King: Imam behind Ground Zero-area mosque 'blackmailing' U.S. on project

The Hill ^ | 9/11/2010 | Bridget Johnson

[Qbert]

The ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee accused the imam behind the mosque project near Ground Zero of arm-twisting and "blackmailing" to push Park51 through.

"To me, it's almost as if he's blackmailing and threatening the United States that somehow if the mosque is not approved or people speak out against his mosque, you have to worry about being attacked by Islamic terrorists," Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on Fox Business Network on Friday.

King said that the Islamic center was being "put their to make a statement, not to build bridges, but to make a statement."

"We don't have to prove ourselves to anyone and certainly don't have to measure up to some standard set by an imam who said that the U.S. was a co-conspirator of 9/11," King said.

The imam sits down for his first Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week" this weekend.

“This is a house with multi-faith stakeholders, multi-faith partners, intended to work together towards building peace,” he said, according to excerpts released by ABC.

[Qbert]

From the CNN Larry King show interview:

RAUF: "I am extremely concerned about sensitivity. But I also have a responsibility. If we move from that location, the story will be that the radicals (Rauf's term for GZM opponents-ed.) have taken over the discourse. The headlines in the Muslim world will be that Islam is under attack. And I’m less concerned about the radicals in America than I’m concerned about the radicals in the Muslim world...If we do move, it will strengthen the argument of the radicals to recruit, their ability to recruit, and their increasing aggression and violence against our country.”

Palin and many others on the right issued public statements asking Pastor Jones to 'stand down' on his Koran-burning plan. If there really is a possibility of Islamic terrorism committed in response to the mosque being moved, how come nobody is calling on the so-called 'moderate' Imam Rauf (and other GZM proponents) to take a public stand against the possibility of such violence?

[opentalk]

Imam is no peacemaker. His lack of sensitivity is intentional provocation.

Rally from yesterday.

[EggsAckley]

I've been calling it blackmail from the get-go. And then The Donald had to step in and offer a “ransom”.

He may have just set a precedent for future blackmail schemes. Want a quick 25% profit on your property? Just announce the building of a Mosque on it. Slick.

[Diogenesis]

" In Islam, every structure linked to the faith and its rituals has a precise function and character.
A mosque is a one-story gallery built around an atrium with a mihrab (a niche pointing to Mecca)
and one, or in the case of Shiites two, minarets.
This 13-story multifunctional structure couldn't be any of the above.
The groups fighting for the project know this; this is why they sometimes call it an Islamic cultural center.
But there is no such thing as an Islamic culture.
The Prophet imposed his rule on parts of Arabia through a series of ghazvas, or razzias (the origin of the English word "raid").

The ghazva was designed to terrorize the infidels, convince them that their civilization was doomed and force them to submit
to Islamic rule. Those who participated in the ghazva were known as the ghazis, or raiders.
After each ghazva, the Prophet ordered the creation of a rabat -- or a point of contact at the heart of the infidel territory raided.
The rabat consisted of an area for prayer, a section for the raiders to eat and rest and facilities to train and prepare
for future razzias. Later Muslim rulers used the tactic of ghazva to conquer territory in the Persian and Byzantine empires.
After each raid, they built a rabat to prepare for the next razzia.

It is no coincidence that Islamists routinely use the term ghazva to describe the 9/11 attacks against New York and Washington.
The terrorists who carried out the attack are referred to as ghazis or shahids (martyrs).
Thus, building a rabat close to Ground Zero would be in accordance with a tradition started by the Prophet.
To all those who believe and hope that the 9/11 ghazva would lead to the destruction of the American "Great Satan,"
this would be of great symbolic value."

[Qbert]

“Imam is no peacemaker. His lack of sensitivity is intentional provocation.”

Exactly.

[hoosiermama]

Just patterning himself off of a JJ shake down.

[Starboard]

Sounds like the Mafia. If you don’t do this, something bad might happen to you.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Something must be wrong with me. I'm beginning to like Peter King.

Does he still support the IRA?

[Dagnabitt]

Nice little country you got here. Would be a real shame if something happened to it... on account of this little Mosque location misunderstanding.

[John D]

A person can never tell when Rauf is talking or if it is cut and run Paul. The only difference is Raul only says America contributed to 9/11. Cut and Run says it was ALL OUR FAULT.

[Mortrey]

Remember the movie The Great Escape?
Remember how the men moved dirt from the tunnels they were digging by releasing it in the yard through bags hidden in their pant legs?

I’ve often imagined the same scenario, only with citizens of New York releasing pig’s blood on the real estate in question.

But, then....it would be too secretive.

[ozzymandus]

Of course it’s blackmail, and the US left is a willing victim.

[Qbert]

“Remember the movie The Great Escape?
Remember how the men moved dirt from the tunnels they were digging by releasing it in the yard through bags hidden in their pant legs?

I’ve often imagined the same scenario, only with citizens of New York releasing pig’s blood on the real estate in question.

But, then....it would be too secretive.”

Yep. (Love the movie, btw)

[tillacum]

Why can’t pigs blood be sprayed from a helicopter over the top of the building and let some of it dribble down the sides. The chopper could be painted RED with no numbers, no writing just read.

[goat granny]

They learn fast from old jesse jackson and al sharpton...extortion works well for them....

[Ole Okie]

They learn fast from old jesse jackson and al sharpton...extortion works well for them....

They hark back to the Muslim Barbary Pirates extorting money from the new United States.

[Ulysse]

ping

An Imam “peacemaker” is an oxymore !

BTW i would remind christians, overall “liberal christians”, that Jesus never promised peace at any price and his very life shows that he never fled strong oppositions and confrontations....till he died.

That fake “peace” stuff and fake “tolerance” rethoric are actually used by liberals to silence oppositions and critics picturing them as hate speech or inrolerance or warmongering

[Qbert]

“BTW i would remind christians, overall “liberal christians”, that Jesus never promised peace at any price and his very life shows that he never fled strong oppositions and confrontations....till he died.

That fake “peace” stuff and fake “tolerance” rethoric are actually used by liberals to silence oppositions and critics picturing them as hate speech or inrolerance or warmongering”

Excellent point.

People need to be reminded of this...on a daily basis!

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Imam has been traveling to the Middle East hustling Saudi oil sheiks for big donations. Both he and the real estate broker who owns the building are in this for the money.

[JudgemAll]

Typical muslim savagism that liberals feel homey with.

Destroy the towers, make people poor and without a house, build a mosque as their new butt hole fest home.

Voila’ America’s future under surrender and liberalism toward evil cults.