FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Plainfield, IN 4/8/14) Today, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Director of Chaplain Services and Islamic Endorser along with its two recently ISNA-endorsed chaplains in the military responded to false allegations made by Fox News and Ryan Mauro from the anti-Muslim group Clarion Project, that ISNA and its endorsed chaplains have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorism.
ISNA is the largest and most senior Muslim American organization that endorses chaplains in several institutions throughout the United States.
Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad, ISNA’s first chaplain endorsed to serve in the Department of Defense and its current Director of Chaplain Services and Endorsing Agent, indicated recently:
“I served my country for 22 years on active duty (19 years as a chaplain, 3 years as an enlisted Soldier). Throughout this entire period, ISNA has served as my endorser, as well as the endorser for the majority of Muslim Chaplains who serve in the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and Bureau of Prisons, Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as other State and County Correctional Institutions throughout the U.S.”
“During this entire period, ISNA has demonstrated consistently its integrity, commitment and loyalty to the principles of which this nation was founded upon. ISNA has no ties to terrorism nor has it ever been associated with any extremist group whether it be the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and others. Similarly, our chaplains are thoroughly vetted to ensure they represent the same values and principles found in our religion, al-Islam as well as, those found within the institutions that they serve.”
Recently unfounded allegations were made by Clarion Project’s representative and recently dubbed Fox News “National Security Analyst” Ryan Mauro against two of ISNA’s endorsed chaplains for allegedly being affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, terrorism and Islamic extremism.
Ryan Mauro is a discredited anti-Muslim propagandist who has a long history of making outlandish Islamophobic claims such as:
“The construction of the building blocks for similar Muslim enclaves and “no-go zones” in the U.S. is one of the most disturbing programs of Islamist groups. If successful, these territories will be the first to establish Shari’a law in the country, thus offering a profound challenge to America’s constitutional order.”
SEE:
Meet Fox’s New Anti-Muslim “National Security Analyst”
The Clarion Project is an Anti-Muslim organization responsible for putting out Islamophobic propaganda documentaries such as “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War on the West,” “Third Jihad,” and currently working on another propaganda film entitled, “Honor Diaries.”
Their documentary “Third Jihad” was so blatantly anti-Muslim that when it was shown to the New York Police Department as part of their training, one officer remarked, “It was so ridiculously one-sided. It just made Muslims look like the enemy. It was straight propaganda.”
SEE:
NYPD Draws Ire for Anti-Muslim Film
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg slammed the NYPD for screening “The Third Jihad.” “Somebody exercised some terrible judgment,” the
AP reports Bloomberg as saying. “As soon as they found out about it, they stopped it.”
For more information about Clarion Project (formerly called Clarion Fund) and its funding,
SEE:
Center for American Progress Report Fear Inc. The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America
Chaplain (CPT) Rafael Lantiqua, USAF, JBSA-Lackland, TX, issued the following statement to ISNA in light of the false allegations made by Mauro and Fox:
“I have been a US military service member for the entire 19 years that I have been a Muslim, serving my country with honor and distinction throughout and completing three tours of duty. At no time have I ever been approached by or ever had personal knowledge of or dealings with any person that has expressed support or affiliation with The Muslim Brotherhood.”
Chaplain (SGT) Mustapha El-Chingon (Rauchon), Fort Gordon, GA also issued a statement:
“I just want to make it clear that any political organization using religion to achieve political, or ideological goals to hurt, attack, judge, blame, hate, any human being on earth should be denounced because our diversity is a blessing and the way we should deal with our differences should be in a civilized, rational and noble way. Like Thomas Jefferson said: ‘I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.'”
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is the largest and oldest Islamic umbrella organization in North America. Its mission is to foster the development of the Muslim community, interfaith relations, civic engagement, and better understanding of Islam.
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CONTACT: ISNA Director of Chaplain Services and Islamic Endorsing Agent Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad, 317-989-6156,
[email protected]; ISNA Communications Director Edgar Hopida, 317-679-6350 or 317-839-1820,
[email protected]
