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| Al Fuqra settling into Virginia back country... |
| 2002-07-02 |
| Washington Times carries an article on al-Fuqra, the Pakistani-run Muslims in the Red House area have been negotiating to purchase an additional 100-acre site in neighboring Campbell County, adding that a number of the radical group's members also have purchased smaller lots in the region. Relatives moving in, are they? Need a bigger house? The Western exodus was sparked by the shutting down of Gateway Academy Charter School in Fresno, Calif. The 12-school charter, established in 1998 by Khadijah Ghafur, was closed by school officials after auditors found $1.3 million in public money was missing. "$1.3 million? Why, I have no idea! It was just here a minute ago..." The case of the missing school funds in California is similar to an operation the group had in Colorado, which was shut down in 1993 by state law-enforcement officials. Five al-Fuqra members were convicted of defrauding the Colorado government of approximately $350,000 through bogus worker's compensation claims. "Maybe it's out back. I'll go check. Just make yourself comfy. I won't be long..." The California group numbers between 200 and 400 people, and members lived on a 1,000-acre tract in the Sierra Mountain foothills. Guarded by an armed post at the entrance, the encampment — known as Baladullah, or "City of God" — was the site of the International Quranic Open University, founded by Sheik Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani as an educational arm of Muslims of America, a group he founded. The community drew the attention of local law-enforcement agencies last summer after a man studying at the university, Ramadan Abdullah, was arrested and charged in the slaying of Sounds like they might have taken the Jihad 101 course, with maybe an elective or two in thuggery... It is not clear to authorities where the organization gets its funding, other than a few local odd jobs by group members. The Red House and Meherrin Muslims, who number between 200 and 300 people, including women and children, have been linked to various money-laundering operations and weapons violations, and are believed to have aided and abetted various terrorist groups. "Now, children, listen carefully..." Law-enforcement authorities said they believe radical Muslims are seeking to create a patchwork of "hide-outs" in rural southern Virginia for would-be terrorists and other extremists. They said the sanctuaries have been established to follow the teachings of Sheik Gilani. Sheik Gilani's followers have set up rural encampments throughout the United States and Canada that federal authorities believe are linked to murders, bombings and other felonies. Sheik Gilani is a Pakistani cleric who founded the tax-exempt Muslims of America in 1980, which is linked to Jamaat al-Fuqra, a terrorist group committed to waging jihad against the United States. Trying to set up a little something like the NWFP back home in Pakland. Gilani also makes a very good living at being a Holy Man and an ISI informer... Muslims of America claims to be nonviolent, saying in a recent statement that Sheik Gilani "does not condone nor teach us to condone violence, especially against the innocent." Raids by police in 1992 and 1993 on a 101-acre Muslim commune in central Colorado turned up bombs, automatic weapons, ammunition and plans for terrorist attacks. But they were only to be used against |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |