Case challenges taxpayer-funded AIG 'zakat'

A non-profit legal group that sued the Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Treasury over the distribution of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to the Shariah-supporting American International Group is warning the case must not be dismissed.

The case was brought against the Fed and the Treasury by the Thomas More Law Center, and spokesman Richard Thompson says he's challenging the U.S. government's own "financial support to anti-American, Islamic activities."

"Make no mistake, there is a cultural jihad under way against our great nation, and I fear that our government is unwittingly complicit in it," Thompson said

His comments came in opposition to a move on the part of the Obama administration to have the case dismissed.

"Although widespread public anger has rightfully focused on bonuses AIG paid to top executives using taxpayers' money, that anger would be at an even higher pitch if the public knew that our tax dollars were being used by AIG to promote Islam and Shariah law, which provides support for terrorist activities aimed at killing Americans and destroying America," said Thompson, the president of the law center.

In a motion to dismiss, the U.S. Department of Justice alleged the government does not control AIG and that it provided tens of billions of dollars "to address what is possibly the worst financial crisis this country has encountered since the Great Depression," according to the law center.

The Thomas More center, however, said whatever emergency measures may be needed, there is no reason to use tax dollars to promote the religion of Islam in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit in federal court in Michigan is a constitutional challenge to that portion of the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" that appropriated $40 billion in taxpayer money to fund and financially support the federal government's majority ownership interest in AIG, which engages in Shariah-based Islamic religious activities that the law center calls "anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish."

"The use of these taxpayer funds to approve, promote, endorse, support, and fund these Shariah-based Islamic religious activities violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," the case alleges.

The case was brought on behalf of Kevin Murray, a former Marine who served honorably in Iraq to defend the United States from Islamic terrorists. Murray objects to being forced as a taxpayer to contribute to the propagation of Islamic beliefs and practices predicated upon Shariah law, which is hostile to his Christian religion.

He is being represented by Thomas More attorney Robert Muise and by David Yerushalmi, an associated attorney who is an expert in Shariah law and Shariah-compliant financing, as well as general counsel to the Center for Security Policy.

The case alleges that through the use of taxpayer funds, the federal government acquired a majority ownership interest in AIG and, as part of the bailout, Congress appropriated and expended an additional $40 billion of taxpayer money to fund and financially support AIG and its financial activities.

AIG, which is now a government-owned company, engages in Shariah-compliant financing which subjects certain financial activities, including investments, to the dictates of Islamic law and the Islamic religion.

According to the complaint, AIG itself describes "Shariah" as "Islamic law based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet [Mohammed]."

The case accuses the company of employing a "Shariah Supervisory Committee" that includes Sheikh Nizam Yaquby from Bahrain, Mohammed Ali Elgari from Saudi Arabia, and Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani from Pakistan.

The law center described Usmani as the "son, student, and dedicated disciple of Mufti Taqi Usmani, who is the leading Shariah authority for Shariah-compliant finance in the world and the author of a book translated into English in 1999 that includes an entire chapter dedicated to explaining why a Western Muslim must engage in violent jihad against his own country or government."

The complaint further cites the obligatory "zakat," which under Shariah is a religious tax that must be directed to those in jihad.

"The 'zakat' religious tax is used to financially support Islamic 'charities,' some of which have ties to terrorist organizations that are hostile to the U.S. and other 'infidels,' which includes Christians and Jews," the center said.

Thomas More cited the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development as an example. That organization was convicted of providing millions of dollars to Islamic terrorists, the center said.

"As a direct consequence of the taxpayer funds appropriated and expended to purchase and financially support AIG, the federal government is now the owner of a corporation engaged in the business of collecting religious taxes to fund interests adverse to the United States, Christians, Jews, and all other 'infidels' under Islamic law," the center said.

"This lawsuit is as much about protecting constitutional principles as it is about protecting our national security and preventing another 9/11, whether overtly through direct attacks or covertly through a taxpayer funded stealth jihad," Thompson said.

Special offers:

"Schmoozing with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land Jihadists Reveal their Global Plans – to a Jew!"

Definitive work on Mideast – available only here!

"Everlasting Hatred: The Roots of Jihad"

"Israel in Crisis"

"Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict"