The Fifth Column Report

CAIR's true nature has been bubbling forth lately and the product, well stinks. A recent posting on the CAIR website titled, "U.S. Jewish Group Promotes 'What's Wrong With Islam'" links to an original article which appeared in the LA Times carrying the headline, "Islam Fatally Flawed, Says Voice From Corona via Al Jazeera". Beyond the creative editing of the headline, CAIR included a highly edited version of the original article. In fact, not only did CAIR blatantly alter the intent of the headline to something more specious, they selectively deleted key portions of the article to radically change the article's meaning (read the articles side by side to realize the differences).

This isn't the first time that CAIR has been caught selectively "editing" the truth. In September of 2005, the blogger, Robert Spencer caught CAIR photoshopping a photo to comply with Islamic correctness. It will be interesting to see how they talk their way out of this latest one.

Local news station WRAL carried a story quoting two terrorism experts who stated unequivocably that Taheri-azar's actions were a terrorist attack. According to Solomon Bradman, chief executive officer of the Miami-based Security Solutions International. "The only thing that makes this not look like a terrorist act is that he did a lousy job of it."

In a recent voluntary poll at The Daily Tar Heel (one of UNC's student newspapers), 76+% of readers label Taheri-azar a "terrorist".

Yet, Chancellor James Moeser chooses to remain ignorant on this issue. So much for a leader of an academic institution.

Even more revealing was the release of a letter by TV station ABC11 News purportedly authored by Taheri-azar describing his terrorist motivation. Although the letter was two pages long, ABC11 News released but two paragraphs:

The sad truth is that Moeser, like many other persons of stature in this country, appears to be living in a fantasy world and is unable to offer any objective analysis . Obviously, he shouldn't be leading a major university and I call on UNC students to seek his dismissal. The War on Terror, or more correctly phrased, The War on Western Civilization is well underway and we can ill-afford having ineffective and counter-productive leaders at the helm.

Clearly this was a case of domestic terrorism directed at the property of innocents with the intent to intimidate. So why is this case important? Keep it in mind as the trial of Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar progresses. Will Mohammed, who intended to cause great bodily harm to as many non-Muslim innocents as possible, face proportionately appropriate charges? Why has CAIR publicized the Muslim van case and yet has been absolutely silent about Taheri-azar? Will Taheri-azar's roomates join him in jail? We'll have to wait to see...

The NYT's could hardly bring itself to report the story and seemed to overlook many of the germain details. Meanwhile, the Washington Post didn't bother to cover the latest developments. In an ironic twist of fate, Robert Spencer articulated many of the concerns mentioned three days ago on the Fifth Column Report.

According to The Daily Tar Heel, 'Dan Van Atta, a senior computer science major, was Taheri-azar's suitemate in Craige Residence Hall in 2001, during their freshman year. Taheri-azar was smart, though a tad shy, he said. "It was more as though he was willing to listen." The two fell out of touch after that year, and when they next talked extensively last spring, Taheri-azar had become slightly different." He'd become a better person," Van Atta said. "He pretty much lived up to the religious ideals of being a good person. "During their conversation, religion came up, and Taheri-azar said he had begun studying the Quran. "I'd like to say he was more truthful afterward. He completely swore off alcohol and drugs."'

After running over the nine innocents, Taheri-azar called 911 and made a declaration, that his rampage intended to "punish the government of the United States for their actions around the world." According to CBS, Taheri-azar stated today at his arraignment that he was, "thankful for the opportunity to spread the will of Allah."

It is apparent that Taheri-azar underwent a transformation of the most horrific kind after immersing himself in the Quaranic literature.

Read it all HERE.

Could UNC students, who despite being forced to read the Quran as part of their Freshman program be realizing something? Could the conference at UC Irvine, publication of the Danish cartoons in school newspapers across the country, and the demonstrations at UNC herald a new turning point? We can only hope.

Currently, investigators believe that he was acting alone, though further details have not been forthcoming. While he is being held on $5.5 million bond and the FBI is said to be probing the incident, it is not clear whether he will be charged under any anti-terrorism statutes.

The Daily Tar Heel has the most up-to-date and detailed information including information suggesting that this individual had a prior arrest and conviction for reckless driving and resisting arrest.

Numerous questions remain about this case and it is unclear whether the authorities will provide disclosure, nonetheless there are multiple issues to consider:

1) Mohammed had a prior conviction - how was he able to rent a vehicle and what was his citizen status (not disclosed from various reports)? Should he have been deported earlier?

2) Why is the UNC Muslim Student Association backing away and are they being honest? The UNC-MSA has released a press release condemning the "hit and run incident" and seem to deny any association with this student.

3) Where has this "student" been studying his Islamic beliefs and what has he been learning? Has he been spending time at the Islamic Center of Raleigh? The ICR's Imam, Mohammed Baianonie has stated the following on his website: "There are so many opportunities that Allah has given us in this country that I wish I could do more for the community," said Imam Baianonie. "In the United States we have freedoms that we do not have anywhere else in the world. I am a person who likes freedom and that is why I am here. We need to use this freedom in the best way, however. We need to plant our roots in the ground and especially focus on Islamic education." More concerning is this remark, "So, while most Americans will claim that George Washington and Martin Luther King were the great men of our time, most members of the IAR believe differently. " But the Imam reserves his greatest wrath for those who insult Muhammed, "As for the people who want to hurt the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) by their mockery we warn them of what Allah (S.W.T.) says in what can be translated as, "Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) Allah has cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter. And has prepared for them a humiliating torment." [Surat Al-Ahzab, (verse 57)]"

4) Why have his roomates been silent and who is this Muslim landlord, Ahmad Dard of Cary, N.C. Is there any connection to the Islamic Center of Cary?

Joel Mowbray of the Washington Times provides a cogent analysis and update on the media's failure to cover this extremely important terror trial. One of the most tantalizing details to emerge was, that "Hamid Hayat and his father, Umer, were stopped at Dulles International Airport as they were preparing to fly to Pakistan in April 2003. Agents discovered that between them, the father, an ice cream vendor, and son, a farm hand, had $28,093 in cash. (Any amount in excess of $10,000 must be declared.) Most of the money was confiscated, though neither was arrested. Yet the mystery remains: How did two menial laborers stumble into that much cash?" Another question which remains unanswered is what were they planning to do with the money?

Mowbray asks why hasn't the national media picked up on this very important story? Apart from some local coverage (referenced here in earlier threads) the major newspapers and television networks have been virtually silent on this issue.

UPDATE: Petition Spot, (www.petitionspot.com) has contacted me indicating that it is banning this petition. However, it still appears to be live. Sign while you can!

If these individuals are so concerned about "justice" then I would submit the following:

Where were your protests after 3000 Americans were brutally murdered by your kinsmen on 9/11? Where were your protests when Muslim terrorists murdered almost 200 Spaniards on commuter trains? Where were your protests when dozens of Brits were slaughtered riding the Underground and busses? Where were your protests when Muslim mobs were rioting through France? Where were your protests when Hamas madmen were murdering innocent Israelis in pizzarias, on busses, or at religious gatherings?

Ahh..., I know the answer - you're wearing green - proving that the "Fifth Column" is operative.

Last evening's panel discussion about Islamic extremism held at the U.C Irvine campus became quite heated. According to reports in SignonSanDiego, "The panel, which included one Muslim speaker, was repeatedly interrupted by hecklers..." and, "police removed two men, one of them a Muslim, from the audience after they nearly came to blows."

Updates as they become available...

KABC confirms earlier news reports and offers this bit of irony, "Kareem Elsayed, 20, a biomedical engineering student, said the Muslim Student Union would donate a health kit to victims of domestic abuse for every person that signed a petition against the unveiling of the cartoons."

Perhaps the MSU should devote their efforts to promoting tolerance and coexistence in their religion?