This is an interesting development. There seems to be a connection between Northern Virginia Islamic fundraising efforts and the day-laborer (ie – illegal immigrant) worksite pickup project in Herndon, VA.
Brief Encounter At Herndon Store Inspired A Charity – Washington Post (subscription required)
Over the objections of hundreds of residents who fear it will bring crime and disorder to the neighborhood, Herndon’s Town Council granted Project Hope and Harmony permission last week to build and oversee such a site in the parking lot behind a former police station. The coalition expects to have it running in two to four months.
Project Hope and Harmony is itself a work in progress. It is an umbrella group, not a nonprofit organization. Although its members plan to file federal papers to become a nonprofit, the application for a grant of about $175,000 from Fairfax County to run the site was made in the name of Reston Interfaith, one of the groups that is part of the coalition.
For Hossain, helping immigrants, most from Central and South America, is a Muslim issue. Charity is one of the five pillars of Islam. So he raised money from Muslim businessmen in Herndon to buy 400 winter coats for the laborers, brought them food through another charity he started, called Food Source, and even rounded up day laborers to attend a Thanksgiving dinner at an Iraqi restaurant where falafel, not turkey, was served.
Given the Al-Qaeda connections repeatedly found in Northern Virginia after 9/11, is anyone else but me disturbed and more than curious about this direct connection between Islamic fundraising and illegal immigration?
-Bruce (GayPatriot) – gaypatriot2004@aol.com