forcibly evicted Jews from Gush Katif. It didn't bring peace and now the US is demanding that Israel relinquish parts of Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria. I say, 'Never, Never, Never'".

Another rally attendee, Rabbi Joseph Rosenbluh of the Young Israel of Vandeveer Park in Brooklyn said, "In our Tehillim (the Book of Psalms), we learn that our ultimate salvation lies with our Almighty G-d. It is up to all Jews to ferociously cleave to Hashem (G-d), to walk in His ways and to follow His commandments. In every generation we find that there is no shortage of Jew haters and other miscreants who seek our destruction. There is a new Pharoah in town (Obama) who does not know Joseph (the Jewish people) and we comprehend from our history that G-d will deal with our enemies if only we acknowledge His majesty and glory."

A formidable contingent of Hindu and Sikh supporters of Israel was also present at the rally. "We understand all to well that a policy of appeasement towards Islamic radicalism will never bring peace to Israel or the civilized world, declared Satya Dosapati of the Hindu Human Rights Watch. "As Hindus, we have been massacred by Muslims for thousands of years. If President Obama really believes that isolating and demonizing Israel and publicly humiliating Israel's prime minister is not emboldening our Islamic enemies, then something is really wrong. Israel is a peace seeking nation and we unequivocally support their right to their homeland. The world must realize that if Israel falls then the entire world will come under the domination of a blood thirsty Islamic caliphate", he continued.

Meir Rosenblatt, of Passaic, New Jersey said, "At the most recent AIPAC convention, Secretary Clinton said that Israel must relinquish Judea and Samaria in order to maintain both a democratic and Jewish state. It is clear that Israel is sitting on a demographic time bomb that is all too real. 20 years ago there were only two Arab members of Knesset and now there are 10. The Arab birthrate is skyrocketing while the Jewish birthrate is not. There is no educated Jew that can honestly say we weren't warned that this would happen. Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory spoke of this back in the late 1970s and everyone called him a racist and a fascist because they didn't want to hear the painful truth. Now we have boxed ourselves in a corner because we didn't listen to his prescient message."

Helen Freedman of the Americans for a Safe Israel said, "There is no way to establish peace with those who call for your destruction on a daily basis. That is exactly what the Palestinian propaganda campaign is all about. Lies, half-truths and distortions. AFSI is promoting the idea of "Shalom" (peace) through the concept of "Shalem" (a whole Israel). There can only be peace through strength and security. When the Arabs realized that they could not prevail against Israel militarily, they embarked on a course of diplomatic destruction and we are here to speak truth to the canards that they espouse."

Other speakers included Joan Peters, author of the critically acclaimed book, "Of Time Immemorial", Mort Klein of the Zionist Organization of America, Dr. Herbert London of The Hudson Institute, New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind who represents the 48th assembly district in Brooklyn and a stalwart Jewish activist and supporter of Israel, radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa and founder of the Guardian Angels, Faith McDonnell of the Institute for Religion and Democracy, Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs, Joy Brighton of Stop Shariah Now, Rabbi David Algaze of the World Committee for the Land of Israel, Tamar Edelstein of Crown Heights Women, Bhupinder Bhurji of the Naamdari Sikh Foundation, Lori Lowenthal Marcus of Z Street, State Senator Reuben Diaz, Susan Cohen of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Mallory Danaher of the David Horowitz Freedom Center and Narain Katarian of the Hindu Human Rights Watch.

Arab "Idol" Contestant Publicly Criticizes Extremist Clerics

What bravery!  Let's pray for her protection ...  From FoxNews via The New York Post (emphasis added):

Brave 'Arab Idol' Finalist Blasts Clerics on Popular Show

A burqa-clad contestant on the Arabic version of "American Idol" landed in the finals after bravely blasting hard-line Muslim clerics on live television, sparking outrage among religious conservatives in the Middle East.

Unlike the wildly popular Fox show, contestants in the Middle Eastern version recite traditional and original poetry rather than sing.

While most regale the audience with odes to the beauty of Bedouin life and glory of their rulers, Hissa Hilal stunned audiences last week by attacking Muslim religious leaders as "vicious in voice, barbaric, angry and blind," and guilty of "preying like a wolf" on people seeking peace.

She specifically blasted fatwas -- declarations by imams that often incite violence -- as a side of the extremism that is "creeping into our society."

"I have seen the evil in the eyes of fatwas, at a time when the permitted is being twisted into the forbidden," Hilal recited, speaking with only a hint of her eyes visible through her black veil.

Naturally, her verse has inspired numerous death threats on Islamic militant Web sites.
But her brave words clearly tapped a nerve, as she was wildly cheered by the audience and voted into the competition's final round.

"My poetry has always been provocative," said Hilal, a housewife and mother of four from Saudi Arabia. "It's a way to express myself and give voice to Arab women, silenced by those who have hijacked our culture and our religion."

Her poem was specifically seen as a direct assault on a prominent Saudi cleric who issued a fatwa against those who call for the mingling of men and women. More broadly, Hilal was also seen as attacking all the hard-line religious leaders who have widespread influence throughout the Middle East.

"Killing a human being is so easy for them, it is always an option," she said.

Hilal said she is concerned by the threats, but "not enough to send me into hiding."

She worries more whether her newfound fame might turn her life upside-down -- facing a fate like that of "Britain's Got Talent" songbird Susan Boyle, who melted down under the spotlight.

"I worry how I will be perceived after the show is over, when judgment is passed and people begin to talk about my performance and ideas," she said. "I worry the lights of fame will affect my simple and quiet existence."

Poetry is hugely popular in Middle Eastern countries, with prominent poets rising to rock-star levels of fame.

On the show, which is called "The Million's Poet" and is broadcast from Abu Dhabi across the entire region, contestants are rated by their voice, style of recitation and the subject matter.

The judges gave Hilal top marks for her impassioned performance and tackling a controversial topic. Their opinions, coupled with voting from people in the audience and through text messages by viewers, landed her in the final round.

"Hissa Hilal is a courageous poet," said judge Sultan al-Amimi, who manages Abu Dhabi's Poetry Academy. "She expressed her opinion against the kind of fatwas that affect people's lives and raised an alarm against these ad hoc fatwas coming from certain scholars who are inciting extremism."

What a brave lady!  May the Lord protect her!


[Submitted by kmacginn at Hummers & Cigarettes]

Is Wilders Wrong About Islam?

by Moorthy Muthuswamy

The recent criticism of Geert Wilders’ views on Islam by the leading lights of the conservative movement has created much indignation and surprise in certain quarters.

If conservative analysts with strong national security credentials couldn’t be convinced of Islam’s threat, getting the point across to the centrist politicians who define and execute policy will indeed be even tougher.

In a particularly striking criticism of Wilders, conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer asserts that “What he [Geert Wilders] says is extreme, radical, and wrong. He basically is arguing that Islam is the same as Islamism. Islamism is an ideology of a small minority which holds that the essence of Islam is jihad, conquest, forcing people into accepting a certain very narrow interpretation [of Islam]. The untruth of that is obvious.”

Without commenting on the merits of Dr. Krauthammer’s critique, it is pertinent to note that it is his opinion. This is true of Geert Wilder’s reasoned views on Islam as well. After all, both have not quoted any scientific study to back their assertions.

If Islam is a threat as some claim, what would it take to persuade that certain fundamental attributes of Islam enshrine it a violent ideology of conquest?

The key to settling what Islam stands for is to let science, not opinion, dictate the debate. This is reality crystallized by an analogy:

There was a time when a male lion was seen as an embodiment of a great and dominant hunter of a pride. This perception reflected the majority of opinions at a certain time. However, various studies conducted in ensuing years told a different story: that female lions were the real hunters of a pride. That is, statistics of female lions hunting for their pride dominated the overall hunting pattern of a pride. These statistics put to rest the specific question of who hunted the most in a pride. In fact, these statistics form the definitive scientific basis of these studies.

More than a few Muslims have claimed that they engage in jihad (a religious war waged to advance the cause of Islam at the expense of unbelievers) because Islamic scriptures command them to do so.

Even nations representing Muslim communities—Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iran—have taken to sponsoring jihad worldwide, on the basis of the scriptures.

There are widely varying opinions on the root cause of this—the dominant one is that the relevant Islamic scriptures have been misinterpreted. As with the discussion of the lions, a corresponding scientific query would be to find out the extent or the statistics of dislike of unbelievers and their conquest in the Islamic doctrines.

Recently, Bill Warner of the Center for the Study of Political Islam has carried out a groundbreaking statistical analysis of Islamic doctrines.

I summarize his studies by noting that about sixty-one percent of the contents of the Koran are found to speak ill of unbelievers or call for their violent conquest; at best only 2.6 percent of the verses of the Koran are noted to show goodwill toward humanity. Moreover, about seventy five percent of Muhammad’s biography (Sira) consists of jihad waged on unbelievers.

While there might be some subjectivity to the above analysis, the overwhelming thrust of the inferences should be noted.

This overall thrust exposes the sheer absurdity of excusing the Koran-inspired terror on the so-called “selective interpretation” of the Muslim holy book or its “verses being taken out of context.”

The burden of scientific or statistical evidence suggests that Islam is an intolerant religion that drives its followers toward a violent conquest of unbelievers.

If such is the thrust of the Islamic doctrines, their propagation would lead to increased violence directed at non-Muslims. Indeed, rise in Muslim extremism of the past decades is directly correlated with hundreds of billions of dollars spent by government-linked Saudi charities to “propagate” Islam worldwide.

Not surprisingly, even in the modern context, manifestations of Islamic supremacy and conquest are the norm, rather than the exception. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden outlined a condition for terror attacks against America to cease: “I invite you to embrace Islam.” During the past sixty years most non-Muslim minorities—tens of millions—in all Muslim-majority regions of South Asia were terrorized into leaving for nearby non-Muslim-majority lands. All of this points to conquering land and people for Islam.

America’s policy approach to the Muslim world has been clouded by misrepresentations of Islam’s character. For instance, in one of the most important foreign policy initiatives of his presidency, in the now-famous Cairo speech, Obama observed that “[America and Islam] overlap, and share common principles—principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

We are left with the grim reality that at the fundamental level America’s policies toward the Muslim world are based on false premises—and hence, are untenable. This reality must be acknowledged widely before alternate policies can be devised.

We live in the era of science that has brought unprecedented security, development, health and prosperity. Yet, we have allowed opinions to dictate debate and policy on an existential threat. The importance of letting science drive policy couldn’t be clearer on the subject of Islamic radicalism.

The writer is a U.S.-based nuclear physicist and author of the book Defeating Political Islam: The New Cold War. His email is moorthym@comcast.net.

With thanks to The West, Islam and Sharia

INTELLECTUALS WELCOME TARIQ RAMADAN TO COOPER UNION

INTELLECTUALS WELCOME TARIQ RAMADAN TO COOPER UNION

BY: FERN SIDMAN

On Thursday evening, April 8th, the vaunted hero of the American left and the denizens of the "politically correct" intellectual enclaves made his return appearance at Cooper Union in New York City. In a panel discussion entitled, "Secularism, Islam and Democracy: Muslims in Europe and the West", Tariq Ramadan, the formerly "exiled" professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University took center stage at the forum sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Association of University Professors, PEN American Center, the American Academy of Religion and Slate Magazine. The audience of approximately 600 people consisted of those who call him “slippery,” “double-faced,” “dangerous,” but his left-wing apologists refer to him as “brilliant,” a “bridge-builder,” and a “Muslim Martin Luther.”

Controversy has swirled around Ramadan, for the better part of his adult life. He is the grandson of Hassan al Banna, who in 1928 founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and is the son of Said Ramadan who is credited with bringing the Muslim Brotherhood to Germany where it eventually spread throughout Europe.Born in Switzerland, when his father was exiled from Egypt by Gamal Abdul Nasser, Ramadan studied philosophy, literature and social sciences at the University of Geneva and pursued a Master's degree in philosophy and French literature. He received his PhD in Arabic and Islamic studies. He is best known for his dangerously duplicitous positions on Islamic radicalism. His passive and ostensibly reasoned posture while speaking to Western audiences betrays his bellicose commitment to the furtherance of Sharia law that he reserves exclusively for Muslim only gatherings.

The web site of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy says of Ramadan:

"Ramadan is a self proclaimed Salafi-reformist whose version of reform appears to basically be a modernization of the political system prevalent at the time of the Prophet Mohammed rather than advocacy for individual liberty and the separation of mosque and state. A 'rock star' among the many European Muslims, namely Islamists, Ramadan is considered the most cited individual on Islam in Europe. Ramadan eloquently uses language that supports the precepts of non-violence and involvement in western society, yet he does not distance himself in any way or nearly adequately from the supremacy of political Islam and the concept of the Islamic State. His excuse is that he is speaking "from within Muslims". But this prevents a real understanding of his ideas on political Islam, the Islamic state and Sharia versus constitutional republics and the establishment clause. It prevents a real understanding of his position on the Muslim Brotherhood and thus becomes actual tacit support of the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ramadan has been unacceptably deceptive on issues related to Sharia such as laws against apostasy, proscribed punishments under Islamic law, the continued viability of the Islamic state and the Ummah, one law versus Sharia law, and real equality for women in all settings to name a few. His positions remain essentially in line with the Muslim Brotherhood-which remains against the best interests of Muslims. His access to media portrays a homogeneity to Muslim opinions which is outright false and denies the real diversity in Muslim communities and ideologies."

Ramadan accepted the tenured position of Henry R. Luce Professor of Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at Notre Dame University in February 2004, but that August, U.S. Customs officials denied Ramadan entry into the country under the "ideological exclusion provision" of the Patriot Act. The university filed a petition on Ramadan's behalf but hearing nothing from the government, he resigned from the post in December 2004. Ramadan was later denied other attempts to get visas so he could honor speaking engagements with the ACLU, the American Association of University Professors and the PEN American Center being among the groups wanting to host him and arguing on his behalf in the ensuing legal wars. After a federal judge ordered the government to make a decision on Ramadan's pending visa request, his application was denied in September 2006, with a U.S. consular officer concluding the academic's actions "constituted providing material support to a terrorist organization."The government's evidence was $940 Ramadan gave to two charity groups that the U.S. Treasury Department linked to Hamas in August 2003 On January 20, 2010, the American State Department had decided, in a document signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to lift the ban that prohibited Ramadan (as well as Professor Adam Habib from South Africa) from entering the United States. And now, Ramadan has triumphantly returned to the US for what some call the "Tariq Ramadan American Islamist Victory Tour 2010".

Ramadan was introduced by Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, which litigates cases concerning dissent, discrimination, detention, surveillance and due process. He was counsel to the plaintiffs in American Academy of Religion v Chertoff, the lawsuit that ended the ban on Ramadan. Hailing him as the sacrificial lamb of the Bush administration's anti-Islamic agenda, Jaffer said this evening was dedicated "to creating a safe political space for the exchange of ideas".

The panel was moderated by Jacob Weisberg, the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of The Slate Group, which publishes Slate Magazine and other web sites. Weisberg introduced the other members of the panel, but noted that the evening would focus on the philosophies of Tariq Ramadan and that he'd be asking some hard hitting questions. The other panel members included Dalia Mogahed, a Senior Analyst and Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and the co-author of a book entitled, "Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think", George Packer, a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of "The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq", Joan Wallach Scott, professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advance Study and the author of the "Politics of the Veil". She is known internationally for writings that theorize gender as an analytic category.

Ramadan took the lectern and thanked the sponsoring groups for championing his free speech rights and then went on to say that while he is sharply critical of American policy vis-a vis Iraq and Afghanistan, he is not anti-Western and feels that Muslims in Europe can maintain a pro-Western lifestyle while closely adhering to their Islamic beliefs. He said that Islamic women were now taking their place in the forefront of those who frame the debate on the dual role of Muslims in a secular European culture and those who remain faithful to Koranic principles.

"Islam is really a Western religion and Muslims in Europe can and should be loyal citizens of the countries in which they live. Many people are scared of the Muslim presence in Europe but we know that we can integrate diversity through secularism, humility, respect and consistency. Muslim women are informing the process and if you look at them you think they're oppressed but when you hear the way they think and speak, they're clearly a driving force in Islam", said Ramadan.

Concerning his thoughts on the Bush administration, Ramadan intoned, "Bush implied that all Muslims were 'others', they were different and somehow dangerous. While I am a vocal opponent of US policy in the Middle East, all I am saying is that I am against the murder of Iraqi civilians and I am waiting for the new administration to be an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am still waiting because I don't see it as of yet in the Obama administration"

Ramadan's detractors view his rhetoric quite differently. "Tariq Ramadan's entry into America needs to be met with open dialogue from the Muslim Community, non-Muslim organizations and the media on the real threat of Political Islam," says M. Zuhdi Jasser, the president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD). "It is incumbent on all Americans, especially American Muslims, to engage Ramadan at any opportunity to demonstrate that the US Constitution trumps the construct of the Islamic State." He went on to say, "To give Ramadan an unfettered platform for his dissimulation while also perpetuating his message of victimization is to give him and his clerical colleagues a status which will forever retard real reform within Muslim thought. Real reform comes from those Muslim leaders with the personal strength of character to call for an end to the Islamic state and the separation of mosque and state. Ramadan has not. Rather he is a soft tongued global instrument of political Islam against the bulwark of real freedom and liberty as we know it in the United States."

Pajamas Media columnist and prolific author, Phyllis Chesler stated in a March 25, 2010 article entitled, "Bin Laden Threatens America, NYC Welcomes Tariq Ramadan", "Ramadan is not my problem, I know him for the snake he is. Rather, it would be the sight of so many Americans who’ve glamorized him, who are fooled by him, who have come to worship Death at his feet."

Panelist George Packer of The New Yorker magazine asked Ramadan why he never roundly condemned his grandfather, Hassan al Banna, for his unyielding support and succor of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who spent years in Nazi Germany and advocated the mass extermination of the Jews. Ramadan danced around the question saying that his grandfather was misquoted and that he never advocated a totalitarian or fascist regime but only supported the Mufti in terms of his fierce opposition to the creation of the State of Israel. Packer pressed Ramadan on this point and asked how his grandfather could flagrantly align himself with someone who extolled such a pernicious philosophy of classical anti-Semitism. Ramadan refused to admit that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was anti-Semitic but rather claimed that he was righteous in his position that Palestine should not be colonized by the Jews of Europe or the West.

Charges of anti-Semitism have dogged Ramadan since he penned an article in 2003 entitled, “Critique of the (New) Communalist Intellectuals.” Ramadan’s main argument was that “French Jewish intellectuals” — like Bernard-Henri Lévy, Alain Finkielkraut, Bernard Kouchner, André Glucksmann and Pierre-André Taguieff (in fact not Jewish at all) — who used to be “considered universalist intellectuals” had become knee-jerk defenders of Israel and thus “had relativized the defense of universal principles of equality and justice.” Ramadan was trying to turn the tables on those who accuse Muslims of obsessing about their victimhood by accusing “Jewish intellectuals” of doing precisely that, thinking of just their own tribal concerns, while Ramadan’s pursuit of justice for Palestinians was supposedly part of a universalist project.

On the question of the rampant oppression of women in the Muslim world, panelist Joan Wallach Scott, a Ramadan supporter, asserted that the issue of gender equality "has been used as a veil" to divert attention from the "social inequality" of Muslims in the Western hemisphere. Citing purported discriminatory practices against Muslims in such countries as France, Scott said that "unemployment is higher for Muslims in France than it is for French nationals" and that Muslims are viewed as "inferior" in the West. From a historical perspective she described Muslims as a "colonized people", subject to prejudice in its most banal form.

Refusing to address such pervasive misogynistic practices in the Islamic world as forced marriages, stonings, beatings, immolations and honor murders of women, Scott pointed to what she perceived as the sheer hypocrisy of the Western patriarchy who she claims are trying to interfere with the reproductive rights of American women, but are "suddenly concerned and overly involved in the oppression of Muslim women," She concluded by saying that Muslim women wear head scarves, veils, burqas and hijab on their own volition and not because they are coerced by the religious dictums of Islamic culture. She called gender equality a "political tool" that has nothing to do with protecting the rights of Muslim women.

Ramadan also heaped criticism on Dutch intellectual, feminist activist, writer, and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who also happens to be a prominent critic of Islam. "Ali believes that Islam is problematic and that one cannot be a Muslim and open to democracy at the same time. She believes that the only way to be a Muslim is to become an ex-Muslim", Ramadan exclaimed. He remained silent on the issue of the religious dogma of Islam that opposes any government that is not ruled by Sharia law or the practice of religious apartheid that is practiced in many Muslim countries.

When questioned about his statements pertaining to homosexuals being anathema in Islamic law and how the Muslim world is being forced to accept homosexuality in order to appear politically correct and more Westernized, Ramadan deftly skirted the question by figuratively tipping his hat to "political correctness" by saying "this is how Muslims perceive the world is viewing them, not how they perceive themselves. You can disagree with someone being gay but we should respect that person and not tell him or her that they are not a Muslim because of this."

The evening concluded with the reading of several pithy questions from audience members that were read aloud by the moderator. It was not at all difficult to see that Ramadan had not fooled everyone as challenging questions were presented to him by the audience and several people commented that in order to understand the real Tariq Ramadan, they should read the books entitled "The Islamist, The Journalist, and the Defense of Liberalism: Who's Afraid of Tariq Ramadan?" by Paul Berman and "Brother Tariq: The Doublespeak of Tariq Ramadan" by Caroline Fourest.

Ramadan continues his charade in the next few weeks in such cities as Chicago, Detroit, Washington and Garden Grove, California. May the forces of truth have the temerity to boldly confront this purveyor of mendacity.

Muslims and the Córdoba Cathedral

Sir, Helen Brown (letter, April 6) points out that the cathedral at Córdoba is inside a vast mosque built centuries earlier, but the mosque was in turn built atop the Visigothic monastery of San Vicente.

However, the demand that Muslims be allowed to pray inside Córdoba cathedral is reasonable, so long as the same rights are granted for Christians to be allowed to pray inside places such as the Umayyad mosque in Damascus, which was built over a Byzantine church and contains a shrine that is said to contain the head of John the Baptist.

Aymenn Jawad,

Cardiff.