ReCap January 2013

ReCap Logo

Best Current News seeks to bring you timely, reliable information about the advance of radical Islam around the world. With hundreds of articles appearing each week, it can be difficult to keep up with events as they unfold. In an attempt to keep readers informed of threats to Judeo-Christian values and western culture by radical Islamists, Best Current News is beginning a new “ReCap” series. We will provide a short synopsis of articles of interest. In each synopsis there are links provided to original sources if you would like more information. If you have a suggestion for an article, please contact bestcurrentnews@gmail.com.

Articles of Interest

On the Internet:

  • A continuing concern for westerners is the use of the Internet and social media to promote terrorism. The Washington Free Beacon reported a suspected al-Shabaab terrorist and American citizen, Omar Hammami (aka Abu Monsoor al-Amriki) has been using both Twitter and YouTube to spread his terror message. Hammami was placed on the U.S. FBI’s most wanted list in November. Twitter has rules governing spam and abuse, but their rules do not address terror related tweets. YouTube has a user-regulated policy against terrorism. A user may flag a video and YouTube will review the clip and make a final determination although the Free Beacon reports that accounts that have been flagged by users remain open.

North America:

  • The Investigative Project on Terrorism reported a December 22nd story published in Egypt’s Rose El-Youssef magazine reveals the names of six American Islamist activists working in the Obama administration. The Egyptian magazine, named Arif Alikhan, assistant secretary of the Homeland Security Advisory Council; Mohammed Elibiary, a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council; Rashad Hussain, the U.S. special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference; Salam al-Marayati, co-founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council; Imam Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North America; and Eboo Patel, a member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships. The magazine says the six turned the White House “from a position hostile to Islamic groups and organizations in the world to the largest and most important supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
  • Former Vice President, Al Gore sold his television network, Current TV to Al Jazeera, an Arab television network known for its anti-American and anti-Israel bias. Gore and his partner Joel Hyatt announced the sale in a statement that read, “Current Media was built based on a few key goals: To give voice to those who are not typically heard; to speak truth to power; to provide independent and diverse points of view; and to tell the stories that no one else is telling…Al-Jazeera has the same goals and, like Current, believes that facts and truth lead to a better understanding of the world around us.” Conservative commentator, Glenn Beck attempted to buy the network last year, but Current TV executives refused to sell to Beck. Current TV told officials for Beck, “the legacy of who the network goes to is important to us, and we are sensitive to networks not aligned with our point of view.”
  • Foreign laws and legal doctrines such as Islamic shariah law, which are frequently at odds with American constitutional rights, have been used in U.S. courts across the nation. The American Laws for American Courts Act (ALAC) was written to clearly protect the rights of American citizens and residents from foreign laws that conflict with American constitutional principles. Groups such as the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have fought against passage of ALAC in state legislatures falsely claiming the law discriminates against Muslims. Despite CAIR’s objections, four states have passed the legislation.

As part of CAIR’s ongoing fight against ALAC Creeping Sharia revealed CAIR in Washington state is urging Muslims to lobby their legislators to pass the Faith in Our State and Laws Resolution. This resolution, which says in part, “RESOLVED that this body has full confidence in the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the state of Washington and does not entertain any concern that any foreign or religious law offers a threat to the law of the land.” The report Shariah Law and American Courts by the Center for Security Policy, a review of 50 appellate court cases across the U.S., however reveals four instances where shariah law was used in cases in the state of Washington.

  • CAIR, co-founder, Nihad Awad told a Saudi TV station that Muslims preceded Columbus and Islam played a part in the establishment and development of the United States.
  • Prior to being elected as President of Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi called for a boycott of all products made in America because of our support of Israel. MEMRI-TV released a video of Morsi’s boycott comments. Despite Morsi’s comments, the United States is scheduled to deliver the first shipment of 20 F-16 fighter jets and 200 Abrams tanks from the United States as part of a $213 million foreign aid package to Egypt. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has collected more than 170,000 signatures on a petition opposing this shipment.
  • Canada’s National Post reported Islamist extremists are radicalizing Canadians at “a large number of venues.” An intelligence report released under the Access to Information Act revealed, in addition to mosques, the Islamist radical agenda is being spread in prisons, on the Internet and through foreign travel.

Europe:

  • French Interior Minister Manuel Vallis said 1,193 vehicles were burned New Year’s Eve in the Muslim majority districts of Strasbourg and Mulhouse in France. In addition, seven police officers were attacked. The Conservative Papers report the American media rarely reports on this issue and when they do, they do not mention the background or religion of the offenders
  • Gatestone Institute reports an English language textbook designed for foreign students and immigrants to the United Kingdom contain to the nation of Israel as “Occupied Palestine.” A pro-Syrian nationalist owns the publisher of the textbook, Garnet Education.
  • Because of an increase in violent anti-Semitism, Copenhagen’s Jewish community and Israel’s ambassador to Denmark have warned Jews in Copenhagen to not wear anything that would identify them as Jews and to lower their voices when speaking in Hebrew. Sadly the same advice is being given in other European nations such as Germany, Finland, Sweden and Norway.