DOCWILLEY
March 20th, 2009, 15:42
Law Center Sues AIG for Promoting Islam;
Responds to Justice Department’s Motion to Dismiss its Lawsuit Challenging AIG Bailout Thursday, March 19, 2009
ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm basedin Ann Arbor, Michigan, responded yesterday to a motion to dismiss its federal lawsuit challenging the AIG bailout. The request to dismiss was filed by the Obama administration’s Department of Justice on behalf of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve Board.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “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.”
In its motion to dismiss, the Department of Justice claimed that the government does not control AIG
and that it provided billions of dollars in taxpayer money to AIG “to address what is possibly the worst
financial crisis this country has encountered since the Great Depression.” In its response the Law Center
pointed out that, while our federal government may be compelled to act in unprecedented ways during
these difficult times, the crisis itself does not excuse the government from using tax dollars to promote
the religion of Islam in violation of the Constitution. [ See the Law Center’s response here.]
The lawsuit, which was filed in December of last year in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 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 are anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish. According to the lawsuit, “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.” [ See the complaint here.]
Continued Thompson, “Through this taxpayer-funded bailout, our own government is providing financial
support to anti-American, Islamic activities. Make no mistake, there is a cultural jihad underway against
our great nation, and I fear that our government is unwittingly complicit in it.”
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Kevin Murray, a former Marine who served honorably in harm’s way in
Iraq to defend our country against Islamic terrorists. Murray objects to being forced as a taxpayer to contributeto the propagation of Islamic beliefs and practices predicated upon Shariah law, which is hostile to his Christian religion.
He is being represented by Law Center 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.
According to the lawsuit, through the use of taxpayer funds, the federal government acquired a majority ownership interest (nearly 80%) in AIG, and as part of the bailout, Congress appropriated and expended an additional $40 billionof 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. This specifically includes any profits or interestobtained through such financial activities. AIG itself describes “Sharia” as “Islamic law based on the Quran andthe teachings of the Prophet .”
As alleged in the lawsuit, with the aid of taxpayer funds provided by Congress, AIG employs a “Shariah Supervisory Committee, ” which is comprised of the following members: Sheikh Nizam Yaquby from Bahrain, Dr. Mohammed Ali Elgari fromSaudi Arabia, and Dr. Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani from Pakistan. Dr. Usmani is the son, student, and dedicated disciple of Mufti Taqi Usmani, who is the leading Shariah authority for Shariah-compliant financein 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.
According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority “is to review our operations, supervise its development
of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and our investments.”
As further alleged in the lawsuit, an important element of Shariah-compliant financing is a form of obligatory
charitable contribution called zakat, which is a religious tax for assisting those that “struggle for Allah.”
The amount of this tax is between 2.5% and 20%, depending upon the source of the wealth. The zakat religious tax is used to financially support Islamic “charities, ” some of which have ties to terrorist organizations that are hostile to the United States and all other “infidels, ” which includes Christians and Jews.
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, an example of an Islamic “charity” that qualifies for
receipt of the zakat, was recently convicted by a federal jury for providing millions of dollars to Islamic terrorist
organizations. 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.
Thompson observed, “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.”
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including
the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a
strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center
accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services.
The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is
recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.
You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001
Responds to Justice Department’s Motion to Dismiss its Lawsuit Challenging AIG Bailout Thursday, March 19, 2009
ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm basedin Ann Arbor, Michigan, responded yesterday to a motion to dismiss its federal lawsuit challenging the AIG bailout. The request to dismiss was filed by the Obama administration’s Department of Justice on behalf of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the Federal Reserve Board.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “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.”
In its motion to dismiss, the Department of Justice claimed that the government does not control AIG
and that it provided billions of dollars in taxpayer money to AIG “to address what is possibly the worst
financial crisis this country has encountered since the Great Depression.” In its response the Law Center
pointed out that, while our federal government may be compelled to act in unprecedented ways during
these difficult times, the crisis itself does not excuse the government from using tax dollars to promote
the religion of Islam in violation of the Constitution. [ See the Law Center’s response here.]
The lawsuit, which was filed in December of last year in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 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 are anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish. According to the lawsuit, “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.” [ See the complaint here.]
Continued Thompson, “Through this taxpayer-funded bailout, our own government is providing financial
support to anti-American, Islamic activities. Make no mistake, there is a cultural jihad underway against
our great nation, and I fear that our government is unwittingly complicit in it.”
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Kevin Murray, a former Marine who served honorably in harm’s way in
Iraq to defend our country against Islamic terrorists. Murray objects to being forced as a taxpayer to contributeto the propagation of Islamic beliefs and practices predicated upon Shariah law, which is hostile to his Christian religion.
He is being represented by Law Center 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.
According to the lawsuit, through the use of taxpayer funds, the federal government acquired a majority ownership interest (nearly 80%) in AIG, and as part of the bailout, Congress appropriated and expended an additional $40 billionof 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. This specifically includes any profits or interestobtained through such financial activities. AIG itself describes “Sharia” as “Islamic law based on the Quran andthe teachings of the Prophet .”
As alleged in the lawsuit, with the aid of taxpayer funds provided by Congress, AIG employs a “Shariah Supervisory Committee, ” which is comprised of the following members: Sheikh Nizam Yaquby from Bahrain, Dr. Mohammed Ali Elgari fromSaudi Arabia, and Dr. Muhammed Imran Ashraf Usmani from Pakistan. Dr. Usmani is the son, student, and dedicated disciple of Mufti Taqi Usmani, who is the leading Shariah authority for Shariah-compliant financein 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.
According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority “is to review our operations, supervise its development
of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and our investments.”
As further alleged in the lawsuit, an important element of Shariah-compliant financing is a form of obligatory
charitable contribution called zakat, which is a religious tax for assisting those that “struggle for Allah.”
The amount of this tax is between 2.5% and 20%, depending upon the source of the wealth. The zakat religious tax is used to financially support Islamic “charities, ” some of which have ties to terrorist organizations that are hostile to the United States and all other “infidels, ” which includes Christians and Jews.
The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, an example of an Islamic “charity” that qualifies for
receipt of the zakat, was recently convicted by a federal jury for providing millions of dollars to Islamic terrorist
organizations. 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.
Thompson observed, “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.”
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including
the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a
strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center
accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services.
The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is
recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization.
You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001