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Chronology of Islam in America (2012)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
October 2012
Homeland Security 'fusion' centers spy on citizens, produce 'shoddy' work, report says
Oct 3: The ranking Republican on a Senate panel today accused the Department of Homeland Security of hiding embarrassing information about its so-called "fusion" intelligence sharing centers, charging that the program has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars while contributing little to the country's counterterrorism efforts. In a 104-page report released last night, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said that Homeland Security has spent up to $1.4 billion funding fusion centers -- in effect, regional intelligence sharing centers-- that have produced "useless" reports while at the same time collecting information on the innocent activities of American Muslims that may have violated a federal privacy law. The fusion centers, created under President George W. Bush and expanded under President Barack Obama, consist of special teams of federal , state and local officials collecting and analyzing intelligence on suspicious activities throughout the country. They have been hailed by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as “one of the centerpieces” of the nation’s counterterrorism efforts.
But Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the panel, charged today that Homeland Security had tried to bury evidence of problems at the centers. "Unfortunately, DHS has resisted oversight of these centers," he said. "The Department opted not to inform Congress or the public of serious problems plaguing its fusion centers and broader intelligence efforts. When this subcommittee requested documents that would help it identify these issues, the department initially resisted turning them over, arguing that they were protected by privilege, too sensitive to share, were protected by confidentiality agreements, or did not exist at all. The American people deserve better. I hope this report will help generate the reforms that will help keep our country safe."
The American Civil Liberties Union also issued a statement saying the report underscores problems that it and other civil liberity groups have been flagging for years. "The ACLU warned back in 2007 that fusion centers posed grave threats to Americans' privacy and civil liberties, and that they needed clear guidelines and independent oversight," said Michael German, ACLU senior policy counsel. "This report is a good first step, and we call upon Congress to hold public hearings to investigate fusion centers and their ongoing abuses.”
In addition to the value of much of the fusion centers’ work, the Senate panel found evidence of what it called “troubling” reports by some centers that may have violated the civil liberties and privacy of U.S. citizens. The evidence cited in the report could fuel a continuing controversy over claims that the FBI and some local police departments, notably New York City’s, have spied on American Muslims without a justifiable law enforcement reason for doing so. Among the examples in the report:
- One fusion center drafted a report on a list of reading suggestions prepared by a Muslim community group, titled “Ten Book Recommendations for Every Muslim.” The report noted that four of the authors were listed in a terrorism database, but a Homeland Security reviewer in Washington chastised the fusion center, saying, “We cannot report on books and other writings” simply because the authors are in a terrorism database. “The writings themselves are protected by the First Amendment unless you can establish that something in the writing indicates planning or advocates violent or other criminal activity.”
- A fusion center in California prepared a report about a speaker at a Muslim center in Santa Cruz who was giving a daylong motivational talk—and a lecture on “positive parenting.” No link to terrorism was alleged.
- Another fusion center drafted a report on a U.S. citizen speaking at a local mosque that speculated that -- since the speaker had been listed in a terrorism data base — he may have been attempting “to conduct fundraising and recruiting” for a foreign terrorist group.
In the Homeland Security Department’s response, spokesman Matt Chandler said the Senate subcommittee “refused to review relevant data, including important intelligence information pertinent to their findings.” The senior Homeland Security official who spoke to NBC News said that, while the Senate panel reviewed fusion center reports from 2009 and 2010, a more recent June 2011 case in Seattle shows that a fusion center played a key role in helping to thwart a terrorist plot against a local U.S. military processing center. Chandler added: “The (Senate) report fundamentally misunderstands the role of the federal government in supporting fusion centers and overlooks the significant benefits of this relationship to both state and local law enforcement and the federal government. Among other benefits, fusion centers play a key role by receiving classified and unclassified information from the federal government and assessing its local implications, helping law enforcement on the frontlines better protect their communities from all threats, whether it is terrorism or other criminal activities.” [NBC News]
127-member coalition asks DC transit to support anti-hate efforts in wake of 'savage' ads
Oct 9: A broad-based coalition of 127 organizations -- led by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Jewish Voices for Peace – DC Metro (JVP), and the Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace (WIAMEP) -- today sent a letter to the Washington Area Metro Transit Authority (WMATA) expressing concern over advertisements now on display in DC-area metro stations sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, a designated hate-group led by Pamela Geller. The ads strongly suggest that Arab or Muslim opponents of Israel's policies are "savages." Federal Judge Rosemary Collyer, who ruled that the ads could be placed in DC-area metro stations, called the advertisement "hate speech." The ads were previously displayed in San Francisco and New York. Pamela Geller is recognized as being at the core of a group promoting intolerance of Muslims and Arabs in America. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that monitors the hate movement in the United States, calls her "the anti-Islam movement's most visible and flamboyant figurehead." In the letter, the coalition stated: "With respect to your response in this matter, it is not our desire that WMATA disallow advertisements that contain any political speech as this would curtail the use of an important forum where ideas are frequently exchanged. We respect the protections afforded to political speech, and do not wish that our position be misinterpreted as advocating for the curtailment of such speech. This being said, we do believe there are measures WMATA can take to mitigate the effect hate speech has on the community and encourage you to take the above listed steps in crafting a principled and effective response." In an example of respecting free speech while choosing to promote tolerance, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency issued a statement noting that Geller's piece "has no value in facilitating constructive dialogue or advancing the cause of peace and justice" and donated the ad proceeds to the San Francisco Human Rights commission. [ADC]
Holy Land Foundation Case Goes to Supreme Court
Oct 11: The US government case against the Holy Land Foundation for alleged terrorist funding has reached the Supreme Court. Considered as the Bush administration's flagship terror-financing case, its indictment of the HLF labeled the organization “a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” The case went to trial twice, once in 2007 when the jury could not agree to any verdict and then again in 2008, this time with sentences ranging from 15-65 years in prison for five HLF members. However, key evidence used against the charity came from unidentified sources, which defendants and their supporters argue is a violation of their rights. ANSWER Coalition spokesperson Brian Becker discussed the implications of these secret testimonies. The FBI did not respond to interview requests but in a press release shortly after the sentencing called it “a landmark case” that “should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief. But the lawyer for Abdurrahman Oudah, who was sentenced to 15 years in this case, says the current ruling should not stand. According to attorney Greg Westfall, this case gives the government power to arrest and convict Americans on questionable evidence, setting a dangerous precedent. The legal implications of accepting hidden witnesses would be serious. The Fifth Circuit Court upheld the ruling and the Supreme Court would decide whether to hear the case sometime this term. [Marjan Asi, Press TV, Washington]
Alex Odeh: Still Waiting for Justice
Oct 11: Today marks the 27th anniversary of the terrorist attack that killed Alex Odeh, Southern California Regional Director of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee. On October 11, 1985, Alex Odeh was killed when a powerful pipe bomb exploded as he unlocked and opened the door of the ADC office in Santa Ana, California. In addition to killing Alex, the bomb injured several other victims. Alex, a published poet, lecturer of Arabic Language and Middle East history at Coastline College in Santa Ana, and tireless peace activist, dedicated his life to the defense of civil liberties at home, and civil and human rights abroad. On the day of his murder, Alex was scheduled to speak at Friday prayer services at Congregation B’Nai Tzadek, a synagogue in Fountain Valley, CA. Alex was a U.S. citizen and a Palestinian Roman Catholic, who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1972. He is survived by his wife Norma and their three daughters. Last week, ADC sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to renew their genuine efforts in resolving the case. ADC has made a formal request for a meeting with the attorney general to discuss the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) case into Alex Odeh’s murder remains open, with a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to an arrest and conviction. However, no arrest has yet been made in spite of the fact that press reports have stated over the years that the FBI identified members of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) as suspects. None of the identified JDL individuals has ever been charged or prosecuted in connection with the murder, and some have fled to Israel. [ADC]
Tracking the American Muslim vote in 2012 election
Oct 15: Democrats and Republicans are seen by many as the two sides of the same coin since both are aligned with the rich against the American people. For some Democrats are seen as a lesser evil. Gerald Celente says when confronted with the choice between the two evils, you don’t vote for the lesser evil. “Lesser or greater, evil is evil.” However, the seven-million strong American Muslim community – remained under siege since 9/11 tragedy - has decided to actively participate in the nation’s political process in a bid to make its voice heard. Muslim community’s political activism was reflected at the Democratic National Convention where the number of Muslim delegates had quadrupled since 2004. There were more than 100 Muslim delegates representing some 20 states at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C., in September last. That’s up from 25 delegates in 2004. "The more than doubling of Muslim delegates at this year's Democratic National Convention is a direct result of their hard work and grassroots organizing within the Democratic Party," according to the Council on Arab-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Government Affairs Coordinator Robert McCaw. "It is also a sign of the American Muslim community's growing civic engagement and acceptance in the Democratic Party." On August 22, 2012, the CAIR announced the formation of a national partnership with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) to coordinate voter empowerment and election activities. The two national organizations pledged to work together on hosting voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, phone banks, town hall meetings, and candidate forums. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also issued a 2012 Presidential Voter Guide, providing general information about the election such as candidate positions and biographies. “CAIR seeks to educate Muslim voters on candidate positions and encourages Muslims to support candidates whose positions they agree with,” the guide said adding: “The 2012 election cycle presents the American Muslim community with an important opportunity to increase its political capacity and presence. With large concentrations of Muslim voters in key swingstates such as Florida, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia the American Muslim population has the potential to be influential in determining who will be the next President of the United States.”
Muslim Public Affairs Council
Another leading civil advocacy organization, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) also issued a 32-page Election Kit - My Faith. My Vote. My Future – to encourage and actively engage American Muslims in the upcoming elections. In order to learn more about the issues American Muslims care about most during this election year, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, (MPAC) conducted an online survey this spring. The survey, which ran from May 22 through June 4, sought to understand American Muslims’ investment and involvement in civic activities and political issues. As part of the survey, we asked American Muslims to rate the top 10 issues that will determine their vote this year. The MPAC found that the main issues American Muslims care about are (in order of importance): 1. Immigration 2. The Environment 3. Taxes and the Federal Budget 4. National Security 5. Foreign Aid 6. Social Safety Programs 7. Social Issues 8. Medicaid/Medicare 9. Foreign Policy Toward South Asia 10. Religious Freedom.
Muslims disappointed
Ironically, there has been little effort to court Muslim voters this election year. In the 2008 election the McCain campaign basically ignored American Muslims while the Obama campaign had a special outreach coordinator that reached out to the Arab-American community as well as the American-Muslim communities. But this election season there has not been the same kind of outreach from the Obama campaign, and no word from the Mitt Romney campaign. Muslim Americans perceive Mitt Romney as the more anti-Islamic candidate due to his irresponsible comments regarding sensitive Middle Eastern issues, including the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict. American Muslims were also disappointed with the Republican Party when its convention adopted an amendment to their platform supporting a ban on foreign law (read Sharia). The so-called anti-Sharia legislation has become another tool to foment hatred against Islam and Muslims. At the same time many Republican leaders continued rhetoric against Islam.
The Democrats’ inclusion of support for Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in their official party platform may have disillusioned some Muslim voters, who were already critical of Obama's failure to properly address the discrimination their community has faced. Four years ago, Obama enjoyed overwhelming support from Muslim voters – 89 percent Muslims voted for him. There is currently no polling data indicating the percentage that intends to vote for Obama this November, but politically active community members agree that enthusiasm for his candidacy has waned. In particular, many say they are disappointed by the way Obama has shied away from addressing an apparent rise in Islamophobia spreading throughout the United States.
However, despite these misgivings American Muslims are likely to vote for President Obama next month, says Princeton political science professor Amaney Jamal. "Unfortunately, Obama has exhibited little public defense of Muslim-Americans," Jamal said earlier this month. "When people allege that Obama is Muslim, the comment from the White House is “no, no, he's Christian.” But it doesn't go that little extra step and ask, so what if he was Muslim?” "The Muslim-American community has bought into the idea that they are a liability to the Democratic Party," Jamal said. "No one is calling out Obama and the political elite in this country because they do not want to hurt his chances of winning this November." [AMP Report]
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