Islamists behind fatal rioting in Bangladesh have prominent US ally

Dozens have died in Bangladesh over the weekend as deadly Islamist-instigated rioting has engulfed the country.  The riots are a response to the death sentence handed down to Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) political party, by the International Crimes Tribunal.  Sayedee was convicted of war crimes stemming from the 1971 Bangladesh civil war, which saw up to 3 million civilians slaughtered and millions more cleansed from the Muslim-majority nation.  Most of the victims were Hindus and other religious and ethnic minorities.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is the premier Muslim Brotherhood group on the Indian subcontinent and it’s American progeny, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), was established in 1968.  ICNA’s past Secretary General and Vice President Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, also a past President of the ICNA NY Chapter, will reportedly be indicted for war crimes by the same International Crimes Tribunal for the systematic execution of civilians during the civil war.  Bangladeshi groups claim Khan personally killed seven Dhaka University teachers.

Last year, ICNA launched a $3 million campaign promoting shariah law in America, featuring billboards in at least 15 U.S. cities, “Shariah seminars” on 20 college campuses, and town hall-style forums and interfaith events in 25 cities.

In response, the Center for Security Policy released a thoroughly referenced guide to ICNA’s extremist beliefs and associations.  Click here for a flyer version in PDF format for easy printing.