Muslim Moderate Kabbani Firm on Terrorist Nuclear ThreatDave Eberhart, NewsMax.com
Shavkh Hisham Kabbani, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA), stands by and renews his 1999 warning that brainwashed Islamic extremists have infiltrated mosques, Muslim student and community groups, and have bought more than 20 nuclear warheads carried in suitcases.
Monday, Nov. 19, 2001
In his infamous January 1999 address to the U.S. Department of State, Kabbani cautioned officials about imminent danger to America posed by nuclear-armed Islamic extremists. He further described 5,000 suicide bombers being trained by bin Laden in Afghanistan ready to move to any part of the world.
In a post-Sept. 11 pronouncement, ISCA said recently: "Shavkh Hisham Kabbani warned of the dangers of mass terrorism to American cities, and he was brushed aside as a dangerous alarmist. Muslim organizations are no doubt beginning to regret their treatment of him.”
Part of that strident alarm sounded by Kabbani in 1999: "We want to tell people to be careful, that something major might hit quickly because they [Islamic extremists] were able to buy more than 20 atomic nuclear heads from some of the mafia in the ex-Soviet Union ...
"Through the universities, there will be the most danger. If the nuclear atomic warheads reach these universities, you don’t know what these students are going to do, because their way of thinking is brainwashed, limited and narrow-minded.”
Kabbani, an American citizen of Lebanese descent, holds a degree in Islamic jurisprudence, which authorizes him to give legal rulings. He has written several papers and reports on Jihad, the history and evolution of extremism, and radical Islamic groups.
His stock has risen considerably since Sept. 11. He has been appearing regularly on TV and doing high-level briefings. Last month he briefed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff on Uzbekistan.
ISCA, which features the entirety of the 1999 speech on its Web site as a sort of Gettysburg Address, regularly culls the news for any and all clippings that vindicate or corroborate Kabbani’s dire warnings.
A recent case in point: the State Department’s rigorous new screening of Arab and Muslim men seeking student visas. More obvious: Osama bin Laden’s recent boast that he controls chemical and nuclear weapons.
Hallmarked by a long flowing beard, robe and headdress, Kabanni is a heavyset man with intense eyes set in a friendly face that is often smiling. He admits being hurt by the alienation he has suffered since 1999 at the hands of Muslim groups, including Council on American Islamic Relations and Muslim Students Association. At one point he received FBI protection.
However, years after his controversial warning speech, Kabbani’s resolve remains, and he continues to speak out in ways sometimes unpopular with some fellow Muslims. An example is his recent plea to Muslims to inform on those who might have any knowledge of extremist cells and activities that would help investigators:
"I urge all our members of the Islamic Supreme Council of America and many Muslims, that I know in the United States and abroad, to come with every tip they have, with every information that they have, in order to tell the different agencies about it, and inform them as soon as possible, in order to avoid any harassment for the Muslim community.”
An under-fire Kabbani explained in 1999 exactly what he meant when he told the State Department that 80% of American mosques had been taken over by extremists. His point, he said, was that a "few extremists” were taking over leadership posts, despite a "majority of moderate Muslims,” thus "influencing 80% of the mosques.”
Today, he sticks even closer to his guns and adds embellishing data: Kabanni visited 114 mosques in the United States. ‘‘Ninety of them were mostly exposed, and I say exposed, to extreme or radical ideology,’’ he said.
Kibbani bases his exposure conclusion on speeches, board members and materials published. One tell-tale sign of an extremist mosque, said Kabanni, was an unhealthy focus on the Palestinian struggle.
When not embroiled in the never-ending fallout from his speech, Kabanni fights what he likes to style his personal "holy war" or "jihad.” Following ancient teachings, he divides jihad into four kinds: "jihad by the heart, jihad by the tongue, jihad by the hand and jihad by the sword.”
Kibanni’s jihad by the tongue: "Removing all misconceptions and stereotypes in clarifying the image of Islam held by non-Muslims, building a trusting relationship and working with them in ways that accord with their way of thinking, are all primary forms of jihad.”
He added: "Islam doesn’t teach terrorism, or allow you to kill anyone. Islam tells you to toss a flower on your enemy in order to bring him to your side, not to fight with him.”
Kabbani wants to be a voice against terrorism and ideological extremists who use Muslims in America as a vehicle for exploiting foreign political causes.
All this is tough on a quiet scholar who typically goes into seclusion for 40 days each year. "When I was younger, I used to do it for six or nine months at a stretch. That's training your spiritual power and your energy.”
No...
...they are not in the United States.
You have mail.
Like who'd a thunk! Of course they'd go to the socialist indoctrination centers. We've known who the enemy was for years! Left wing waco extremists!
We didn't need him to tell us that!
As to the prospect of 20 of these nuclear suitcases being in the hands of terorists; I don't believe it.
But if they can manage to get their hands on one it will be a disaster.
Sadly there is still a "business as usual" approach in DC. As an example while everybody speculated about airport security they "ignored" the fact that airline lobbyist did not install adequate doors on their planes!
In addition; business as usual management of nuclear waste, industrial chemicals, and other potentially dangerous materials that could be leveraged as WMD remains.
While in many cases we have no choice but to move on and live our lives in our day-to-day fashion, the astonishing lack of the application of common sense is saddening.
When our government goes beyond "window dressing" solutions, that is to say cosmetic fixes that pander to special interest groups, then as a nation we can really address the problem.
IF... the hijacked planes had been flown into a nuclear power reactor the need for a suitcase is just a luggage issue.
The problems with materials stored illegaly and in industrial settings is another area where we are vulnerable.
I feel that the challenge that we are facing is one of an enormous magnitude and that simply putting a "feel good" solution on the problem is not the answer. (as in the case of the doors...)
As the public officials display there concern about the economy, and the need to fly, and the need to buy cars, and the need to shop at XMAS, what they are doing is worrying about a mouse in the attic while a fire rages in the basement.
Sadly you see who is first on the agenda, and it wasn't the donate a dollar crowd.