Imams Reject Talk That Islam Radicalizes Inmates

New York Times ^ | May 23, 2009 | Daniel J. Wakin

[reaganaut1]

...

[L]ast week, Salahuddin Mustafa Muhammad found himself an accidental actor of sorts in the latest case of what the authorities call a homegrown terror plot, one in which four ex-convicts were accused of trying to blow up two Bronx synagogues and attack military aircraft. The plot, the authorities say, began when one of the men met a government informant at Mr. Muhammad’s mosque roughly a year ago.

With at least two of the men appearing to be prison converts to Islam, the case has in certain circles evoked an old debate about the role prison might play as an incubator of extremist ideas among Muslims, and it put Mr. Muhammad in the position of confronting that debate in a very personal way.

Mr. Muhammad said his years working with Muslims in prison had turned up little actual evidence that many or any of them became radicalized behind bars.

“I don’t hear any of that wild stuff,” he said. “And if I did hear it, I would stomp it out. It is totally un-Islamic.”

...

What is clear is that the men were all initially described by the authorities and some family members as Muslim, and all had served time in prison. In the case of Mr. Cromitie, he even served time at the Fishkill Correctional Facility in Beacon, N.Y. — the very prison where Mr. Muhammad works. He also was said to have occasionally attended the mosque in Newburgh, where Mr. Muhammad serves as imam.

...

Other Muslim prison chaplains sought to quash the idea that prison, where most of the Muslims are African-American, breeds Islamic extremism.

[reaganaut1]

Even if the imams are not overtly sympathetic with terrorists, followers of the religion they spread are more likely to commit such acts. How do you reconcile the 1st Amendment with the danger of a growing Muslim population in the U.S.?

[El Cid]

How do you reconcile the 1st Amendment with the danger of a growing Muslim population in the U.S.?

I'd acknowledge that the Founding Fathers did not consider that their descendants would be whacked out enough to allow mohammedanism - which had been at war with Western Civilization for nearly 1000 years - to be considered an approved 'religion' on our shores.
Furthermore, a 'religion' whose 'holy' book advocates 3 paths for non-adherants: conversion, or dhimmi status (in the more enlightened islamic regimes - merely 2nd class citizenship, and extra taxes; in some of the more extreme regimes - slavery), or death ... does not merit First Amendment coverage.

[FreepShop1]

The useful idiot Rabbis are giving cover to these psychotic Imams who preach hate and manufacture jihadists in NY jails!

[firebrand]

I love the message of the leader of the mosque the four guys attended: Boy, we told everybody to keep away from that FBI guy! Everybody knew he was an informer. These four were too stupid to listen.

[rawcatslyentist]

Everybody takes that "murder your brother" stuff way too seriously. I mean it only makes up 80% of the queeranus. Ya can't trash the good 20%, just because some people take it the right way.

/s for the sarcasm impaired.

[La Lydia]

This is a news story? What in the world did the New York Times think he was going to say? Admit that they have wormed their way into our prison system and are recruiting as fast as they can in order to hasten their takeover of our country? What a load. The NYT has submitted, but doesn’t even realize it.