FOX Carolina Visits Holy Islamville

South Carolina FOX affiliate, WHNS-TV, ran a feature story last night at 10 on the Muslims of the Americas compound in York, SC known as "Holy Islamville".

Read their report here.

[UPDATE]: They've put up the video now. You won't want to miss it - Part 1 -- Part 2

[UPDATE]: Ok, well, there are now two video segments up and I've watched them a couple of times now. I thought I would share some of my first impressions. I do have to give kudos to the reporter. He’s done more than most just by looking into this story. It was really interesting to see this place and see these people on video.

Now, as I’ve said before, many of the members of Muslims of the Americas are part of the organization for purely religious reasons. I don’t intend to brand them all terrorists. The compound in York is not, on the face, a paramilitary compound. It is much more public than say, the compounds in Hancock, NY or Red House, VA. They have had open community events there. I am compelled, however, to think that this is a clever PR effort to put a friendly face on an organization that has a much darker history. As I have said before, this organization is a mask for other activities.

I have already posted information on the various criminals who have been connected to the York compound – a rogue’s gallery that included a murderer, a drug dealer, and a gun runner. So, it has been used as a safehouse, if not a training ground. In addition, as these followers live in poverty, their money is sent to Pakistan to their sheikh, who does not live in poverty, and God knows what he does with it.

One of the people the reporter spoke with, Ali Rashid, is the elder of the community. However friendly he may be on the surface, he is one of three things…a liar, a blind follower, or willfully ignorant. Saying Sheikh Gilani is not connected to terrorism is just to deny a multitude of evidence to the contrary.

Consider this excerpt from a transcript of NOW with Bill Moyers in a segment called “Gun Land” -

DEBORAH AMOS: Susan Fenger led an investigation of the group in Colorado after weapons and dangerous explosives were found there in a storage locker in 1989.

Fenger gave us this recruitment video seized as evidence, featuring the group's leader, Sheikh Mubarik Jilani.

SHEIKH MUBARIK JILANI SPEAKING ON TAPE: We have already established under the auspices of Muslims of America, Incorporated … the organization is called Soldiers of Allah.

DEBORAH AMOS: Fenger says there are numerous links between Al Fuqra and al Qaeda. The shoe bomber, Richard Reid was trained at the Al Fuqra compound in Pakistan. In the United States, members of Al Fuqra have been convicted in firebombings, murders, fraud and gun smuggling. And they have set up paramilitary training camps at many of their compounds scattered around the United States.

SHEIKH MUBARIK JILANI SPEAKING ON TAPE: You are most welcome to join one of our, you know, advanced training courses in Islamic Military Warfare.

For which, you can get in touch with anybody in the Muslims of America in the United States, Canada, or anywhere, or in Pakistan.

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See my previous posts on this location
Fuqra Fugitives
Fuqra Community: York County, SC
UPDATE: Fuqra Compound: York, SC
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[UPDATE - 03/01]: The reporter on this story informed me that they are doing a follow-up piece that will be running tonight at 10; Friday night at 10.

[UPDATE - 03/02]: Looks like the follow-up has been pushed back again, may be a week or more. I'll put up a new post whenever I find out it's going to air.

[UPDATE]: Never did see a follow-up story and, as they don't seem to keep videos archived for long on the site, the video has been taken down.