Hmmm, I joined an OK ping list, but didn't get this. I even saw the headline yesterday in a different sidebar from the OK one, but didn't know it was about Mecca ... er, bad choice of words for the center of the Sooner Nation/Universe.
Liberty Rocks might have a little more info on Mufid Abdul-Qadr (correct spelling), as we did some additional sleuthing on him. He was co-incorporator with El-yazgi on the OKC mosque on St. Clair Ave. He has also been known to reside in Richardson, TX.
Interesting that he does have ties to Hamas. Here's the whole list of their co-defendants in the 1995 case with Crossroads Associates (their restaurant must have been in the mall):
Parties
Here's a little more on the person(s) mentioned ...
[Mitchell Gray's long article about the OKC, Norman connections:]
http://www.newswithviews.com/guest_opinion/guest79.htm
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[Interesting date for this workshop he attended]
ACTT Workshop - Project Pegasus
September 9-11, 2003
Dallas, Texas
Appendix A - Workshop Attendees
Name: Mufid Abdulqader
Title: Senior Project Manager
Company: Public Works & Transportation
Office: City of Dallas
Mailing Address: 320 E. Jefferson Blvd.
City: Dallas
State: Texas
Zip Code: 75203
Phone: Fax: e-mail: [I deleted]
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[Abdul-qadr was first indicted in July 2004--here's one blog mention about his high position with the City of Dallas--elsewhere, I found where he was the contact person for many large engineering project bids. Ellipses (...) indicate my snips. More at links.]
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/227/#ma
(Dec. 1, 2004)
"The City of Dallas employed one Mufid Abdulqader, the half-brother of notorious Hamas leader Khalid Mishaal, as an engineer. It turns out that Abdulqader had some interesting extra-curricular activities.
Todd Bensman and Robert Riggs of CBS-11 News in Dallas report, in a wondrous tone, that "this professionally accomplished, highly affable public servant by day, was on weekends singing the praises of the terrorist organization Hamas, encouraging martyrs to kill Jews and glorifying violent Jihad."
CBS then quotes from a federal indictment how this "top fundraiser" for Hamas "performed skits and songs which advocated the destruction of the State of Israel and glorified the killing of Jewish people." ...
......
"CBS also reveals that Mufid and his Al Sakrah troupe raised funds for Hamas since at least 1990, in Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Chicago, New Jersey and elsewhere. Some of the conferences were videotaped by their sponsors, such as the Islamic Association for Palestine and the Muslim American Youth Association. The videotapes appear to have been repackaged, edited and sold or distributed as propaganda." ...
........
"The Dallas city government fired him in August, upon his indictment for helping the Holy Land Foundation funnel money to Hamas. The indictment accuses Abdulqader and six co-conspirators of raising over $12 million for HLF in 2000 alone.
Unembarrassed by all this, Abdulqader is trying to get reinstated to city engineer position, appealing his termination on the grounds that the criminal indictment was improperly cited." ...
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/080504dnnatholyland.5813b.html
Dallas News - August 6, 2004
Holy Land charity suspects released from jail
"DALLAS – Three men indicted last month on charges of using a Muslim charity to finance terrorists were released from jail Friday while they await an October trial.
A federal magistrate ordered the release of the men, including the president and chairman of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, which prosecutors say was a financial supporter of the militant group Hamas.
A prosecutor did not oppose their release during a brief hearing. Two other defendants were arrested in California and New Jersey and are expected to be returned to Texas, and another two are fugitives outside the United States.
In a clear sign of the government's effort to win the case, Attorney General John Ashcroft personally announced the indictments July 27 on charges including conspiracy, aiding a designated terrorist group and money laundering.
Holy Land president Shukri Abu Baker, chairman Ghassan Elashi and a top fund-raiser, Mufid Abdulqader, were released." ...
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[Here's a more recent scary item I found:]
Minutes
Texas Board of Professional Engineers
Regular Quarterly Board Meeting
August 11, 2005
9. Licensing Committee Report. Dr. Haden reported that the committee heard seven personal interviews.
Dr. Haden reported that Mufid Abdulqader let his PE license lapse for approximately three years and continued to sign and seal documents. He said that the committee was also concerned with Mr. Abdulqader’s arrest and federal indictment for allegedly being involved with funding of the known terrorist group HAMAS. He said after the committee considered all the information provided, IT WAS MOVED AND SECONDED (Haden/Sweazy) to issue a license to Mufid Abdulqader, with the understanding that, if found guilty on the federal charges and imprisoned that his license would be automatically revoked. The vote was taken and the MOTION PASSED.