The "Islamic Society of North America" Baffles Washington

by Daniel Pipes
Tue, 23 Sep 2003
updated Sat, 3 Sep 2005

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Two news items concerning the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) point to the deep inconsistency of the U.S. government vis-à-vis militant Islamic groups.

The mere presence of an ISNA business card in the possession of a visiting imam from Canada, Ahamad Kutty, was enough to get him detained for a day by the immigration authorities, held overnight in jail, and then refused entry to the United States.
Yet ISNA enjoys the privilege of being one of two Islamic organizations that endorses Muslim (such as James J. "Yousef" Yee, recently arrested on suspicions of espionage) for employment as chaplains in the armed services.

Actually, this inconsistency represents progress, as organizations like ISNA were until a few months ago viewed uncritically; now, at least, some branches of the government realize the danger they present. (September 23, 2003)

Nov. 7, 2002 update: The contradictions continue: a Pakistani source reports today that although ISNA was not invited to the White House iftar dinner on Oct. 28, it was invited on Nov. 5 to the Department of State's iftar. What exactly is going on?

Jan. 31, 2004 update: More inconsistencies:

A Senate committee asked the tax authorities for ISNA's paperwork on January 14, 2004, as part of its investigation into groups that "finance terrorism and perpetuate violence."
ISNA announced a signal success on January 31, 2004: it had convinced the Navy Chief of Chaplains, Rear Admiral Louis Iasiello, to remove from the Navy Chaplain Corps website an article by Salman Rushdie, "Yes, This is About Islam." The ISNA letter to Iasiello, a Franciscan father, condemned Rushdie as "a divisive person known for his efforts to distort Islam" and complained that "tens of articles and statements that aim at differentiating the perversion of Muslim extremists from the positions espoused by mainstream Islam" are left off of the website. When the offending article was withdrawn, ISNA responded with an appreciation of the Navy Chaplain Corps' "positive response" and commended Rear Admiral Iasiello "for taking this wise decision and recognizing the need to keep bigotry and divisive and defamatory speech out of the Naval Chaplain Corps website."

Comment: It boggles the imagination that an organization being probed by Congress for financing terrorism and perpetuating violence should have credibility enough serve as censor for the U.S. military. For anyone who wishes to protest this capitulation to militant Islamic dictates, Rear Admiral Iasiello can be reached at 703 693-5406 (no e-mail address available).

May 9, 2004 update: The beat of acceptance goes on:

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB), a Saudi-dominated institution, announced a gift (reported in the Arab News today) of 1.03 million Saudi riyals for the expansion and renovation of an ISNA elementary school in Ontario.
The White House has not just invited ISNA to attend the first National Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives next month but, according to an ISNA press release, "has also requested ISNA to provide names of participants from the American Muslim community that would benefit from this conference." This follows on the Department of the Treasury a month earlier inviting ISNA (in ISNA's words) "to be a part of the Treasury Department's standing advisory group on charities and the best practices developed by the Treasury Department to assist U.S.-based charities in reducing the likelihood that charitable funds will be diverted for violent ends."

So, a Saudi-funded organization counsels the White House on U.S. domestic issues? How interesting.

June 8, 2004 update: It appears that the U.S. government is subsidizing an Islamist organization, judging by the news today (from WTHR, the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, near where ISNA is based) that ISNA has received two grants from the Faith Based Community Initiative totaling about $70,000 "to help train religious leaders on how to apply for federal money for social programs."

Aug. 29, 2004 update: Further confirmation of ISNA's new-found acceptability: the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the State Department assisted ISNA in planning a 10-person delegation to the Sudan this month.

March 5, 2005 update: In its wisdom the U.S. government has send another $50,000 to ISNA – read all about it at "Americans' Tax Dollars Fund the Wahhabi Lobby (ISNA)."

Aug. 24, 2005 update: Unbelieveably, Karen Hughes, the presidential confidante, is going to the ISNA meeting in a few days and delivering her maiden address as under-secretary of state for public diplomacy.

Sept. 1 2005 update: William A. Mayer and Beila Rabinowitz show why Hughes should not be going to ISNA in "The Bush Administration's Serious Missteps Regarding ISNA." Joel Mowbray adds other reasons at "Foggy Bottom misstep?"

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