PrintJune 2, 2009
Would you like a little Sharia with your morning coffee?
Having trouble waking up this morning? This ought to do the trick.
Washington Times editorial:
Does Timothy F. Geithner support jihad? Of course not. But the Treasury secretary on Tuesday lost a major round of a court case in which a taxpayer argues that government ownership of the insurance giant American International Group Inc. amounts to an unconstitutional government "establishment" of Islam. The controversy involves Shariah-compliant financing, part of which requires charitable contributions to those who "struggle for Allah" ("jihad").
The Thomas More Law Center, representing the plaintiffs in this case, has claimed there are a number of links between charities that receive funds as a result of Shariah-compliant financing and "terrorist organizations that are hostile to the United States." This is a long-standing practice whereby some front groups exploit charitable contributions to fund Islamic extremists.
Regardless of jihad, there is no dispute that, as U.S. District Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff wrote on May 26, "AIG is the market leader in Sharia-compliant financing, which features financial products that comply with the dictates of Islamic law." It's undisputed that the government, as a result of last fall's bailout, now owns 77.9 percent of the "aggregate voting power of the common stock" of AIG. Furthermore, Judge Zatkoff wrote, "after the government acquired a majority interest in AIG ... the government co-sponsored a forum entitled 'Islamic Finance 101.' "
Yeah, you read it right. Our government is sponsoring seminars that will teach Muslims how to make money by investing in AIG financial instruments according to Sharia law.
And where will the earnings from those investments go? Search me. But if past is prologue, there's a darn good chance some of it will end up with Islamic "charities" whose clients include Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and a few other jihadist groups.
Not surprisingly, Geithner tried to get the judge to dismiss the case. Not so fast, said Judge Zatkoff and in a 16 page opinion, he excoriated Geithner, concluding with, "Times of crisis, however, do not justify departure from the Constitution."
I believe that is the first judge in the Obama era to speak real truth to power.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky
