Notes on Last Week's Forum on the ISB Lawsuit

Quick note on last week's forum in Brookline on the Islamic Society of Boston's lawsuit saga.  The speakers were Charles Jacobs, President of The David Project (TDP), Jeff Robbins, attorney for TDP defendants, and Sheikh Ahmed Mansour of Citizens for Peace and Tolerance.  I didn't see any coverage by any local papers of this event.  One local blogger, Boston Patriots, wrote a pretty good account here:

"For one thing, I was hearing first hand accounts of what to me could almost be described in terms of a conspiracy to some degree. The double sided dealing, the strange commitments that the ISB would have to make, essentially on behalf of the BRA, and the various behind the scenes people with direct ties to "terror sponsoring organizations. It was very much of a head scratch as to how this deal came about. From a culpability perspective, I also wondered exactly how high up the food chain the dealings actually went. I also felt that someone should have had oversight into the Boston Redevelopment Agency and its doings. Whoever this was had either completely dropped the ball or was duplicitous in some way themselves. As far as I understand, this responsibility would fall squarely in the lap of the Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino."

"As attorney Robbins continued explaining the sordid terror sponsoring track record of numerous individuals involved with the ISB, the next thought that occurred to me was how open and obvious these people actually were. They openly flaunted their rhetoric, and almost in plain site, went about their business of sympathizing and supporting terrorists and terror organizations. They did this with what appeared to be not the slightest hint of concern. This tells me one of two things: 1.) They are lazy or sloppy in covering their tracks or 2.) They are so comfortable in the fact that nobody was listening or paying attention that they did not feel the need to hide what they were doing."

I think it's No. 2.  Jeff Robbins explained in detail the Byzantine developments in this lawsuit, including how the ISB attempted numerous times to shield evidence from public view, and how the Discovery Master denied their requests.  Robbins recounted the curious timing of the resignation of a number of ISB trustess (all from the Middle East) just before they were about to be pulled into the case.  Robbins' takeaways from the lawsuit saga were two:

1. There are definitely concerns with Saudi funding of mosques in America - of which the Roxbury mosque is one - and with their support of extremists, and
2. Lawsuits work, even when the plaintiffs lose or, as in this case, the plaintiffs are forced to withdraw their lawsuit completely.  The lawsuits still cause a great deal of anxiety and stress, and incur enormous costs for the defendants. 

Sheikh Ahmed Mansour gave an interesting talk, although his accent was quite thick and it was a bit difficult to catch everything he said.   (A little background on Mansour's part in the lawsuit here.)   Mansour said that Muslims need to help make positive changes and to thwart radical Islamists.  He said there needs to be a "Muslim platoon" to fight against radicalism, including Saudi Wahabis and Muslim Brotherhood supporters in the U.S.   He also said that the enemy of Egypt is not Israel, the enemy of Egypt is military dictatorships.  Mansour continued, the enemy of Islam is not Israel or the United States, the enemy of Islam is the Wahabis.  His talk was short but quite passionate and well received. 

There was a Q&A session after the talks.  Two items caught my attention.  One was the blunt statement by Charles Jacobs that the "mayor (Menino) made a terrible error that needs to be rectified," speaking about the sweetheart deal between the ISB and the Boston Redevelpment Authority (BRA).   Yes, Mayor Menino did make a terrible error here, and I'm curious to see how he can rectify things.   

Second, either Jacobs or Robbins stated that Roxbury Community College (RCC) has not yet accepted the "benefits" from the ISB that were part of the BRA parcel transfer, which include lectures on Islam and an Islamic sharia law library.  (Public benefits? These sound like benefits for the ummah.....).  Personally, I am against these "benefits," as they clearly advance one religion above others, and it appears that Massachusetts is subsidizing the Islamic religion.  Islam is among the most missionary/proselytizing religon of all religions, and the state has no business in helping the ISB conduct dawah at the RCC.  If the benefit package is accepted, then there's still an opportunity for the concerned public to have a say in what those lecture are about, what speakers are brought in, and what those speakers say.  There needs to be public review and comment on the entire lecture process to ensure no radical Islamists are brought in.  An public review committee comprised of interfaith religious leaders, academics and community members could, for example, review the background and statements of the lecturers, prior to any lecture.  There's also an opportunity for the concerned public to review what books are brought into the library, and to make sure that works by radical Islamists (including proposed ISB trustee Yusuf Al-Qaradawi) are not part of a Massachusetts community college collection.  We could ensure that works by Islamic reformers and dissidents are also part of the library collection, not just books like Reliance of the Travellers.  Lots of opportunities here! 

It's high time for the RCC and for Massachusetts political leaders to perform due diligence on these "public benefits."  Let's not support Wahabi/Salafi Islam in Boston. Please let your concerns be known to the RCC and to your legislators.

Comments

[Azzam]

There was a question about the biographic information on Mr. Basyouny Nehela, the supreme spirtual leader of the muslims in Boston area according to ISB. The question was to Jeff Robbins and I heard that the answer was: "no he did not discover the complete biography of Mr. Nehela."
Strange, is it?

[Azzam]

Misskelly, can you start a petition drive on your website to request U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release the complete biography of Mr. Nehela. They sure have it (or they may think so). And he is a very important public figure now, the only face of ISB that ordinary mortals can see and hear (even if from the top a minaret with a flag). Public has a right to know, especially the parents of children whom he is teaching. May be the Mass Department of Education has it. Will you, Misskelly, do us muslims this small favour, get the petition rolling.

[Azzam]

A little more than this is needed. (from www.masboston.org):
Sheikh Basyouny Nehela, has been the Imam of the Islamic Society of Boston in Cambridge for the past ten years. He received his Masters and PhD in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He currently teaches a variety of classes including Arabic, Qur’anic Sciences, and Religious Studies. Imam Basyouny is a talented counselor, teacher, and mentor, and is dedicated to the development and improvement of the Cambridge community"

He has been to MIT, Harvard , Wellesley. May be they have it. Would they release it?

[Azzam]

And a little more than this is needed (http//iane.org):"Imam Basyouny Nehela, Ph.D., Religion and Arabic Director
Imam Basyouny is the Imam at the Islamic Society of Boston. He graduated from Al-Azhar University in Cairo. He loves to teach religion and Arabic to the youth. He has a special talent in both attracting young adults to Islam and motivating them to learn and practice their religion. He is also highly skilled in the Arabic language. He leads both the Religion and Arabic departments."

What was he doing before he came to USA?

[Azzam]

Research shows that no Mr. Basyouny Nehela got trained as Imam at the School of Sharia, Al Azhar University main campus. It appears that he got a bachelor's degree in "Kuliat Dawa". What school did he get his bachelor's degree from and what year? What was the equivalency of this degree to US bachelor's degree to qualify for the special visa?
And what mosque did he work at for two years before coming to USA? Isn't that the rule for the special visa?
And if he truly was trained as an Imam would he have done at Islamic Center of New England, what he did?
What do you say Honorable Imam Qardawi on this?

[Azzam]

What Mr. Basyouny Nehela did at the Islamic Center of New England? His bio on www.masboston.org says:"dedicated to the development and improvement of the Cambridge community". But from day one (1996)he was in the Islamic Center of New England community......teacher,director,dawa instructor......Was it all kosher under his work permit? Did he tell all this to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? Did he tell about the $100,000 check he took there to do what?
Hello,anyone! Anyone, listening.
We got the ten year bio of activities in USA. We need the bio of the "before". Sometime it becomes relevant.Especially, when he was so close to Imam Hamid Mahmoud of Worcester (now in Pakistan).

[Azzam]

The great civil rights leader.
IMMIGRATION SUMMIT AT STATE HOUSE A SUCCESS!
posted by aishashilling on 04/12/07

http://masboston.org/index.php?action=view&id=23&module=newsmodule&src=%40random41940a897e943

And what about the civil rights of the muslim community of the Islamic Center of New England?
It was o.k. to bring van loads of people from Cambridge to effect elections?
Too bad America is still a country of Laws. It may be a slow grind but the result can be fine at times. Evidence gathered over ten years will show even under holy water. No money can undo this evidence as it did undo a community.
The story of civil rights is just starting. Our community also had a dream to have a school where our children could go. What did you do?

[Azzam]

With "certain" money a new way was musceled in both at Quincy and Sharon,ICNE. All the diversity of students (Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Irani, and others who took instruction in English) was diminished and replaced by a certain student and parent (Arabic speaking...Syria, Egypt, Palestine) and this was done by the consent of the community?(Your, not being able to speak English was no excuse). Yes, Mr. Civil Rights. Time to answer questions!
But, first your "before" bio, please. Somebody will get the answers. As you yourself proclaim from the pulpit,"In God's house there can be delay but justice get served". Time,yet!

[Azzam]

Yes, Mr. Civil Rights, "justice gets served." A few blocks from your mosque is the Cambridge City Hall and in golden letters on the mast it says near the end:"IF THE LAWS ARE NOT ENFORCED, THE PEOPLE ARE NOT WELL GOVERNED." When you stand shoulder to shoulder with ACLU do you tell them how you sent thousands of emails about a muslim who dared challenge your insertion into ICNE (we have four wittnesses to the insertion.....that is what you need as Islamic evidence of r----, right). Well 18,927 emails and addresses is a powerful list-----flash it to the Attorney General and he will not look into it, the District Attorney will not look into it. But May be now ACLU will! And the US Senate will......they need to hold hearings on this. How Hamid Mahmoud entered this country? How and why he left, with whose support and closeness?
Hearings will happen. But your bio of "before", please. Your close friend, Hamid Mahmoud, actually was associated with the house at Dubai Chowk, Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore, Pakistan. And you must have known what role that house played in Daniel Pearl case. (The Daily Times,Lahore,Pakista, just abbreviated to "Moon Chowk" in its coverage).
Not close to Hamid Mahmoud!? Eid Milad Un Nabi(sawt) (the birth of Prophet(sawt) celebrations) are usually held in an Imam's community. Very recently you held the function with Hamid at Worcester. Not close, internet error! And the enforcement of Hijab in subtle ways at Wellesley is not your doing? If a mother can send her daughter to Wellesley College, she is smart enough to decipher all the links. Yes, no holly water on such evidence! Does not work here in America. If no one does, the US Senate gets into the act and "enforces the laws to have people well governed".
Slow grind but grind enough. This adopted country of yours, Mr. Civil Rights, is good in asking questions. They asked a question about taxes on tea and then are having the longest Boston Tea Party since 1776.

[Sam Adams]

Thanks for the reference Miss Kelly. Nice job detailing the meeting as well.