A coalition of pro-Israel activists is calling for the ouster of a Florida Atlantic University professor with ties to a controversial Islamic center near campus.
Bassem Alhalabi is "a very dangerous professor who has ties to terrorists," said Joe Kaufman, head of Americans Against Hate. There is plenty of documented evidence that shows that Professor Bassem Alhalabi does not merit employment at FAU."
Kaufman's group, along with the Church of All Nations and the Christian Family Coalition, has scheduled a Thursday protest at FAU's Boca Raton campus.
Alhalabi, who did not respond to Sunshine State News' request for comment, has taught at FAU's department of electrical engineering and computer science since 1996.
During his tenure, Alhalabi has had several run-ins with the law.
In 2003, the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed a one-year denial of export privileges on Alhalabi to resolve charges that he caused the export of a thermal imaging camera to Syria without the license required under the Export Administration Regulations.
The Commerce Department charged that, on March 12, 1998, Alhalabi caused the export of a thermal imaging camera to Syria in violation of the EAR. Thermal imaging cameras are controlled for export to Syria for national security, regional stability, and anti-terrorism reasons.
Last January, Alhalabi was charged with assault and battery against Kaufman and a photographer at the legislative complex in Tallahassee. The case was referred to a pre-trial diversion program, which required Alhalabi to complete community service and an anger management class.
Kaufman said Alhalabi's longtime connection to the Islamic Center of Boca Raton raises red flags. Co-founder of the ICBR, Alhalabi currently serves as a director there. Kaufman also credits him with starting FAU's Muslim Student Organization.
The Islamic Center's first imam, Ibrahim Dremali, was a representative of the Southeastern Division of the Islamic Circle of North America, an organization that asked its followers to give material support to groups associated with al-Qaida.
Dremali was arrested in October 2010 on immigration-related charges. Pending resolution of that case, he remains on the federal government's "no-fly" list.
Dremali's successor at ICBR, Muneer Arafat, was arrested in Sarasota for overstaying his visa in 2003. An acknowledged member of the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Arafat's whereabouts are unknown.
"One of ICBRs founding directors was the creator of the official website of al-Jamiya al-Islamia, the Gaza parent organization of Hamas," added Kaufman, who noted that another ICBR member, Rafiq Sabir, was also convicted of supporting al-Qaida.
Previously, Alhalabi was a research assistant to Sami Al-Arian at the University of South Florida and wrote a number of publications with him, Kaufman said.
According to U.S. Department of Justice documents, Al-Arian, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for assisting a terrorist group.
In his guilty plea, Al-Arian admitted that he "and several co-conspirators were associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad."
Alhalabi was never charged in the Al-Arian case, and the FAU administration on Wednesday issued this statement about the planned demonstration:
"FAU recognizes and respects the rights of both Dr. Alhalabi and his critics to peacefully worship, assemble, express their beliefs and engage in civil debate.
"Honest civil debate, however, should be based on facts, not innuendo, insinuations or outright falsehoods. Allegations of criminal wrongdoing against Dr. Alhalabi have been investigated by the appropriate law-enforcement authorities. Dr. Alhalabi has never been found guilty of, nor pled guilty to, any criminal activity. Those calling for his dismissal on the basis of alleged criminal activity are either uninformed or deliberately misrepresenting the truth." Lisa Metcalf, a spokeswoman for FAU, said that the Leon County assault and battery charge against Alhalabi will be dismissed if he "completes the [diversion] program within the time provided."
Pastor Mark Boykin of Boca Raton's Church of All Nations said the FAU professor has no business earning a government check at an institution of higher learning.
We have an individual teaching at FAU who supports organizations that want to destroy both the United States and Israel, Boykin said.
He should not be allowed in this country, let alone teach at such a fine institution. The administration at FAU must begin the necessary proceedings to terminate his employment immediately," the pastor said.
Anthony Verdugo, founder and executive director of the Miami-based Christian Family Coalition, said, "It is unconscionable,afterall that we know about Mr. Alhalabi, that the administration at FAU is still allowing himto teach.
"He represents a national security threat. He must be terminated immediately and be deported from the United States."
An FAU professor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "The public doesn't have a clue what's going on at this university."
Detecting a strong undercurrent of "anti-Israel" and "anti-Zionist" bias among faculty members, this tenured instructor said, "You have professors who are corrupting the people they're supposed to be educating."
Thursday's rally is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. at the main FAU entrance, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
