Feds seize 4 mosques and skyscraper

[scooterbug44]

NEW YORK - Federal prosecutors Thursday took steps to seize four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.
In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets of the Alavi Foundation and an alleged front company.
The assets include Islamic centers in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston, more than 100 acres in Virginia, and a 36-story office tower in New York.

Feds act to seize skyscraper, 4 mosques - Iran- msnbc.com

Good idea or gasoline on a bonfire?

I am certainly for it, as they have been breaking the law and funneling millions to the state bank of Iran, but am worried how it will all play out.

 

[30ashopper]

Prosecutors said the Alavi Foundation, through a front company known as Assa Corp., illegally funneled millions in rental income back to Iran's state-owned Bank Melli. Bank Melli has been accused by a U.S. Treasury official of providing support for Iran's nuclear program, and it is illegal in the United States to do business with the bank.
Government officials have long suspected the foundation was an arm of the Iranian government; a 97-page complaint details involvement of several top officials in foundation business, including the country's deputy prime minister and ambassadors to the United Nations.

"For two decades, the Alavi Foundation's affairs have been directed by various Iranian officials, including Iranian ambassadors to the United Nations, in violation of a series of American laws," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.

Sounds like progress to me. If this organization owned property here, broke the law, and punishment under the law is forfeiture, sounds ok with me. I'd rather not see money from america funneled to the current leadership of Iran anyway.

 

[AlphaCrab]

NEW YORK - Federal prosecutors Thursday took steps to seize four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government.
In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets of the Alavi Foundation and an alleged front company.
The assets include Islamic centers in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston, more than 100 acres in Virginia, and a 36-story office tower in New York.

Feds act to seize skyscraper, 4 mosques - Iran- msnbc.com

Good idea or gasoline on a bonfire?

I am certainly for it, as they have been breaking the law and funneling millions to the state bank of Iran, but am worried how it will all play out.

"The enemy is ignorance". Yes, lawbreakers and terrorist will not be free to break the law or endanger Americans directly or indirectly.

Let's have just enough sensitivity and political correctness to know that 95 % of Muslims/American-Muslims are respectful and law abiding.

I just don't want to see special Muslim internment camps set up in the U.S. Let's don't aleinate the entire Muslim world again a la Cheney-Bush!

 

[scooterbug44]

That is the issue - the rents collected on the seized skyscraper fund religious charities and mosques - so we just took funding/support away from many Muslims...............who were already fearful of a backlash for Ft. Hood.

Don't think the seizure isn't justified (and how), just wondering about the political/PR implications.

 

[mikecat adjuster]

"The enemy is ignorance". Yes, lawbreakers and terrorist will not be free to break the law or endanger Americans directly or indirectly.

Let's have just enough sensitivitty and political correctness to know that 95 % of Muslims are respectful and law abiding.

I just don't want to see special Muslim internment camps set up in the U.S. Let's don't aleinate the entire Muslim world again a la Cheney-Bush!

I kinda take offense to those who bring up Bush Cheney in this light. I watched a piece on tv one day showing speeches given by Bush and speeches given by Obama pertaining to Muslims and they were almost identical. Bush would often speak about tolerance toward Muslims. Again, the speech writing was almost identical.

I thought one good thing about not having Bush in power was that people would lay off of the bashing but it hasn't happened. I do agree that most Muslims, heck maybe 99%, are good people. But from what I'm hearing about this guy who shot up his fellow military, political correctness was way overboard. I don't think we need to worry about Political Correctness. That is almost impossible to put away in this society. I think what we need is some good old fashion common sense.

 

[AlphaCrab]

I kinda take offense to those who bring up Bush Cheney in this light. I watched a piece on tv one day showing speeches given by Bush and speeches given by Obama pertaining to Muslims and they were almost identical. Bush would often speak about tolerance toward Muslims. Again, the speech writing was almost identical.

I thought one good thing about not having Bush in power was that people would lay off of the bashing but it hasn't happened. I do agree that most Muslims, heck maybe 99%, are good people. But from what I'm hearing about this guy who shot up his fellow military, political correctness was way overboard. I don't think we need to worry about Political Correctness. That is almost impossible to put away in this society. I think what we need is some good old fashion common sense.

Obviously his speeches and his presidential actions were 2 different things... That is why Bush's last trip to Iraq ended with him famously ducking the dirty shoes of a Muslim reporter.

That incident summed up the entire Bush-Cheney fiasco there for me.

I must say, in his defense--he ducks things very well.

 

[Bob]

I kinda take offense to those who bring up Bush Cheney in this light. I watched a piece on tv one day showing speeches given by Bush and speeches given by Obama pertaining to Muslims and they were almost identical. Bush would often speak about tolerance toward Muslims. Again, the speech writing was almost identical.

I thought one good thing about not having Bush in power was that people would lay off of the bashing but it hasn't happened. I do agree that most Muslims, heck maybe 99%, are good people. But from what I'm hearing about this guy who shot up his fellow military, political correctness was way overboard. I don't think we need to worry about Political Correctness. That is almost impossible to put away in this society. I think what we need is some good old fashion common sense.

gpdd old fashioned common sense

 

[30ashopper]

Obviously his speeches and his presidential actions were 2 different things... That is why Bush's last trip to Iraq ended with him famously ducking the dirty shoes of a Muslim reporter.

That incident summed up the entire Bush-Cheney fiasco there for me.

I must say, in his defense--he ducks things very well.

I think in time he will be judged differently there. I read recently that Clinton had a statue erected in his honor in Kosovo. Iraq was similar to that war in a lot of ways as were the local protests and anti-american sentiment. In time though, people come around and realize we do actually do some good in the world.

 

[scooterbug44]

gpdd old fashioned common sense

I really hope I misinterpreted this post - because if I didn't both the photo and sentiment you are expressing are offensive as hell.

One of the few things I thought Bush did right was to say post-9-11 that the terrorists didn't represent all of those of Muslim faith.

Yes, there are radicals who twist and pervert their religion to justify violence, war, and profiteering .................. but it's not just the Muslim faith that applies to......................and spewing hatred and blaming one religious or racial group has never had a happy ending.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I kinda take offense to those who bring up Bush Cheney in this light. I watched a piece on tv one day showing speeches given by Bush and speeches given by Obama pertaining to Muslims and they were almost identical. Bush would often speak about tolerance toward Muslims. Again, the speech writing was almost identical.

I thought one good thing about not having Bush in power was that people would lay off of the bashing but it hasn't happened. I do agree that most Muslims, heck maybe 99%, are good people. But from what I'm hearing about this guy who shot up his fellow military, political correctness was way overboard. I don't think we need to worry about Political Correctness. That is almost impossible to put away in this society. I think what we need is some good old fashion common sense.

You mean screening little old ladies for bombs before they can board an airplane isn't good policy?