In March 2002, Federal terrorism investigators descended upon a group of Saudi-backed executives operating out of northern Virginia. The government hauled away truckloads of files and computer hard drives from the "SAAR Network," a web of dozens of related companies with interlocking officers, directors, and corporate headquarters.
The Treasury Department suspected the group was laundering money for al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.
Now over a year after the raids, many are asking whether the Justice Department will hand down indictments or clear the targets' names. While the government has revealed very little about the lengthy probe, documents recently made public in terrorism trials across the nation shed new light on the subjects of this ongoing terrorism investigation.
At the center is SAAR Executive Yaqub Mirza. Mirza has been publicly linked to the alleged financing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad through his organizations International Institute of Islamic Thought and Safa Trust. He was also a director of Ptech, the Boston-based software company raided by a terrorism task force last year for its connections with designated al Qaeda financier Yasin Kadi. Mirza has denied wrongdoing.
Isn't it time for our local news media to start asking questions about who is financially backing the candidacy of Andre Carson--already under fire for refusing to repudiate the endorsement of controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan? The people of the 7th District are owed full disclosure.
12 comments:
Gary: this is off-topic but since it involves the special congressional election I was curious what you thought about this. Is anybody else besides me just a little bit skeptical of some of our county clerk's comments about this election? Specifically I am referring to her earlier statements that it "was impossible" to re-program the voting machines in time for the May primary and that it would be necessary to use paper ballots for the special election. After being told by the election board to use the machines we have heard nary a peep from Ms. White. Was her claim about the paper ballots just another scam that local democrats were trying to pull in an effort to manipulate the vote totals? Or is she setting up a built-in excuse to use in May should we end up with another election disaster like the last primary? I am glad the election board nixed the paper ballot idea. I for one am not too keen on the idea that my ballot, prior to being counted, would be getting into a car with a democrat poll worker on its way downtown. Who knows, that worker may have stopped for drinks at an out-of-the-way bar and had all the ballots mysteriously stolen from their car. Preposterous, you say? Let's not forget how voting machines were stolen from a democrat party official after the nominating caucus. Paranoid, you say? Not when the likes of Wilson and his ilk are lurking about the process. Who out there thinks the Carson cartel are above such shenanigans? How about it Beth? Was it really going to take you two months to re-program the machines or were you just trying to pull a fast one on us?
It was a relief that her idea of using the paper ballots only at the precincts got nixed. There are a number of documented cases in Chicago under the old punch card system where ballots mysteriously were found in the Chicago River or otherwise got misplaced. Precinct workers would in fact switch out ballots on the car ride from the polling place to the downtown vote counting center. The Democrats stole the 7th District caucus race for Andre Carson right under everyone's noses. They think it's real cute. I'm sure the electronic voting machines stolen from the Democratic staffer's car were the ones state party workers were seen shutting down early before the voting ended and taking into the back to begin counting. The Carson political machine will stop at nothing to win an election. You must assume the worst.
I'm very curious to find out how David Orentlicher feels about this.
David's decision to remain silent on these matters--at least prior to next Tuesday--could prove to be his undoing. Unless Carson loses next Tuesday, Orentlicher won't even come close to Carson in the May primary.
After looking at the Carson FEC report I couldn't tell if I was looking at individual Carson campaign contributors or an Arabian telephone book.
"David's decision to remain silent on these matters"
Decision, or orders?
Farrakhan + Muslims= Contributions, Carson and the corrupt political machine = stolen elections. People, what is happening to our democracy? It is starting to look like Armagedon here in our city and Nation. Wars, diseases, violence,crimes and Politicians who continue to sell away our way of law, and the continued violations to our constitution.
You will see and hear plenty from David O come March the 12th. He is chosing to remain silent until after special out of respect for his party's effort to retain the seat. Anyone consider that maybe David believes that Carson will lose next Tuesday setting him up as the premier demo candidate for May.
I'm amazed at those who think they know the Democratic Party and the Clerk well, but don't have a clue.
Beth White was genuinely concerned with the timing of reprogramming of voting software, in time for the primary. There is solid reason for concern. The primary has the most multiples of ballot possibilities...that is, unlimited number of candidates. And school boards are on this May's ballot--all 14 of the county's school districts. By district. There are so many different voting schemes possible, that the programmers need to get it right.
As for David O. and his "silence," he prefers, I think, to remain quiet until Mar. 12. He wasn't slated for the Special. He has been going door-to-door heavily on weekends.
And what's this prediction about his not doing well in the primary? I don't get your logic, Gary. He stands very well among Dem voters. I thik he can, win it May 6.
all my fellow dems are waiting to vote for david o in the primary. the only carson signs i have seen are in front of vacant houses on capitol. i don't think the support is as strong as we have been led to believe.
I saw the N. Capitol sign thing, too...just south of 38th St., every single house has Carson signs.
And I know many are vacant...I know one of the landlords, who's a huge Republican. No way he's for Andre.
Little-known fact: you're not allowed to put yard signs in public rights-of-way, either. Often, DPW workers remove them. As they should.
On a side note, I am glad to see that Andre returned this one contribution. Why he felt the need to sanction this kind of fund-raiser is beyond me. The remainder of the attendees may be perfectly fine, and I don't like broad-brush condemnations of anyone. Much less broad-brushed applied via the religion method.
Isn't anybody else concerned that a guy that used to work in the area of homeland security is taking money from terrorist groups?
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