Muslim Public Affairs Council An IPT Investigative Report Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................. 3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MPAC’ S ISLAMIST IDEOLOGY : A PRIMER ............................... 4 A. The Muslim Brotherhood ....................................................................................................... 4 B. MPAC’s “Founding Fathers” .................................................................................................. 5 1. Dr. Maher Hathout .............................................................................................................. 5 2. Dr. Mohamed Fathi Osman ............................................................................................... 7 C. The Muslim Public Affairs Council Today ............................................................................ 8 BROADCASTING HATE : MPAC’ S MEDIA WING ....................................................... 11 A. Downplaying the Threat Posed by Islamic Extremists .................................................... 11 B. Inflammatory Rhetoric About Jews and Zionism ............................................................ 13 C. The Minaret’s Anti-Semitic and Radical Cartoons ........................................................... 16 D. Conspiracy Theories about the 1993 World Trade Center Bombings and 9/11 ......... 31 ANTI -SEMITIC HATE SPEECH ................................................................................. 33 A. Anti-Israeli Rhetoric .............................................................................................................. 33 B. Support for, and Defense of, Foreign Terrorist Organizations ...................................... 41 STOKING DISTRUST : ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE U.S.-MUSLIM RELATIONS ............... 43 A. MPAC: The U.S. is Engaged in a “War on Islam” ............................................................... 43 B. Impeding Criminal Investigations by Sowing Distrust ................................................... 47 C. Criticism of Report by National Commission on Terrorism ............................................ 48 D. The USA PATRIOT Act ........................................................................................................... 49 E. Fusion Centers ....................................................................................................................... 50 F. Use of Informants .................................................................................................................. 51 IN DEFENSE OF TERRORIST FINANCIERS .................................................................. 52 The Investigative Project on Terrorism Page | 2 A. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development ....................................................... 54 B. Infocom ................................................................................................................................... 56 C. Benevolence International Foundation and Global Relief Foundation ....................... 57 D. Islamic American Relief Agency .......................................................................................... 60 E. KindHearts .............................................................................................................................. 61 F. SAAR Foundation .................................................................................................................. 62 DEFENDING DOMESTIC TERRORISTS ....................................................................... 63 A. On the Millennium Plot: Downplaying Ahmed Ressam ................................................. 63 B. Dr. Rafil Dhafir........................................................................................................................ 64 C. “Virginia Jihad” ...................................................................................................................... 64 D. Abdurahman Alamoudi ....................................................................................................... 65 E. Sami Al-Arian ......................................................................................................................... 66 F. Muhammad Salah ................................................................................................................. 67 G. Imam Wagdy Ghoneim ........................................................................................................ 68 H. Ahmadullah Niazi .................................................................................................................. 69 I. James Cromitie and the Bronx Terror Plot ........................................................................ 70 J. Daniel Boyd and the North Carolina Cell .......................................................................... 71 APPENDIX A: MPAC TIES TO THE ICSC ................................................................. 72 APPENDIX B: MPAC AND THE MINARET ................................................................. 76 APPENDIX C: MPAC AND MULTIMEDIA VERA INTERNATIONAL ................................ 79 Page | 3 Muslim Public Affairs Council Executive Summary Founded in 1988 as an off-shoot of the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC), the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) hails itself as a “public service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims, for the integration of Islam into American pluralism, and for a positive constructive relationship between American Muslims and their representatives.” 1 Despite this magnanimous mission statement, since its inception, an analysis of the group’s membership, statements, and publications reveals a far more menacing organization. In reality, MPAC routinely speaks in defense of designated terrorist organizations, as well as individuals and charities that are supporters of terrorism; opposes U.S. counterterrorism measures as part of a consistent knee-jerk reaction claiming bias and discrimination behind law enforcement efforts; and reflects a blatant and conspiratorial anti-Semitism. Part I of this report will examine MPAC’s history of broadcasting, in print media, a message of hate. MPAC’s leadership and members have repeatedly graced the pages of the ICSC’s magazine The Minaret , downplaying the threat posed by Islamic extremists, propagating inflammatory rhetoric about Jews and Zionism, and reiterating conspiracy theories about the attacks of September 11, 2001. Part II of this report will take an in-depth look at the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist hate rhetoric that has been put forth by MPAC. MPAC routinely makes allegations that perpetuate anti- Semitic stereotypes and incite hatred towards Jews. The results have been consistent criticism of the creation of the State of Israel, the continued existence of the nation, and U.S. support for what is viewed as anti-Islamic actions undertaken by Israel. Next, Part III will review MPAC’s historical attempts to sow distrust between the American and Arab American communities. Whether it is in the form of generalized fear mongering or more specific allegations that the “war on terrorism” is a “war on Islam,” the leadership of MPAC has done more to undercut relations between these two segments of our society than it has to forge ties. Part IV of this report will closely examine MPAC’s defense of terrorist financiers. Rather than concede the obvious—that terrorist groups have used Islamic charities as cover for financing their violence acts—MPAC has consistently criticized U.S. counter-terrorism efforts by arguing that criminal investigations and prosecutions are based on politics rather than fact. Finally, Part V recounts MPAC’s statements in defense of domestic and international terrorists. As with MPAC’s response to U.S. efforts to shut down the support structure for terrorist organizations, the group has publicly defended at least a dozen individuals suspected of terrorist activity within the United States. 1 Muslim Public Affairs Council Web Page, “About MPAC,” http://www.mpac.org/about/#axzz0eKMCPAE8 , viewed February 1, 2010. The Investigative Project on Terrorism Page | 4 The Development of MPAC’s Islamist Ideology: A Primer Throughout the 1980s there was a perceived need in the American-Muslim community to become more involved in the American political scene by developing political action committees. In response, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) was founded in 1986 in Los Angeles as the Muslim Political Action Committee 2 of the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC). 3 After working in concert with the ICSC for a few years, MPAC declared its independence in 1988 and was renamed the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Although now independent, MPAC remains intertwined with the ICSC, as demonstrated by its shared leadership and membership. 4 Perhaps more important than an overlap in personnel, MPAC and ICSC also share a common Islamist ideology. This ideology can be traced back to the organizations’ principle founders Dr. Maher Hathout 5 and Dr. Sabri el Farra. 6 Although we will discuss the biographies of each of these men and their relationships with MPAC and the ICSC at length, infra , it is important to begin this story where the stories of so many modern day Islamist organizations began—with the Muslim Brotherhood. A. The Muslim Brotherhood In 1928, Hassan al Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood (“MB”), a rigidly conservative and highly secretive Egyptian-based