Sep, 2001 : Raid on InfoCom Decried by Muslim Leaders
📅 - American Muslim leaders said a raid Wednesday on a Texas Internet business was part of an"anti-Muslim witch hunt" promoted by a pro-Israellobby in America. Early yesterday morning, more than80 agents from the FBI, INS, Customs Service, andother federal agencies raided the offices of InfoComCorporation in Richardson, Texas.
In a statement released at a news conference outsideInfocom's headquarters, the Muslim groups said:
"American Muslims view yesterday's action as just oneof a long list of attempts by the pro-Israel lobby tointimidate and silence all those who wish to seePalestinian Muslims and Christians free themselves ofa brutal Apartheid-like occupation. We believe thegenesis of this raid lies not in Washington, but inTel Aviv.
"Hundreds of innocent American businesses and citizensare being harmed by the government's actions. Thisincident can only serve to marginalize millions ofAmerican Muslims who are committed to the bettermentof our diverse society.
Groups represented at the news conference includedAmerican Muslim Council, American Muslims forJerusalem, American Muslim Alliance, Council onAmerican-Islamic Relations, Islamic Society of NorthAmerica, Islamic Circle of North America, IslamicAssociation for Palestine, Muslim Alliance in NorthAmerica, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and MuslimStudent Association of US and Canada.
However, the FBI later denied these allegations,saying the nature of the raid was due to criminalactivity.
Infocom hosts web sites for some 500 companiesworldwide, and many of them are media companies basedin Qatar.
One of Infocom's clients whose web site was shut downby the raid is Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellitetelevision network. Al-Jazeera, a popular andrespected Arabic news outlet, has frequently beencriticized by Israel for its reporting on that state'sbrutal policies in the Occupied Territories.
The raid came just weeks after a Wall Street Journalcolumn by Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes that calledfor just such an action by the government. They wrote:". . . the federal authorities should use the tools italready has for closing down these Web sites andorganizations."
In a statement released at a news conference outsideInfocom's headquarters, the Muslim groups said:
"American Muslims view yesterday's action as just oneof a long list of attempts by the pro-Israel lobby tointimidate and silence all those who wish to seePalestinian Muslims and Christians free themselves ofa brutal Apartheid-like occupation. We believe thegenesis of this raid lies not in Washington, but inTel Aviv.
"Hundreds of innocent American businesses and citizensare being harmed by the government's actions. Thisincident can only serve to marginalize millions ofAmerican Muslims who are committed to the bettermentof our diverse society.
Groups represented at the news conference includedAmerican Muslim Council, American Muslims forJerusalem, American Muslim Alliance, Council onAmerican-Islamic Relations, Islamic Society of NorthAmerica, Islamic Circle of North America, IslamicAssociation for Palestine, Muslim Alliance in NorthAmerica, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and MuslimStudent Association of US and Canada.
However, the FBI later denied these allegations,saying the nature of the raid was due to criminalactivity.
Infocom hosts web sites for some 500 companiesworldwide, and many of them are media companies basedin Qatar.
One of Infocom's clients whose web site was shut downby the raid is Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellitetelevision network. Al-Jazeera, a popular andrespected Arabic news outlet, has frequently beencriticized by Israel for its reporting on that state'sbrutal policies in the Occupied Territories.
The raid came just weeks after a Wall Street Journalcolumn by Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes that calledfor just such an action by the government. They wrote:". . . the federal authorities should use the tools italready has for closing down these Web sites andorganizations."
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