Dr Kaukab Siddique | Editor-in-Chief Jamada al-Awwal 4, 1425/ June 24, 2004 #72
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMER SCHEDULE
: Dear readers: Asalamu alaikum. During June and July, New Trend might appear irregularly owing to the invitations we have received. We'll try to be steady but might not appear for extended periods of time. Inshallah, we'll go back to normal in August. Thank you for your support.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JAMAAT Al-MUSLIMEEN [News]

P.O. Box 10881
Baltimore, MD 2124

Don't Just Give out Mangoes: Teach People how to Eat Them
Br. Solano at Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen, Baltimore

On June 18, Br. Sulaiman Solano, from Jamaat al-Muslimeen Texas, spoke at Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen in Baltimore after Juma' prayers. He gave some interesting examples of how the message of Islam should be given to the people. Once he gave a mango to a person who had never eaten a mango. On the way back he realized that the person might try to eat the mango like people eat most other fruit. So he rushed back and explained to the person how to eat the mango. Similarly, we shouldn't just be giving out Qur'ans and books. We should also help people the process by which Islam can be understood and practiced.

Br. Solano also discussed the American prison system in the light of the horrors revealed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. He said that America's prison system is overcrowded and justice is the least of the concerns. Plea bargaining is common and accepted by prisoners whose case would otherwise not come up for years.

Br. Solano, from Hispanic background, discussed the glories of Islam in Spain [711-1492 Christian era] and its survivals among Hispanic people in the Americas.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPENING STATEMENTS in CASE AIMED AT PUNISHING LYNNE STEWART, AHMED ABDEL SATTAR and YOUSRI: Attorney, Legal Aid & Translator for Dr. Omar 'Abdel Rahman

[June 22. The government launched a propaganda barrage aimed at distorting the image of Shaikh Omar 'Abdel Rahman and indirectly of the three defendants as a weird witch hunt entered a new phase.]

Chris Morvillo opened for the government with a picture of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman on a big screen. He first introduced himself to the jury and then he introduces the jury to the "blind sheikh". He explains that the sheikh is currently serving life in a federal facility for plotting to blow up buildings and commit murder. The evidence in the case will show he preached violence in his lectures. One quote supposedly taken from tapes was given by Mr. Morvillo, "Dismember them, destroy their embassies, attack their ships, kill them" [which he explained were the Americans).

He then proceeded to explain what strict measures were taken as far as the shiekh was concerned. He explained what S.A.M. was (Special Administrative Measure) and why it was necessary in the sheikh case. He, a blind, diabetic with a heart problem, was a dangerous man and that SAM 's were without a doubt imperative to protect people from bodily harm even death not to mention the safety of the United States. The United States had "locked him up and thrown away the key" Mr. Morvillo said.

Next he gave the "facts" of the case. He begins by telling the jury that Ahmed Sattar was a postal employee by day and a terrorist by night. He spoke in code on the telephone as he passed on messages given to him by the sheikh. "Ahmed Sattar was the point man he ran a communication center from his home, Sattar was a crucial link between the sheikh and leaders in the terrorist organization, the Islamic Group in Egypt.

Then it was stated that Lynne Stewart, Mohamed Yousry and Ahmed Sattar all knew the sheikh was a man who preached violence and that acts were carried out in his name. Stewart, it was said, used her status as a lawyer to "smuggle" messages out of the prison for dissemination to the terrorist leaders. The government continually emphasized the fact that the three individuals knew of the SAM and still aided the sheikh in running his terrorist organization form the prison. Mr. Morvillo referred to this act as "a jail break" of information.

Mr. Morvillo then proceeded to tell the story of the shootings the occurred at Luxor Nov. 17.1997. In fact one would think he was present that way he relayed the series of events. Quoting people and describing the havoc at the historical site. He then goes into the story of the cease fire that the sheikh at first agreed with and endorsed, then the calling off of the cease fire after Egyptian police killed four members of the sheikh's "terrorist org.". All of these messages, claims the prosecution, were passed from the sheikh to his atty. Ms. Stewart, then to Ahmed Sattar and finally to the world terrorist leaders.

He explains how Ahmed Sattar "controlled" the lawyers for the sheikh. Told them what to do an how to do it. Then he tells of the kidnapping in the Philippines by a group Abu Sayeff and how this act was in the name of the sheikh for his release. This was taken from tapes of lawyer-client conversations between Lynne and the sheikh. He also told the jury about how Lynne would shake a bottle of water to cover up their discussions so guards wouldn't hear. From this point he is repetitive, continuing to tell of the illegal nature of the passing of "fatwa's" by the sheikh through his lawyer to the outside world.

The opening statement for the government lasted one hour and twenty minutes. I must add at this point that the proceedings were late in starting because of the fact that a juror already had asked to be excused from the case.

Ken will open for Ahmed tomorrow, Wednesday June 23,2004 @ 9:00 AM

Hope this is able to give you an idea of what happened today. I will try to give updates as often as I can.

PS. the courtroom was filled with supporters of Lynne Stewart, and just the family of Ahmed Sattar... sad.
**********************************
MUSLIMS in the USA

THREE CHOICES: ASSIMILATION, GHETTOIZATION, SUNNAH of the Prophet, pbuh.

by Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D

The impact of 9.11 on America's Muslims has accelerated the incipient tendencies in this population of an estimated 5 to 7 million. Three major tendencies are looked at here and for purposes of simplification, branches and sub-branches of these three are left out.
  1. ASSIMILATION. This tendency is exemplified in the groupings known as ISNA, ICNA-MAS and W.D. Muhammad, with CAIR working as a front organization for them. These groups want to become part of the American system as rapidly as possible. Segments of these groups were hesitant about total assimilation but 9.11 worked as a catalyst to move them towards their goal of becoming truly American.
  2. The Assimilationists emphasize the need for Muslims to vote in the American presidential and congress elections. This urge created a major disaster for the Muslim community because the assimilationists urged their constituency to cast a bloc vote for George Bush. This time probably they will vote for Kerry or Nader with probably similar results.
  3. At the level of Islam, the assimilationists have failed to live by any principles. For instance, they have recognized Israel in the pursuit of their objective of proximity to the sources of power in this country. The Qur'an and the Sunnah have not been sources of guidance for them in any of the major political decisions they have made during their existence. In fact they have tried to manipulate Islam to legitimize their assimilationist activity. For supporting Bush, they got a fatwa from an opportunist who, instead of looking at the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), finagled some far fetched arguments from Islamic jurisprudence to lend credibility to the bloc vote.
  4. The assimilationist goals are very limited. They want to be recognized as leaders of the Muslims of America [which they are not], and to be able to provide minor comforts to the Muslim community, such as the right to wear head scarves and beards, or to have religious holidays, or that the major media should be stopped from direct attacks on Islam. The power structure is quite willing to provide these comforts.
  5. The assimilationists are useful for the power structure. They can be publicized by the Voice of America and CNN, etc., as proof that America is not at war with Islam and that Muslims love America.
  6. THE SECOND TENDENCY is that of GHETTOIZATION. In every major city, one finds Muslims who seem to be living not in America but in Pakistan or Bangladesh or Africa. The Tablighi Jamaat people go around with full beards and flowing robes. In parts of New York, the flavor of Indo-Pakistani foods wafts around as strongly as in any South Asian city. Immigrants hold conferences on the virtues of the Urdu language. In the Detroit-Dearborn area, it would seem as if one is in an Arab country.
  7. Ghettoization is a reactionary tendency. It negates Islam as a force for transformation of society. Its only value is that it adds to the quaint-quilt effect of American society.
  8. For Islam, ghettoization is damaging because it retains all the flaws of eastern societies and cultures, and presents them as "living Islamic communities."
  9. THE THIRD TENDENCY is that of the SUNNAH of the PROPHET MUHAMMAD [pbuh]. Among America's Muslims are people who understand American culture well, in fact better than most people, and reject it with proper understanding and care. The rejection is not harsh like that of the ghettoized people but comes from study and analysis.
  10. Like the Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, the SUNNAH people are in this world but not of it. They understand that this country is ROOTED in the HORRORS of SLAVERY and the annihilation of NATIVE AMERICANS ['Red Indians'].
  11. The SUNNAH tendency does not want to vote in or vote out anyone, because the REAL ISSUE is the CHANGE OF HEARTS, not of party allegiances. This country cannot be changed through voting. Malcolm X understood that the oppressed people here got rights not because of Dr. King's marches but owing the American retreat from Viet Nam.
  12. The SUNNAH people see the OPPRESSED PEOPLE of this country as their natural allies. We must seek the support of the Black community, the Mexicans-Hispanics-Puerto-Ricans, the Women [50% of the population, exploited and prostituted by Madison Avenue, Hollywood and the entire culture], the people of German origin who are tired of the re-writing of history by the Zionist media, the Irish who understand what oppression means, and many others.
  13. The SUNNAH people should be on the side of JUSTICE and TRUTH, rather than any partisan grouping. We can't take sides with people who are building their worlds on bits and pieces of reality, such as pro-lifers and pro-choice, homosexuals and gay bashers, Republicans and Liberals.
  14. The Sunnah people love America, not because it is an imperial country but because it belongs to God and the oppressed people who made it possible.
  15. In all matters, the Sunnah people are guided by the Qur'an and the authentic Hadith of Muhammad, pbuh, the last messenger of Allah, in whom the message sent to Abraham/Hajar, Moses/Asiya, Jesus/Mary is perfected and completed with the help of 'Ayesha, Fatima and the Companions (sahaba), may Allah be pleased with them all.
------------------------------------------------------

Is Karzai Misleading the American People While the U.S. Organizes Permanent MILITARY OCCUPATION of Afghanistan?

by New Trend's Media Monitor

The joint meeting of Congress cheered the ruler of Kabul as it has seldomed cheered anyone. It was the second week of June 2004 and Washington needed something to cheer for after the deflation of its "liberation of Iraq" posture.
Karzai claimed that Afghanistan is moving forward. Voters are being registered, women are getting education, roads are being constructed. He fawned on his patrons and they loved it. It was a rare phenomenon: A Pathan affirming how much he loved his White masters. He concluded with the story of an errant American bomb which wiped out a group of his own relatives and how an old man who survived came to him (Karzai) and urged him to continue to love his liberators.
THE REALITY OF AFGHANISTAN:

The real situation in Afghanistan can be gauged from an extensive presentation made by Lt. General David Barno, the American commandant of Afghanistan, on May 14, 2004. [Broadcast on C-Span] Here are its main points: [Most analysts agree that without the steady American air cover and air strikes against the Taliban, the Karzai regime would collapse. The claim of democracy in Afghanistan is a preposterous falsehood. Without an Islamic victory, Afghanistan will remain enslaved at the mercy of rampant cultural and military imperialism.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECTION ON OUR ARTICLE ON CANADA'S ARREST OF Momin Khawaja

Re: New Trend Magazine dated May 26, 2004
Pls make a correction concerning the name of my son in item appearing:

"How to Treat Ignorance? Why Did Canada Arrest....."

Both of my sons Qasim and Momin are Computer Scientists. Qasim did the research and developed the mobile phone jammer for the Middle East market, and not Momin. It is an important correction to be published in the New Trend.

Many thanks.

Regards,
Mahboob Khawaja
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

click here to email a link to this article

2004-06-25 Fri 22:27ct