Jamada al-Awwal 4, 1425/ June 24, 2004 #72
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SUMMER SCHEDULE:
Dear readers: Asalamu alaikum. During June and July,
New Trend
might appear irregularly owing to the invitations we have received.
We'll try to be steady but might not appear for extended periods of time.
Inshallah, we'll go back to normal in August. Thank you for your support.
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P.O. Box 10881
Baltimore, MD 2124
Don't Just Give out Mangoes: Teach People how to Eat Them
Br. Solano at Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen, Baltimore
On June 18, Br. Sulaiman Solano, from
Jamaat al-Muslimeen
Texas, spoke at Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen in Baltimore after Juma' prayers.
He gave some interesting examples of how the message of
Islam
should be given to the people. Once he gave a mango to a person who had
never eaten a mango. On the way back he realized that the person might try
to eat the mango like people eat most other fruit. So he rushed back and
explained to the person how to eat the mango. Similarly, we shouldn't just
be giving out
Qur'ans
and books. We should also help people the process by which Islam can be
understood and practiced.
Br. Solano also discussed the
American
prison system in the light of the horrors revealed at Abu Ghraib prison in
Iraq.
He said that America's prison system is overcrowded and justice is the least
of the concerns. Plea bargaining is common and accepted by prisoners whose
case would otherwise not come up for years.
Br. Solano, from Hispanic background, discussed the glories of Islam in
Spain [711-1492 Christian era] and its survivals among Hispanic people in
the Americas.
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OPENING STATEMENTS in CASE AIMED AT PUNISHING LYNNE STEWART,
AHMED ABDEL SATTAR and YOUSRI: Attorney, Legal Aid & Translator for
Dr. Omar 'Abdel Rahman
[June 22. The government launched a propaganda barrage aimed at distorting
the image of Shaikh Omar 'Abdel Rahman and indirectly of the three
defendants as a weird witch hunt entered a new phase.]
Chris Morvillo opened for the government with a picture of Sheikh Omar Abdel
Rahman on a big screen. He first introduced himself to the jury and then he
introduces the jury to the "blind sheikh". He explains that the sheikh is
currently serving life in a federal facility for plotting to blow up
buildings and commit murder. The evidence in the case will show he preached
violence in his lectures. One quote supposedly taken from tapes was given
by Mr. Morvillo, "Dismember them, destroy their embassies, attack their
ships, kill them" [which he explained were the Americans).
He then proceeded to explain what strict measures were taken as far as the
shiekh was concerned. He explained what S.A.M. was (Special Administrative
Measure) and why it was necessary in the sheikh case. He, a blind, diabetic
with a heart problem, was a dangerous man and that SAM 's were without a
doubt imperative to protect people from bodily harm even death not to
mention the safety of the United States. The United States had "locked him
up and thrown away the key" Mr. Morvillo said.
Next he gave the "facts" of the case. He begins by telling the jury that
Ahmed Sattar was a postal employee by day and a terrorist by night. He spoke
in code on the telephone as he passed on messages given to him by the
sheikh. "Ahmed Sattar was the point man he ran a communication center from
his home, Sattar was a crucial link between the sheikh and leaders in the
terrorist organization, the Islamic Group in
Egypt.
Then it was stated that Lynne Stewart, Mohamed Yousry and Ahmed Sattar all
knew the sheikh was a man who preached violence and that acts were carried
out in his name. Stewart, it was said, used her status as a lawyer to
"smuggle" messages out of the prison for dissemination to the terrorist
leaders. The government continually emphasized the fact that the three
individuals knew of the SAM and still aided the sheikh in running his
terrorist organization form the prison. Mr. Morvillo referred to this act
as "a jail break" of information.
Mr. Morvillo then proceeded to tell the story of the shootings the occurred
at Luxor Nov. 17.1997. In fact one would think he was present that way he
relayed the series of events. Quoting people and describing the havoc at
the historical site. He then goes into the story of the cease fire that the
sheikh at first agreed with and endorsed, then the calling off of the cease
fire after Egyptian police killed four members of the sheikh's "terrorist
org.". All of these messages, claims the prosecution, were passed from the
sheikh to his atty. Ms. Stewart, then to Ahmed Sattar and finally to the
world terrorist leaders.
He explains how Ahmed Sattar "controlled" the lawyers for the sheikh. Told
them what to do an how to do it. Then he tells of the kidnapping in the
Philippines by a group Abu Sayeff and how this act was in the name of the
sheikh for his release. This was taken from tapes of lawyer-client
conversations between Lynne and the sheikh. He also told the jury about how
Lynne would shake a bottle of water to cover up their discussions so guards
wouldn't hear. From this point he is repetitive, continuing to tell of the
illegal nature of the passing of "fatwa's" by the sheikh through his lawyer
to the outside world.
The opening statement for the government lasted one hour and twenty minutes.
I must add at this point that the proceedings were late in starting because
of the fact that a juror already had asked to be excused from the case.
Ken will open for Ahmed tomorrow, Wednesday June 23,2004 @ 9:00 AM
Hope this is able to give you an idea of what happened today. I will try to
give updates as often as I can.
PS.
the courtroom was filled with supporters of Lynne Stewart, and just the
family of Ahmed Sattar... sad.
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MUSLIMS in the USA
THREE CHOICES: ASSIMILATION, GHETTOIZATION, SUNNAH of the Prophet, pbuh.
by
Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D
The impact of
9.11
on
America's Muslims
has accelerated the incipient tendencies in this population of an estimated
5 to 7 million. Three major tendencies are looked at here and for purposes
of simplification, branches and sub-branches of these three are left out.
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ASSIMILATION. This tendency is exemplified in the groupings known as
ISNA,
ICNA-MAS
and W.D. Muhammad, with
CAIR
working as a front organization for them. These groups want to become part
of the American system as rapidly as possible. Segments of these groups were
hesitant about total assimilation but 9.11 worked as a catalyst to move
them towards their goal of becoming truly American.
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The Assimilationists emphasize the need for Muslims to vote in the American
presidential and congress elections. This urge created a major disaster for
the Muslim community because the assimilationists urged their constituency
to cast a bloc vote for George
Bush.
This time probably they will vote for Kerry or Nader with probably similar results.
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At the level of Islam, the assimilationists have failed to live by any
principles. For instance, they have recognized Israel in the pursuit of
their objective of proximity to the sources of power in this country. The
Qur'an and the Sunnah have not been sources of guidance for them in any of
the major political decisions they have made during their existence. In fact
they have tried to manipulate Islam to legitimize their assimilationist
activity. For supporting Bush, they got a fatwa from an opportunist who,
instead of looking at the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), finagled
some far fetched arguments from Islamic jurisprudence to lend credibility
to the bloc vote.
-
The assimilationist goals are very limited. They want to be recognized as
leaders of the Muslims of America [which they are not], and to be able to
provide minor comforts to the Muslim community, such as the right to wear
head scarves and beards, or to have religious holidays, or that the major
media
should be stopped from direct attacks on Islam. The power structure is
quite willing to provide these comforts.
-
The assimilationists are useful for the power structure. They can be
publicized by the Voice of America and
CNN,
etc., as proof that America is not at war with Islam and that Muslims love
America.
-
THE SECOND TENDENCY is that of GHETTOIZATION. In every major city, one
finds Muslims who seem to be living not in America but in
Pakistan
or Bangladesh or
Africa.
The Tablighi Jamaat people go around with full beards and flowing robes.
In parts of New York, the flavor of
Indo-Pakistani
foods wafts around as strongly as in any South Asian city. Immigrants hold
conferences on the virtues of the Urdu language. In the Detroit-Dearborn
area, it would seem as if one is in an
Arab
country.
-
Ghettoization is a reactionary tendency. It negates Islam as a force for
transformation of society. Its only value is that it adds to the
quaint-quilt effect of American society.
-
For Islam, ghettoization is damaging because it retains all the flaws of
eastern societies and cultures, and presents them as "living Islamic
communities."
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THE THIRD TENDENCY is that of the SUNNAH of the PROPHET MUHAMMAD [pbuh].
Among America's Muslims are people who understand American culture well, in
fact better than most people, and reject it with proper understanding and
care. The rejection is not harsh like that of the ghettoized people but
comes from study and analysis.
-
Like the Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, the SUNNAH people are in this world but not
of it. They understand that this country is ROOTED in the HORRORS of
SLAVERY and the annihilation of NATIVE AMERICANS ['Red Indians'].
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The SUNNAH tendency does not want to vote in or vote out anyone, because the
REAL ISSUE is the CHANGE OF HEARTS, not of party allegiances. This country
cannot be changed through voting.
Malcolm X
understood that the oppressed people here got rights not because of
Dr. King's marches but owing the American retreat from Viet Nam.
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The SUNNAH people see the OPPRESSED PEOPLE of this country as their natural
allies. We must seek the support of the Black community, the
Mexicans-Hispanics-Puerto-Ricans, the Women [50% of the population,
exploited and prostituted by Madison Avenue, Hollywood and the entire
culture], the people of
German
origin who are tired of the re-writing of
history by the
Zionist
media,
the Irish who understand what oppression means, and many others.
-
The SUNNAH people should be on the side of JUSTICE and TRUTH, rather than
any partisan grouping. We can't take sides with people who are building
their worlds on bits and pieces of reality, such as pro-lifers and
pro-choice, homosexuals and gay bashers, Republicans and Liberals.
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The Sunnah people love America, not because it is an imperial country but
because it belongs to God and the oppressed people who made it possible.
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In all matters, the Sunnah people are guided by the Qur'an and the authentic
Hadith
of Muhammad, pbuh, the last messenger of Allah, in whom the message sent to
Abraham/Hajar, Moses/Asiya, Jesus/Mary is perfected and completed with the
help of 'Ayesha, Fatima and the Companions (sahaba), may Allah be pleased
with them all.
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Is Karzai Misleading the American People While the U.S. Organizes Permanent
MILITARY OCCUPATION of
Afghanistan?
by New Trend's
Media
Monitor
The joint meeting of Congress cheered the ruler of Kabul as it has seldomed
cheered anyone. It was the second week of June 2004 and Washington needed
something to cheer for after the deflation of its "liberation of Iraq"
posture.
Karzai claimed that Afghanistan is moving forward. Voters are being
registered, women are getting education, roads are being constructed. He
fawned on his patrons and they loved it. It was a rare phenomenon: A Pathan
affirming how much he loved his White masters. He concluded with the story
of an errant American bomb which wiped out a group of his own relatives and
how an old man who survived came to him (Karzai) and urged him to continue
to love his liberators.
THE REALITY OF AFGHANISTAN:
The real situation in Afghanistan can be gauged from an extensive
presentation made by Lt. General David Barno, the American commandant of
Afghanistan, on May 14, 2004. [Broadcast on
C-Span]
Here are its main points:
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The Taliban insurgency is being held at bay by the might of American
military power.
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The U.S. has CONSTANT AIR COVER over Afghanistan to stop a Taliban
breakthrough.
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The ENTIRE COUNTRY IS UNDER MILITARY OCCUPATION. The occupation forces are
in three categories:
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U.S. troops.
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NATO forces.
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Afghan troops trained and armed by the U.S.
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A new methodology has been adopted to control Afghanistan, particularly the
Pashun areas. Military posts [PRTs] are being set up all over the country.
Each PRT will have these characteristics:
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1. 80-100 soldiers in a PRT.
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2. Air cover available on call.
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$40 million available to pay the local Afghans to cooperate with U.S.
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A special concern is the defense of Kabul itself against the Taliban. An
amount of $60 to $80 million has been made available to keep the Kabul
people cooperative.
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PAKISTAN
and the U.S. are coordinating their MILITARY moves in the tribal areas on
the Afghan-Pakistan border. Pakistan is working closely with the U.S. to
fight the Taliban. Military commanders of Pakistan and the U.S. talk to
each other on an ongoing basis.
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The U.S.-Pak. strategy is to separate the Pakistani tribes from the
Islamic refugees ('foreigners').
[Most analysts agree that without the steady American air cover and air
strikes against the Taliban, the Karzai regime would collapse. The claim
of democracy in Afghanistan is a preposterous falsehood. Without an Islamic
victory, Afghanistan will remain enslaved at the mercy of rampant cultural
and military imperialism.]
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CORRECTION ON OUR ARTICLE ON
CANADA'S
ARREST OF Momin Khawaja
Re: New Trend Magazine dated May 26, 2004
Pls make a correction concerning the name of my son in item appearing:
"How to Treat Ignorance? Why Did Canada Arrest....."
Both of my sons Qasim and Momin are Computer Scientists. Qasim did the
research and developed the mobile phone jammer for the Middle East market,
and not Momin. It is an important correction to be published in the New
Trend.
Many thanks.
Regards,
Mahboob Khawaja
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2004-06-25 Fri 22:27ct