American Muslim Organization calls for Shahzad to be treated as a traitor

Actions of Times Square bomber, a naturalized US citizen, were treasonous

PHOENIX (May 6, 2010) – Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a devout Muslim and the president and founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy issued the following statement regarding the attack of Faisal Shahzad on New York’s Times Square.

“The actions of Faisal Shahzad a naturalized US citizen on May 1, 2010 were a calculated and deliberate act of treason. Shahzad’s cowardly attempt to kill innocent Americans in Times Square clearly demonstrates his loyalty lies with the Islamist radicals and not his chosen countrymen in the United States. His actions were a result of his faith in the supremacy of an Islamic State over the United States. His citizenship oath was given falsely in 2009 and was in the direct service of powers at war with the United States. His prosecution should encompass the gravity of those actions. No different from Hassan Abujihad convicted in 2008, Nidal Hasan and other Islamist traitors Shahzad if guilty is an enemy of the state and should be immediately legally treated as one.

Whether we declare it or not the United States is at war with the ideology of militant Islamism. Islamists are not afraid to call for the complete destruction of the principles that built our great country. The United States cannot afford to be timid in our response to their actions. Our citizens must abandon the paralyzing fears of political correctness and engage in long overdue genuine theo-political debates about the dangerous separatism of political Islam and its radicalizing effects.

Our elected officials must show true ideological leadership if we are to ever begin the long process of ridding ourselves of the scourge of Islamist terrorism. We cannot cower to victim-mongering organizations that thrive on keeping us from addressing the very real threats to our security. Platitudes that only condemn violence and ignore common ideology will not bring about the necessary reforms which can eventually prevent radicalization.

At the American Islamic Forum for Democracy we believe that it is incumbent on our elected leaders to engage in the war of ideas and demonstrate that the rule of one law that protects universal religious freedom takes precedence over the Islamic state. America in fact provides the best atmosphere for Muslims to practice our faith and it is time for us to empower honest reformist Muslims to declare the ‘Islamic state’ dead. We will never slow down the recurrence of Islamist terror against our citizenry until such a movement from Muslims against political Islam is palpable.”

About the American Islamic Foundation for Democracy

The American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. AIFD’s mission advocates for the preservation of the founding principles of the United States Constitution, liberty and freedom, through the separation of mosque and state. For more information on AIFD, please visit our website at http://www.aifdemocracy.org/.

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Hudson Institute holds forum to launch book focused on the struggle of moderate Muslims against Islamism

WHO: Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, president and founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) is a contributing writer to the newly released book The Other Muslims: Moderate and Secular (Palgrave Macmillan). The book is edited by Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Eurasian Studies Zeyno Baran. The Forum will feature Zeyno Baran, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser and Hedieh Mirahmadi, President of the World Organization for Resource Development and Education. Juan Zarate, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Counterterrorism and CBS News National Security Analyst, will moderate. Hudson Institute CEO Kenneth Weinstein will introduce.

The Other Muslims represents a unique effort to differentiate between Islam and Islamism. It is a collection of essays by moderate Muslims from Europe and the United States, who all agree that Westerners place democracy and universal human rights at grave risk if they ignore the political-ideological threat Islamists pose through their narrow interpretation of Islam.

WHAT: Book Launch Forum

Q&A

WHEN: Wednesday, March 3, 2010

12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Lunch will be served

Books will be available for purchase. Pre-order books here

RSVP required–please send your name and affiliation to events@hudson.org.

WHERE: Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center

Hudson Institute

1015 15th St, NW,

Sixth Floor

Washington, DC 20005

www.hudson.org

HUDSON EVENT Posting: http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=hudson_upcoming_events&id=753

MEDIA: Open Press

ABOUT

DR. JASSER: Dr. Jasser is a nationally recognized expert in the contest of ideas against political Islam and American Islamist organizations. He has spoken at hundreds of national and international events including colleges and universities, places of worship, government venues and many other public functions. On October 1, 2009, Dr. Jasser briefed members of Congress on the threat of Political Islam. He regularly briefs members of the House and Senate congressional anti-terror caucuses. In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Jasser lectured on Islam to deploying officers at the Joint Forces staff college. And In 2007, Dr. Jasser was part of a select group that briefed Admiral Mike Mullen on the “Contest of Ideas with the Muslim World.” Dr. Jasser’s writing and commentary appears in major media outlets such as Fox news, CNN, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, The Washington Times, National Review, TheHill.com, The Arizona Republic, Family Security Matters (familysecuritymatters.org), Islamist Watch, and the HuffingtonPost.com.

ABOUT

AIFD: 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 is the most prominent American Muslim organization confronting the ideologies of political Islam and openly countering the belief that the Muslim faith is inextricably rooted to the concept of the Islamic State.

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