By Debbie Schlussel

It’s a combination of political correctness run amok, extreme Keystone Kopp-ery, and just plain “Cover Your Rear 101” at the FBI and Detroit U.S. Attorney’s office.

A month ago, the New York Post ran my column on FBI Director Robert
Mueller’s pending national award to terrorist sympathizer and 22-year terror suspect Imad Hamad.

This led the FBI to rescind the award, last week. But in the week since, FBI Headquarters, Detroit FBI Special Agent in Charge Willie Hulon, and Detroit’s U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins have floundered in multiple, contradictory press releases, photo opportunities, and other politically correct pandering to Hamad and other terror supporters.

Unfortunately, in the heart of Islamic America, it’s emblematic of how those who support terrorism often co-opt those who are supposed to investigate and prosecute it.

When I first contacted FBI officials in Washington, they assumed Hulon–who nominated Hamad for the award—had vetted him. But after checking the federal law enforcement database, FBI sources said they discovered Hamad was a subject of “over a dozen open investigations” involving terrorism and related matters. Most of the probes were conducted by Hulon’s own Detroit-based agents. An indictment of an FBI national awardee could prove embarrassing, the sources said.

Privately, rank-and-file FBI agents were outraged by Hulon’s reckless nomination of Hamad. They well knew, as their boss should have, of Hamad’s not-so-secret activities and statements. Several congratulated me upon the award’s revocation.

But under pressure from Hamad and Detroit’s vocal Islamic community, Hulon and Collins held an “emergency meeting” with Hamad and their BRIDGES group, Tuesday, to try to get the revocation reversed. The group, “Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity,” is the reason for Hamad’s nomination. Though Collins has declined repeated requests for the BRIDGES membership list, members who have been identified in press accounts are hardly diverse or worthy of respect and enhanced sensitivity.

They include Hamad and:

• Mohammed Abdrabboh – the attorney for individuals accused of illegally funneling over $53 million cash to Yemen, in 2002; his law firm represents an accused Al-Qaeda money launderer, a convicted Hezbollah arms smuggler, and Middle Easterners charged with “conspiracy to import listed chemicals,” harboring illegal aliens, visa fraud, etc.
• Noel Saleh – the thrice-disciplined attorney, who is still listed as Suspended” (as of 10/14/03) with the U.S. District Court in Detroit, recently sued John Ashcroft to prohibit the Patriot Act. Saleh is an admitted financial supporter of Hezbollah. He represented Hamad and Rabbih Haddad, recently deported for operating Global Relief Foundation, shut down for links to Al-Qaeda. Saleh is Vice President and attorney of ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services), which was raided by Hulon’s agents for Medicaid fraud, and which funded commercial driving lessons for two convicted members of Detroit’s Al-Qaeda sleeper cell.

In solidarity with these malefactors, Hulon and Collins called for FBI Director Mueller to meet with Hamad and give him the award when Mueller visits Detroit today (10/16/03). They claimed Hamad is not under investigation. Is it possible that “over a dozen investigations” involving their friend were suddenly completed in a week?

Not likely. One of those investigations apparently involves Hamad’s close ties to Muthanna Al-Hanooti, Mohammed Alomari, and their charities, LIFE for Relief and Development and FAAIR (Focus on Arab American Issues and Reform). Hidden in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Southfield, Michigan, LIFE is believed to fund Hamas via contributions to Hamas front groups identified in 2001 by FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence, Dale Watson.

One such front, Human Appeal International, believed by the FBI to be Hamas’ Jordanian operation, was listed in LIFE tax returns as one of three supported organizations receiving millions in contributions. Human Appeal and another organization LIFE works with, Human Relief Foundation, are listed as participants in the “101 days campaign” website of Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, spiritual leader of terrorist group Muslim Brotherhood. The site is believed to raise money for homicide bombings Al-Qaradawi supports.

Alomari’s book, “The Secrecy of Evil“, and other writings allege Jewish control of the world and the Bush administration. His Daru Salam mosque radio website claimed Jews and the U.S. “organized” the 9/11 attacks. A 1996 LIFE fundraiser, arranged by Hanooti, featured speaker Sheik Abdulmunem Abu Zant, an ardent Hamas supporter, who said, “May G-d attack the Jews and those who stand with them. May G-d attack the Americans and those who stand with them.” Hanooti appeared with indicted Islamic Jihad frontman Sami Al-Arian at a recent American Muslim Council lobbying seminar. LIFE’s original registered agent (under its previous name, International Relief Association), Masood Aijazi, worked for Khalid bin Mahfouz, the financier of Mawafaq Foundation, designated a terrorist charity by the U.S. government.

Hamad’s relationship with these parties is long-term and tight. A 1999 press release by Hamad’s American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee credits Hamad with getting Senator Carl Levin, then-Senator Spencer Abraham, and David Bonior to grant LIFE a license to send millions to Iraq. “We have a special relationship with ADC here in Detroit.” Hanooti said. “This is another example of the value of cooperation between our organizations . . . to advance our common agenda.” In May 2003, Hamad visited terrorist-sponsor Syria and Lebanon with Hanooti and Alomari. Given all of this, a recent FAAIR newsletter photo of Collins (below) smilingly posing between Al-Hanooti, Hamad, and Alomari, at a FAAIR event, is disturbing. It is bad enough that a U.S. Attorney would associate with known anti- Semites. Worse, if Collins’ office ever indicts them, it could be embarrassing.

PHOTO of U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins (center), with investigatees/terror supporters Muthanna Al-Hanooti, Imad Hamad, unidentified person, and Mohammed Alomari.

Just a week ago, on the day the revoked award was to have been given, Hamad appeared on Mitch Albom’s ABC Radio show. Asked whether he had ever been involved with terrorist groups and whether he was a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist, Hamad’s response was an unconvincing, “Not really.”

This did not seem to bother FBI SAIC Hulon, who hugged Hamad for TV news cameras. That’s no surprise, given other recent flubs by Hulon’s Detroit FBI.

In February, Hulon’s agents raided Michigan-based Islamic Assembly of North America (IANA), a Saudi-funded charity suspected of Al-Quaida links. Months before 9/11, its website urged jihad suicide operations against America and linked to fatwahs “to crash one’s plane on a crucial enemy target to cause great casualties.” But while openly investigating IANA, Hulon’s agents allowed IANA’s leader, Mohammed Al-Ahmari, to leave the country, and he remains untouchable in Saudi Arabia.

As a result, sources close to the Justice Department say the investigation and prosecution were transferred to federal agencies in Boise, Idaho, where Saudi national Sami Al-Hussayen was indicted for providing material support to terrorists and secretly funneling money to IANA.

Collins, too, has been a Justice Department disappointment, with a mediocre record of terrorism convictions. Some of Collins’ blunders were made under the tremendous influence of Hamad. After 9-11, federal agents visited temporary visa holders from Middle Eastern countries for surprise interviews. But in the Detroit area, Hamad convinced Collins to send out warning letters asking the men to voluntarily show up for interviews at his office. Only a third did. Others disappeared. “It’s like telling terrorists and aliens: We’re looking for you, go hide,” said one Special Agent in Charge, at the time.

More frightening, a USA Today article implies Collins and Hulon may have employed Hamad as a translator. Their relationship is a little too close for comfort. In May, while other awardees brought their significant others, Collins was Hamad’s date to a Detroit News awards banquet.

It’s sad that top federal agents and prosecutors would sacrifice national security for political correctness. That’s just another indication that the war on terrorism is like a 1980’s Adam Ant song:

Desperate But Not Serious.