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Islamist
Watch Launches 'Islamist Money in Politics'
October 1, 2014
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Philadelphia – October 1, 2014 – Prominent Islamists in the United
States have donated almost $700,000 to federal candidates over the past
15 years, according to a new initiative of the Middle East Forum's
Islamist Watch project.
Islamist
Money in Politics (IMIP) shines a light on Islamist political
influence in the United States by making public the campaign
contributions of leading figures in six of America's most important
Islamist groups. IMIP compiles such donations into a sortable database,
holding politicians accountable for accepting funds from sources linked
to such organizations as the Muslim Brotherhood – which explicitly sees its work
in America as "a kind of grand
jihad to eliminate and destroy Western civilization from
within."
Associates of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR),
national and local, lead the way, giving candidates for federal office
over $430,000. The group was named an "unindicted co-conspirator" in America's
largest terror financing case where a federal judge found "ample evidence" of CAIR's link to Hamas; also,
"the FBI does not view CAIR as an appropriate liaison
partner," and recent court documents found the group concealing foreign donations through shell organizations.
Donations were also analyzed from associates of: Islamic Circle of
North America, Islamic Society of North America, Muslim Alliance in North
America, Muslim American Society and Muslim Public Affairs Council.
The database currently covers only federal contributions. State-level
data will be added over time. Further, it is limited to individuals with
formal and senior roles at six Islamist organizations. For these reasons,
IMIP sees the $700,000 as the tip of an iceberg.
"Campaign contributions are a little-explored facet of Islamist
political influence," notes Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle
East Forum. "The sun has now begun to shine on it."
Islamist Money in Politics has also established the most comprehensive
listing of prominent Islamists – senior-level officers, staffers
and board members of the six organizations. It serves as a heads-up to
politicians wary of taking Islamist funds, and a useful tool for
researchers and reporters.
_ _ _ _ _
Islamist
Watch protects Western values by unveiling and combating non-violent
"lawful Islamism," which exploits the freedoms of Western
society incrementally to undermine from within. Sophisticated and
well-financed, lawful Islamists use political, educational and legal means
to erode the foundations of Western society, including religious
pluralism, freedom of speech and equality under the law.
The Middle East
Forum promotes American interests through intellectual, activist and
philanthropic efforts.
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Marc Fink
Director, Islamist Watch
Fink@MEForum.org
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