Last week, officials of US Customs and Border Protection escorted representatives of the Islamist front group CAIR (who issued a defense of Hamas today) and other Chicago Islamic leaders on a guided tour of the security facilities at O’Hare International Airport: CAIR-Chicago, Muslims, Meet With U.S. Customs & Border Protection at O’Hare Airport. (Hat tip: Anti-CAIR.)

On Wednesday, June 21, CAIR-Chicago’s Executive Director Ahmed Rehab and intern Susan DeCostanza along with other leaders in the Chicago Muslim Community attended a tour of U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations at O’Hare International Airport last week.

The meeting was part of an effort to build relationships between the Muslim community and different government and security organizations that work in the airport in order to proactively facilitate communication, avoid cultural misunderstandings and help to educate travelers about the ways that they can possibly avoid unwanted delays at the airport.

Brian Humphrey, Director of Field Operations, commenced the meeting by introducing the various Customs and Border Protection agents present.

Dr. Hytham Rifai - a well known physician and CAIR-Chicago client - related some personal stories of delays that relatives, friends, and community members have encountered upon re-entering the United States from travel abroad.

Ahmed Rehab outlined the community’s purpose behind requesting the meeting and gave a brief synopsis of the number and nature of complaints that Muslims bring to the CAIR-Chicago office.

Sheikh Kifah gave examples of some of the problems his Mosque constituency have suffered.

Humphrey explained that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents must move through an interactive, online cultural sensitivity course. Humphrey reiterated that if a traveler encounters any difficulties, the agents must follow protocol, and do not have the authority to deviate from that procedure. If a traveler has questions, or believes they are being mistakenly delayed, the traveler should ask to see a supervisor.

The group walked through Customs and Borders operations beginning at the point of entry for passenger arrival to customs stations, agricultural screening, and the interview rooms. The agents described the “Passenger Lookout Override” system that was implemented two months ago, in which a passenger who has the same or a similar name as a person with a suspicious record can be distinguished from the actual suspected person.

This system is supposed to expedite common delays encountered by travelers within the Muslim and other communities who have common names that are similar to people with an actual or suspected tainted record.

CAIR-Chicago looks forward to continuing the relationship with U.S. Customs and Border Protection offices in the region, and to furthering understanding between the organizations as well as facilitating future communication in order to eliminate problems for Muslim travelers before they even arise.

UPDATE at 6/28/06 9:21:37 pm:

Here’s more on CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab: Death of a Terror Lobby.

In his piece entitled, “‘Double Standardism’: The Case of the Two Books” – a rant against author of The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie – Rehab openly complains about the American media’s criticisms against books that question the validity of the Holocaust.  In the article, Rehab attributes this to “Jewish control over the media.”  He further writes, “The Muslims protesting ‘Satanic verses’ were given little credibility as they were seen as being biased for their religion. On the other hand the Jews and the Jewish subjects were not seen as such but rather as credible professionals … ”  He then points to an American journalist’s Jewishness as being the reason for his bias.  Rehab writes, “ … he is of course Jewish … ”
 
In a follow-up article, “‘Double Standardism’: The Case of the Two Films,” Rehab ridicules Hollywood for having what he considers to be a pro-Jewish slant.  He states, “ … the movies exploiting the Arabs and Muslims are ‘a bold and uncompromising look behind the closed doors of a hidden world’ … On the other hand, a movie which glorifies the other Semites, the Jews, is a ‘great American classic’, ‘an untimely epic’, ‘a movie-making masterpiece’, and ‘an all-time family favorite’, well whoop-di-di-doo.”  Rehab calls the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) a “big mouth organization.”  He ends the piece by railing against Jewish filmmakers.  He writes, “ … the history of the Jewish film producers in particular have shown that they predate on weak minorities by default.”

Rehab, like CAIR, the IAP and Hamas before them, was influenced by the violently anti-Jewish and anti-Israel Muslim Brotherhood.  On his personal website, he denotes the founder of the MB, Hassan Al Banna, as a “Contemporary Muslim Individual who influenced me.”  He also lauds two Muslim Brothers, who just happen to be brothers.  He calls Muhamad Qutb one of his “Favorite Writers / Thinkers” and Sayyid Qutb, his “Favorite Modern Personality.”  In Sayyid Qutub’s famous work, Milestones, Qutub states, “Even the Western world realizes that Western civilization is unable to present any healthy values for the guidance of mankind … It is essential for mankind to have a new leadership… Islam is the only system which possesses these values and this way of life.”

Rehab, it seems, took the Brotherhood philosophy to heart.  Further evidence of this is shown in how he describes Harry S. Truman, on his website, as being one of the “Worst Presidents.”  A reason for this was because, in Rehab’s words, President Truman was the “first to recognize Israel unjustly & unjustifiably.”  He ridicules President Truman as “Harry S. Falseman.”

All the articles by Rehab mentioned in this piece have been removed from the internet.

UPDATE at 6/29/06 7:47:48 am:

The Internet Archive saves the day again, with copies of the Ahmed Rehab articles quoted in the above piece. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

Double Standardism: The Case of the Two Books
Double Standardism: The Case of the Two Films
Contemporary Muslim Individual who influenced me
Worst Presidents