U.S. Muslim Desecraters of Flag Says It Opposes Violence, and America

The Islamic Thinkers Society stood on a corner in Jackson Heights, NY threatening and declaring Islamic dominance one week and the next declaring that they "oppose violence, and America."

The young Muslim men, with beards and bullhorns, work the streets of Jackson Heights on the weekends. They surface at parades and protests around the city, loudly declaring America the enemy and advocating for an Islamic state. Several weeks ago, they publicly tore up an American flag as payback for the reported desecration of the Koran at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Their own videos of violence against Muslims, one with the title "Muslim Massacres," have recently appeared on Queens Public Television.

In the annals of New York City's political outspokenness and fringe-group culture, the Islamic Thinkers Society may seem unremarkable at first glance. But after 9/11, in the city most damaged and unsettled by the terrorist attacks, the emergence of this young, however limited, Muslim-American voice is strikingly bold. In its fliers and on its Web site, the group describes itself as an "intellectual and political nonviolent organization," but it bears a strong resemblance to Islamist movements in England that try to unite Muslims by inciting anger.

They strike a contrast between the two worlds of Islam: the "camp of Emaan," Dar-al-Islam, or believers, and that of the "camp of Kufr," Dar-al-Harb, the camp of war, or non-believers. "

"Wake up and realize that the line has been drawn between the camp of Emaan and the camp of Kufr and there is no middle ground as of right now," reads a glossy publication by the group that is titled "Islamic Revival." In Arabic, Emaan can be translated to mean "faith" and Kufr, "disbelief."

Is their speech sedition? If not, it comes close.

"What they're worried about is, are we recruiting for jihad," Mr. Islam said. "Through our past couple of years we have never recruited anyone to go to a foreign land. We have always made that clear through our activities. We have always stressed nonviolent means. However, that does not mean that we don't address American foreign policy, and we strongly disagree with their policies."

They may speak against "unjust rulers of (the) Muslim world (to) replace them," and "To the Muslim scholars for dollar$: Speak good or remain silent!," but they are attempting to unify Muslims by inciting anger. Their efforts are creating anger among the general public and fear within the Muslim population.

After years of quietly ignoring the group, the city's Muslim leaders began to speak out against it this week after reports of the flag desecration. Imams, activists and other leaders worry that the group is misrepresenting Islam, sending a negative message to Muslim youths and damaging a hard-earned, fragile trust between the Muslim community and those in law enforcement.

"We're all just regular kids in New York City," he added. "We grew up here." What parents in their right minds would allow their children to commit such an act in today's world?
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