Napolitano adds adviser with ties to terror backers

"Swears in leader of Arab group that hailed jihadists as 'heroes'
Posted: June 07, 2009
9:27 pm Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

Kareem Shora

JERUSALEM – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano swore in to her official advisory council the head of an Arab American organization whose officials have labeled deadly anti-U.S. jihadists as 'heroes' and opposed referring to Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, or ADC, also has close ties to anti-Israel professor Rashid Khalidi, whose association with President Obama – first exposed by WND – stirred controversy during last year's presidential campaign.

The ADC also leads the opposition to domestic anti-terrorism measures taken after the 9-11 attacks, such as watch lists, background check delays for visas and an initiative meant to more comprehensively screen visitors from select Mideast countries or specific individuals labeled as possible national security threats.

Last week, Napolitano swore in Damascus-born Kareem Shora, the ADC's national executive director, to a position on the Homeland Security Advisory Council, an outside-the-department group of national security experts that advises the secretary. Shora is the first Arab rights advocate on the panel.

At the ceremony in Albuquerque, Shora reportedly recounted how he watched with his immigrant father Obama's address last week to the Muslim world. Shora said his father cried when he heard Obama's message of reconciliation."

Obama speech quoted jihad verse from Quran

Obama speech quoted jihad verse from Quran: "OBAMA WATCH CENTRAL
Address to Muslims used Islamic text urging war against nonbelievers
Posted: June 07, 2009
11:22 pm Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

JERUSALEM – In his major address to the Muslim world last week, President Obama quoted a verse from the Quran that is interpreted as urging Muslims to follow Muhammad in waging jihad against nonbelievers.

The context of the verse – first noticed by Robert Spencer of the Jihad Watch website – was confirmed by Quranic experts contacted by WND.

'I have pointed to this section of the Quran as showing the importance of jihad and to follow the prophet (Muhammad) in jihad even though a war may be difficult,' Abu Abaida Al-Ahmed, the imam of a central mosque in Gaza City, told WND.

Obama quoted the verse in question during a section of his speech where he was stressing a 'new beginning' between the U.S. and the Muslim world, and the need for a 'sustained effort to listen to each other.'"