Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > Terror in the Heartland - University of Oklahoma suicide bomber attended same mosque as jailed 20th hijacker Zacarias Moussaoui

Terror in the Heartland - University of Oklahoma suicide bomber attended same mosque as jailed 20th hijacker Zacarias Moussaoui

October 9, 2005

MIM: As more details emerge about the Oklahoma University suicide bombing it becomes increasingly clear that Joel Hinrich's Muslim roommate Fazal Cheema is the one who holds the real answers to the terrorist motives behind Hinrich's stapping a bomb to himself and detonating 100 yards from a stadium filled with 84,000 people. The fact that the head of the Muslim Student Association Ashraf Hussain, said that Cheema was " a really, really, good guy", and that he "believes that Hinrich was not a Muslim" shows that he knew Cheema well,and would have been kept informed about the progress of his roomate towards a conversion to Islam. Since the MSA mission statement includes Da'wa, and it is an Islamic obligation for Muslims to bring non Muslims to Islam, it is a given that Cheema would have tried to introduce Hinrich to Islam and invited him to come to the mosque. According to sources close to law enforcement, Jihad literature was found in Hinrich's and Cheema's apartment.

The mosque which Cheema and Hinrich's are said to have attended is the same one which frequented by Zacarias Moussaoui, proof of it's radical Islamist agenda. Mossauoui attended the Finsbury Park Mosque in London at the time it was run by terrorist Abu Hamza Al Masri. The mosque was home to Richard Reid the shoebomber, the terrorist Courtellier brothers, and American convert James Ujaama who is now jailed in Seattle on charges of helping Al Qaeda.

Hinrich's father claim to the press that his son "was not politically motivated" is no reason to rule out terrorism as a motive. On the contrary, countless terrorist attacks have taken place where the motives were never specified. In the case of the London bombings, no notes or announcements were made by the perpetrators, and the motive is still the subject of speculation. ( Claims by Al Qaeda that the bombings were linked to them could not be verified ).

The motivation behind the second attempted London bombings were also unclear. One bomber said it was meant to scare people, and that he and the others never intended to blow themselves up.

As for the claims by the head of the Muslim Student Association head Ashraf Hussain that Hinrich's Pakistani Muslim roommate Fazal Cheema was "a really, really, nice guy", one can only question when, and why his personal website has been pulled from the internet.

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:7l549ifU360J:students.ou.edu/H/Ashraf.H.Hussain-1/+ashraf+hussain+oklahoma&hl=en

When MSA president Ashraf Hussain, (who is a petroleum and electrical engineering junior), spoke to the campus paper about Cheema,his story became vague.

"(Hinrichs) had a Muslim roommate; he had a Muslim roommate — that's all they're mentioning," Hussein said.

http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/05/4344a2c30d701?in_archive=1

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Terror in the Heartland

http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20051006-091706-6861r.htm

Not more than 100 yards from the Oklahoma-Kansas State football game on Saturday, OU student Joel Henry Hinrichs III, 21, blew himself up in what was initially believed to be a simple suicide. While his decision to kill himself seemed to match a personality friends and family describe as detached and strange, disturbing facts are beginning to emerge suggesting that Mr. Hinrichs had more sinister designs, like perhaps taking a few of the 84,000 nearby fans with him.
Despite the absence of a suicide note, there is little doubt the troubled student intended to kill himself. His bizarre method, however, is more reminiscent of suicide bombers than suicidal students. For instance, at least one of the bomb components he used -- triacetone triperoxide -- was the same homemade substance used by Richard Reid, the so-called Shoe Bomber. The stuff is highly unstable. It can detonate if merely dropped, and experts say it can even explode spontaneously.
The obvious questions arise: Why would someone choose to kill himself with this stuff, nicknamed the "Mother of Satan" by Islamists, if suicide were his sole purpose? Did Mr. Hinrichs intend for the bombs to go off when they did, so close to a packed stadium? Also, why carry it out as if in imitation of a suicide bomber? Suicidal people of Mr. Hinrichs' age, it is true, have a tendency for the dramatic, and perhaps that was Mr. Hinrichs' only purpose here -- to go out in such a way as to be remembered. But that still leaves open the question as to how he learned to make bombs in the first place.
A few days before, Mr. Hinrichs tried to purchase ammonium nitrate -- the explosive substance used in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 -- from a local fertilizer store. Because of federal regulations, the store had stopped carrying ammonium nitrate, but the request was odd enough for the store owner to remember Mr. Hinrichs when questioned by authorities. Even more frightening, federal officials confirmed that a large cache of explosive material was found inside Mr. Hinrichs' university-owned apartment in Norman, Okla., which immediately placed suspicion on Mr. Hinrichs' roommate, a Pakistani Muslim, who was taken into FBI custody for questioning. He, along with two other unidentified Muslim students, were later released.
Norman itself is no stranger to Islamist activity. In 2000, Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker, took flying lessons at the city's flight school and attended a neighborhood mosque, which, according to NewsOK.com, is the same mosque that Mr. Hinrichs had been attending. There is some doubt about whether Mr. Hinrichs himself was a Muslim, though.
The FBI says that it has still no reason to believe Mr. Hinrichs was involved in a larger terrorist plot. Similarly, it has no information that suggests there is any additional threat to the OU-area. But in light of these frightening facts, the FBI mustn't rule anything out.

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MIM: The University of Oklahoma gives these links at the top of their homepage to statements about the bombing.

http://www.ou.edu/

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

President Boren Cautions Against Rush to Judgment
Open Letter to OU Students from President Boren
FBI Statement on Investigation
Boren Says No Second Device
President's Statement on Investigation

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MIM: OU President Boren who urged people not to "rush to judgement" "in keeping with our most recent history" and assured and referred to "the tragic loss of life on campus"

He went on to imply that it was "nothing short of prejudice" for anyone to suggest that a student who roomed with a Muslim and had detonated himself in front of a football stadium packed with 84,000 people, might have been attempting a suicide terrorist attack and assured students that "if he received any information to the contrary" he would "take any steps necessary to protect our community". In what can be interpreted as a swipe at law enforcement for detaining 7 Muslim students after Hinrichs sucide bomber detonation, Boren concludes his message to the 'students,faculty and staff of OU', wherein he refers to Hinrich as 'the deceased', with this bit of PC drivel:

"Rushing to judgement on the basis of race, religion, gender or ethnicity, is not the OU or the American way".

If OU President Boren would read the agenda of the MSA on his university's campus, which includes a clause allowing for the dismissal of a committee member who behaves unIslamically, he would see that the Muslim students at Oklahoma University the ones in need of a course entitled "The American Way 101". (see MSA OU Constitution below or click on link) http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/constitution.htm

The information to the contrary, regarding the security of the campus, can be found on the Muslim Student Associaton website, which indicates an active Da'wa committee, and that of their affiliated mosque, The Norman Masjid.

http://www.ou.edu/pubaff/announcement/DLBLetter2.pdf

http://www.ou.edu/pubaff/announcement/DLBLetter.pdf

MIM: Information about the Norman mosque, near the campus, which was attended by Zacharias Moussaoui and which Hinrich would have attended . Note that the MSA emphasizes that "All individuals,Muslims and non- Muslims are invited and encouraged to attend." Given the agressive Da'wa (proseltyzing) which is an essential part of the activities of the Muslim Student Association. A look at the list of MSA committees below shows that the MSA of Oklahoma Univerisity lists OU student Almeara Elyagzi the 'Dawah' chair. Since Ashraf Hussein the MSA chairman, was a friend of Hinrich's Muslim roommate, Fazal Cheema, it stands to reason that Cheema, at the very least, must have tried to get Hinrich interested in converting to Islam and invited him to the Norman masjid. The Jihad literature which is said to have been found in the apartment indicates that Hinrich's roommate Cheema is the person who has the answers as to why Hinrich strapped bomb to himself and detonated 100 yards from a campus stadium filled with 84,000 people.

A look at the links on the MSA website shows that the group endorses a myriad of radical Islamist organisations. Another indication of the agressive pushing of the Wahhabist convert recruitment agenda of the MSA at the University of Oklahoma, is that in addition to having a Dawah chairperson, they also have someone in charge of public relations. Both the Dawah chairperson and the public relations head have the same last name, and are most likely related. Another indication of the close relationship enjoyed by the members of the MSA is that the head of the organisation, Ashraf Hussain, took a 2003 road trip with the MSA treasurer, Ali Al Wakil. This is further indication hat if Hussain is able to state that that he knows that bomber Hinrich's Muslim roommate, Fazal Cheema, was a "really, really nice guy", he would have been kept in the loop about any progress being made by Cheema in pushing Hinrich to convert to Islam. Hussain's statement to the media that he doesnt 'believe' that Hinrich was a convert or visited the mosque, seems more of a damage control tactic, designed to get him off the hook,and enable him to plead ignorance, if facts emerge to the contrary.

The Jawa Report blog has published information that an indictment may be imminent,which would show that law enforcement does consider Hinrich's suicide bombing to have been part of a terrorist plot. http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/124832.php

MIM: Speaking of terrorist plots, the MSA website at OU refers "our Masjid", which happens to be the same one which was attended by 20th hijacker Zacharias Moussaoui.

http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/masjid.htm

"...Our Masjid is located east of the University of Oklahoma campus and south of the duck pond on Lindsey Street. The Masjid has underwent renovations to accommodate the increasing Muslim population in Norman. The Masjid has recently established the An-Nur Academy, a complete school that teaches the disciplines of Islam among other subjects to elementary students.

Congregation prayers are held every Friday. The Khutbah (sermon) is held at 1:30 P.M. and the Juma' salaat (Friday prayer) is held immediately following the Khutbah. All individuals, Muslim and non-Muslim are invited and encouraged to attend..."

Click here for directions to the Norman Masjid, provided by Yahoo! Maps.

Link: Norman mosque

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MIM: The links page of the Norman Mosque provides urls for the Wahhabist funded and terrorism connected MSA. CAIR, ICNA. and ISNA as well as the University of Oklahoma.

http://www.normanmosque.org/links.htm#islamicorganizations

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http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/home12.htm

MIM: The MSA at U of O's mission statement speaks for itself and outlines the agressive Dawah (recruitment of converts to Islam) "to teach the true meanings of Islam at the University of Oklahoma" and concludes with the standard Wahhabist funded 'public (dis)service announcement'. If OU student (Fazal Cheema) was a member of the MSA, he would have certainly done everything possible to get his roommate Hinrich to convert and also received helped from others in the MSA, who regard spreading Islam as a religious obligation.

http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/home12.htm

".Welcome to the Muslim Students Association at the University of Oklahoma. Our purpose is to serve Allah (God) in the best way possible through the principles laid out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah (the authentic traditions and examples of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him).

MSA has diligently participated in activities, rallies, lectures, and conferences to teach the true meanings of Islam at the University of Oklahoma. MSA is striving to become model muslims and to serve the muslim community by spreading the message of Islam, there is no other God than Allah, and Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger."

http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/constitution.htm

The Muslims Students Association of The University of Oklahoma

Constitution

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be "the Muslim Students Association of the University of Oklahoma".

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the Muslim Students Association Chapter at the University of Oklahoma (henceforth referred to as the "MSA") shall be to serve Allah (God) in the best way possible through the principles laid out in the Honorable Quran and Sunnah (the authentic traditions and examples of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him). The MSA will work to fulfill this purpose by acting as the local representative body of the local Muslim student community. In this role it will strive to serve Allah on the community level in all aspects of life (i.e. education, finance, politics, social issues, dawah, etc.), to promote friendly relations between Muslim and Non-Muslim students at OU, and to strengthen bonds among the Muslim students of the University of Oklahoma.

Article III. Membership

1. Any student at the University of Oklahoma may be granted the status of "Member".

2. Any spouse of a member, faculty or staff member at the University of Oklahoma may be granted the status of "Associate".

3. To be an active member or associate, one must pay yearly dues of $5.00 in a timely manner.

Article IV. Faculty Advisor and Council of Elders

A. Faculty Advisor

1. The faculty member must be an associate of the MSA.

2. The faculty advisor must be a full time faculty member at the University of Oklahoma for at least a semester prior to serving as a faculty advisor.

3. The faculty advisor shall be selected by a majority vote of the Executive Board-elect.

4. The faculty advisor may serve infinite consecutive terms so long as he or she is re-elected by each new Executive Board.

5. The Faculty Advisor must serve on the Council of Elders

6. The Faculty Advisor also serves to sign OU related documents when needed.

B. Council of Elders

1. The Executive Board shall ask the Imam of the local mosque to select 4 non-student Muslims from the masjid to be members of the Council of Elders.

2. one of the four members selected by the Imam may be the Imam, an one must be a sister.

3. The Council of Elders will be completed with the presence of the Faculty Advisor.

4. The Council of Elders will oversee the nomination, voting, and election process of the Officers of the Executive Board.

5. The Council of Elders will check the nominees for office for eligibility.

6. The Council of Elders must be consulted if:

a. The issue of dispute among the Executive Board involves the Constitution.

b. One fourth (1/4) of the Executive Board believes the issue id a fiqh dispute.

Article V. Office Bearers

A. All members of the MSA are eligible to bear office.

B. The officers shall be elected for terms one year in length.

C. An officers may be elected for the same office for no longer than two successive years.

D. The MSA President must be an active member in the MSA for at least two semesters.

E. Officers must encourage all aspects of Islamic culture.

F. Officers must educate others about Islamic culture.

The offices of this MSA shall be:

1. President

2. Vice President/ Secretary General

3. Finance Chair

4. Public Relations Chair

5. Social Chair ( Male and Female)

6. D'awah Chair

7. Sisters Representative

8. Freshman Representative

Article VI. Executive Board

The Executive Board shall consist of all of the student officers.

Article VII. Finances

1. $5.00 yearly dues shall be paid to the Finance Chair by each member of the MSA.

2. Waiver of dues may be issued if the member gives a legitimate reason for their inability to pay. The Executive Committee with the President shall determine whether the merit of the reason suffices for the dismissal of dues.

3. The Executive Committee may accept any help from any source consistent with the aims and objectives of MSA.

4. Money shall not be paid to members, excluding money for reimbursement of materials needed for MSA functions and activities.

Article VIII. Amendments to the Constitution

1. Any proposed amendment must be presented to the VP/ Secretary General or the MSA in writing.

2. The Executive Committee shall thoroughly examine the proposed amendment and shall notify the members of the MSA in the General Body Meeting that an amendment to the constitution has been submitted.

3. The proposed amendment shall be debated in the General Body Meeting and be voted upon. In order to be adopted, three-fourths of the assembled members must vote for the passage of the amendment.

By-Laws

Article I. Meeting

There shall be two kinds of meetings: Executive and General Body. Executive meetings shall be a meeting of the Office Bearers. General Body meetings shall be an open meeting of Office Bearers, members, and guests.
The MSA shall have at least one General Body Meeting per semester.
The Executive Board shall meet in the first week of each month during the fall and spring semesters of school.
Additional meetings of either kind may be assigned according to the will of the MSA President
Members shall be called at least one week in advance of a General Body Meeting.

Article II. Elections-

The members of the general body shall nominate the candidates for President, Vice President, and Treasurer in the general body meeting held during the third (3^rd) week of April.
There shall be no self-nominations, nor shall the current President, Vice President, Finance Chair, or Faculty Advisor nominate candidates for President.
The Faculty Advisor shall collect votes from paid, eligible members during the general body meeting in the fourth (4^th) week of April. After counting the ballots, he shall contact the new Officers and inform them of their election.
Before the end of the first (1^st) week of May, the new President, Vice President, and Treasurer-elect shall decide the individuals to fill the positions of the other officers, with the guidance of the current President and Faculty Advisor.
All of the officers-elect shall sign and swear an oath of commitment to the preservation of the ideals set forth by this constitution, and to maintain proper Islamic behavior.

Article III. Nominations

All nominations for office must include the following:
1. The name of the office for which the candidate is being nominated.
2. 2 qualifications given by the candidate that show their merit for the office.
3. The nominee's signature.
4. The nominator's signature.
5. The nominee's name printed.
Nominations may be declined if the nominee gives a valid reason. The current Executive Committee shall decide the validity of the reason for declination.

Article IV. Duties of the Office Bearers

The duties of the Office bearers shall be as follows:

President-

Responsible for the general management of all activities of the MSA according to the provisions of the Constitution.
Carrying out all of roles and duties expected in Islam of an Emir(a) of the local Muslim Student community.
Holding weekly Executive Board Meetings, developing a comprehensive Agenda for each meeting, and facilitating each meeting.
Keeping up to date on all aspects of the MSA and with all Committees and Sub-Committees. coordinating all of these aspects and activities so as to achieve maximum efficiency, maintain direction of the entire organization, and to achieve the overall purpose and goals of the MSA.
Working with the Public Relations chair in maintaining links with all external affairs of the MSA, and acting as the representative, spokesperson and correspondent for the MSA.
Holding the Executive Board and Sub-Committee chairs responsible for all of their duties.
Handling and dealing with all emergency problems and situations as they arise in accordance with the charter (see "Executive Board").
Deciding whether a vote may be taken if the quorum of two thirds (2/3) of the Executive Board is not present.
Monitoring and being held responsible for all affairs of the MSA.

B. Vice President/ General Secretary

Fill in for President in the absence of the President.
Take minutes at all meetings
Send emails to members and office bearers.
Keep track of member and associate information.
Assign calling lists.
Advise the President and assist in decision-making.

C. Finance Chair

Take and record dues.
Makes needed transactions for committee chairs.
Organizes at least one fundraiser per semester.
Applies for OU funding.
Keeps available cash accessible for emergency spending, but knows that emergency spending may not be reimbursed if Executive Committee deems so.

D. Public Relations Chair

Reserves rooms for events on and off campus.
Manages advertising of events in newspaper, on the SIN, chalkings, and fliers.
Heads website management.
Keeps ties with other MSAs and masjids.

E. Social Chair

There shall be a male and female Social Chair.
Coordinate sports, cultural activities, and religious programs.
Oversee community service projects.
Keep records of service hours.
Plan and oversee organized MSA group trips.

F. D'awah Chair

Run MSA d'awah booth.
Contact and schedule speakers.
Order approved material.
Coordinate with PR Chair on inter-religious activities.

G. Sister's Representative

Voice the concerns of the sisters in Executive Committee.
Serve as a virtual Chair of the sisters.

H. Freshman Representative

Represent views of the Freshmen.
Maintain contact with freshmen and keep abreast of their involvement.
Recruit new members for the MSA.

Article V. Duties of the Executive Board

Advise the President when making a decision for the new president.
Advise the President on member, associate, and advisor issues
Advise the President during public crises.

Article VI. Impeachment

If any elected or appointed member has been found to violate any one of the following principles, a hearing must be held. Such a violation may be grounds for impeachment. Principles include violating:

Any Islamic Principle or Law that deems them unworthy to serve as a leader of the local Ummah and/or representing the MSA in a fashion that is uncharacteristic of the General Body and Islamic Principles.
Having missed more than two meetings without any legitimate excuse or having missed an excessive number of meetings such that the Board deems them unable to carry out the function of their position.
Excessive lateness (6 or more meetings per semester) at Executive Board Meetings.
Making decisions without taking Shura in any number of critical decisions or in the case of the President not conducting the Executive Board meetings in the manner of Shura prescribed in this charter.
Having abused funding privileges and/or Emergency Decision Procedures.
Not fulfilling the duties and responsibilites of their office as outlined in the MSA handbook.

Procedure for Impeachment by Executive Board:

Every attempt should be made to correct the problem and the impeachment procedure should be used only as a last resort. Details of the entire process should remain confidential within the Executive Board and information regarding the case should not be discussed in public. All meetings regarding the case should be held in private so as to protect the reputation and dignity of the individual being impeached.
The individual should be consulted about the list of grievances against them in a private meeting of the Executive Board. They should be allowed to defend themselves against any grievances made against them. The individual has the right to resign at this point if they so choose in which case the procedure would end here.
The individual should not be present during the vote. A written vote should be taken by the President (unless the issue involves the President in which case the Vice President should take the vote). A written vote shall be taken and counted. A majority of at least 60% is needed for dismissal.
Procedure for Impeachment by the General Body:

The General Body also has the right to call for Impeachment for the above reasons only after the Executive Board has refused to do so. The General Body should follow the procedures listed in the General Body Section of this Charter.

Vacancies:

In the event of a vacancy, due to impeachment, resignation or any other event, the Executive Board will choose a suitable replacement for the position. In the case of a vacancy in the Presidential position the normal presidential election procedure will be followed minus the vote of the old Executive board. During this procedure, the Vice President shall serve as President until the new President is elected.

Article VI. Amendments

Amendments may be made to the by-laws shall follow the protocol of the Constitution.

Article VII. Parliamentary Procedure

The meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee shall be conducted in accordance with morally accepted Islamic guidelines.

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http://www.ou.edu/student/oumsa/comm.htm

MIM: The list of board members of the Muslim Student Association

MSA 2005-2006 Committee
Position	Name	E-Mail
President	Ashraf Hussein	[email protected]
Vice President	Mehdi Quazilbash	[email protected]
Treasurer	Ali El-Wakil	[email protected]
Dawah Chair	Ameara Elyazgi	[email protected]
Sisters' Social Chair	Eileashia Lackey	[email protected]
Brothers' Social Chair	Adeel Khan	[email protected]
Public Relations	Houda Elyazgi	[email protected]
Webmaster	Usman Chughtai	[email protected]

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