Scandal ready to break? Grover Norquist/Bush links w/Islamist terrorists

[kerry-is-my-prez]

Don't know if this is all true BUT this was actually reported by Frank Gaffney several days ago but this is the first I've heard of it...

The gist seems to be that is that Grover Norquist became the founding chairman of an organization called the Islamic Free Market Institute. Turns out dozens of Islamist terrorists (Hamas, Hezbollah, perhaps al-Qaeda) ended up being affiliated with this group and with Norquist.

Karl Rove and Bush ended up meeting with several of these terrorists during the 2000 election. Bush received endorsements, votes and campaign contributions. This not only happened during the 2000 election, but also after Bush was selected. He met with one or two on Sept 9 (one of these people had made "threatening comments towards the U.S. a few days before) had meetings planned with several of them on Sept 11 (several were actually at the White House the morning of 9/11), and has met with several of them since.


http://www.citizensoldier.org/norquist.html

There's an incredible story brewing in Washington that is too hot for the networks to touch.

Grover Norquist, whom most conservatives know as Executive Director of the College Republicans, boardmember of the NRA, and head of Americans for Tax Reform, has been exposed as helping Muslim groups and individuals who finance and support Islamic terrorism gain access to the Bush White House.

Norquist has also been exposed as the founder of the Islamic Insitute, a group believed to be funded by foreign governments, Wahhab Islam elements in Saudi Arabia, and U.S. Muslim groups recently raided by a special Treasury Department task force for funding Al Qaeda and Palestinian terrorists.


http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=11209

"It seems beyond dispute that Grover Norquist has formed alliances with prominent Islamic radicals who have ties to the Saudis and to Libya and to Palestine Islamic Jihad, and who are now under indictment by U.S. authorities."

-snip-

In 2000, thanks to Grover Norquist’s influence with the White House political operation, Khaled Saffuri was named the George W. Bush presidential campaign’s National Advisor on Arab and Muslim Affairs... Indeed, the lure of such political dividends induced Governor Bush to hold a meeting in his mansion in Austin on May 1, 2000, not only with Alamoudi and Saffuri, but with other, immoderate Muslims, as well....

Saffuri had also arranged for the Bush campaign to enlist Sami al-Arian, a well-known Florida-based activist – despite the fact that the professor made little secret of his radical Islamist sympathies – to help engender Muslim support in his state.24 A photograph of Mr. Bush taken with al-Arian in March 2000 subsequently received considerable attention after the professor was arrested last February on 40 terrorism-related counts. Of particular concern are those alleging his functional direction over the past 19 years of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, one of the most murderous terrorist organizations in the Middle East.25

-snip-

According to the Washington Post, on September 9, 2001, at a rally to support cop-killer and former American Muslim Council executive Jamil Al-Amin (a.k.a. H. Rap Brown), Shaykh Yusuf declared, “This country is facing a terrible fate... This country stands condemned. It stands condemned because of what it did – and lest people forget Europe suffered two world wars after conquering the Muslim lands.... The FBI went to interview Yusuf to determine whether this inflammatory statement was indicative of prior knowledge of the attacks that occurred two days later. When agents knocked on the door of his San Francisco home on September 20th, they were incredulous to hear his wife explain that Yusuf was absent because he was meeting with the President.

more...

http://www.markarkleiman.com/archives/the_saudi_war_on_america_/2003/10/
was_grover_norquist_working_for_islamic_terrorists.php

LOFTUS: Well, you know, it’s a funny story. About a year-and-a-half ago, people in the intelligence community came and said-guys like Alamoudi and Sami al-Arian and other terrorists weren’t being touched because they’d been ordered not to investigate the cases, not to prosecute them, because there were being funded by the Saudis and a political decision was being made at the highest levels, don’t do anything that would embarrass the Saudi government. So, of course I immediately volunteered to do it and I filed a lawsuit, against al-Arian charging him with being a major terrorist for Islamic Jihad, most of his money came from Saudi charities in Virginia.

[NJCher]

1. edit that third link

I've read your post and am reading the links now but might I suggest that you edit that third link? It seems to throw the text off the screen and that might discourage people from reading it.

Use the HTML lookup table and do it as a text link.


Cher

[Syrinx]

2. Why Gaffney?

He has always seemed to be in the pocket of the administration. Is he developing integrity?

[NJCher]

3. very interesting

since two of those links are to r-w sites.


Cher

[JHB]

11. The Other Citizen Soldier

The "Citizen Soldier" site linked to above is indeed a RW site.

However, people should keep in mind that there is a longer-standing soldiers' rights group with the same name, at http://www.citizen-soldier.org/
(the difference in the URL is just the hyphen; pain in the arse).

The lefty Citizen Soldier dates back to the 70s, but were a bit slow to go online, so the RW site snapped up the name.

[Maccagirl]

4. It SHOULD be a huge scandal

But the bottom line is no one is touching it because it's wingnuts cannibilising each other. Kinda fun to watch though, no?

[NewJeffCT]

24. should is the key

It's been out there for a few months now, and nobody is picking it up...

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. if this is true

this is treason, not the kidn that coulter talks of, but the real deal

[nightperson]

6. Neocon Gaffney vs. Rove's friend Norquist

This is an Republican feud that seems to be only getting nastier. I would think someone out there would be taking advantage of it in some way. This article shows how old the story actually is-www.nationalreview.com/york/york031903.asp Here is the freeper reaction-www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1036935/posts The Democrats may not like the idea of being on the same side as Gaffney, many may be living in glass houses concerning Saudi lobbying, and I don't know about the substance of Gaffney's case. He may be overreacting or attacking Norquist to further some hardcore neocon agenda. Still, if two Democrats were squabbling like this, wouldn't Rove be paying attention?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. Especially since Rove was the one who started it all up. He brought

Norquist into it. Apparently, Karl and Grover were in the Young Republicans together way back when.

Karl gets Georgie into more messes doesn't he?

[newyawker99]

21. Hi secondtermdenier!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Cleita]

7. This needs to be spread around.

I had a problem with your post because one of the links spread it out to far, so I had to copy it to my hard disk. I'm pleased that I did, but I think some people may be put off by the wide thing.

[Octafish]

8. Grover Norquist's Strange Alliance with Radical Islam (TNR)

Frank Foer's on the case since October 2001...

GROVER NORQUIST'S STRANGE ALLIANCE WITH RADICAL ISLAM.

Fevered Pitch

by Franklin Foer

Post date 11.01.01 | Issue date 11.12.01    

On the afternoon of September 26, George W. Bush gathered 15 prominent Muslim- and Arab-Americans at the White House. With cameras rolling, the president proclaimed that "the teachings of Islam are teachings of peace and good." It was a critically important moment, a statement to the world that America's Muslim leaders unambiguously reject the terror committed in Islam's name.

Unfortunately, many of the leaders present hadn't unambiguously rejected it. To the president's left sat Dr. Yahya Basha, president of the American Muslim Council, an organization whose leaders have repeatedly called Hamas "freedom fighters." Also in attendance was Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, who on the afternoon of September 11 told a Los Angeles public radio audience that "we should put the State of Israel on the suspect list." And sitting right next to President Bush was Muzammil Siddiqi, president of the Islamic Society of North America, who last fall told a Washington crowd chanting pro-Hezbollah slogans, "America has to learn if you remain on the side of injustice, the wrath of God will come." Days later, after a conservative activist confronted Karl Rove with dossiers about some of Bush's new friends, Rove replied, according to the activist, "I wish I had known before the event took place."

If the administration was caught unaware, it may be because they placed their trust in one of the right's most influential activists: Grover Norquist. As president of Americans for Tax Reform, Norquist is best known for his tireless crusades against big government. But one of Norquist's lesser-known projects over the last few years has been bringing American Muslims into the Republican Party. And, as he usually does, Norquist has succeeded. According to several sources, Norquist helped orchestrate various post-September 11 events that brought together Muslim leaders and administration officials. "He worked with Muslim leaders to engineer 's prominent visit to the Mosque," says the Arab-American pollster John Zogby, referring to the president's September 17 trip to the Islamic Center of Washington. Says Zogby, who counts Norquist among his clients, "Absolutely, he's central to the White House outreach." Indeed, when Jewish activists and terrorism experts complained about the Muslim invitees to Adam Goldman, who works in the White House public liaison's office, Goldman replied that Norquist had vouched for them. (Goldman denies this, but two separate sources say they heard him say it.) "Just like ask my advice on inviting religious figures to the White House," says Paul Weyrich, another top conservative activist, "they rely on Grover's help ."

Norquist denies being involved in "micromanaging the specifics" of White House meetings, but admits "I have been a long time advocate of outreach to the Muslim community." In fact, the record suggests that he has spent quite a lot of time promoting people openly sympathetic to Islamist terrorists. And it's starting to cause him problems. Weyrich, echoing other movement conservatives, says he is "not pleased" with Norquist's activity. According to one intelligence official who recently left the government, a number of counterterrorism agents at the FBI and CIA are "pissed as hell about the situation and pissed as hell about Grover." They should be. While nobody suggests that Norquist himself is soft on terrorism, his lobbying has helped provide radical Islamic groups--and their causes--a degree of legitimacy and access they assuredly do not deserve.

CONTINUED...

http://tanque.org/peptide/norquist.rad.html

[kerry-is-my-prez]

9. more...

http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/001788.html

....thanks to Norquist’s aggressive pushing of radical Muslim, including Alamoudi, the suspected terrorist funder built ties to now-President George W. Bush. The president’s enemies, starting with the New York Times, are now linking Bush to Alamoudi.

The Center for Security Policy has long warned the Bush Administration to sever ties with what it calls a “terrorist enabler,” citing potential “grave harm” to the president and to national security.

Before and since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Alamoudi, Norquist, and others aggressively lobbied to undermine the Bush Administration’s anti-terrorism legislative tools, and have attacked Attorney General John Ashcroft, who is leading the domestic war on terrorism. Federal agents allege that Alamoudi was behind funding terrorists in the United States. British authorities detained Alamoudi in August with luggage containing $340,000 in cash as he prepared to board a flight for Syria. The money, the US government alleges, “was intended for delivery in Damascus to one or more of the terrorists or terrorist organizations active in Syria,” according to the report.

Prosecutors displayed six checks from the Portland, Oregon, branch of Alamoudi’s American Muslim Foundation—four of which paid for the “salary” of Patrice Lumumba Ford, an alleged al Qaeda conspirator arrested last year, and two of which paid for expenses of Ahmed Bilal, a co-conspirator of Ford who pled guilty to federal charges.

[peacetalksforall]

10. Ready to break?

If you enter Ashcroft, Norquist, and the Alliance you'll see plenty of old stuff, especially articles saying that the FBI is investigating the very organizations that Norquist represents.

It is becoming a hackneyed phrase - but I'll say it anyway and again - IF THIS WAS ANYONE IN CLINTON'S CIRCLE, THE PRESS WOULD BE ALL OVER IT LIKE THEY WERE THE ASIAN DONATERS, SILVERWARE, AND BLUE DRESSES, 24/7 ALL DAY AND NIGHT LONG x 365... for years on end. The media would be bringing out more experts in everything imaginable that anyone could dream up.

Another thing to ponder about Norquist - he is the one who wants to Reaganize America - Mt. Rushmore, currency, more buildings - he can't get enough of Reagan.

If Ashcroft is diabolical and if Norquist is diabolical - you have a satan chasing satan and the press gets dumber and dumber and more passive and meek.

What the heck is going on in this country? If the press isn't going to do their job, who is? We're the most essential people in this country for even discussing this. WE'RE THE MOST ESSENTIAL PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR EVEN DISCUSSING THIS.

I have doubts about this breaking...the press who are the stars and aces and solomon like wiseguys when they pontificate on fox, the nbcs, and cnn, probably just went into their holes again, but maybe just one of them will open up a file drawer and take out their trousers or pantyhose and write or say something.... even if it's just a whimper. Hey press, when you're prostate on the ground stroking the ermine trim on the robe, think about asking a question just once in awhile - or - the sagebrush is going to roll up behind you and carry you off to the great salt lake if there is any justice in this country.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

18. My thoughts exactly. Clinton would have been impeached a LONG

time ago.

[slaveplanet]

12. three words

OPERATION GREENQUEST RAIDS- stifled before they took place, made to happen in 2002 by much of the pivotal work of John Loftus, Then re-stifled by the highest levels of the FBI and probably administration insiders. The connections implicate the House of Saud. The press was forced to cover it at the time, But as more drips the Oil soaked Monopoly press is scared of it.

The thing is, most Americans, especially Freeper types want to live in the fantasy that the Administration wants to go after the terrarists. Reality is quite different. You see, The terrarists they speak of are the lover of the Constitution, and anyone else who won't get with "The Program".

That's why everything they come up with as a counter, is meant to track and trace YOU, warrants are unecessary, and freedom needs to be restricted with extreme prejudice. Yet it's fine if our borders and incoming shipping containers remain unchecked.

It seems they've substituted the Islmofascists for the Nazi's they used to coddle with the Republican Ethnic Outreach program that Reagan seemed to love so. What's suprising is some repubs actually have their panties bunched up over this. Do they even realize that false conservatives have hijacked their party? I can't help but draw the analogy to the Masonic order. At the lower levels there are some great people who do a great job helping the community, yet they are blissfully unaware of more sinister machinations taking place at higher levels.

[izzie]

13. Wow this means Bush will have to save some other country

and get it in the news by the time this story goes out. We do know what Bush does on all those vacations, he plans new killing under the banner of God.

[KoKo]

14. Unfortunately this is another huge story that was posted on DU months ago

and never went anywhere. It was shocking and there were many posts here on DU, especially with Gaffney's turning on his buddy Norquist.

We kept think this was going to blow open the whole administration. But, as far as I know, Norquist is still holding his "Wednesday Breakfast Meetings" and life goes on as usual. :shrug:

[KoKo]

15. Here's link to Snellius' DU post about this 12/9 and contains some more

info: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=24904

[Unknown Known]

16. Let's not forget who helped Norquist all along -

Newt Gingrich! This piece of slime is behind everything horrible that has been going on through the 90's and he's even more powerful today than he ever was - including visits to the CIA with Cheney & Libby re:pre-Iraq war intelligence on WMDs. And I'm sure he's behind outing Valerie Plame, as well.

Norquist was doing what DeLay is doing a long time ago - and that includes setting up front organizations and scam charities to siphon money into the RNC. In fact, Norquist and Barbour were behind getting Robt Torricelli.

As far as Gaffney's attacks - this is all for show IMO or maybe just to keep Grover on a short leash to show who's boss. This guy will never be prosecuted - it would mean an end to all of them - including Gaffney! They're all tied up together in a huge corrupt bundle!

Here's an article from 1997, after Carl Levin exposed some of Norquist's crimes. They thought this would put him away then!

"Why Grover Norquist Might Go To Jail"

http://www.americanpolitics.com/111197GOPCrimesUPD.html

[kerry-is-my-prez]

20. "So arrogant that they didn't even cover their crime well"

that just sums up ALL of these slime ball Republicans (Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gingrich, DeLay, Norquist). They know they can get away with EVERYTHING because no-one will touch them or call them on it: the media, Congress, The Justice Department, The FBI. Has everybody been paid off? Or are they afraid they'll die in a plane crash or get an anthrax letter....

Notice that ALL of the leaders of the party are sleazy.

Remember that scandal that never got anywhere (the Boys Town Prostitution ring). A lot of people ended up dead.

It's the vast Right Wing Conspiracy... Maybe we should change the name to the vast Right Wing Mafia.

[Dr Fate]

19. The "liberal media" does not "break" Bush scandals- they ignore them...

...the only scandals the American press cares about are Democratic sex scandals...

[NewJeffCT]

22. Hasn't hit the mainstream yet...

This story has been out there for at least a month, if not two. I haven't heard a peep in the NY Times, CNN, Fox, etc.

[NewJeffCT]

23. more

I saw mention of it on stewert's excellent "O'Reilly sucks" website & forum that was posted there on Nov 13. So, the story is a good 2 months old now with no mention in the mainstream.