News: North America

Academics & Education

In San Diego, controversy surrounds an antisemitic imam and his wife Imam Taha Hassane has justified Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack, while Lallia Allali posted an image of a Star of David decapitating babies.

December 11, 2023   

(JNS) On Dec. 8, the Palestine, Arab and Muslim Caucus of the California Faculty Association hosted an event — listed with the California State University, San Bernardino, logo — titled “Endangered Education: Teaching Palestine in Liberated K-12 Ethnic Studies.” Among the speakers […]

Crime

Man is arrested after firing gun near Albany synagogue After firing the shots, the suspect said, 'Free Palestine,' the police said. No one was hurt during the shooting, which occurred hours before the beginning of Hanukkah.

December 7, 2023 and   

(NY Times) A man fired a shotgun into the air outside an Albany, N.Y., synagogue on Thursday afternoon and later said, “Free Palestine,” according to the police, sending the building into lockdown and prompting local and federal investigations hours before the beginning […]

Government & Politics

White House distances itself from CAIR, condemns director’s ‘antisemitic statements’ The White House scrubbed a mention of CAIR from an antisemitism fact sheet and pledged that the group has no involvement in efforts to draft a national Islamophobia strategy

December 7, 2023   

(Jewish Insider) The White House on Thursday distanced itself from the Council on American-Islamic Relations after the leader of the Muslim advocacy organization gave a speech celebrating the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel. “We condemn these shocking, antisemitic statements in […]

Interfaith

CAIR director says he was ‘happy’ to witness Oct. 7 attacks, Israel ‘does not have right to self-defense’ CAIR co-founder Nihad Awad also stated that Israel had no right to defend itself from Hamas attacks because it is an 'occupying power'

December 7, 2023   

(Fox) One of the top executives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said he was “happy” to witness the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Nihad Awad, executive director and co-founder of CAIR, expressed his feelings on the terrorist attack at […]

Alcohol & Drugs

Lombard man pleads guilty to trafficking fentanyl and providing support to ISIS Jason Brown, 41, has been in custody since his 2019 arrest. He was accused of shipping fentanyl from California to the suburbs and sending money to the Islamic State of Iraq.

December 6, 2023   

(Chicago Sun-Times) A suburban man pleaded guilty Wednesday to trafficking drugs and attempting to provide materials to the Islamic State of Iraq in 2019. Jason Brown, 41, was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count […]

Children & Teens

Maryland AG reinstates hate crime task force member who claimed Israeli babies murdered by Hamas were ‘fake’ Anti-Israel activist Zainab Chaudry made numerous antisemitic social posts

December 6, 2023   

(Fox) Democrat Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown on Tuesday reinstated a member of his state’s hate crime task force who posted numerous antisemitic social media posts, including a claim that the babies murdered in the brutal Oct. 7 Hamas attack were “fake.” […]

Internet

Calgary man who searched ‘killing of gay persons,’ posted ISIS propaganda to TikTok pleads to terror charge Zakarya Hussein posted videos, photos, messages and instructions on how to make explosive devices

December 1, 2023   

(CBC) A Calgary man who purported to be a member of ISIS appeared to be planning to kill gay people participating in local pride events earlier this year, a judge heard during a guilty plea to a terrorism charge Friday. Zakarya Hussein, 20, admitted to […]

Demonstrations

Head of anti-Israel group says ‘most’ Israelis slaughtered on Oct 7 ‘were killed by their own army’ American Muslims for Palestine regularly partners with House Democrats

December 1, 2023 and   

(Free Beacon) The head of an extreme anti-Israel group that regularly holds events with House Democrats said “most” of the roughly 1,200 Israeli citizens slaughtered during Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack “were killed by their own army.” American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Before Trump, a low-profile congressman named Ron DeSantis sought a ‘Muslim travel ban’ Muslim groups warn that Republican rhetoric and the party's policy agenda inflame an already fraught situation amid rising threats and violence against the community.

November 30, 2023   

(NBC) In 2017, President Donald Trump triggered national outrage for implementing a so-called Muslim travel ban, blocking U.S. admissions for travelers from predominantly Muslim countries. The move prompted widespread protests and legal challenges, and Joe Biden rescinded it in one of his first […]

Government & Politics

New details on Biden’s private apology to Muslim Americans for rhetoric on Palestinian civilians One meeting attendee 'respectfully challenged' the president over his tone.

November 29, 2023 and   

(ABC) As President Joe Biden tries to find a balance between supporting Israel and showing concern for the plight of Palestinian civilians, new details are emerging about how emotions spilled over during a private White House meeting last month between him, his […]

Academics & Education

She praised Islamic terror groups. Then the Biden admin tapped her to address ‘hate and threats of violence’ Palestine Legal manager Lina Assi has called Hezbollah 'crucial and important'

November 28, 2023   

(Free Beacon) Education Secretary Miguel Cardona hosted a meeting this month with an anti-Israel activist who has praised Hamas and Hezbollah and called for violence against Israel. Cardona on Nov. 15 met with 13 activists — including Palestine Legal advocacy manager Lina […]

Government & Politics

Veterans Affairs investigates employee who mocked Israel’s efforts to secure hostages Shekeba Morrad posted and deleted video deriding Israeli calls for Hamas to release hostages

November 28, 2023   

(Free Beacon) The Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating an employee who posted a video to social media mocking Israel’s efforts to secure the release of hostages being held by the terror group Hamas, the agency told the Washington Free Beacon on […]

Government & Politics

Biden tells Muslim activists he’s ‘disappointed’ in himself over Gaza civilian death comments: report The president promised to 'do better' when confronted over Palestinian civilian deaths

November 26, 2023   

(Messenger) President Joe Biden promised activists he would “do better” when referring to civilian deaths in Gaza, according to a new report. Biden said he was “disappointed” in himself after meeting with five prominent Muslim Americans who were upset when the president […]

Academics & Education

This Islamic scholar railed against gays. An anti-Israel student group invited him to UPenn’s campus 'Prepare to be inspired,' UPenn's Muslim Students Association said when announcing Yasir Fahmy as a speaker

November 22, 2023   

(Free Beacon) An anti-Israel student group at the University of Pennsylvania invited an Islamic scholar and cleric to campus who last year argued that gay people are “destructive” and “will not be happy.” The scholar, former Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center […]

Crime

Maryland hate crimes commission member under fire for pro-Hamas posts Zainab Chaudry, the Maryland director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, took to Facebook to call Hamas terrorists ‘freedom fighters’ and compare Israel to Nazi Germany

November 20, 2023   

(Jewish Insider) When Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced the inaugural members of the state’s Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention in August, he said Maryland residents “deserve a safe and inclusive state” and pledged to develop strategies to address hate […]

Government & Politics

Rep. Ilhan Omar to introduce first bill to block U.S. weapons for Israel since Gaza war began The Minnesota Democrat is taking aim at a $320 million package of bomb equipment that the Biden administration wants to provide to Israel's military.

November 13, 2023   

(HuffPost) Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) will this week introduce legislation to disapprove of a multimillion-dollar package of bomb equipment for Israel proposed by the Biden administration, a source familiar with her plans told HuffPost — posing the first congressional challenge to the […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

No chance Biden gets votes from Muslims after Gaza ‘genocide’: Council on American-Islamic Relations chief Biden administration has betrayed and ignored Muslim voters, Nihad Awad tells Anadolu

November 10, 2023   

(Anadolu) US President Joe Biden has “ignored our people” during the ongoing Gaza crisis and “we’re going to ignore him” in next year’s presidential election, the head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has said. “We told him directly, in our […]