GOING THROUGH THE RITUAL AGAIN - AT 10:21 A.M. ET:  In situations like this, you have to feel for the law-abiding Muslims, who are not inolved in terror, but who get sucked into some institution.  We're now going through another one of these rituals, where someone on the inside knows something, but pretends to be a sweet innocent.  From the Houston Chronicle:

The U.S. government on Thursday moved to seize more than $500 million in assets from a New York-based foundation accused of being a front for the Iranian government, including a building that houses the Islamic Education Center of Houston.

The news provoked confusion and anger among Houston's Shia Muslims, many of whom worship at the center's mosque or send their children to an Islamic school that occupies the same large white building at 2313 S. Voss.

Faheem Kazimi, chairman of the board of directors, said IEC leases its building from the Alavi Foundation but no other connection exists.

“The Islamic Education Center is a nonprofit, independent organization, not affiliated with any other organization,” Kazimi said.

He refused to answer any other questions Thursday evening.

The 97-page civil forfeiture lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors in Manhattan alleges that the Alavi Foundation, which files federal taxes as a charitable foundation, is illegally funneling money to the government of Iran.

The U.S. government has accused Iran of financing terrorist organizations and trying to build nuclear weapons.

The foundation released a written statement through an attorney, saying the group was disappointed with the government's legal move.

“The Foundation has been cooperating fully with the Government since the investigation began,” the statement read. “The Foundation intends to litigate the Government's claims and expects to prevail when the litigation is over.”

Citing U.S. policy under several presidents and the International Emergency Economic Power Act, the civil suit alleges that the foundation's property, which includes the Islamic Education Center, is forfeitable as proceeds of violations of laws including money laundering. 

COMMENT:  We proceed carefully here because there may well be innocent people involved.  But, after Fort Hood, Americans will demand an end to political correctness and a mature look into the workings of some Islamic organizations. 

No decent person wants stereotyping of all Muslims.  But there have been too many incidents recently, and too many arrests, for us to become lax or overly tolerant.  Let's get to the facts, stop much of the trendy "sensitivity" that has blinded us, and find the guilty while protecting the innocent.

November 13, 2009