This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1490

Presbyterian Campgrounds to Host Jihad retreat with NJ Imam tied to Taliban and Al Qaeda

December 27, 2005

For more on the keynote speaker Mazen Mokhtar and his (and MAS/ICNA's) ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban

http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1484

December 27, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Kaufman ([email protected])

PRESBYTERIAN CAMPGROUNDS TO HOST JIHAD RETREAT WITH TIES TO AL-QAEDA

EVENT COMES AFTER 2004 PRESBYTERIAN MEETING WITH HEZBOLLAH AND DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAEL

(Coral Springs, FL) From December 31st through Jaunuary 2nd, the Muslim American Society of Tampa (MAS-Tampa) will be sponsoring a children's retreat, taking place at the Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center, located in Lithia, Florida. The event will be featuring, as a speaker, Mazen Mokhtar, a New Jersey imam that was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of creating a website to solicit funds and recruit personnel for Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Chechen terror groups. Mokhtar has also made numerous statements in support of Hamas.

The Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center (a.k.a. Presbyterian Camp & Conference Center) is run by the Presbyterian Church. If this event takes place, it will be the latest in a string of terrorist related activities with regards to the Presbyterian Church.

In October of 2004, leaders of the Presbyterian Church made a trip to Lebanon to meet with leaders of Hezbollah. Elder Ronald Stone, who identified himself as representing the East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, stated, "We treasure the precious words of Hezbollah and your expression of goodwill towards the American people." Hezbollah is on the State Department list of terror organization.

In July of 2004, the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church officially endorsed divestment of multinational corporations from doing business in Israel. The Rev. Victor Makari, the Presbyterian Church-USA's liaison to the Middle East, agreed with the action, stating, "…we need to send a clear and strong message."

Joe Kaufman, Chairman of Americans Against Hate (AAH), stated, "The Presbyterian Church certainly is sending a 'clear' and 'strong' message… of support to terrorist groups. By trying to harm Israel, by meeting with leaders of Hezbollah, and now, by allowing an individual with ties to Al-Qaeda to use its camping facilities, the Presbyterian Church has shown itself to be an irresponsible and possibly dangerous organization. We call on leaders of the Presbyterian Church to stop this event from happening and to finally put an end to this support of evil."

Kaufman contacted the camp and informed them about Mokhtar. Debra Bronkema, the Co-Executive Director of the camp, stated, "It is our policy that violence will not be taught on our premises." When asked if the case would be that violence is not going to be taught, but one of the speakers has ties to Al-Qaeda, she stated that she would be "contacting the FBI for their advice."

Joe Kaufman is available for interview. E-mail: [email protected].

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1490