Senate Candidate Kirk has Links to Terrorism

An Austin Review investigation has revealed that U.S. Senate candidate Ron Kirk is employing an anti-Israel activist who has defended terrorist groups and is friends with American Taliban John Walker Lindh. The Review has also learned that Kirk has received numerous campaign donations from individuals linked with terrorism and anti-Semitism, one of whom also violated U.S. export laws by shipping sensitive technology to Libya and Syria.

Kirk's recently filed campaign report shows payments to a Steven L. Hyland, Jr. of: $1133.22 for "payroll expense" and three separate payments totaling $638.30 for "postage and delivery." Hyland has a long history as an anti-Israel activist and apologist for terrorism.

The Review called Ron Kirk's campaign office and was connected to Hyland, who hung up on us after being asked to comment on his anti-Israeli activism and connection with Walker Lindh. The campaign's media office failed to return our call, so it is not clear what role Hyland is playing in the Kirk campaign, including his role in developing Kirk's Middle East policy.

Hyland, a former UT-Austin student in Middle Eastern Studies, wrote a June 23, 1995 op-ed piece in The Daily Texan attacking the Clinton administration for urging other nations to join a US embargo against Iran. Hyland declared, "The U.S. government labels Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations, but they are really freedom fighters defending their rights in Lebanon and Palestine." In another Daily Texan op-ed on July 14, 1995, Hyland stated, "to say a lot of Israeli actions and policies are Nazi-like is appropriate." In an August 24, 1995 Texan piece, he blamed Israel for terror bombings in West Jerusalem in Tel Aviv, which occurred while he was visiting Jordan for unknown reasons. Concerning these bombings, Hyland concluded, "Unfortunately, this tragic event highlights the vicious circle of killing that Israel created."

Two years later-on March 1, 1997-The Daily Texan published a letter-to-the-editor penned by Hyland in which he defended a UT campus protest by the militant Palestine Solidarity Committee. Hyland helped organize the protest, which blockaded the West Mall, obstructing students from passing through to get to their classes. Hyland's letter harangued a Jewish student who had defended Israel's right to exist, stating, "Avital, stop making an ass of yourself."

In May of 1997, Hyland signed an online petition, which described Israel as "a major link in the world network of repressive regimes" and characterized Zionism as a racist ideology. In the summer of 1998, at a time when the U.S. State Department had warned U.S. citizens not to visit Yemen because of anti-American violence (site of the later bombing of the USS Cole and an acknowledged al-Queda stronghold), Hyland felt comfortable traveling there, purportedly only to study and teach Arabic at the Yemen Language Center. There he became a friend and classmate of John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban.

Hyland was interviewed by Associated Press reporter Marge Mason concerning his relationship with Lindh and was quoted in several AP stories. Hyland's comments seem to conflict. In the January 16, 2002 AP story, Hyland was an apologist for Lindh:

"Steven Hyland met Lindh in 1998 while both studied abroad at the Yemen Language Center. Hyland said he's bothered by the severity of the charges Lindh now faces. 'I am concerned for the kid,' Hyland said from his Texas home. 'He was a very naive kid, and now 31/2 years later he is looking at 60 years incarceration.'"

However, despite Hyland's claim that Lindh was naïve, he told the same reporter a day earlier in the January 15 AP report that Lindh was an ideologue. Hyland said of Lindh, "This is an individual whose idealism led to ideology and he lost all ability for pragmatic thought."

In addition to employing Hyland, the Review has learned that Kirk has received numerous donations from leaders of the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) who have links to terrorism.

First, "Ishan Elashyi" (also spelled "Elashi") is identified on campaign donor lists as having given $500.00 to Ron Kirk's campaign for mayor of Dallas on April 24, 1995. In September of last year-just four days before the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon-Elashi's international export privileges were revoked by the Commerce Department, which alleged that he had been illegally shipping computer equipment and technology to Libya and Syria. In February of this year, Elashi was arrested by federal authorities for allegedly continuing these illegal shipments, this time to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. If convicted on all charges, Ishan Elashi could be sentenced to 60 years in jail and fined $3,000,000 dollars.

"Ghassan Elashi"-Ishan's brother-is identified on papers filed with the Secretary of State's office as one of four principal incorporators of CAIR in Texas. Ghassan has also been identified as a principal of the Richardson-based internet service provider InfoCom Corporation. His brothers Ishan, Bayan, Basman, and Hazim are either principals or employees of InfoCom.

At the same time Ishan Elashi was being arrested for his violations of export restrictions (early September, 2001), InfoCom's offices were being raided and it's assets frozen by the North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force. NTJTTF's asset-freezing order cited a $250,000 investment in the firm made by Nadia Marzook-Ghassan's cousin, and wife of Mousa Abu Marzook.

Abu Marzook is a senior commander of the Islamic terrorist group HAMAS. From his current residence in Syria, Abu Marzook openly advocates and celebrates suicide bombings against Israeli civilians.

Ghassan Elashi has also been identified as a primary incorporator of the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP). His brother Basman has been identified as IAP's President, and IAP was founded by none other than Mousa Abu Marzook. IAP has reproduced and distributed Hamas's charter (which calls for the total destruction of the State of Israel) across the United States, has produced training material for terrorists on how to interrogate suspected "collaborators," and has even sponsored a Hamas-affiliated music troupe whose theme song includes the lyrics "We Buy Paradise with the Blood of the Jews."

Ghassan Elashi is also as a principal of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF). Mousa Abu Marzook found HLF and provided $210,000 in start-up capital. HLF was outlawed and it's assets frozen by President Bush on December 2nd, 2001. At a Rose Garden ceremony the President explained that:

"Hamas has obtained much of the money that it pays for murder abroad right here in the United States, money originally raised by the Holy Land Foundation. The Holy Land Foundation is registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt charity based in Richardson. It raised $13 million from people in America last year. The Holy Land Foundation claims that the money it solicits goes to care for needy Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Money raised by the Holy Land Foundation is used by Hamas to support schools and indoctrinate children to grow up into suicide bombers. Money raised by the Holy Land Foundation is also used by Hamas to recruit suicide bombers and to support their families."

"Majida M. Salem" is listed giving $100.00 to Ron Kirk on April 25, 1995. The address Salem provided in making his donation has been linked by federal authorities to the aforementioned terrorist sugardaddy Ghassan Elashi. Kirk's contributors' connections to Middle East terror go further.

"Mohammed Suleman"-currently a board member of CAIR-DFW-donated $50.00 to Ron Kirk on May 1, 1995. Only eleven days after September 11, federal agents arrested a deported to Jordan an HLF employee named Ghassan Dahduli. Dahduli-a former head of IAP-has acknowledged being friends in the 1980s with Wadi El-Hage, a close associate of Osama bin Laden. Hage was convicted in 1998 and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the U.S. embassy bombings in East Africa. Dahduli's name and phone number were found in Hage's diary-which also made reference to a "joint venture" between himself and HLF. At the time of Dahduli's arrest, Kirk donor and CAIR-DFW board member Mohammed Suleman expressed concern and support for Dahduli, and argued against his deportation.

"Ghulam Warriach"-a current and longtime CAIR-DFW board member-hosted a dinner in honor of Ron Kirk in August of 1995. This event occurred under the auspices of the Dallas Muslim Council, of which Warriach was both founder and President. The omnipresent Ghassan Elashi-incorporator of InfoCom, the Islamic Association for Palestine, the Holy Land Foundation, and CAIR in Texas-is also the Executive Director of the Dallas Muslim Council.

Also honored at the same dinner as Kirk was then Democrat Congressman John Bryant who, after returning to private practice, would go on to become a lobbyist for HLF. Bryant has frequently expressed hostility to conservative-Likud administrations in Israel, and vocally advocated withholding loan guarantees to resettle Russian Jews as a way to pressure Israel to abandon Jewish communities located in the so-called occupied territories.

While CAIR purports to "present accurate information about Islam and Muslims to the general public through communication with elected officials, media personnel, corporate employers, government agencies, schools and universities, religious organizations, and civic groups," the true activities of the group are hardly so innocuous. CAIR has vociferously opposed the Bush administration's freezing of assets held by U.S. Islamic charities that are fronts for terrorist organizations. They have also spoken out against the voluntary interviews of Arabs suspected of having knowledge concerning terrorist activities conducted by Attorney General John Ashcroft's office.

In October 1998, CAIR demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as "the sworn enemy," finding this depiction "offensive to Muslims." That same year, CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the twin East African embassy bombings. As CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper saw it, those explosions resulted from some vague "misunderstandings of both sides." A New York court, however, blamed bin Laden's side alone for the embassy blasts.

Following September 11, CAIR denied bin Laden's culpability for the World Trade Center and Pentagon massacres, saying only that "if [note the "if"] Osama bin Laden was behind it, we condemn him by name." Only in December did CAIR grudgingly acknowledge his role. CAIR has a long record of defending militant Islamic terrorists. It labeled the conviction of the perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing "a travesty of justice." Similarly, it called the conviction of Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind sheikh who planned to blow up New York City landmarks, "hate crime." CAIR termed the extradition order for suspected Hamas terrorist Mousa Abu Marook "anti-Islamic" and "anti-American."

CAIR also backs those who finance terrorism. When President Bush closed the Holy Land Foundation in December for collecting money he said was "used to support the Hamas terror organization," CAIR decried his action as "unjust" and "disturbing."

CAIR even includes at least one person associated with terrorism in its own ranks. On Feb. 2, 1995, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White named Siraj Wahhaj as one of the "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in the attempt to blow up New York City monuments. Yet CAIR deems him "one of the most respected Muslim leaders in America" and includes him on its advisory board.

In light of this and other evidence, the FBI's former chief of counterterrorism, Steven Pomerantz, concludes, "CAIR, its leaders and its activities effectively give aid to international terrorist groups." However, embracing terrorism is not the only black mark on CAIR's record.

CAIR has defamed moderate Muslims such as Hisham Kabbani and Khalid Durán who reject its extremist agenda, leading to death threats against them.

CAIR also defended a murderer when it responded to the arrest and conviction of Jamil Al-Amin (the former H. Rap Brown) by praising him, raising funds for him and then denying his guilt after his conviction for the murder of an Atlanta policeman. Similarly, CAIR declared Ahmad Adnan Chaudhry of San Bernardino, Calif., who was convicted of attempted murder, "innocent" and set up a defense fund for him. It seems no Arab can be guilty of a crime in CAIR's slanted view of the world.

Not surprisingly, CAIR traffics in anti-Semitism. The head of CAIR's Los Angeles office, Hussam Ayloush, routinely uses the term "zionazi" when referring to Israelis. CAIR co-hosted an event in May 1998 at which an Egyptian militant Islamic leader, Wagdi Ghunaym, called Jews the "descendants of the apes."

CAIR isn't exactly peachy about Christians either. As reported by the San Ramon Valley Herald, CAIR Chairman Omar M. Ahmad told a crowd of California Muslims in July 1998, "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran . . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth."

One of the "accomplishments" listed on the website of the Dallas/Fort-Worth chapter of CAIR is the claim that they have "developed" a "relationship" with Ron Kirk. The question Texans must answer is whether they want Kirk to bring this relationship, and perhaps Steven Hyland, to the U.S. Senate.

I find this article and this thread hilarious, especially the people that are jumping on the bandwagon with little or no information concerning Ron Kirk or Mr. Cornyn. Sheeple!!!
#1 Ron Kirk is a democrat for those of you that did not know and has sentenced him to hell already.
#2 Ron Kirk ran for and won 2 elections as mayor of the city of Dallas.
#3 This article's title by the agitator (Marc Levin) very much misleads the article's content. The content is more about Mr Steven L. Hyland Jr. and other Islamic Dallasites.
#4 I counted $650.00 recorded in the above article by Mr. Levin that was contributed to Ron Kirk from multiple Islamic organizations. Either Ron Kirk is cheap or Mr. Levin needs to do a little more homework in order to state as a matter of fact that Kirk has terrorist ties.
Speaking of contributions, lets have someone check what other government reps have received contributions from Islamic groups and Enron.
#5 Which one of these Texas Senate candidates is a conservative, if either?

#6 This article by Marc Levin is a bunch of crap just like its author. I need more info before I believe this. This is just a dirty tactical move by a party talking head.

...Thanks, but I (and I'm sure others) had already done some research before posting and knew that. Also there are a few Dallas freepers here. As former constituants I'm sure they know all that too. Also, if I believed the extensive write ups about him in the Washington Post, I'd move to Texas and vote for him. But I don't believe the WP offhand, either.

Could the OBVIOUS answer be that Levin, known for thoroughness and honest, is telling the TRUTH, and that the Democratic political machine is keeping Kirks terrorist leanings quiet?

The obvious question would be how the Republican would be silenced by any true terrorist ties?

Kirk's recently filed campaign report shows payments to a Steven L. Hyland, Jr. of: $1133.22 for "payroll expense" and three separate payments totaling $638.30 for "postage and delivery." Hyland has a long history as an anti-Israel activist and apologist for terrorism.

This column should have been titled,'Smear Campaign 101 for Dummies'. Obviously this Kirk fella has some ideas that the author doesn't like.I don't care what color,religion,or party this guy is from,this is an obvious elementary attempt to paint Kirk as "anti-Israel".This smear campaign with no substantial proof stinks to high heaven.

Here's the link for Ron Kirk's FEC record,it's a shame that Mr. Levin didn't research it and find some REAL terrorism links instead of the ones in his imaginationRon Kirk For US Senate's FEC Site

"The Koran . . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth."

Somebody simply don't have a clue about what "FReedom" and "America" actually mean...we gotta severely curtail immigration--illegal, especially, but legal as well--just to give America a chance to inculcate those new to our way of life.

FReegards...MUD

"We need to look at the donors to all rats up for election this November, from governors, to state AG's, state legislators, then to Rats running for Congress."

The info should be public record and deserves to be brought out in the open. I sincerely believe that Lib'ral DemonRATS are anti-American and really do HATE the FReedoms that have been extended to We The Sheeple. If not, why would they work so hard to grow the Federal Leviathan to curtail said FReedoms?! When an outside entity attacks that which we hold dear, the Left reflexively rallies behind them as it reinforces their innate hatred of America...whatever we can do to expose them is an unmitigated positive, IMHO.

Please bump me to any threads which take your concept of exposing the financial contributors to Leftist Anti-Americanism to the next level.

FReegards, Gramps...MUD

"CAIR even includes at least one person associated with terrorism in its own ranks. On Feb. 2, 1995, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White named Siraj Wahhaj as one of the "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in the attempt to blow up New York City monuments. Yet CAIR deems him "one of the most respected Muslim leaders in America" and includes him on its advisory board."

Coming from an elitist Clinton-appointed Leftist Whore, Mary Jo WhiteWash's condemnation is certainly damning. Heck, she usually looks the other way when it comes to Leftists conspiring to destroy what is good and true in America!!

FReegards...MUD

Mud here is the link that AFvet Gal just posted on Islamic contributors to Rat McKinney. (link to Islamic Contributors to Rat McKinney)

Now what our Texas Freepers need to do is what you suggested, go on line an see who Kirk's contributors are and then cross match this to McKinney's contributors. Any matches will be beyond any coincidence of random possibilities, in particuliar those Islamic contributors in states outside of Texas and Georgia, if any!

Of course, we can never depend on the left wing maggots working as mediots to do this investigative work. They are too busy pushing the gay/abortion/political correct agendas as news.

This is another example of the truth, services and knowledge that are only available on Free Republic. Free Republic that depends on donations from those whom use it free of charge, 24/7/365!

Thanks for posting this thread.

As a mentor, I never do the work for those who live in areas like Georgia and now Texas. I just like to point out where to go or what is out there. Then, they can develop their skills and the picture on their own. Then, they can let us know what is happening in their state or congressional district. This makes them effective experts where they live in exposing the Rat links to Islamic $'s.

In situations like this. We have to learn to follow the money and ask why these Islamics are investing so heavy in McKinley and ____________ to fill in the blanks. Then that data needs to get public.

Thanks for the quick response. Time for one of your Thon a bombs for Free Republic on this very appropiate thread.

Could the OBVIOUS answer be that Levin, known for thoroughness and honest, is telling the TRUTH,

I suppose so,but from the perspective of being the Vice-Chair of the Young Conservatives of Texas.The Austin Review is a monthly political periodical that is the mouthpiece of a conservative political non-profit organization.If I was Ron Kirk,I would sue the hell out of them.So this article is going to be read by people who weren't going to vote for Kirk anyway.

Marc Levin Interview

It's about what his employee said in public. In no way does that link him to terrorism. Nor does accepting donations from a man who shipped computers to Saudi Arabia.

Demidog, just consider the talking arse source of this article.

He considers himself so perfect and always always so correct on any subject, everytime I see and hear him, it makes me want to puke.

So you're asserting that the campaign financing records the author cites are fabricated or misquoted. That's a pretty serious charge to throw down on no evidence...

The author didn't cite any campaign finance records that have any link whatsoever to any terrorist organizations.Maybe a department of thought police will be able to intervene one day.I included the link on another post for Ron Kirk's FEC data,have a field day.

The Austin Review is published 12 times a year by The Texas Review Society, Inc., 2002-A Guadalupe Street #284, Austin, TX 78705. The Texas Review Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation concerned with educating the public about the free-enterprise system and the American way of life. The Texas Review Society also is proud to help teach Austin area college students how to manage a publication. COPYRIGHT The entire contents of The Austin Review are Copyrighted by The Texas Review Society, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. TEXAS REVIEW SOCIETY, INC. DIRECTORS President: Brent Tantillo Vice President: Marc Levin Member: James Logan ADVISORY BOARD Brian Berry Royal Masset Robert Bradley Doug Lord James Logan Dr. Alan Sager Lark Blum Jerry Patterson

This is a monthly periodical written mostly by conservative activist college students and underwritten by a 501(c)(3) foundation.Just so everybody knows it isn't making any attempt to be anything but a smear organ against this Kirk fella.

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