This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/3237

Islamist groups use lawsuit in attempt to silence critic Joe Kaufman of Americans Against Hate

October 30, 2007

Joe Kaufman, the chairman of Americans Against Hate is being sued by several Saudi funded Muslim organisations who are attempting to deny him the right of free speech.One of the groups suing is the Muslim Legal Fund, whose head Khalid Meek is a board member of the Dallas/Ft.Worth chapter of CAIR Texas.Mahdi Bray Executive Director - MAS Freedom Foundation - Washington, DC is a MLF advisor. The Muslim groups attorney is Donalt Fulton who defended jihadi wannabe Syed Maaz Shah on firearms charges last year.Fulton referred to Shah (a student and president of the Muslim Student Association) as just being a "young kid".

FBI agents testified and presented photographic evidence that Shah, a 19-year-old Pakistan native, was participating in combat and firearms training at a campground in Willis, Texas - just outside of Houston. Houston FBI agent John McKinley testified that the exercises were designed to "prepare participants in combat operations as they would apply to jihad (holy war) overseas."

Shah's Nov. 28 arrest in Waterview Park Apartments by Houston FBI agents on federal firearms charges came one day after the arrest of two Houston men that federal agents claim were associated with Shah. Kobie Williams, 33, and Adnan Mirza, 29, were arrested Nov. 28 in Houston on charges of conspiring to aid the Afghanistan-based Taliban.

"Mr. Shah spoke of the benefits of jihad and martyrdom," McKinley said. "He provided a lecture he described as 'pretty radical,' and it dealt with jihad."

McKinley said photos show Shah dressed in camouflage and holding an AR-15 rifle and Remington 870 shotgun. He was also photographed at the campground with Williams and Mirza. http://media.www.utdmercury.com/media/storage/paper691/news/2006/11/27/WebExclusive/Shah-To.Be.Jailed.Until.Federal.Weapons.Trial.Judge.Rules-2518327.shtml (complete article below)


MIM: The Muslim Legal Fund's slogan 'justice in motion" could be a reference to their constant pursuit of ways to shake down non Muslims with threats of lawsuits for discrimination and defend the the interests of terrorists. No wonder that Mahdi Bray, the head of the Muslim American Society (whose name reveals it's Islamist agenda), announced that that MAS would be working with the MFLA and by extension the Islamic Circle of North America.

For more on the :"Muslim Legal Fund of America - Muslim Law For Allah - MAS /ICNA - ACLU & AI work to replace the Constitution with the Koran".http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/701

Kaufman appeared in court yesterday in Texas where a restraining order against him was extended. Last month he held a protest against the ICNA sponsored Muslim Family Day at Six Flags Over Texas which was described by the local paper :

" Ten to 15 people held signs and stood outside the entrance to Six Flags Over Texas on Sunday afternoon to protest a family day organized by the North Texas Islamic community. A group of three to nine other people showed up, possibly to counter protest, but the two-hour protest was peaceful, police said.

Inside the park, hundreds of families celebrated with halal food and prayers during an event sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America and other area Muslim groups.

Some of the groups were granted a temporary restraining order Friday against the organizer of the protest, Joe Kaufman, chairman of Americans Against Hate. The order prohibited him from threatening, harming or inciting violence against anyone associated with the outing, according to court records.

Kaufman contends that the Islamic Circle supports terrorist organizations overseas. He gave a short speech in which he said the Islamic Circle of North America has ties to the terrorist group Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan and has donated thousands of dollars to Hamas...

Kaufman said he was served with the temporary restraining order shortly after the protest began, about 12:30 p.m..."http://www.star-telegram.com/arlington_news/story/268340.html

MIM: The lawsuit charges Kaufman with libel and the Islamist groups are seeking damages:

" Islamic organizations in North Texas are seeking libel damages in a lawsuit against Joe Kaufman, leader of the Florida-based Americans Against Hate.

Kaufman visited Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington on Oct. 14 to lead a protest against Muslim Family Day, an event celebrating the end of Ramadan, a period of holy days on the Islamic calendar marked by fasts and prayer.

The lawsuit, filed Oct. 12, asked a judge to prohibit Kaufman from threatening, harming or inciting violence against anyone associated with the outing, in addition to libel damages, according to court records.

Area Islamic organizations were granted the temporary restraining order against Kaufman. They have also asked a judge to make a determination of libel against Kaufman. The organizations charge that Kaufman's Web site was used to paint all Muslims participating in Muslim Family Day as radical fanatics who used the event to spread anti-American hatred.http://www.star-telegram.com/arlington_news/story/282152.html

MIM: The Muslim Legal fund Board of directors and advisors includes Michael Linz of the ACLU.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS

Board of Directors:
Waseem Nasrallah
Khalil Meek
Ali Khan
Ghassan Hitto
Ziad Al-Ramahi

Advisors:
Michael Linz (ACLU Lawyer)
Sajeel Khaleel (Lawyer)
Hussien Abdelhadi (Lawyer)
Br. Mahdi Bray (Executive Director - MAS Freedom Foundation - Washington, DC)
Dr. Inayat Lalani
Sheikh Moujahed Bakhach (Imam of Tarrant County, Ft. Worth, Texas)

MIM: Articles about the case. Efforts were made to dismiss a city councilman who participated in the protest.

October 30, 2007

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/DN-carrflap_29met.ART.State.Edition1.4207350.html

Fallout over protest of Muslim Family Day at Six Flags persists

Injunction sought after Six Flags event; debate rages on Carrollton pick

12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 29, 2007

By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News

The shockwaves continue from a small protest this month against a Muslim Family Day at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

A court hearing is set for today on a request for a preliminary injunction against the Florida man who organized the protest. And appointment of another of the protesters to a Carrollton board has ruffled feathers in that city.

Khalil Meek, board president of the Muslim Legal Fund of America, said the Muslim groups support the protesters' right to voice their opinions. What they object to, he said, is their allegation that the Muslim organizations, and therefore Six Flags, support terrorism.

The groups have filed a lawsuit accusing the protest organizer, Joe Kaufman, of defamation and slander and have obtained a temporary restraining order that prohibits him from harming, threatening or inciting violence against them.

Mr. Kaufman, president of Americans Against Hate, didn't return e-mail messages seeking comment, and no phone number could be found for him.

The city of Carrollton controversy focuses on the appointment of Paul Kramer to the city's Construction Advisory and Appeals Board.

Some City Council members said they were frustrated that Mayor Becky Miller, who opposed the appointment, allowed council member Herb Weidinger to engage in a "personal attack" on Mr. Kramer during the Oct. 16 council meeting.

They hope to build enough council support to have a discussion next month on the city's governance policies.

"I was really disappointed in how certain council members handled that in the open-session meeting," council member Terry Simons said. "I just didn't feel like it was right."

Mr. Weidinger declined to comment.

Ms. Miller said council members should be free to state their views and the reasons for their decisions.

"I think people have the right to express how they feel," she said. "I really don't think Mr. Weidinger was out of line."

The Kramer appointment was just one on a long list that the council was considering Oct. 16.

Controversy arose because he had just been pictured in The Dallas Morning News as one of 10 people who protested the Muslim day at Six Flags two days earlier. Ms. Miller wanted Mr. Kramer removed from the appointee list, saying she would be embarrassed to have him represent the city.

Mr. Weidinger branded the protest "bigotry" and called Mr. Kramer a racist, council members said.

But a move to delete Mr. Kramer's name from the appointee list failed on a 4-3 vote, and the council then voted unanimously to approve the entire list of appointees.

Mr. Kramer didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Ms. Miller declined to comment on the council's vote or to elaborate on her reasons for opposing the Kramer appointment. She said the council had made its decision and the matter was over.

Ms. Miller and Mr. Kramer have been at odds before. In April, he publicly criticized her and council member Pat Malone for participating in Dallas' annual gay pride parade and circulated a petition opposing city officials' involvement in the parade.

Some council members said that while they may not agree with Mr. Kramer's personal political views, he has a right to express them. And they said his nearly 30 years of construction and engineering experience are needed on the construction advisory board.

Ms. Miller has long advocated diversity within the city. Council member Tim Hayden said her opposition to Mr. Kramer's views goes against that.

"The last thing we should be doing is having personal attacks against an individual," he said. "We want to be tolerant and compassionate to each other."

Mr. Meek, whose Muslim Legal Fund of America has offices in Plano and Richardson, praised Ms. Miller and other council members who questioned the appointment of someone involved in the Six Flags protest.

"I think as a public official that you have to use judgment," Mr. Meek said. "Even if you're allowed as a person to do whatever you want, you should keep in mind that as a public official, the things you do still represent your capacity of a leader."

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http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=4498

MAS Freedom Applauds Ft. Worth District Court Decision to Extend Restraining Order Against Kaufman

Date Posted: Tuesday, October 30, 2007

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Texas Muslim Community Stands in Solidarity Filling Court Room for Monday's Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Oct. 30, 2007 – MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS) announces and celebrates with the entire Muslim community, Monday's U.S. District Court decision to extend the temporary restraining order against Joe Kaufman pending additional consideration of the request for a temporary injunction.

The Muslim American Society's Dallas chapter joined a coalition of Muslim Organizations and Islamic Centers earlier this month in filing a lawsuit effectively derailing an attempt by Joe Kaufman and his group, "American's Against Hate", to demonize the October 14, 2007 Islamic Center of North America (ICNA) sponsored Muslim Family Day at Six Flags, a Dallas-area amusement park.

Kaufman has referred to the event's sponsors and co-sponsors as "radicals", "extremists" and "jihadists'" (in the sense of that word as used in America to mean armed or violent people) - "which is, in fact, the antithesis of the title, in that it tries to foment hate and anger against law abiding United States citizens who practice their religion (Islam), freely as guaranteed by the United States Constitution," the coalition's slander and defamation lawsuit, filed in Tarrant County District Court prior to the event, states.

District Court Judge Bob McGrath executed an initial temporary restraining order against Kauffman on October 12, ordering that Kaufman be immediately restrained from threatening plaintiffs in person, by telephone, or in writing to take unlawful action against any person, intending by this action to annoy or alarm Plaintiffs; intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' associates or members; threatening Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' associates or members with imminent bodily injury; and/or inciting violence against Plaintiffs, their members or associates.

At Monday's hearing, District Court Judge Ken Curry extended the October 12 temporary restraining order pending further consideration of the lawsuit's request for a temporary injunction.

"We would like to commend the Dallas area Muslim community for filling Judge Curry's court room on Monday in a demonstration of solidarity in seeing that justice is served," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.

MAS Freedom will continue to keep the community updated as the case progresses.

Related:

Order Extended Against Muslim Day Protester

Muslim Organizations and Islamic Centers Derail Kaufman Attempt to Demonize Sunday's Muslim Family Day at Six Flags

Rally Small But Well Recorded

Coalition Petition

Kaufman Restraining Order

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MIM: Thomas Fulton, the lawyer who is prosecuting the case against Joe Kaufman defended Syed Maaz Shah on terrorism charges last year.

Shah

Shah

Shah to be jailed until federal weapons trial, judge rules

By: Iris Kuo

Posted: 11/27/06

Calling him "a danger to the community" for his alleged participation in combat and weapons training, a federal judge ruled today that electrical engineering sophomore Syed Maaz Shah will remain in jail until his trial on federal firearms charges.

FBI agents testified and presented photographic evidence that Shah, a 19-year-old Pakistan native, was participating in combat and firearms training at a campground in Willis, Texas - just outside of Houston. Houston FBI agent John McKinley testified that the exercises were designed to "prepare participants in combat operations as they would apply to jihad (holy war) overseas."

Shah's Nov. 28 arrest in Waterview Park Apartments by Houston FBI agents on federal firearms charges came one day after the arrest of two Houston men that federal agents claim were associated with Shah. Kobie Williams, 33, and Adnan Mirza, 29, were arrested Nov. 28 in Houston on charges of conspiring to aid the Afghanistan-based Taliban.

"Mr. Shah spoke of the benefits of jihad and martyrdom," McKinley said. "He provided a lecture he described as 'pretty radical,' and it dealt with jihad."

McKinley said photos show Shah dressed in camouflage and holding an AR-15 rifle and Remington 870 shotgun. He was also photographed at the campground with Williams and Mirza.

Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to aid the Taliban and admitted giving $350 to the group and participating in firearms training.

Each of the charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

He is charged with possessing an Armalite, Inc. 223 caliber semiautomatic rifle on Jan. 13-15 and March 10-11. It is illegal for non-immigrant visa holders to possess firearms.

FBI agents recorded conversations of the men at the campsite in Willis, which McKinley said was owned by the Islamic Society of Greater Houston.

"The group had a discussion in which they considered themselves muhajadeen," McKinley said. "(Shah) held up his passport to an individual member of a group and asked if he wanted to see a passport of a terrorist."

McKinley said the passport bore stamps from London and the United Arab Emirates.

The men participated in patrolling exercises and combat preparation at the campground on those two occasions, one of which was during UTD's spring break.

Shah is in the United States on a student visa that was revoked January 2006, Dallas FBI Agent Melinda Tilton testified. Tilton said Shah has received an academic scholarship since he began attending UTD in fall of 2005.

Cristen Casey, director of UTD International Student Services, said visas do not always have to remain valid for students to be in the United States legally. UTD is not officially notified by the State Department when a student's visa expires or is revoked.

"Because that has no determination on their eligibility to stay in the U.S., there's been no requirement for the school to take any action," Casey said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Stokes said Shah would be moved to Houston, where the trial will take place at an undetermined date.

Dressed in an orange shirt and pants, with his feet shackled together, Shah listened quietly throughout the hearing, pausing sometimes to whisper to his lawyer.

"He's an excellent kid, excellent student," said his aunt Rubina Shah, who flew from New York to testify at the detention hearing. "He's a good kid, a very good kid."

She testified that Shah lived with her in New York for more than a month last summer, but stayed in Houston for some time as he was attempting to sell an apartment owned by his father.

Shah's attorney, Donald Fulton, said Shah had not tried to commit any violent acts.

"The facts are that he has not been shown to be a violent person here," Fulton told Magistrate Judge Jeff Kaplan in closing arguments for Shah to be released to his aunt.

Shah's parents live in Nigeria, where his father works for an oil company.

Shah was born in Pakistan, but attended school in Houston and Virginia.

Fulton declined comment on the specifics of the case.

"He is a young kid," Fulton said, adding that military training does not necessarily constitute criminal behavior.

"If everything I did in (military) training was weapons (violations), from BB guns and up, they'd have me behind bars today," Fulton said. "But, it's a different world we live in now."

Shah also posted comments on blogs and the Muslim Student Association Web site's forums that were supportive of insurgent activities in Iraq and the Sept. 11 attacks, according to CBS 11 News.

Shah is the secretary of MSA and a Student Government senator. MSA shut down the forum Nov. 30. MSA President Ahmed Subhani said the reason for closing the forums was that people commenting "knew each other quite well, and some of it can be taken out of context."

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MIM: Report about the protest from The Dallas Morning News.

Rally small but well recorded

Arlington: Reporters outnumber protesters at Muslim day at Six Flags

12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 15, 2007

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON – Ten anti-terrorism protesters confronted thousands of cars streaming into Six Flags Over Texas on Sunday for a Muslim Family Day.

ELIZABETH M. CLAFFEY/DMN

ELIZABETH M. CLAFFEY/DMN

Muhammad Khan (left) tried to videotape Joe Kaufman (right), who led the protest Sunday at Muslim Family Day at Six Flags Over Texas. Paul Kramer blocks Mr. Khan with a protest sign, and Mr. Kaufman pulled out his own video recorder.

Demonstrators said the sponsor of the event – the Islamic Circle of North America – funds overseas terrorism. Local Muslims denied the accusation.

"There's no evidence to support their claims," said Mohammad Barney, president of the Dallas-area group. "I know that we Americans all have a right to protest, but I wish they would do their homework before spreading lies."

Joe Kaufman, chairman of Florida-based Americans Against Hate, who wore a dark suit and a flag-patterned tie, said he was pleased by the media coverage. There were more reporters than protesters at the event.

"This is a success because the media came out and covered it," said Mr. Kaufman. "That's the way the public get educated about this organization's ... ties to overseas terrorism."

Mr. Kaufman says the Islamic Circle of North America was founded three decades ago as an American arm of the terrorist group, the Muslim Brotherhood of Pakistan, and funnels money to Hamas.

Protesters walked back and forth near the entrance to the theme park holding signs that read, "Americans Against Hate."

One young man leaned out the window of a gold-colored SUV, pumped his fist, and responded: "Long live Palestine. Long live Palestine."

Brenda Jernigan of Duncanville said she isn't positive the Muslim group holding Sunday's event is tied to terrorism. But she's positive her conservative Christian values are under attack.

"There's a moment when you have to decide whether you're going to do something, even if it's just stand here and hold this sign," she said. "It's a statement that we're just not going to let people come in and take over our country."

Three Arlington police officers stood, arms crossed, and watched the protest. .

Sgt. Robert Vorpahl joked that many visitors to the theme park expressed a form of digital disgust with the protest. "I've seen quite a few hand signs," he said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-protest_15met.ART.State.Edition1.426945d.html

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/3237