It’s time to revisit the issue of that Muslim youth camp in Iowa—because Joe Kaufman has uncovered the truth about the sponsors of the camp and their links to terrorist front groups.

When the question of possible links to terror was raised, Ron Fournier, the spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering (the organization that is set to lease the grounds to MYCA for the sum of one dollar), said the following: “we have reviewed the Muslim youth camp, and we’ve found no terrorist ties or associations that would prevent us from continuing with the process.”

Mr. Fournier is very wrong.

The problem centers around Bill Aossey, who was previously mentioned as a MYCA Representative.

Bill is the President of the Midamar Corporation, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Midamar is an international distributor of Halal meats, or meats that have been prepared according to Islamic law. On its website, [Link: www.midamar.com,…] it is stated that Midamar is a “Trusted Halal food supplier and sponsor for the annual conferences and conventions hosted by ISNA, CAIR, AMC, ICNA, and MAS, and W.D. Muhammad.” Every one of these organizations have had dealings with Islamic extremist and/or hate groups.

Bill’s name is found on the Board of Directors of the American Muslim Council (AMC), one of the groups he does business with at Midamar. According to Jon Levin, a researcher at the Investigative Project, the “AMC has consistently opposed U.S. counterterrorism efforts, and has defended terrorists.” In October of 2000, the AMC’s longtime Executive Director, Abdurahman Alamoudi, at a rally outside the White House, shouted, “We are all supporters of Hamas…I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.” And in February of 2003, recent AMC Executive Director, Eric Erfan Vickers, was castigated by a United States Congressman for suggesting that the “loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and its entire crew was an act of divine retribution against Israel.”

Bill Aossey attends the Cedar Rapids Islamic Center. The website for the center contains numerous extremist and hate links, including a link to Al Haramain, the foundation that was one of the “principal players in charity-based financing of al-Qaeda” (December 20, 2002, National Review On-Line).

Bill was a featured speaker at the 2002 and 2003 Iowa Muslim Student Association Annual Conferences. At the 2002 Conference, he gave a speech entitled “Martyrdom in Islam.” Martyrdom is considered a code word for suicide bombings. Also speaking at the 2002 Conference was Siraj Wahhaj, an individual that is alleged to have been a co-conspirator of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. At the 2003 Conference, Bill was joined by feature speaker Nihad Awad. Awad is the Executive Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and an ex-member of the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), a front group for the terrorist organization Hamas. It has been reported that MYCA plans to rent out its proposed convention center in the off-season. Is it possible that the 2004 Conference will be held there?

UPDATE: see this comment from LGF reader fiery celt for a list of government contacts to whom you can express your concern about the Muslim Youth Camp project. (And scan through the thread for more contact info.)

UPDATE: it may be too late to stop this: Muslim Camp Given The Go-Ahead To Build Near Coralville Lake.

TheU.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the go-ahead for plans to build a Muslim summer camp on Coralville Lake near Iowa City. The Cedar Rapids-based Muslim Youth Camps of America will build the project. Due to environmental concerns, they’re required to submit a new plan that reduces the size of the camp by 50%. The proposed camp has generated anti-Muslim sentiment recently. Neighbors and city leaders say it will cause traffic and sewer problems.

Curious how the media always harps on about “anti-Muslim sentiment,” but never mentions Muslims’ “anti-American sentiment.”