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NYC Cabbie Who Runs Anti-American Islamic Web Site Mocks GI Deaths, Calls
for Shia Law In U.S.
Monday, April 07, 2008
NEW YORK, N.Y. - A New York City cabbie who operates an extremist Islamic
anti-American Web site that features violent images - including mocking the
deaths of GIs in Iraq - says he's doing the country a service by "exposing
the truth."
Yousef al-Khattab, who runs RevolutionMuslim.com from his home in Queens,
told FOX News that he also wants the U.S. to embrace Islam and Sharia Law,
which prohibits alcohol and can include stoning to death or severe flogging
for pre-marital sex and adultery.
On any given day, log on to al-Khattab's site and a host of startling images
appear:
- The Statue of Liberty, with an ax blade cutting through her side;
- Video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, entitled
"Daniel Pearl I am Happy Your Dead
";
- Video of a puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq;
- The latest speech from Sheikh Abdullah Faisal, an extremist Muslim cleric
convicted in the UK and later deported for soliciting the murder of
non-Muslims.
Even more surprising is that al-Khattab runs his site from his home in
Queens, New York.
Click here to view photos:
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,3642,00.html
Click here to view video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel
Pearl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXJxUL67fyE
Click here to view puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq:
http://yousefal-khattab.blip.tv/#568638
And, because al-Khattab enjoys the First Amendment right to freedom of
speech, all the authorities can do is watch.
Formerly known as Joseph Cohen, al-Khattab is an American-born Jew who
converted to Islam after attending an Orthodox Rabbinical school, which he
later described as a "racist cult."
The 39-year-old New York taxi driver launched RevolutionMuslim.com with the
mission of "preserving Islamic culture," "calling people to the oneness of
God" and asking them to "support the beloved Sheik Abdullah Faisal, who's
preaching the religion of Islam and serving as a spiritual guide."
In 2003, Faisal was convicted in the U.K. for spreading messages of racial
hatred and urging his followers to kill Jews, Hindus and Westerners. In
sermon recordings played at his trial, Faisal called on young,
impressionable Muslims to use chemical weapons to "exterminate unbelievers"
and "cut the throat of the Kaffars [nonbelievers] with [a] machete."
Authorities believe Faisal's sermons have influenced 2005 London transport
bomber Germaine Lindsay and "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, who attended mosques
where Faisal preached.
At times, al-Khattab's postings are farcical, such as a picture of him
holding the book "Nuclear Jihad" with a wry smile on his face. Other
messages call for radical Muslim rule worldwide.
Al-Khattab claims the Sept. 11 terror attacks were an "inside job," and he
blames U.S. foreign policy for spawning the terrorism that carried out the
attacks.
He calls Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and beheaded in 2002 by Islamic
extremists in Pakistan, "a convicted spy."
"I could care less about Daniel Pearl," al-Khattab said in an interview with
FOXNews.com. "I'm happy to see that he's gone."
Click here to view RevolutionMuslim.com: http://www.revolutionmuslim.com/
The content changes constantly. One reason is that the fast flow of
information allows messages to spread through cyberspace quickly. Another,
terrorism analysts say, is to make it difficult for law enforcement to
monitor the site.
Despite his radical anti-Western views, al-Khattab says he does not support
terrorism of any kind.
Yet, RevolutionMuslim.com claims to be the official site of "North American
representatives" for Sheikh Faisal, and it appears dedicated to spreading
his radical doctrine.
He says Faisal "never said to kill innocent people" and was unjustly
imprisoned. He says the real terror organizations are the U.S. Army, the
CIA, and the FBI - and the National Coast Guard, "to a lesser extent."
According to RevolutionMuslim, Faisal - who was deported to his native
Jamaica in 2007 - is now receiving donations solicited on the site,
including money for a new laptop and DVD burner to spread his message.
It's not illegal to post these messages or collect money for Faisal, but it
would be if Faisal were designated a terrorist by the U.S. government. He
currently is not listed on any government terror list; a Department of
Justice spokesman could not confirm or deny if Faisal is being investigated
for any terror related activity.
RevolutionMuslim may look amateurish when compared with other extremist Web
sites, but it is no less of a threat, says Mia Bloom, political science
professor at the University of Georgia's School of Public and International
Affairs.
"It may lead people who become radicalized by it to turn to other, more
dangerous Web sites," such as those run by terrorist organizations, she
said.
Bloom characterized al-Khattab's message as "narrow" and "misinformed" and
said he is attempting to "proselytize or radicalize people who share some of
these same ideas."
"[He] has obviously been duped or is duping others because that's not what
Islam preaches," she said.
On his site al-Khattab appears to condemn the very democracy that guarantees
him the freedom to express himself - a freedom he cites in a disclaimer on
his homepage:
"We hereby declare and make absolute public declaration that
revolutionmuslim.com operates under the first amendment right to freedom of
religion and expression and that in no way, shape, or form do we call for
war against the U.S. government or adhere to the enemies of the United
States elsewhere."
Under the law FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said it is difficult to bring
criminal charges against the operators of Web sites like
RevolutionMuslim.com unless specific threats are made against an individual
or individuals.
Kolko while not speaking directly about RevolutionMuslim said radical sites
like these are not often prosecuted.
"It's usually a First Amendment right if they don't cross the threshold of
making any threats," said Kolko. "There's nothing we should or could do."
"Until the rhetoric reaches the point in which it's no longer protected
speech under the first amendment, it's hard to stop it," said security
expert, Harvey Kushner.
NYC Cabbie Who Runs Anti-American Islamic Web Site Mocks GI Deaths, Calls
for Shia Law In U.S.
Monday, April 07, 2008
NEW YORK, N.Y. - A New York City cabbie who operates an extremist Islamic
anti-American Web site that features violent images - including mocking the
deaths of GIs in Iraq - says he's doing the country a service by "exposing
the truth."
Yousef al-Khattab, who runs RevolutionMuslim.com from his home in Queens,
told FOX News that he also wants the U.S. to embrace Islam and Sharia Law,
which prohibits alcohol and can include stoning to death or severe flogging
for pre-marital sex and adultery.
On any given day, log on to al-Khattab's site and a host of startling images
appear:
- The Statue of Liberty, with an ax blade cutting through her side;
- Video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, entitled
"Daniel Pearl I am Happy Your Dead
";- Video of a puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq;
- The latest speech from Sheikh Abdullah Faisal, an extremist Muslim cleric
convicted in the UK and later deported for soliciting the murder of
non-Muslims.
Even more surprising is that al-Khattab runs his site from his home in
Queens, New York.
Click here to view photos:
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,3642,00.html
Click here to view video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel
Pearl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXJxUL67fyE
Click here to view puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq:
http://yousefal-khattab.blip.tv/#568638
And, because al-Khattab enjoys the First Amendment right to freedom of
speech, all the authorities can do is watch.
Formerly known as Joseph Cohen, al-Khattab is an American-born Jew who
converted to Islam after attending an Orthodox Rabbinical school, which he
later described as a "racist cult."
The 39-year-old New York taxi driver launched RevolutionMuslim.com with the
mission of "preserving Islamic culture," "calling people to the oneness of
God" and asking them to "support the beloved Sheik Abdullah Faisal, who's
preaching the religion of Islam and serving as a spiritual guide."
In 2003, Faisal was convicted in the U.K. for spreading messages of racial
hatred and urging his followers to kill Jews, Hindus and Westerners. In
sermon recordings played at his trial, Faisal called on young,
impressionable Muslims to use chemical weapons to "exterminate unbelievers"
and "cut the throat of the Kaffars [nonbelievers] with [a] machete."
Authorities believe Faisal's sermons have influenced 2005 London transport
bomber Germaine Lindsay and "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, who attended mosques
where Faisal preached.
At times, al-Khattab's postings are farcical, such as a picture of him
holding the book "Nuclear Jihad" with a wry smile on his face. Other
messages call for radical Muslim rule worldwide.
Al-Khattab claims the Sept. 11 terror attacks were an "inside job," and he
blames U.S. foreign policy for spawning the terrorism that carried out the
attacks.
He calls Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and beheaded in 2002 by Islamic
extremists in Pakistan, "a convicted spy."
"I could care less about Daniel Pearl," al-Khattab said in an interview with
FOXNews.com. "I'm happy to see that he's gone."
Click here to view RevolutionMuslim.com: http://www.revolutionmuslim.com/
The content changes constantly. One reason is that the fast flow of
information allows messages to spread through cyberspace quickly. Another,
terrorism analysts say, is to make it difficult for law enforcement to
monitor the site.
Despite his radical anti-Western views, al-Khattab says he does not support
terrorism of any kind.
Yet, RevolutionMuslim.com claims to be the official site of "North American
representatives" for Sheikh Faisal, and it appears dedicated to spreading
his radical doctrine.
He says Faisal "never said to kill innocent people" and was unjustly
imprisoned. He says the real terror organizations are the U.S. Army, the
CIA, and the FBI - and the National Coast Guard, "to a lesser extent."
According to RevolutionMuslim, Faisal - who was deported to his native
Jamaica in 2007 - is now receiving donations solicited on the site,
including money for a new laptop and DVD burner to spread his message.
It's not illegal to post these messages or collect money for Faisal, but it
would be if Faisal were designated a terrorist by the U.S. government. He
currently is not listed on any government terror list; a Department of
Justice spokesman could not confirm or deny if Faisal is being investigated
for any terror related activity.
RevolutionMuslim may look amateurish when compared with other extremist Web
sites, but it is no less of a threat, says Mia Bloom, political science
professor at the University of Georgia's School of Public and International
Affairs.
"It may lead people who become radicalized by it to turn to other, more
dangerous Web sites," such as those run by terrorist organizations, she
said.
Bloom characterized al-Khattab's message as "narrow" and "misinformed" and
said he is attempting to "proselytize or radicalize people who share some of
these same ideas."
"[He] has obviously been duped or is duping others because that's not what
Islam preaches," she said.
On his site al-Khattab appears to condemn the very democracy that guarantees
him the freedom to express himself - a freedom he cites in a disclaimer on
his homepage:
"We hereby declare and make absolute public declaration that
revolutionmuslim.com operates under the first amendment right to freedom of
religion and expression and that in no way, shape, or form do we call for
war against the U.S. government or adhere to the enemies of the United
States elsewhere."
Under the law FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said it is difficult to bring
criminal charges against the operators of Web sites like
RevolutionMuslim.com unless specific threats are made against an individual
or individuals.
Kolko while not speaking directly about RevolutionMuslim said radical sites
like these are not often prosecuted.
"It's usually a First Amendment right if they don't cross the threshold of
making any threats," said Kolko. "There's nothing we should or could do."
"Until the rhetoric reaches the point in which it's no longer protected
speech under the first amendment, it's hard to stop it," said security
expert, Harvey Kushner.
