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Probe of 2 Groups That Train Muslim Chaplains Sought
EFL:
Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) yesterday renewed his request for an investigation into two institutes that train Islamic chaplains for the military in light of the Sept. 10 arrest of Army Capt. James "Yousef" Yee, an imam who ministered to detainees held at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Usually I routinely disagree with what Shumer has to say. In this case, I'll make an exception...
Six months ago, Schumer asked the Pentagon to launch an internal review of the way the military determines the reliability of Muslim clerics in the armed services, but so far no such effort has been undertaken, officials said yesterday. The FBI and the U.S. military are sorting out which of them will take the lead in investigating Yee, who was detained in connection with a probe into possible espionage, officials said.
Sigh, another turf war. The military should investigate Yee, while the FBI should look at his external contacts.
A Chinese American who converted to Islam before joining the service as a chaplain, Yee has been held at a Navy brig in Charleston, S.C., following his arrest two weeks ago at a Navy base in Jacksonville, Fla. When he was arrested, he had documents concerning some of the 660 detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and their U.S. government interrogators, as well as sketches of facilities at the camp, officials said. A chaplain would not ordinarily have access to such documents, officials said.
No shit.
A military magistrate who reviewed Yee’s case on Sept. 15 found there was adequate evidence to justify his continued confinement, according to officials at U.S. Southern Command. Yesterday Schumer said Yee’s arrest "only underscores the need for a comprehensive investigation" into the matter. Schumer previously raised questions about two institutes that train Islamic chaplains for the military: the Leesburg-based Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences (GSISS); and the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veteran Affairs Council, which helped train Yee. Despite Schumer’s request, Pentagon and Army spokesmen said yesterday there is no review of the chaplain program being conducted.
Wrong answer. FBI needs to take this one, Army is too close.
GSISS was raided by federal agents in 2002 as part of a probe of a cluster of Northern Virginia companies and institutes that have alleged dealings with terrorists. The council is an affiliate of the Alexandria-based American Muslim Foundation, which is being investigated in the same probe. Officials of both groups have denied any ties to terrorists.
"Lies, all lies!"
Posted by: Steve 2003-09-23
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=18993