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**spravka.ua** · 07-03-2011, 04:42 PM

It appears that there seems to be a concerted effort to condemn the Congressional Hearings on Islamic terrorists. It seems that the major issue is that the hearings are focused on Muslims. I may be incorrect in my views that at the present time that members of the Islamic faith are the ones that various terrorist groups are focusing their attention on. I do not know if this is totally true but as the old saying goes "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck; it must be a duck".

I haven't heard of any concerted effort by the leaders of the Islamic faith getting together and discussing this pressing issue.

Reverend Al Sharpton was on Fox News this AM saying that it wasn't just Muslims that were being radicalized but other non-Muslims also. He used Jared Louhner as an example. I usually don't put much stock in what Sharpton says, but it seems he has outdone himself again.

It is IMO a bit controversial.

Muslims to Be Congressional Hearings’ Main Focus
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: February 7, 2011

WASHINGTON — The new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Monday that he planned to call mostly Muslim and Arab witnesses to testify in hearings next month on the threat of homegrown Islamic terrorism.

Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said he would rely on Muslims to make his case that American Muslim leaders have failed to cooperate with law enforcement officials in the effort to disrupt terrorist plots — a claim that was rebutted in recent reports by counterterrorism experts and in a forum on Capitol Hill on Monday.

“I believe it will have more of an impact on the American people if they see people who are of the Muslim faith and Arab descent testifying,” Mr. King said.

The hearings, which Mr. King said would start the week of March 7, have provoked an uproar from both the left and the right. The left has accused Mr. King of embarking on a witch hunt. The right has accused him of capitulation for calling Muslims like Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, to testify while denying a platform to popular critics of Islamic extremism like Steven Emerson, Frank Gaffney, Daniel Pipes and Robert Spencer.

As the hearings approach, the reaction from Muslim groups — initially outraged — has evolved into efforts to get Mr. King to enlarge the scope of the hearings beyond Muslims. They want to use the forum to reinforce the notion that the potential for terrorist violence among American Muslims is very marginal and very isolated.

. . . (bolding added)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/us...%20king&st=cse

If this was a panel for discussing threats by Muslim and non-Muslim alike (Islamic extremism, militia, cross-border gangs, etc) then I think it would be far more useful because it would be far more comprehensive and effective in addressing the various sorts of threats the US faces. Whilst I agree with King's decision not to invite provocateurs like Spencer who cross fair boundaries and into anti-Muslim scaremongering, the idea of making the Muslim community at large defend itself as if it were on trial with all being guilty by association or silence is unhelpful. I think it ought to be constructive instead, i.e., 'help us out as fellow Americans' attitude, etc.

It's also controversial IMO because Peter King heads it.

Support for the IRA

In the 1980s, King frequently traveled to Northern Ireland to meet with IRA members.[12] In 1982, speaking at a pro-IRA rally in Nassau County, New York, King said: “We must pledge ourselves to support those brave men and women who this very moment are carrying forth the struggle against British imperialism in the streets of Belfast and Derry.”[12][18]

"In 1985, he convened a press conference before the start of New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade (for which he was Grand Marshal), and offered a defiant defense of the IRA: 'As we march up the avenue and share all the joy,' he declared, 'let us never forget the men and women who are suffering and, most of all, the men and women who are fighting.'"[19] Regarding the 30 years of violence during which the IRA killed over 1700 people, including over 600 civilians, King said, ""If civilians are killed in an attack on a military installation, it is certainly regrettable, but I will not morally blame the IRA for it". King compared IRA leader Gerry Adams to George Washington and asserted that the "British government is a murder machine". [20]

He called the IRA "the legitimate voice of occupied Ireland."[21] A Northern Irish judge ordered King ejected from the former's courtroom, describing him as “an obvious collaborator with the IRA”.[12] King called himself "the Ollie North of Ireland."[19] King did not meet Gerry Adams until 1984, four years after his liaison with the IRA began [1] and before that his links with the IRA were predominantly with its military, rather than the political wing, Sinn Fein.

At this time he was friendly with Michael McKevitt, the common law partner of Bernadette Sands, sister of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. McKevitt was at the time a senior leader of the IRA and was its Quarter Master-General, in charge of arms acquisition. McKevitt planned a massive series of arms smuggling operations of weapons provided to the IRA by Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi during the mid-1980's.

During this time, King would stay in their home in Co. Louth while visiting Ireland and was also very close to the IRA's former Operations Officer in Belfast, Anto Murray, who was convicted in 1990 of kidnapping a suspected British spy. As Belfast Operations Officer, Murray planned or authorised every IRA bombing, shooting and killing in the city. King would stay with Murray and his wife Lucy during visits to Belfast and after Anto Murray was imprisoned, he hosted Lucy Murray on a tour of the Capitol when she visited the United States. [2]

He became involved with NORAID, an organization that the British, Irish and US governments accuse of financing IRA activities and providing them with weapons.[12][22][23][24] He was banned from appearing on British TV for his pro IRA views and refusing to condemn IRA activity in the UK.[12] When the Archbishop of New York embraced King at the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Daily Mail "dedicated an entire editorial to the affair and called it the 'handshake of shame.'"[19] Peter T. King - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

07-03-2011, 04:42 PM	#5
spravka.ua Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 408 Senior Member	It appears that there seems to be a concerted effort to condemn the Congressional Hearings on Islamic terrorists. It seems that the major issue is that the hearings are focused on Muslims. I may be incorrect in my views that at the present time that members of the Islamic faith are the ones that various terrorist groups are focusing their attention on. I do not know if this is totally true but as the old saying goes "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck; it must be a duck". I haven't heard of any concerted effort by the leaders of the Islamic faith getting together and discussing this pressing issue. Reverend Al Sharpton was on Fox News this AM saying that it wasn't just Muslims that were being radicalized but other non-Muslims also. He used Jared Louhner as an example. I usually don't put much stock in what Sharpton says, but it seems he has outdone himself again. It is IMO a bit controversial. Muslims to Be Congressional Hearings’ Main Focus By LAURIE GOODSTEIN Published: February 7, 2011 WASHINGTON — The new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Monday that he planned to call mostly Muslim and Arab witnesses to testify in hearings next month on the threat of homegrown Islamic terrorism. Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said he would rely on Muslims to make his case that American Muslim leaders have failed to cooperate with law enforcement officials in the effort to disrupt terrorist plots — a claim that was rebutted in recent reports by counterterrorism experts and in a forum on Capitol Hill on Monday. “I believe it will have more of an impact on the American people if they see people who are of the Muslim faith and Arab descent testifying,” Mr. King said. The hearings, which Mr. King said would start the week of March 7, have provoked an uproar from both the left and the right. The left has accused Mr. King of embarking on a witch hunt. The right has accused him of capitulation for calling Muslims like Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, to testify while denying a platform to popular critics of Islamic extremism like Steven Emerson, Frank Gaffney, Daniel Pipes and Robert Spencer. As the hearings approach, the reaction from Muslim groups — initially outraged — has evolved into efforts to get Mr. King to enlarge the scope of the hearings beyond Muslims. They want to use the forum to reinforce the notion that the potential for terrorist violence among American Muslims is very marginal and very isolated. . . . (bolding added) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/us...%20king&st=cse If this was a panel for discussing threats by Muslim and non-Muslim alike (Islamic extremism, militia, cross-border gangs, etc) then I think it would be far more useful because it would be far more comprehensive and effective in addressing the various sorts of threats the US faces. Whilst I agree with King's decision not to invite provocateurs like Spencer who cross fair boundaries and into anti-Muslim scaremongering, the idea of making the Muslim community at large defend itself as if it were on trial with all being guilty by association or silence is unhelpful. I think it ought to be constructive instead, i.e., 'help us out as fellow Americans' attitude, etc. It's also controversial IMO because Peter King heads it. Support for the IRA In the 1980s, King frequently traveled to Northern Ireland to meet with IRA members.[12] In 1982, speaking at a pro-IRA rally in Nassau County, New York, King said: “We must pledge ourselves to support those brave men and women who this very moment are carrying forth the struggle against British imperialism in the streets of Belfast and Derry.”[12][18] "In 1985, he convened a press conference before the start of New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade (for which he was Grand Marshal), and offered a defiant defense of the IRA: 'As we march up the avenue and share all the joy,' he declared, 'let us never forget the men and women who are suffering and, most of all, the men and women who are fighting.'"[19] Regarding the 30 years of violence during which the IRA killed over 1700 people, including over 600 civilians, King said, ""If civilians are killed in an attack on a military installation, it is certainly regrettable, but I will not morally blame the IRA for it". King compared IRA leader Gerry Adams to George Washington and asserted that the "British government is a murder machine". [20] He called the IRA "the legitimate voice of occupied Ireland."[21] A Northern Irish judge ordered King ejected from the former's courtroom, describing him as “an obvious collaborator with the IRA”.[12] King called himself "the Ollie North of Ireland."[19] King did not meet Gerry Adams until 1984, four years after his liaison with the IRA began [1] and before that his links with the IRA were predominantly with its military, rather than the political wing, Sinn Fein. At this time he was friendly with Michael McKevitt, the common law partner of Bernadette Sands, sister of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. McKevitt was at the time a senior leader of the IRA and was its Quarter Master-General, in charge of arms acquisition. McKevitt planned a massive series of arms smuggling operations of weapons provided to the IRA by Libyan leader, Col. Muammar Gaddafi during the mid-1980's. During this time, King would stay in their home in Co. Louth while visiting Ireland and was also very close to the IRA's former Operations Officer in Belfast, Anto Murray, who was convicted in 1990 of kidnapping a suspected British spy. As Belfast Operations Officer, Murray planned or authorised every IRA bombing, shooting and killing in the city. King would stay with Murray and his wife Lucy during visits to Belfast and after Anto Murray was imprisoned, he hosted Lucy Murray on a tour of the Capitol when she visited the United States. [2] He became involved with NORAID, an organization that the British, Irish and US governments accuse of financing IRA activities and providing them with weapons.[12][22][23][24] He was banned from appearing on British TV for his pro IRA views and refusing to condemn IRA activity in the UK.[12] When the Archbishop of New York embraced King at the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Daily Mail "dedicated an entire editorial to the affair and called it the 'handshake of shame.'"[19] Peter T. King - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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