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| '''Revolution Muslim''' is a radical ] organization and movement based in ] that advocates the establishment of a traditionalist Islamic state, the removal of the current rulers in heavily ] populated nations, the destruction of Israel, and an end to what they consider "western imperialism". It has come under scrutiny for its anti-Western rhetoric and for endorsing the actions of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/11/n-j-suspects-attended-protests-organized-by-radical-islamic-group/ |title=N.J. suspects attended protests organized by radical Islamic group – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs |publisher=News.blogs.cnn.com |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 15, 2010}}</ref> | '''Revolution Muslim''' is a radical ] organization and movement based in ] that advocates the establishment of a traditionalist Islamic state, the removal of the current rulers in heavily ] populated nations, the destruction of ], and an end to what they consider "western imperialism". It has come under scrutiny for its anti-Western rhetoric and for endorsing the actions of ] and other ] groups.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/11/n-j-suspects-attended-protests-organized-by-radical-islamic-group/ |title=N.J. suspects attended protests organized by radical Islamic group – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs |publisher=News.blogs.cnn.com |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 15, 2010}}</ref> | ||
| They operate both on its website and through street preaching and protests, mostly outside the ].<ref name=UPI>{{cite news|publisher=United Press International|title=Radical Muslims target N.Y. mosque|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/11/06/Radical-Muslims-target-NY-mosque/UPI-66951257556073/|date=November 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0911/06/acd.01.html |title="ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES: Investigating Fort Hood Massacre; Interview With Oprah Winfrey," Aired November 6, 2009 - 22:00 ET, accessed January 20, 2010 |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date= |accessdate=June 15, 2010}}</ref> | They operate both on its website and through street preaching and protests, mostly outside the ].<ref name=UPI>{{cite news|publisher=United Press International|title=Radical Muslims target N.Y. mosque|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/11/06/Radical-Muslims-target-NY-mosque/UPI-66951257556073/|date=November 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0911/06/acd.01.html |title="ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES: Investigating Fort Hood Massacre; Interview With Oprah Winfrey," Aired November 6, 2009 - 22:00 ET, accessed January 20, 2010 |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date= |accessdate=June 15, 2010}}</ref> | ||
Revision as of 05:18, 24 October 2010
Revolution Muslim is a radical Islamist organization and movement based in New York City that advocates the establishment of a traditionalist Islamic state, the removal of the current rulers in heavily Muslim populated nations, the destruction of Israel, and an end to what they consider "western imperialism". It has come under scrutiny for its anti-Western rhetoric and for endorsing the actions of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
They operate both on its website and through street preaching and protests, mostly outside the Islamic Cultural Center of New York.
Background
The group of 5-10 members devoted to Abdullah el-Faisal was run by Yousef al-Khattab, born Joseph Cohen, an American Jew who converted to Islam in 2000 after living in Israel and attending an orthodox rabbinical school there, then returned to New York, where he is said to have worked driving a taxi, operating a pedicab, or running a restaurant. In December, 2009, al-Khattab said he would be temporarily outside of the United States during a protest outside his home in Woodside, Queens planned by the Jewish Defense Organization, after al-Khattab expressed support for Nidal Malik Hasan, accused of the Fort Hood shooting. On December 12, 2009 al-Khattab posted a video on the group's website announcing that he had retired and that the group would be run by Abdullah as-Sayf Jones. However on April 2010 Abdullah as-Sayf Jones, now known as Abdullah Ali Zulfiqar, left the group after openly proclaiming that he had become a practitioner of Sufism and eventually embracing Shia Islam.
In addition to their website, the group distributes anti-Israeli literature outside of mosques. The mosque has called the police several times on the group, but has reported no actual violence. Legal and law enforcement officials in the US monitor the group, but describe its activities as protected by the First Amendment. The Anti-Defamation League has monitored the group since 2006.
In 2010, The founders of Revolution Muslim posted a statement from Anwar al-Awlaki, connected to various terrorists including the 9/11 hijackers, the Fort Hood shooter, and the Christmas Day 2009 bomber, on their blog that warned, "America cannot and will not win. The tables have turned and there is no rolling back of the worldwide Jihad movement."
Mia Bloom, political science professor at the Pennsylvania State University’s International Center for the Study of Terrorism, says Revolution Muslim may look amateurish when compared with other extremist websites, but is no less of a threat. “It may lead people who become radicalized by it to turn to other, more dangerous Web sites,” such as those run by terrorist organizations, she said. She characterized their message as “narrow” and “misinformed”.
Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, stated regarding the Revolution Muslim group, " an extreme fringe group that has absolutely no credibility within the Muslim community. In fact, most Muslims suspect they were set up only to make Muslims look bad. We just have very deep suspicions. They say such outrageous, irresponsible things that it almost seems like they're doing it to smear Islam."
Fort Hood shooting
In 2009 Revolution Muslim drew condemnation for issuing statements condoning the Fort Hood Shooting. Hours before the event, CNN published an interview and video of Revolution Muslim on their website, in which Younes Abdullah Mohammed preached that U.S. troops as well as the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States were "legitimate targets -- until America changes its nature in the international arena," They stated Osama bin Laden was their model. "He doesn't seem to have done anything wrong from the sharia (Islamic law)" al-Khattab said, "if I love him as a Muslim, I love him more than I love myself".
CNN aired the video the evening after the shootings, although at the time, no connection was made between the statements and the shooting. Shortly after the attack Revolution Muslim posted a message that included the following: "Major Nidal Hasan M.D., An officer and a gentleman was injured while partaking in a preemptive attack., Get Well Soon Major Nidal, We Love You.” The American Muslim Society strongly condemned the statement.
Former Members
Some members of Revolution Muslim have left the organization and have even become very outspoken critics of the organization. Yousef al-Khattab was the first member to leave and the first Amir of the organization to resign after having disagreements in methodology and made these disagreements clear on his own website. He now runs his website and is a follower of Yusuf al Qaradawi and the platform of The Muslim Brotherhood.
The second member of Revolution Muslim to leave was Abdullah as Sayf Jones who later changed his name to Abdullah Ali al-Amin, than eventually to Abdullah Ali Zulfiqar after embrasing Shia Islam. Zulfiqar left after a fall out with current Amir of Revolution Muslim, Younes Abdullah Muhammad, over theological differences as well as differences in methodology.
Jihad Jane
Colleen LaRose, also known as Jihad Jane, was an online follower of Revolution Muslim.
South Park
The organization protested the South Park episode, 200, over that show's depiction of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bear costume, which it described as insulting. (Eventually the figure in the bear costume was revealed as Santa Claus.) The threat was posted by Abu Talhah al-Amrikee, the username of an emerging Revolution Muslim leader. The Revolution Muslim website said that violent retaliation "will likely happen” to the show's creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and provided the addresses of both Comedy Central's New York office and Stone and Parker's production office in Los Angeles. Although the group characterized it as a warning rather than a threat, it generated considerable attention. Abu Talhah al-Amrikee has a history of publicizing terrorist propaganda and promoting violence against non-Muslims through a variety of web sites and blogs. He first commented about his issue with the South Park episode via Twitter the day after the episode aired, tweeting that he prayed for Allah to kill the show’s creators and “burn them in Hell for all eternity.” Subsequently, the Revolution Muslim website was hacked, temporarily redirecting web traffic to pictures of Muhammad. The poster of the threat has since been arrested on federal terrorism charges.
On May 1, 2010, a failed car bomb attempt was discovered by the New York City Police Department near the eastern corner of 1 Astor Plaza, the headquarters of Comedy Central parent company Viacom. Some news outlets reported that police are looking into a possible link between the attempted bombing and the warnings of violence against Trey Parker and Matt Stone, although no such link has yet been established. Such speculation was also fueled by statements from U.S. Congressman Peter T. King, who described as one possible motive "the whole issue with South Park, which Islamic terrorists were threatening to have retribution for". However, King stressed the theory was "one possibility out of a hundred". NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said of the theory, "We certainly wouldn't rule that out." Revolution Muslim has denied any involvement with the incident. Younus Abdullah Muhammed, who runs the group's website, was in Times Square at the time speaking out against President Barack Obama with a loudspeaker. But he said of the failed car bomb, "What do you think, I commanded somebody to blow up a building in the middle of Times Square? It had nothing to do with the 'South Park' controversy. It was not an attack targeting Viacom." After the threats, well known comedian Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, in defense of the Matt Stone and Trey Parker, told Revolution Muslim to "go fuck yourselves" using a faux-church choir.
Press Appearances
The ABC News 20/20 special "Islam: Questions and Answers" included Revolution Muslim's Sadiq Abdul Malik, who has preached radical views in Times Square, as one of the moderate Muslims who will serve as America's "first line of defense" against terrorism.
References
- ^ "N.J. suspects attended protests organized by radical Islamic group – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs". News.blogs.cnn.com. June 11, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
- ^ "Radical Muslims target N.Y. mosque". United Press International. November 6, 2009.
- ""ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES: Investigating Fort Hood Massacre; Interview With Oprah Winfrey," Aired November 6, 2009 - 22:00 ET, accessed January 20, 2010". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
- ^ Joshua Rhett Miller (October 6, 2009). "New York-Based Muslim's Web Site Calls for God to 'Kill the Jews'". Fox News.
- By JOHN DOYLE in Fort Hood, Texas, and JANON FISHER in NY (November 21, 2009). "America-hater in Qns. hails Hood massacre". NYPOST.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "U.S. Based Revolution Muslim Website Spreading Messages of Hate - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News". FOXNews.com. March 26, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- Bennett, Chuck (October 19, 2009). "New York pedicab driver Yousef al-Khattab idolizes jihad and terrorists". NYPOST.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- Peter C. Mastrosimone (December 10, 2009). "Woodside Islamist says he's left the country". Queens Chronicle.
- Yousef al-Khattab (December 12, 2009). "Upwards & Onwards-Yousef al-Khattab". Revolution Muslim.
- http://www.revolutionmuslim.com/2010/09/abdullah-al-amin-has-become-shia-kaafir.html
- "Just Some Updates & Clarifications". YouTube. April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston (November 5, 2009). "Peaceful preaching inside, violent message outside a New York mosque". CNN.
- ^ "Backgrounder: Revolution Muslim". Anti-Defamation League. April 21, 2010.
- "Domestic Terror: The Worry About Homegrown Plots". Newsweek.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- Threat against ‘South Park’ creators highlights dilemma for media companies, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-south-park-20100423,0,5940860.story, Los Angeles Times, by Scott Collins and Matea Gold, April 23, 2010
- "Peaceful preaching inside, violent message outside a New York mosque". CNN. November 5, 2009.
- Sheila Musaji (April 19, 2010). "Abdullal El Faisal, Revolution Muslim, and Islamic Thinkers Society - updated 4/19/10". Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- http://www.yousefalkhattab.com/p/why-i-left-revolution-muslim.html
- http://www.yousefalkhattab.com/p/why-i-left-revolution-muslim.html
- http://www.revolutionmuslim.com/2010/09/abdullah-al-amin-has-become-shia-kaafir.html
- http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/revolution_muslim.htm?Multi_page_sections=sHeading_7
- http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/revolution_muslim.htm?Multi_page_sections=sHeading_7
- Dave Itzkoff (April 21, 2010). "Muslim Group Says It Is Warning, Not Threatening, 'South Park' Creators". New York Times.
- "Security Brief: Radical Islamic Web site takes on 'South Park' – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs". News.blogs.cnn.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- "Revolution Muslim website hacked in retaliation for targeting South Park creators", National Post, (April 23, 2010)
- http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0721101southpark1.html
- Gendar, Alison; Parascandola, Rocco; Kennedy, Helen (May 2, 2010). "Police eyeing link to South Park in Times Square car bomb". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- Allen, Nick; Rayner, Gordon (May 2, 2010). "Times Square car bomb: police investigate South Park link". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- Cavna, Michael (May 2, 2010). "Times Square bomb: a 'South Park' link?". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- Crawford, Carly (May 2, 2010). "T-shirt vendor saves New York from car bomb threat as NY police commissioner says there nothing to link Taliban to bomb attempt". Herald Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- Hutchinson, Bill (May 2, 2010). "Islamic group that warned creators of 'South Park' denies involvement in Times Square bomb plot". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- Jon Stewart Bring Backs The 'Go F*ck Yourself' Choir To Address South Park Death Threats
- ABC News Promotes Revolution Muslim as America's First Line of Defense
- ABC News Promotes Revolution Muslim as America's First Line of Defense against Terrorism