Dr.Jasser debates Muhammad Ali Hasan (Muslims for America) on the FBI’s role in the recent Portland arrest of Mohamud.(Note toward the end of the clip, Dr. Jasser’s comment asking not to be interrupted is intended for Ali Hassan, not Bill O’Reilly).
Bill speaks to Zuhdi Jasser, AIFD President and Brigitte Gabriel about two recent arrests in Pakistan for blasphemy against Islam. They discuss the implications for Muslims in Pakistan and around the world.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As we look forward to 2011, we wanted to take this opportunity to reflect upon our organizational successes in 2010 at the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD). We can truly say that we have affected positive, lasting change in the national conversation about political Islam and Islamist radicalization. Issues such as the ‘Ground Zero mosque’, Major Nidal Hasan’s attack on Fort Hood, and an unprecedented number of homegrown terror plots from Muslims radicalized on our soil have finally begun to awaken America. AIFD has been a major catalyst in beginning to break down the blinders of political correctness that have prevented our nation from understanding the root cause of the ever-growing threat of Islamist radicalization-the ideology of political Islam. AIFD also exemplifies how solutions to that ideology may evolve– internal reform toward the separation of mosque and state from deep within the “House of Islam.”
AIFD’s mission is to advocate for the preservation of the founding principles of the United States Constitution, liberty and freedom through the separation of mosque and state.
AIFD’s successes: Our work through interviews and contributions on television, radio and in print has had consistent penetration into increasing audiences. This year alone we have reached an estimated audience of over 150,000,000. AIFD has been featured on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper 360. We have been carried on Fox News Channel’s America Live, The O’Reilly Factor and Hannity. CBS News’ The Early Show, MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, and nationally syndicated radio programs by Laura Ingraham, Fred Thompson, G. Gordon Liddy, and Dennis Miller have regularly featured AIFD. Our writings have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The Dallas Morning News, the Washington Times, the Daily Caller, and the Hudson Institute. Our expertise has been called upon as a source by the National Journal, Newsmax, the Washington Post, and the USA Today to name a few.
Our expertise has been increasingly called upon for guidance by academe, foundations, government, and religious institutions (e.g. House and Senate congressional anti-terror caucuses, Joint Forces Staff College, Heritage Foundation, U.S. Navy, Oslo Freedom Forum, and many more).
AIFD continues to build the foundations for reform work within Muslim communities. In 2010, we successfully conducted numerous public forums targeting young Muslims at universities; helped launch a coalition of prominent American Muslim leaders that will serve as an alternative voice to that of the dominant Muslim Brotherhood movement in the United States; and we have been invited to engage and dialogue with prominent Muslim leaders and demonstrate the genuine diversity of opinions among American Muslims and the importance of Muslim groups who focus on solutions.
It is through your gifts and partnership that AIFD has become a prominent and credible resource on Islamic issues for the private and public sectors. For that, we thank you!
In 2011 our workload will continue to increase exponentially as public awareness grows for the concern of the challenges posed by political Islam to the core values of free societies and our national security. We will continue to seek every opportunity to engage leaders, non-Muslims and Muslims, to counter the obstacles that political correctness poses in preventing the development of long overdue strategies for internal Muslim reform against political Islam. In 2011 we hope to:
Engage young Muslims in developing Muslim led solutions toward a modern liberty-based paradigm of Islam. We hope to provide young Muslims alternative venues for conversations and ideas that empower opportunities for reform that addresses their faith-based challenges in a rapidly modernizing world. We will advocate for that reform through the separation of mosque and state and the importance of an American national identity based in universal freedom over one based in political Islam.
Build the capacity of a diverse group of Muslim leaders with a unified public Muslim voice to serve as an alternative to the global Muslim Brotherhood movement; additionally, to begin the long internal hard work of reform of those Islamic theologies that are incompatible with the principles of our U.S. Constitution.
Collaborate with intelligence and law enforcement to meet the growing request for education on Islamic issues.
Educate the private and public sectors about the ideology of political Islam and the urgency of related Islamic reform issues through writings, radio and media interviews, and public forum participation.
We rely on your generous financial support. Together we must preserve America’s commitment to freedom and national security for future generations. Your support and partnership are vital. Please consider making a gift today.
Sincerely,
M. Zuhdi Jasser
Founder and President
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O’Reilly Factor-Muslim Community divided over FBI role in Portland Terror Arrest- 12/2/10
Bill O’Reilly: Factor follow up segment tonight. 19 year old Mohamed Hasan Mohamud remains in in federal custody tonight charged with attempting to set off a weapon of mass destruction in Oregon. Th FBI says, Mohamed wanted to kill innocent people on Portland’s Pioneer Square as part of the Muslim jihad. The case is controversial because the FBI used a sting and has caused some division within the American Muslim community itself. Joining us now from Denver Muhammad Ali Hasan the cofounder of Muslims for America, and from Phoenix Arizona Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. So Dr. to begin with you. Do you believe the FBI did the right thing here and how should Muslim Americans react?
Zuhdi Jasser: I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what the FBI did and I’ll tell you, our organization was formed on supporting the Constitution against the threat of ideologies like Political Islam. In this case the focus on entrapment is simply claiming victimhood. They are trying to deflect responsibility. It’s a smokescreen. Because they don’t want to look at the fact that this kid, 19 years old had a radicalization pattern over years. He was reaching out to Pakistan, to jihadists. The FBI did not put those ideas in his head. They simply became trusted by him and were able to make a conviction. And recently it’s been reported that there has not been one example of an acquittal because of entrapment. So this is all deflection. I’ll tell you. Muslims that focus on this entrapment are actually feeding into the ideology of the jihadists that tells them that America is against them and America is against Muslims and Islam. They should have rallies in Portland supporting the FBI and thanking them for doing the work that Muslims should be doing. We should be taking the offense as Muslims and not just bellyaching.
Bill O’Reilly: All right. Mr. Hasan. You disagree with that why?
Hasan: Well the problem I have with Dr. Jasser is that, I’ve got documentation here fro m the top three Muslim groups ISNA CAIR and MPAC when you look at them, ISNA right now is running a workshop to get American Muslims hired by the Homeland Security Department, ahhh, MPAC has a page, they’ve had a program for 5 years now connecting the FBI with mosques. It’s been very successful and CAIR has a page where they list FBI information and they encourage Muslims to report suspicious activity. This is Dr. Jasser’s group, the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, This is their page. There is nothing here for resources linking Muslims to the FBI, CIA or Homeland Security, this is the volunteer page. The thing that Jasser is asking for most is help with marketing and help with fundraising. So I think Dr. Jasser is being a double talking hypocrite to assume that American Muslims aren’t involved in trying to stop terror.
Bill O’Reilly: Now hold on a minute you are attacking the man personally.
Hasan: He’s the only group that does not help connect Muslims with the FBI.
Bill O’Reilly: Knock it off. No personal attacks read my lips. Dr. Jasser thinks Muslim Americans should go to Portland and publicly thank the FBI, do you believe that?
Hasan: Bill, I do believe that. But we have to remember, this man was turned in by his own father who’s a fellow American Muslim which Dr. Jasser does not recognize. And again, I’m going to get back to these groups, ISNA, MPAC, and CAIR are all demonstrating strong relationships with the FBI and CIA. Dr. Jasser’s group is not doing that. I think it is wrong for Dr. Jasser..He’s double talking with his group.
Bill O’Reilly: Nobody is casting aspersions on any Muslim Americans. Now look. This is about Muslim reaction to yet another young man charged with a very serious crime. All right if you read the affidavit he was willing to go to Pioneer Square during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and kill women and children so how is the American Muslim community going to react. Now I’m heartened and I think it’s a good thing that both of you agree that the FBI did it’s job.
Jasser: What Ali is doing clearly is that he’s using these groups whose programs really don’t mean anything. Homegrown terrorism is more of a threat today than it’s been at any time. Mr. Leiter today from the National Counterterrorism Center said that one of these is going to get through. So it’s not an issue of entrapment. You are avoiding the ideology. (crosstalk). You do not want to deal with the fact that we have to reform within our faith community. You talk about communicating with the FBI. Our organization’s website is about internal change that is our problem.
Bill O’Reilly: Dr. You do not have to defend your organization on this program. I will tell you two things. It’s not fair of you to criticize CAIR because CAIR isn’t fostering any kind of jihad. #2 Mr. Hasan I think that there has been, there has been in the past a silence that most Americans recognize from the American Muslim community and Dr. Jasser has spoken out about this that Americans say where are you guys? We want you to condemn Jihad louder- like me. I’m giving you the last word Mr. Hasan. Go.
Hasan: I appreciate the last word Bill. I don’t know what more you want Muslim groups to do. They are providing resources. They are recruiting Muslims to join homeland security. CAIR has a page encouraging people to call the FBI. MPAC has a program for.. (crosstalk)
Bill O’Reilly: Public rallies across the country would be a first step. You ask me a question I’m giving you an answer. Get out there, show the American people.
Hasan: You know I think they’re doing terrific work.
Jasser: They are not fighting the ideas of political Islam.
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