Letter Sent to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force

(703) 931-2324

jameslafferty@vaantishariahtaskforce.org

September 27, 2010

 

Michael R. Frey  

Supervisor

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

(via e-mail)

 

Dear Supervisor Frey:

I write to you today to ask that you review your records to identify campaign and other donations which you may have received from groups associated with the radical Islamic Saudi Academy (ISA) as another vote on the ISA lease will occur as early as October 19.

If you, your campaign and any group you direct  have received contributions from individuals or groups associated with the ISA then we expect you to rescue yourself from any participation in this vote.  If you are free to vote on this issue, we urge you to vote “no.”

Since the 2008 hearing which renewed the ISA lease, VAST has learned that at least one member of the Board of Supervisors received substantial financial support from groups with a vested interest in the ISA’s operation.  We also saw  the principal of ISA held up by then  Board Chairman Gerry Connolly as an exemplary witness subsequently arrested by Fairfax County police for failing to report a sexual abuse case and obstructing justice.

And, finally, after Mr. Connolly’s vicious attacks on witnesses who testified against the ISA, citing official reports of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, we witnessed a June, 2008 letter from Mr. Connolly demanding a Department of State investigation of the ISA.

We find it incredible that Mr. Connolly attempts to justify his role in the ISA lease approval by smearing citizens who testified and then, subsequent to the vote, demands a federal investigation of the ISA.

It is our hope that such an obvious conflict of interest and effort to mislead the citizenry can be avoided this time.

While it is not comprehensive by any means, I have attached an exhibit from U.S. Department of Justice v. The Holy Land Foundation which contains the list of unindicted co-conspirators in that landmark case against terrorist financiers.  I hope that you will take the time to review this and compare it to individuals and organizations who have contributed to your campaign, your office or been associated with cash transfers by any means to you.

 

We oppose the continued operation of the Islamic Saudi Academy in Virginia and elsewhere in America because we believe its purpose is to train the next generation of domestic terrorists.

The issue here is not about religion but about behavior. The ISA operates under and teaches Shariah law to its students who have acted on what they are/were taught.  Your responsibility is to protect the people of Fairfax County from the effects of locating such a criminal enterprise in our community.

It concerns us that federal authorities are not moving quickly to close the ISA and prosecute fully those who operate it.  But inaction by the federal government will not be accepted as an excuse for similar inaction on your part.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

James Lafferty

Chairman

Press Release

Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force

Contact: 703-931-2324

VAST Calls for “Full Disclosure” from Fairfax Supervisors Considering Vote on Radical Saudi Academy’s Lease

Connolly Took Saudi Money While Promoting/Voting on Radical School Lease

A Virginia group has called on members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to “fully disclose” donations they have received from groups and individuals with an interest in the October 19 hearing on the renewal of the lease of the radical Islamic Saudi Academy on Route 1.

James Lafferty of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force (VAST) said in a letter to each Supervisor that he was concerned because former Board Chairman Gerry Connolly received numerous contributions to his Congressional campaign as he was shepherding the last ISA lease renewal through the board and attacking opponents.

An Associated Press report on June 17, 2008 stated: “The board’s chairman Gerry Connolly, the Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District offered a strong defense of the school and accused critics of slander during the meeting in which the lease was approved.”

“Connolly should have recused himself from the process but instead he carried the water for the Islamist radicals and cashed a lot of their checks,” said Lafferty. “Many of the contributions were to his Congressional campaign but , at least, one of them was not reported to the Federal Elections Commission.

“We are asking each Board member to check his/her records and if they have accepted contributions from any entity connected to the ISA and that includes CAIR, the Islamic Society of North America and any other Islamist groups and any individuals or officials of any of the local mosques, we are asking them to comply with the law and recuse themselves.

While promoting the last ISA lease renewal in 2008, Connolly received the following support from those with a strong interest in the radical school operated by the Saudi government:

Nihad Awad donated $500 on January 24, 2008. Awad is a founder of CAIR and stated in a 1994 speech in Florida “After I researched the situation inside and outside Palestine, I am in support of the Hamas movement.”

Yaqub Mirza gave $1,000 on January 12, 2008. Mirza is a prominent leader in the Safa group, a radical Islamist operation in Northern Virginia. Congressman Andre Carson (D-Indiana), a Muslim, returned a Mirza donation to his campaign.

Hisham al-Talib gave $1,000 on January 24, 2008. Al Talib is another Safa leader.

Arab-American Leadership PAC, a group funded partially by the radical Muslim Brotherhood, donated $2,000 during the 2008 cycle.

Connolly also received $18,758 from Qorvis Communications in 2006 through 2008, according to published reports. Qorvis represents the Saudi government. Its Washington and Virginia offices were raided by the FBI after the 9/11 attacks. The embassy of the Saudi government is listed as the owner/operator of the ISA.

“Connolly was busy cashing checks and shilling for the Saudis but we didn’t find out about it until after the vote was taken and after he had called the citizen opposition ‘slanderers’ and ‘bigots’.

“Shortly after the vote was taken, Connolly called on the State Department to investigate the ISA. He tried to have it a variety of ways.

“We want to ensure that no other Board member follows his scurrilous example and gets purchased, leased or rented by the Saudis and their radical operatives.”

VAST is a coalition of citizens and organizations opposed to the spread of radical Shariah influence, law and practices in Virginia and across America. VAST has opposed the expansion of the radical Islamic Saudi Academy in Virginia, the construction of radical mosques in Tennessee and the Ground Zero Mosque in New York. For more information call (703) 931-2324.