Militant Islam Monitor > Weblog > The BTN -AMP & AMV on Capitol Hill: Exploiting symbols of Nazi opression and icons of patriotism to promote militant Islam
The BTN -AMP & AMV on Capitol Hill: Exploiting symbols of Nazi opression and icons of patriotism to promote militant Islam
July 14, 2004
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The Blue Triangle Network - American Muslim Perspective- & the American Muslim Voice Waging Jihad on Capitol Hill The Blue Triangle Network makes their debut on Capitol Hill lobbying Senators Diane Feinstein and Russ Feingold in October 2003. The Islamo facist BTN is virulently anti American and anti semitic American Muslim Voice and American Muslim Perspective are both aligned with the American Muslim Council. . Nearly identical in format, the AMV and the AMP websites represent the new "Americanized" version of Jihad which makes use of patriotic symbolism, and the mantra of civil rights as a front for their militant Islamist agendas. The red white and blue all American website format shows how the Islamists are establishing themselves and the 'Kaliphate' i.e., trying to replace the Constitution with the Koran to reach their goal of establishing a " United States of Allah". In order to push their militant Islamist agendas from within Muslim groups are joining forces with the left . The Blue Triangle Network -AMV-and AMP alliance is representative of how the new ideological and strategic alliance between the radical left and militant Islamists operates. The AMP and AMV directors Samina Faheem Sundas and Abdus Sattar Ghazaqli are linked to the Blue Triangle Network. The Blue Triangle network has begun reinventing themselves from a leftist fringe group to a national organisation due to their collaboration with CAIR and other major American Islamist groups. The Council on American Islamic Relations, a Saudi funded front group for Hamas participated in the 2003 retreat organised by the BTN. CAIR's Islamist intent of waging Jihad through democracy is evident in the statements of their leaders: "Politically speaking, I think the Muslim community is establishing a high profile in society," said Nihad Awad, CAIR's executive director. "It's very obvious that politicians are paying attention to Muslim voters." The president of the militant Islamist Association of Muslim Social Scientists Muqtedar Khan stated that: ..." that further development of CAIR's activities will be needed, specifically increasing its legislative influence and gaining the ability to sue in discrimination cases. "They are still the best Muslim player in the game, but they do not fully understand the game" if CAIR remains outside the legislative arena, said Khan. But, calling CAIR "the most successful Muslim organization in North America," Khan said that the group "has filled the gap and has captured the imagination of the American Muslim community." -------------------------------------------------------------------- In a weblog entry at the bottom of the page,dealing with the left's use of the blue triangle symbol to equate the United States with the Nazi regime, Dr.Daniel Pipes asks this rhetorical question : "Why would any emigrants -free anytime to leave the United States - wish to stay in a land so repressive ?" http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/126 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://rwor.org/A/V24/1151-1160/1154/bluetri.htm Information about the 2003 BTN retreat with a list of affiliates including the ADC, MAS, the AAI. The inclusion of these groups indicates Saudi funding behind the BTN. About 60 committed activists of all ages and nationalities came from or officially represented local and national organizations, including ACCESS, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Arab American Institute (AAI), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Lawyers Guild (NLG), Triangle Foundation, South Asians Against Police Brutality and Racism, Solidarity USA, Refuse & Resist! and its youth network, La Resistencia, Committee Against the U.S. Empire (CAU$E), supporters of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Libros Revolución in L.A., Revolution Books Outlet in Detroit, the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade (RCYB), La Resistencia Student and Youth Network, American Muslim Council, Muslim-American Society--Political Action Committee, and anti-war coalitions from Houston, Chicago, and northern California. -----------------------------------------A mission statement was arrived at through very vigorous and principled discussion among participants of very varied political views. It emphasized the purpose of the Blue Triangle Network and laid the basis for a plan of action. The statement read in part: "...Insisting that national security is at risk, the government has launched wide-scale assault on constitutional rights and civil liberties. In order to defend these violated human and constitutional rights, this network dedicates itself to mobilizing the broadest number of people to challenge and oppose this repression. We do not accept the racial profiling, erosion of civil liberties, roundups, indefinite detentions, secret charges, secret evidence, secret military tribunals and demonizing of Muslims, Arabs, South Asians and others based upon where they were born, the language that they speak, the color of their skin or the religion that they practice." The action plan included adopting the blue triangle as a symbol and the name Blue Triangle Network. In the Nazi death camps, members of various groups were forced to wear different symbols-- yellow Star of David for Jews, the pink triangle for gay men, the blue triangle for immigrants and stateless people. This hated symbol of oppression will now be transformed into a symbol of resistance. Randall Hamud, an Arab-American attorney from San Diego who on Sept. 12 was defending detainees, pointed out how citizenship does not protect people. He gave two examples of Arab-Americans in custody by the U.S. and by Israel. At the end of the summit, participants felt they had taken a big first step to stop the post 9-11 increasing repression of immigrants. They had a plan, a commitment to carry out the plan and a beginning organizational structure to carry out the plan. As one participant from a Houston anti-war coalition said, "We have to go home and build a movement." ---------------------------------------------------- Dhimmitude under the guise of Democracy on Capitol Hill: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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http://www.amvphoto.amuslimvoice.org/html/dc_conference_oct_2003.html Click for more photos : http://www.amvphoto.amuslimvoice.org/html/dc_conference-2_oct_2003.html
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On the second day of the annual national conference of Grassroots America Defends the Bill of Rights from Oct 17th to 21st, 2003, in Washington DC, the California delegation to the conference went to the Capitol for lobbying. Top picture shows from left: Cecilia Cheng of the Justice for New Americans, Senator Diane Feinstein and Samina Faheem Sundas, Executive Director, American Muslim Voice. Left picture shows Samina Faheem Sundas with Senator Russel Feingold --------------------------------------------------------------
Old Glory waves next to 'Bismallah' signifying the United States of Allah
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http://www.amuslimvoice.org/html/body_bio_samina.html
Bio of Samina Faheem Sundas
AMV Executive Director
Ms. Samina Faheem Sundas, is the founding Executive Director of the American Muslim Voice, and Co-founder of Fear To Friendship, a group dedicated to subside the fear after 9/11 by forming life long friendships. 
She is a member of the Blue Triangle Network National Steering Committee and a founding member of Defense Committee of James Lee Muslim Chaplin. She is also the coordinator of the Muslim Nationwide Hotline, to help people regarding INS Special Registration and to protect civil liberties for all. She is the former National Coordinator of the American Muslim Alliance.
In recent months, she has been speaking extensively on civil liberties issues, particularly the USA Patriot Act. She was on the panel of Amnesty International USA National Hearings on Racial Profiling, held in Oakland on September 9.
Ms. Samina Faheem Sundas has personally assisted two counties and eight cities of California in passing resolutions against the Patriot Act.
American Muslim Voice's focus is to bridge the gap between Muslims and fellow Americans. This is one of the major goals of the AMV to fulfill an important need of linking all communities together. Since its inception few months back, the AMV is able to build bridges with many communities including: African Americans, Caucasian, Chinese, Latino, Japanese and Vietnamese communities.
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http://www.amuslimvoice.org/html/body_amv_achievements.html
Campaign against the INS Special Re-registration
In June 2003, the AMV and Blue Triangle Network, initiated an intensive campaign against the Special registration and re-registration program endorsed by over 40 nationwide immigrant rights, civil rights, peace & justice and faith groups with a demonstration in San Francisco against the detention of 13,000 people who went for registration. The AMV officials also met with congressmen urging them to demand an end to the registration program that is discriminatory, unjust and unfair. A campaign to write letters to congressmen in this respect was also launched.
On Nov. 19th, 2003, the American Muslim Voice, the Blue Triangle Network and Pakistan American Alliance, with the support of 40 other civil rights groups held a rally and press conference to stop the special registration outside the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in San Francisco.
On December 1st 2004, the Homeland Security Department announced that it is suspending part of the INS Registration program ( re-registration ). We accomplished our first big victory.
AMV Hot line Since January 2002, Ms. Samina Faheem Sundas, AMV/PAA Executive Director was coordinator of the only Muslim hotline operated 24/7 to help those affected by the INS special registration as thousand of Pakistanis and Muslims, who went for INS Registration.
The American Muslim Voice established a new hot line (1-866-490-8900) in August 2003. The AMV hot line helps those who are victims of racial profiling, FBI roundups and hate crimes.
Case of the Ameen Brothers: The AMV, the PAA and the ACLU of N. California held a news conference in San Francisco in June 2003 with two young brothers who came forward to describe their experiences after voluntarily participating in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)'s controversial Special Registration Program. The two brothers, one of whom is a 17-year-old teenager still in high school, were placed in deportation proceedings. The 17-year-old and his 19-year-old brother, who is attending college, have been in the U.S. with their mother for several years and do not have any immediate family in Pakistan.
Extention Granted: Through extensive coverage on the media and a campaign to call the Homeland Security offices we were able to get a visa extension for both brothers.
The AMV has launched a campaign to help Bahriyor Rakhmatov, a 20-year student from Uzbekistan, in Superior, Wisconsin. He was taken into custody on March 16, 2004 although his papers were under process with the Immigration Department. The AMV, has arranged an Attorney and appealed to help Bahriyor in raising bond money.
Update: Bahriyor was freed on April 7, due to his brother's hard work. He was able to borrow money from people he knows. I can only imagine how hard he had worked to get his brother. We need to raise money for his attorney. Please help.
USA Patriot Act
The AMV is actively taking part in the nationwide campaign against the Patriot Act that was passed by the congress without much discussion in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragic attacks. Many of its provisions violate the constitution and infringe on our civil liberties. The AMV Executive Director, Ms. Samina Faheem Sundas, has personally assisted two counties and eight cities in passing the resolution against the Patriot Act. She is continuously working to assist other communities, providing the Muslim representation. The AMV has prepared a guide on how to move and pass a resolution against the Patriot Act by the City Councils and other civil bodies.
Civil Rights and Immigrant Rights
AMV is advocate on behalf of Muslims, Arabs and South Asians . Ms. Samina F. Sundas has become a key spokesperson, for over a year. She has been invited to speak at various engagements regarding the effect of the new laws aimed at the war on terror. She was asked to be a moderator at the 2003 Amnesty International nationwide Racial Profiling Hearings in Oakland, CA.
She also have been speaking at various events at ACLU, Blue Triangle Network, Justice for New Americans, National Lawyers Guild, National Conference of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee. A.N.S.W.E.R. and dozens of other organizations. She had conducted workshops for Global Exchange/ Code pink 1: USA Patriot Act and its affects on Muslims, Arabs and South Asians. 2: Building solidarity with Muslim and Arab women.
Ms. Samina F. Sundas continues to work tirelessly on the front lines challenging the policies such as the Patriot Act, Secret Evidence, Clear Act, Victory Act and INS Special Registration.
Police Practices
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The AMC and AMP are associated with these groups:
The American Muslim Perspective and The American Muslim Voice appear to have the same webmaster and are virtually identical in format.
As you can see from above the Executive Editor of the AMP Abdus Sattar Ghazali writes for the AMV.
Both the AMV and AP are interconnected and work together the Blue Triangle Network which has grown from a small fringe group to an organisation which is affiliated with major militant Islamist groups like CAIR,ICNA, ISNA,MPAC,and the AMC.
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Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee -
American Muslim Alliance -
American Muslim Voice (AMV) -
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) -
Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) -
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) -
Muslim American Society (MAS) -
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) -
United Muslims of America (UMA)
Muslim Civil Rights Groups
California Civil Rights Alliance (CCRA)
Muslim Civil Rights Center (MCRC)
http://www.amperspective.com/html/us_muslim_groups.html
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More examples the radical left militant Islamist alliance:
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http://www.laresistencia.org/blue_triangle_network.htm
http://www.laresistencia.org/la_resistencia_site_map.htm
The Blue Triangle Network held its 2nd annual national retreat in Detroit, Michigan, in July. The retreat was attended by over 40 people from numerous organizations and individuals from BTN chapters around the country. The diverse group in attendance included members or supporters of La Resistencia, South Asians Against Police Brutality and Racism, Not in Our Name, Muslim Voices, Justice for New Americans, the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Lutheran Church, Japanese American Citizens League, Pax Christi, the Revolutionary Communist Party, and Refuse & Resist!
The retreat focused on solidifying the structure of the Blue Triangle Network, formation of a National Office, national campaigns and major political questions we have faced in the past year of work.
The necessity for a national office arose after a year of trying to centralize efforts of the Blue Triangle Network. Tasks like dissemination of fact sheets, blue triangles, responding to emails and other administrative task have to be done from a central location. The national office is required not only to centralize administrative work but also as a centrality for spreading the BTN's mission and orientation. It was agreed that a National Office is needed. We decided that the location for it be in Detroit as there is a huge community that has come under attack and also because in the past year Detroit has informally acted as a National Office.
Funds for setting up and sustaining the National Office depend upon two things:
- BTN has applied for a grant for $100,000 which would facilitate to set up the office, buy equipment and hire a staff person. The timeline to set-up an up and running NO was set for 3 months. By this time we will know if BTN has been approved for the grant.
- In the meantime however it was decided that chapters around the country do a membership drive to raise money for the National Office.
Other ideas for fundraising included merchandising on the website, researching other grants and sending fundraising appeals to our email membership specifically for the National Office.
Steering Committee is the decision making body of the Blue Triangle Network. It has the responsibility of figuring out how to advance the movement to stop the repression against Muslim, Arab and South Asian immigrants. It has monthly conference calls to discuss reports, proposals and make decisions. The Steering Committee will have 14 members and each chapter can have a representative. Currently the Steering Committee's membership includes:
- Abayomi Azikiwe, Detroit, MI; Moderator of the Pan-African News Wire Listserve, Anti-War Activist With The Michigan Emergency Committee Against War and Injustice, Broadcast Journalist for W-DTR, FM Detroit and CKLN, FM Toronto
- Anil, South Asians Against Police Brutality and Racism, New York City
- Cecilia Lee Chang, Justice for New Americans, Oakland, CA
- Ijaz Chaudhry, Esq., Solidarity USA, Philadelphia, PA
- Samina Faheem Sundas, Executive Director American Muslim Voice
- Christina Galvez, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Representative, Blue Triangle Network
- Mike Kelly, representative, Detroit Chapter of the Blue Triangle Network
- Travis Morales, supporter of the Revolutionary Communist Party, member of La Resistencia, Houston, TX
- Mary Jo Muser, representative, Cleveland Chapter of the Blue Triangle Network
- Branden O'Grady, member, Detroit Blue Triangle Network Chapter
- The Rev. Jim Oines, Lutheran Pastor, CA
- Jack Reid, Refuse & Resist! National Office, New York City
- Maya Sen, National Office of Not In Our Name Project, New York City
- Holly Severson, San Francisco Blue Triangle Network Chapter member, San Francisco, CA
- Mark Sheppard, Detroit, MI
- Simran, representative, New York City Chapter of the Blue Triangle Network
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of three members: Travis, Christina, Anil. The executive committee has responsibility for staying on top of the overall work of the BTN and coordinating various subcommittees, and on this basis reporting to the Steering Committee. As events happen, it formulates press statements based on the Mission Statement so we can respond in a timely manner consistent with our points of unity. It formulates plans for networking with other groups and organizations and develops proposals. The Executive Committee works under he direction of the Steering Committee
Abdus Sattar Ghazali writes and is the editor of the American Muslim Perspective.Both the American Muslim Perspective and the American Muslim voice are connected to the AMC and groups such as MPAC .Below you will see there visit to Feinstein and Feingold in San Francisco together with members of the Blue Triangle and other radical groups.
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Domain registration for the AMP
Billing Contact
Private
AbdusSattar Ghazali
3701
Hague Court
Modesto, CA 95356
US
+1.2095785782
[email protected]
Registrar..: gkg.net (http://register.gkg.net/)
Domain Name: AMPERSPECTIVE.COM
Created on..............: 19-OCT-2003
Expires on..............: 19-OCT-2006
Record last updated on..: 19-OCT-2003
Status..................: ACTIVE
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The AMV and AMP appeal for donations for the cynically named Liberty Fund on behalf of jailed terrorist leader Sami Al Arian.
Appropriately a spokesman of the Liberty Fund and CAIR staffer , Ismail Royer, was convicted and jailed for plotting Jihad against the United States.
As you can see in the article below,all the groups with which Royer is affiliated are active in the Blue Triangle Network .
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http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38019
Muslim Spokesman pleads guilty to Terrorism:
Ex Staffer for CAIR, other groups organised holy warriors against the U.S.
A former spokesman for several Muslim lobby groups in the U.S. pleaded guilty to serving as the leader of a Virginia-based terrorist network that conspired to train on American soil for "violent jihad."
Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer – who most recently served as communications director for a fund-raising effort sponsored by the American Muslim Council – allegedly trained in Virginia for holy war against the United States and sent several members to Pakistan to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Kashmiri terrorist group with reported ties to al-Qaida.
A federal judge sentenced him Friday to 20 years in prison. In a plea bargain, Royer claimed he never intended to hurt anyone but admitted he organized the holy warriors after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., according to the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C.
He was among nine men who either pleaded guilty or were convicted in connection to the charges. Two others were acquitted on all counts.
Royer, 31, of Falls Church, Va., also was on the national staff of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group that considers itself a leading civil rights voice for American Muslims.
Later, he was a spokesman for the National Liberty Fund, which is defending Sami al-Arian, the Florida professor in federal custody as an alleged leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The National Liberty Fund says it is combating the Justice Department's "opportunistic and politically motivated prosecutions."
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Samina Faheem Sundas athe editor of The American Muslim Voice which is paired with The American Muslim Perspective. Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the executive editor of the American Muslim Perspective and writes for both online Publications. Both are "Americanized" versions of Islamist websites . Here is is appeal on the upcoming first "anniversary" of Al Arian's detention. http://www.amuslimvoice.org/"I'm crucified today because of who I am, a stateless Palestinian, an Arab and Muslim, an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights." "I'm a prisoner because of the hysteria engulfing this country in the aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy, and because there are very powerful political groups which are thirsty for my blood. I'm not the enemy, but the forces of exclusion and intolerance are." Sami Al-Arian; February 25, 2003
American Muslim Voice Appeals to all Arabs, Muslims, and fellow Americans to support Dr.Sami Al -Arian :
February 20th marks the first anniversary of Dr. Sami Al-Arian's detention on charges of financing the terrorist organizations overseas. Dr. Al-Arian, a prominent Muslim academician and civil rights activist since early 80s, is waiting for his trial that will not begin before January 2005.
Dr. A-Arian helped establish several organizations including the largest grass root organization in the U.S., the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in 1981, the World and Islam Studies Enterprise (WISE) in 1990, and the National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom (NCPPF).
While awaiting trial to begin in January 2005, Dr. Al-Arian is being held in a Special Housing Unit despite being a pre-trial detainee (presumably innocent) and faces abusive and inhumane treatment at the hands of the authorities. These circumstances have made it very difficult for Dr. Al-Arian's family to visit him. In order to see his lawyers, Dr. Al-Arian has to be handcuffed behind his back and bent over. The former University of South Florida engineering professor also has to write with pencils no longer than what golf players use to keep track of score.
Samina Faheem Sundas
Executive Director,
American Muslim Voice,
www.amuslimvoice.org
American Muslim Voice appeals to all Arabs, Muslims and fellow Americans to support Dr. Sami Al-Arian and his family in their plight. The AMV urges you to support Dr. Al-Arian in his ordeal by contributing to his Legal Defense Fund. You can write letters of support to him and can send books. You can send books directly to him from the publishers only.
Mailing Address: (to send letters and books)
Federal Correctional Complex - USP
#40939-018
P. O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521
To contribute to his defense fund please mail your checks to:
National Liberty Fund (Dr. Arian)
AG Consulting
1054 31st St
NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20007.
February 5, 2004
Mission Statement of The Blue Triangle Network
Since September 11, 2001, in the name of the war against terrorism, vicious attacks have been launched against the basic human rights of Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians in the United States from the highest levels of government.
Insisting that national security is at risk, the government has launched a wide-scale assault on constitutional rights and civil liberties. In order to defend these violated human rights and constitutional rights, this network dedicates itself to mobilizing the broadest number of people to challenge and oppose this repression.
We do not accept the racial profiling, erosion of civil liberties, roundups, indefinite detentions, secret charges, secret evidence, secret military tribunals and demonizing of Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians and others based upon where they were born, the language that they speak, the color of their skin or the religion that they practice.
This network has been organized by a broad cross section of organizations, communities and individuals, both people who have stepped forward to stand with those targeted by this repression and people from the targeted communities themselves.
We have a diversity of political perspectives, religious beliefs, and ethnic and racial backgrounds, but we are united in our determination. We are standing up and taking action.
Blue Triangle Network
PO Box 7451
Dearborn MI 48121-7451
313-942-7187
La Resistencia is a participating organization in the Blue Triangle Network!
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Below is one example of the deceit and disinformation being disseminated by Ghazali and Faheem and so called Muslim 'civil rights' groups like the AMA and PADF.
This story of 'alien registration' focuses on the case of one Kamran Bokhari ,who is described as a"Pakistani graduate student at the LBJ school of MiddleEastern Studies in Austin" . Ghazali description of Bokhari's anxiety at the INS processing, quotes Bokhari stating that "your imagination runs wild". The trepidation on the part of Bokhari is contrived , since what the Muslim 'civil right' monitors 'forget' to mention is that Kamran Bokhari is none other then the spokesman for the Al Muhajrioun in North America, who was videotaped at an AM rally in front of the Israeli embassy in 2001 leading chants in support of Jihad and Bin Laden .
In 2000 ,Bokhari brought over Anjem Choudary, the head of Al Muhajiroun from the UK, to speak at a symposium at Southwest Missouri State University where he was a student of political science. At the same time Bokhari he leading Al Muhajiroun, he was also the head of the Muslim Student Association, and founder of the Islamic Center of Springfield, which is currently under investigation by the Treasury Department in connection with Al Qaeda and ties to the Saudi terror funding network Al Haramain.
At present Bokhari leads a 'double life' as the secretary and interim treasurer of the Islamist Association for Muslim Social Scientists and outrageously as geo political analyst for George Friedman's Strategic Forecasting Incorporated, a intelligence gathering and forecasting company regarded as a "quasi private CIA".
The fact that Bokhari was processed by the INS without a hitch, and given an appointment to "come back within a year" begs the question as to why his past did not come under scrutiny.
The fact that AMA and PADF , together with Ghazali and Faheem teamed up to highlight Bokhari's visit to the INS proves the militant Islamist intent of these groups being presented in the guise of safeguarding 'immigrant rights'.
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/214
http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Feb/07/05.html
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By Abdus Sattar Ghazali The American Muslim Alliance (AMA) and the Pakistan American Democratic Forum (PADF) are conducting a joint study on the psychological effects of the INS Registration program on non-immigrant Muslim students. Students from more than 20 Muslim countries are required to register with the INS; many of those who went for registration have been detained. The focal point of this study is to ascertain and evaluate the welfare and well being of the non-immigrant Muslim students in social, psychological, economic and legal terms. The INS Registration is a traumatic event for many non-immigrant Muslim students, that challenges their sense of safety and predictability and this may trigger strong physical and emotional reactions, says Ms. Samina Faheem, AMA National Coordinator. She referred to the case of Kamran Bokhari - a Pakistani graduate student in Middle Eastern studies at the LBJ School, Austin, Texas who describes his visit to the INS office San Antonio as tense. Bokhari said he was nervous because he didn't know exactly what the process would entail; he could only guess. "The rules of the game are not set. There was this anxiety about what's going to happen," he said. "Your imagination runs wild." After the interview, he was asked to smile for a digital camera and then had his fingerprints taken. Finally, the caseworker handed back Bokhari's documents and gave him a date for an appointment next year. The University of Texas had arranged for Bokhari and 12 other students, almost all Pakistanis, to take a shuttle bus to the INS office in San Antonio. "It's certainly not something that students are happy about," said Maka Hutson, immigration adviser for University of Texas' International Office. Ms Samina Faheem said that there are many cases like Bokhari which indicate fear and anxiety among the non-immigrant Muslim students about the INS process. She said that sending and receiving money is becoming difficult for the Muslim student while their ability to work legally on the campus is becoming impossible. A Pakistani student returning after vacation was detained at the Huston airport because he was carrying a paycheck stub for the work he did legally at the campus. The AMA/PADF groups have advised those needing help with the INS Registration to call the AMA/PADF Hotline to obtain free legal advice from AMA's advising attorneys. Ms. Samina Faheem said that this is a time of stress for the Muslim community and lots of rumors are going on. "We are helping the community by providing authentic and verified information, to people who are calling on our hotline, and sifting the wheat of fact from the chef of rumors and half truths." All the information will be handled in a strictly confidential manner. "This information will be used only in aggregate form without revealing the identity of any individual. It will also be used to educate the media, the policymakers and the civil rights community," she said. Hotline toll free number is: 1-866-815-PADF (1-866-815-7233). | |
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Weblog
San Francisco Protestors: U.S. Government = Nazi Regime
November 20, 2003
San Francisco Protestors: U.S. Government = Nazi Regime. The San Francisco Chronicle reports today on a demonstration of about fifty "activists and civil rights advocates" outside a federal building in San Francisco to protest the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) that requires immigrants from select countries to go through additional procedures. In the course of these steps, some of them have been detained and others deported. To be specific, as of Oct. 30, 2003, "83,519 men had voluntarily reported to immigration offices around the country to be fingerprinted and interviewed. Of those, 13,799 were put into deportation proceedings, 2,870 were detained, and 143 were arrested on criminal charges."
What is striking about this news item is the following sentence: "Several demonstrators held blue paper triangles, designed to be a likeness of the identifying symbols used in Nazi Germany, with the names of Arab men who had disappeared or been deported." (The blue triangle was a symbol of emigrants; other persecuted groups had other-colored triangles to identify them.) Also striking is the accompanying photograph:
In other words, these demonstrators monstrously are implying, the U.S. government is equivalent to the Nazi regime. That's the state of the far Left's discourse today.
Also: Why would any emigrants – free anytime to leave the United States – wish to stay in a land so repressive? (November 20, 2003)
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