Providing further evidence that the Global Muslim Brotherhood is not the imagination of this publication, the US Muslim Brotherhood coalition known as the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) has announced that it held the 1st International Conference of Muslim Councils in the West February 1-3 in Arlington, Va. The USCMO announcement described the conference as “a major initiative for Muslims in Western nations”:
The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) organized the 1st International Conference of Muslim Councils in the West – a major initiative for Muslims in Western nations – in Washington, D.C., February 1-3 in Arlington, Va.
This conference was the first of its kind to bring Muslim leaders around the world together to exchange experiences and to discuss common issues of concern to our communities. A conference of this scale, uniting the voices of Muslims across the Western Hemisphere and world, is vital to our continued growth and development as a global community. The 200 attendees included representatives from Muslim Councils and their member organizations from North America, South America, the Caribbean, Australia, and Europe.
International representatives presented reports on Muslims in their respective countries.
Conference discussions focused on:
Identifying and developing strategic priorities for the Muslim communities in the West, Exchanging ideas and developing strategies to address the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry in the West, Developing ways with which to challenge and counteract the problem of violent extremism in all its forms, Enhancing the integration and positive contributions of Muslim communities in the societies in which they live, Developing strategies for the resettlement of the new waves of refugees and exchanging experiences and resources.
The Conference was a successful and productive event with participants discussing issues and working together to propose solutions. The leaders were able to come up with a set of initiatives and proposals for further deliberation. The conference resolved that:
The leaders participating in the conference have acknowledged the need and have agreed to form a Coordinating Body of Muslim Councils in the West and have formed a steering committee to implement this decision.
‘We will continue to engage in civic, social, political and educational areas to better integrate the Muslims in their own countries, as well as internationally’, Said Oussama Jammal, Secretary General of USCMO.
The historic conference was a vibrant open discussion with enthusiastic participation from a diverse set of leaders who represented the Muslim community in the West. A commitment to continue such meetings, which bring leaders together for a common purpose and a vision for our community, was agreed on by all.
An event PR site adds that that the conference was expected to feature a White House briefing and a visit to the US Congress as well as a banquet to which various government official around the world were to be invited:
The conference will also feature a day for a press conference to announce a joint statement on the conclusion of the conference. An additional day will be arranged to hold a White House briefing and a visit to the US Congress on Capitol Hill. There will also be a special banquet night where government and elected officials from the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the ambassadors of the host countries and Muslim countries will be attending.
Illustrating the ties to the Global Muslim Brotherhood, the publicity photo for the conference features twelve individuals including Oussama Jammal, the USCMO Secretary-General and Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) leader Nihad Awad. Most significantly, the individual to the far-right is Anas Altikriti, the most important leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK. The Twitter feed of Mohammed Kozbar, the head of the Muslim Brotherhood-controlled Finsbury Mosque in London. Indicates that he attended the conference along with Altikriti. The Muslim American Society, part of the USCMO as indicated below, announced the creation of a steering committee for the Coordinating Body of Muslim Councils in the West.
In December 2014, the GMBDW was the first to report that the USCMO had announced plans to hold what was described as the first-of-its-kind National Muslim Advocacy Day. The GMBDW reported in March 2014 on the formation of the USCMO, comprised of eight US Muslim organizations most of which are part of the US Muslim Brotherhood:
- Muslim American Society (MAS)
- Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
- Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA)
- The Mosque Cares (Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed)
For video of the press conference, go here.
