Ralph Nader’s office denied reports today the Green Party leader and consumer advocate was scheduled to headline an Islamic conference featuring a controversial Muslim cleric famous for virulent anti-Semitic rhetoric.
But the head of the Islamic conference confirmed to WorldNetDaily the 2000 presidential candidate, an Arab American, had been invited.
Nader and Sheik Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais were listed on Internet invitations as the two “specially invited guests” who would speak at the inaugural conference of “Islam for Humanity,” scheduled for Dec. 19-21 at the campus of the Universal Heritage Foundation, a 31-acre Islamic center near Disney World.
The program also has Nader’s name.
Al-Sudais, chief Saudi Arabian cleric of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, made worldwide news last year for a hate-filled, racist sermon broadcast live by several Arabic television and radio networks.
The cleric prayed to God to “terminate” the Jews, who he called “the scum of humanity, the rats of the world, prophet killers … pigs and monkeys.”
Al-Sudais also urged Arabs and Muslims to abandon peace initiatives with Israel.
“We must say farewell to peace initiatives with these people [Jews],” he told worshippers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
The remarks were reported by Reuters and the Associated Press.
A spokesman for Nader, answering phones at his office, told WND Nader had never been invited to the conference, had not heard of the organization and would not be attending.
After WND received confirmation from M. Ashraf Shaikh, president of Universal Heritage Foundation, Inc., the sponsor of the conference, that Nader had been invited and was expected to confirm attendance today, the Nader spokeswoman, who declined to give her name, revised her statement.
“I’m not sure if that’s what should be said,” she replied, adding Nader “might” have been invited.
She added that she had not “seen anything” about the event, and the invitation might have been “lost” in the office mail.
As far as Nader accepting the invitation, she said “That’s not going to happen.”
Nader’s office had already been contacted by several reporters today and the spokeswoman seemed to be unaware of the nature of the controversy.
In other sermons, al-Sudais has referred to Jews as, “an ongoing continuum of deceit, obstinacy, licentiousness, evil, and corruption.” The cleric attributed “treachery” and “tyranny” to Jews, while stating the “nation of Islam” is now at the “height of conflict” with the Jews.
The cleric’s answer for the world is Islam: “The most noble civilization ever known to mankind is our Islamic civilization,” he said.
The stated goal of the Universal Heritage Foundation is to promote “equality, justice and a peaceful coexistence,” and a “greater understanding and respect for and among people of all faiths, colors and gender” and “respect and love for all God’s creation.”
WND sought to question Ashraf Shaikh about the seeming contradiction between the stated goals of the organization and its headline speaker, but Shaikh indicated he was unavailable to talk further at the moment and promised to call WND back before the end of the day.
At the time of this report, WND has not received further comment from Shaikh.
Nader made news today after associates confirmed he is raising money for an exploratory presidential campaign bid.
