Feds move to seize N.Y. skyscraper, 4 mosques

[derby378]

Source: Associated Press/MSNBC

Federal prosecutors on Thursday took steps to seize four U.S. mosques and a New York City skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization.

The organization — called the Alavi Foundation — has long been suspected of being under Iranian government control. Prosecutors say the foundation has been helping to illegally funnel money back to the Iranian government.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33894877/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

[JonQ]

1. Interesting

I wonder how this will play out in the end.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Just one more step toward peace and understanding...

:sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

2. Money laundering? How islamic is that?!

:patriot:

[JonQ]

3. Well if they're stealing from jews

christians, atheists etc it's probably fine.

[closeupready]

4. Which Islamic centers?

There is one in Spanish Harlem which - I thought I read - was financed by some kind of Shi'a foundation?

[Techn0Girl]

8. There is a mosque in Spanish Harlem ...

Wasn't that a song by someone ?

[FarCenter]

5. Should have done it in 2006 -- before the market for mosques peaked.

[rpannier]

7. That's just painful

Witty and clever

Kind of Bugs Bunny-ish

[yava]

9. the spin on this one

Common guys, read the articles.
The high riser was bought in the 1970s at the time of the Shah of Iran, a US ally.
It belonged to the non-profit Pahlavi foundation. This foundation's activities in the US were mostly PR with some corruption but also to support smart pro-Shah students in elite US universities.
After the fall of the Shah in the era islamic revolution, the Foundation ownership went to the government of the Ayatolahs and so did the ownership of the building.
The new regime changed the name of the foundation to the Alavi Foundation. I don't know what that term means but it is a shiite name. And instead of paying PR events and student scholarships, they started supporting these Mosques.

I think someone wants the building as asset against claims.
I can think of a few.
But timing is like when Hillary said "if we get the fuel out of there it is a victory" and the negociations collapsed as a result of her speech appearing in the press. Even the opposition in iran was then forced to declare itself agaist the deal.
So, pull on the string and you'll get to the puppet master.

[Ernesto]

10. Mosques seized in US

Source: CNN

The federal government said Thursday it is seeking forfeiture of properties belonging to the Alavi Foundation and Assa Corp. -- accused of transferring money to a bank owned by the Iranian government -- including a Manhattan skyscraper and at least three mosques.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/12/mosque.seized/index.html

---

The whip comes down!

[Systematic Chaos]

11. Wake me up when these asscarrots get to something worthwhile...

...like shutting down accounts and stuff in the fucking Cayman Islands.

:eyes:

[Warpy]

12. Yeah, and shutting down "Christian" churches

that preach nothing but hate and violence.

[JuniperLea]

14. I was just telling a couple of people...

That this is Karmic retribution for the centuries of Christian violence and hatred.

[JoeyT]

21. Or the ones that sponsor actual honest to goodness terorrism

Like the NLFT that violently takes over towns and converts them by force. (National Liberation Front of Tripura)
Or the LRA in Uganda.. (Lord's Resistance Army) The LRA uses child soldiers. Both sell sex slaves.
Both have had funding and allies traced back into the US and other first world countries. I don't see a lot of that being stopped. Or any of it for that matter.

[Sal Minella]

13. Or taxing the incomes of large politically active groups

such as the Roman Catholic Church.

[Ian David]

23. Agreed. n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

15. Iran sponsors terror

Flame on.

[mike_c]

16. so does the U.S.

:shrug:

[Sultana]

17. Yawn

I knew some would bring Christianity into this...

[truthisfreedom]

18. Wow. I wonder how they thought they could get away with wiring money directly to Iran.

This is obviously something that the bush administration dropped the ball on.

[Skip Intro]

19. Exactly. Jumped right out at me. This operation didn't start yesterday. Bush dropped the ball.

These guys owned a skyscraper? How do you seize a skyscraper?

Big plus for Obama admin. though.

Assuming it is what it appears to be.

Never can be sure in politics.

[yava]

20. the two foundations in this affair

Common guys, read the articles.
The high riser was bought in the 1970s at the time of the Shah of Iran, a US ally.
It belonged to the non-profit Pahlavi foundation. This foundation's activities in the US were mostly PR with some corruption but also to support smart pro-Shah students in elite US universities.
After the fall of the Shah in the era islamic revolution, the Foundation ownership went to the government of the Ayatolahs and so did the ownership of the building.
The new regime changed the name of the foundation to the Alavi Foundation. I don't know what that term means but it is a shiite name. And instead of paying PR events and student scholarships, they started supporting these Mosques.

I think someone wants the building as asset against claims.
I can think of a few.
But timing is like when Hillary said "if we get the fuel out of there it is a victory" and the negociations collapsed as a result of her speech appearing in the press. Even the opposition in iran was then forced to declare itself agaist the deal.
So, pull on the string and you'll get to the puppet master.

[Alamuti Lotus]

22. Alavi/Alevi/Alivi-- pertaining to Ali, in context of Alevite/Alawite-devotion to Ali

no other comment to the post, just that. thanks for the info.