Conservative News Clearing House
As an individual, who grew up in a rural/urban county, the advantages of small town living were taken for granted. When references the county as being “rural/urban,” I am referring to being close enough to a major city to take advantage of convenience, such as an international airport and major shopping centers, while retaining a rural lifestyle — where large yards and farm animals dotted the landscape, intermingled with a few housing developments. Everyone shopped on the Square on Saturday, then attended church in town on Sunday. It was almost a given you saw someone you knew. And, it was about a certainty that whatever you did made it back to your parents before you got back home.
After college and getting married, I left the small town in exchange for a few moves due to a spouse in military service. But, when the time in service was completed, we settled back down in the small town where both grew up. Not a lot had changed in those few years. But the decades that have followed have taken its toll on the once little small town where everyone knew everyone else and the Square was the place to shop on Saturdays.
The “old guards” of the once tight-knit community are gone. A more cosmopolitan approach surfaced resulting in various large industries being located here. Shopping strip malls sprang up along the main highway. The town became a virtual Hollywood hot spot for movie crews to film everything from TV shows to feature length films. Today, one can hardly walk the Square without encountering some film crew filming something.
While some change can be good, too much change can be disastrous. Generations of families who have lived a certain way for decades have faced watching their town become more of a commodity to be traded to the highest bidder at the expense of rural/urban living. Once again, change is coming to this little county that will forever change its face and lifestyle. The little county is Newton County, Georgia. And, soon, the residents of this county will be faced with an Islamic compound sitting in its southwest corner.
In August of 2015, a Doraville, Georgia, nonprofit, Al Maad Al Islami, Inc. d/b/a Masjid At-Taqwa, purchased a 135-acre tract along GA. Highway 162 for $1.3 million dollars from the Neely Farms Family Limited Partnership, whose registered agent happens to be Covington attorney and former Democrat candidate for the county board of commissioners’ chairman, Phil Johnson. The edited DOT road map of Newton County, Georgia indicates the possible location outlined in red. The organization has already been a defendant in a 2013 court case in DeKalb County, Georgia for numerous violations and infringements on another resident’s property, in the form of storm run- off, sanitary sewer water flows from activities at the facility resulting in accumulation of noxious orders as well as numerous county ordinance violation include noise. A record of the land acquisition is available at the Tax Assessors website.
Prior to the sale of the land, Neely Farms Family drafted a letter of intent on May 28, 2015, outlining the plans for the property. The letter stated, “the site plan ‘reflects a future school site for a church [mosque] operated school when the church [mosque] is strong enough to accommodate such an addition.'” The letter also stated that “‘initial access to the church [mosque] site will be from County Line Road. At such time as the church [mosque] is able to expand operations, a curb cut will be sought from the Georgia Department of Transportation for access onto Ga. Highway 162.'”
According to the article in the Rockdale Citizens, the project indicates that 5 acres will be reserved for the mosque, 10.5 acres allotted for the cemetery and burial preparation accessory facility, 15 acres for future cemetery expansion, 28 acres for the mosque operated school. 21 acres for residential space, and 4.8 acres alloted for “open space.” Adding the numbers totals a sum of usage of 84.3 acres, meaning there is 50.7 acres of land without a designated use.
The Rockdale Citizen reports:
The letter also stipulates that 50-foot buffers will be put in place along all property boundaries and all active recreation fields will be at least 100 feet from any boundary line.Calls to Al Maad Al Islami seeking information on the project were not returned Tuesday. However, Paul Oglesby with Georgia Civil, an engineering firm in Madison, said the project is in the construction drawing phase. He said it typically takes about six months to get all permits in place, and he expected construction would begin at about that time.
This past Wednesday, the Newton Citizen reported that news of this “community” was spreading through the county and reached the ears of the commissioner in whose district the community was to be located, John Douglas. Douglas, once the Citizen published its article, received numerous phone calls and emails.
Douglas stated, “I’ve got some unhappy campers out there. All the emails I’ve gotten this morning have been negative for various and sundry reasons.” He told the Citizen “his biggest concern was the fact the county Board of Commissioners had not been notified in advance that a potentially controversial project was planned.”
The news of the project caught many by surprise. Moreover, the social media postings and those on the Citizen website have not been positive, expressing opposition to the development.
The Newton Citizen continued its report:
“I had no idea at all that this was in the works,” Douglas said. “I talked to (County Attorney) Megan Martin this morning and she says that — as I understand it — churches may be exempt from having to be approved by us for zoning.”In fact, Newton County Zoning Administrator Judy Johnson said Tuesday that churches are permitted uses in all zoning districts in the county, as long as the developer has an approved administrative use permit. A cemetery is also a permitted use on the property.Douglas said that ordinance should be changed for future developments.Chairman Keith Ellis said he was also caught off guard by the provision that allows churches in all zoning districts.“As news broke concerning this Muslim development, I was surprised to find that zoning changes would not be made,” Ellis said. “The board may have to address a conditional use permit (for a proposed school on the site). Given the opportunity, if it is constitutional, I would oppose the request. My first knowledge of the development led me to the Tax Assessor’s website. There I found who the previous owners had been. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Money talks!”
Commissioner Douglas voice other concerns as well. “The first question that comes to my mind is if there are enough Muslims in south Newton County that we need to build not only a mosque but a community, a school and what all is in the plan, would building those things make us a prime area for the federal government to resettle refugees from the Middle East? So I do have some concerns, like the people who live down there.”
And, that is the million dollar question – Will establishing this Muslim development in Newton County spark an insurgence of illegal alien Muslim invaders from the Middle East, Africa and who knows where else courtesy of the federal government? However, a more pressing question to ask is “who is this Al Maad Al Islami, Inc., that has a mosque and school at 2674 Woodwin Road, Doraville, Georgia, 30360?”
According to Bizpedia, the registered agent is Tarun Ahmed, who uses the same address as the mosque. The contacts listed for Al Maad Al Islami consists of Kawsar Ahmed, Lilburn, Georgia; Tarun Ahmed, Doraville, Georgia; and Mohammad Islam, Doraville, Georgia. All the information sites related to nonprofit organizations had very little information on the organization other that what is listed at Bizpedia. A search of each of the names produces numerous entries none of which could be narrowed down. The search of Mohammed Islam produced numerous results all over the nation and some abroad. Listings were present in Texas; Brooklyn, NY; Connecticut, Michigan, UK, Canada and New Zealand.
Since the organization was listed in court documents as doing business as Masjid At-Taqwa, a search of this term netted interesting results. It just so happens that Masjid At-Taqwa has organizations/facilities in Texas; Brooklyn, NY; Connecticut, Michigan, the UK, Canada and New Zealand – the same as Mohammad Islam. And, the Imam of Masjid At-Taqwa of New York happens to be Siraj Wahhaj, an unindicted coconspirator in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Siraj is also notorious for his advocacy of an Islamic State here in the united States.
The Board of Commissioners for Newton County were sent an email detailing the research done on Al Maad Al Islami, with appropriate internet links provided. District 1 Commissioner John Douglas issued a prompt response. In his response, Mr. Douglas indicated the project was presented as the Avery Community Church and cemetery when it went to the county zoning office.
Mr. Douglas was presented with several follow-up questions which he stated he would work to try and obtain the answers. However, Mr. Douglas did indicate that nothing goes through the county commissioners on zoning until they have to approve it.
Another issue that has been blurred in this entire scenario is a church is not the same thing as a mosque. Now, a mosque could be considered a “place of worship,” but it is not a church. All in all the letter sent by the Neely Farms Family Partnership Limited has been reported to represent the project as the Avery Community Church and cemetery, which was sent to the county zoning office three months prior to the sale. Considering the project changed from a church and cemetery to a mosque, school, residential use project, a new letter from the registered agent, Phil Johnson, for the Neely Farms Family Partnership Limited, would seem to be in order because of the change in the nature of the project. Mr. Johnson was certainly aware of the identity of the purchaser of the property. And, more than likely, was privy to the nature of the construction planned. To claim otherwise would be absurd since prior to the sale the Neely Farms Family Partnership Limited presented the construction of a community church and cemetery to the zoning office.
A community church and cemetery is a far cry and away from an islamic compound, which this has every initial indication of becoming.
Since it a revised letter was not sent, this could be considered an act of deception to hide the extensive nature of the project in a vastly rural, residential, agricultural community when considering the purchaser, the nature of the project, the previous court case involving Al Maad Al Islami, along with the ties to Masjid At-Taqwa. No one involved in this “project” design and implementation, including the sale of the land, can claim, “I didn’t know.” Furthermore, lack of full disclosure should bar this entire development from occurring. If not, residents in the vicinity of the “compound” can look forward to increased traffic, violations of the noise ordinance, as well as violations of other county ordinances for which Al Maad Al Islami d/b/a Masjid At-Taqwa has been sued in DeKalb County Court. Instead of waking up to the rooster’s call, residents will be afforded the luxury of hearing the Islamic morning call to prayer – “the sweetest sound known” according to Barack Hussein Obama Soetoro Soebarkah – should efforts to halt this project fail.
The county Board of Commissioners will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, at which time Mr. Douglas will bring up the issue of the potential of an Islamic compound being constructing in our county. Hopefully, the answers to some questions will be forthcoming.
The post Newton County, GA, Possibly Getting Islamic Compound appeared first on Freedom Outpost.
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Non-Profit Corporation
Contact Information
Al Maad Al Islami, Inc.
2674 Woodwin Road
Doraville, GA 30360
Other Information
Entity Status: Active/owes Current Year
Type of Entity: Non-profit Corporation
Entity Creation Date: Dec 17, 2004
Days in Business: 4261 days
Company Description
Al Maad Al Islami, Inc. is located in Doraville, Georgia and is listed as an active/owes current year Non-profit Corporation. Al Maad Al Islami, Inc. was started on Dec 17, 2004 which was 4261 days ago.
Employees
Kawsar Ahmed: Secretary
Tarun Ahmed: Cfo
Mohammed Enamul Haque: Ceo
Registered Agent
Ahmed, Tarun
2674 Woodwin Road
Doraville, GA 30360
==================================
Number of American mosques rising
despite protests aimed at Muslim houses
of worship
The new Islamic centers serve Muslims who moved into the suburbs and newer immigrants from Africa, Iraq and elsewhere.
(CAROLINA HIDALGO FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
The number of American mosques has increased dramatically in the last decade despite post 9/11 protests aimed at Muslim houses of worship, according to a new study. The new Islamic centers serve Muslims who moved into the suburbs and newer immigrants from Africa, Iraq and elsewhere.
Researchers conducting the national count found a total of 2,106 Islamic centers, compared to 1,209 in 2000 and 962 in 1994. About one-quarter of the centers were built between 2000-2011, as the community faced intense scrutiny by government officials and a suspicious public. In 2010, protest against an Islamic center near ground zero erupted into a national debate over Islam, extremism and religious freedom. Anti-mosque demonstrations spread to Tennessee, California and other states.
Ihsan Bagby, a professor at the University of Kentucky and lead author of the study, said the findings show Muslims are carving out a place for themselves despite the backlash.
"This is a growing, healthy Muslim community that is well integrated into America," Bagby said. "I think that is the best message we can send to the world and the Muslim world in particular."
The report released Wednesday, "The American Mosque 2011," is a tally based on mailing lists, websites and interviews with community leaders, and a survey and interviews with 524 mosque leaders. The research is of special interest given the limited scholarship so far on Muslim houses of worship, which include a wide range of religious traditions, nationalities and languages.
Researchers defined a mosque as a Muslim organization that holds Friday congregational prayers called jumah, conducts other Islamic activities and has operational control of its building. Buildings such as hospitals and schools that have space for Friday prayer were not included. Chapters of the Muslim Student Association at colleges and universities were included only if they had space off-campus or had oversight of the building where prayer was held.
The overwhelming majority of mosques are in cities, but the number located in suburbs rose from 16 percent in 2000 to 28 percent in 2011. The Northeast once had the largest number of mosques, but Islamic centers are now concentrated in the South and West, the study found. New York still has the greatest number of Islamic centers - 257 - followed by 246 in California and 166 in Texas. Florida is fourth with 118. The shift follows the general pattern of population movement to the South and West.
The study found the ethnic makeup of mosque participants largely unchanged from 2000. South Asians comprise about one-third of participants, while Arabs and African-Americans are about one-quarter each. Bagby found a slight increase in the percentage of Muslims from West Africa and Somalia. An influx of Iraqi and Iranian refugees is behind a jump in the number of Shiite mosques since the 1990s. Shiites still represent a very small percentage of the U.S. Muslim population.
The study's authors did not ask specifics of how each community funded mosque construction. After Muslims started arriving in the United States in large numbers in the 1960s, due to a change in American immigration rules, it was common for Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Muslim nations to build U.S. mosques. However, increasing federal restrictions on foreign funds slowed some mosque construction before and after 9/11. Before the attacks, some American Muslim communities began refusing overseas funding even from individual donors as a sign of independence from overseas influence. Now American Muslim communities, which include many wealthy professionals, largely fund construction on their own, scholars say.
Estimates of the total American Muslim population have become a contentious issue as Muslims seek to have a voice in public life. The U.S. Census does not ask about religion. Pew conducted a survey last year that estimated the American Muslim community encompassed 2.75 million people, or nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population, a finding similar to that of other recent surveys. Bagby's 2000 report had estimated the U.S. Muslim population to be as high as 7 million, a number widely criticized as inflated. In this latest report, Bagby did not report a definitive population number, but stood by his earlier assertion that the United States could be home to as many 7 million Muslims.
Each congregation reported an average of around 15 converts to Islam annually, a figure that has held steady. Latinos jumped from 7 percent of all reported converts in 2000 to 12 percent in 2011, while the percentage of white converts dropped slightly. In findings similar to those in surveys conducted by Pew Research Center and Gallup, nearly all respondents said they supported Muslim involvement in American society and politics.
The 2011 mosque study is part of the Faith Communities Today partnership, which researches the more than 300,000 houses of worship in the United States. Among the report's sponsors are the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, the Islamic Society of North America and Islamic Circle of North America.
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