Allahu Akbar and Ho Ho Ho

Christmas at World Trade Center

“A flag bearing a crescent and star flies from a flagpole in front of the World Trade Center, next to a Christmas tree and a menorah.”

New York Times, 1997

In 1997, Mohammed T. Mehdi, the head of the Arab-American Committee and the National Council on Islamic Affairs, lobbied to have a crescent and star put up at the World Trade Center during the holiday season. His wish was granted, despite the fact that he had been an adviser to Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman also known as the Blind Sheikh.

Long before the Ground Zero Mosque was even a twinkle in the eye of a violent ex-waiter and a slumlord Imam, the World Trade Center allowed Mohammed T. Mehdi to bully it into flying the symbol of Islam.

By 1997, Mohammed T. Mehdi had become an unambiguously ugly public figure. He had been fired by Mayor Dinkins in 1992 for anti-Semitic remarks. The year before he had proclaimed that, “Millions of Arabs believe Saddam stands tall having defied Western colonialism“.

In 1995, the US Attorney’s Office in New York had listed Mehdi as an unindicted co-conspirator in the trial of Sheikh Rahman. Mehdi had already published a book titled “Kennedy and Sirhan: Why?”, which contended that Robert Kennedy’s assassin had been acting in self-defense.

Because of Mehdi’s role in actively working on behalf of the Sheikh behind the wave of terrorism that included the original attack on the World Trade Center, turning down his request should have been a no-brainer. Instead in the winter of 1997 there was an Islamic star and crescent at the World Trade Center. And another one at the park in front of the White House.

The previous year had marked the first annual Ramadan dinner at the State Department, integrating the Islamic celebration into the Clinton Administration’s schedule of events. Bill Clinton had not visited the World Trade Center after the bombing, but he did make time for Ramadan.

No one who understood what had happened at the World Trade Center in 1993, would have permitted a banner associated with its attackers to be flown there. But while the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, let Mehdi have his way with the World Trade Center, other Muslims were working to carry out Sheikh Abdel-Rahman’s agenda for a war on America and the free world.

“Cut the transportation of their countries,” the blind Sheik had commanded, “tear it apart, destroy their economy, burn their companies, eliminate their interests, sink their ships, shoot down their planes, kill them on the sea, air, or land.”

While the Star and Crescent was blowing in the cold December wind coming off the Hudson River, an even colder wind was blowing out of Hamburg, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. A year earlier Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had come up with the idea and presented it to Osama bin Laden. A year later the operation began to move forward.

In 1997, the New York Daily News wrote an upbeat story about Mehdi’s Star and Crescent, which envisioned Islam blending merrily into the holiday season.

New York may seem a little brighter this holiday season as the glowing Muslim crescent and star symbol nudges its way onto a seasonal landscape of Christmas trees, menorahs and Kwanzaa candles.

Watch out, ho, ho, ho-ing Santas you might get drowned out by cheery folks yelling, “Allahu akbar!”

Four years later, cheery folks yelling “Allahu Akbar” had filled downtown Manhattan with ashen snow and brightened it with the flames of the burning towers of the World Trade Center.

 The 9/11 hijackers left behind notes which said among other things, “Shout, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ because this strikes fear in the hearts of the non-believers”.
If there were any Santas on those planes, they were certainly drowned out by the cries of “Allah Akbar”. And if that didn’t drown them out, having their throats being slit by the cheery folks with box cutters surely did.

  • guest

    The people at Loonwatch & the Souther Poverty Law Center will not like this essay.

    Really not much they can refute about it.

    • defcon 4

      I often wonder what entities are responsible for the lion’s share of funding of SPLC? I wonder if islam0fascist petrodollars figure in the equation prominently?

  • Jason Bloomberg

    This can’t possibly be considered journalism.

    • Boots

      If you’re going to throw in an attack please provide a thought out explanation. What material is incorrect?

      • guest

        Jason cannot refute what is said about Mohammed T. Mehdi here.

        He weants to but cannot.

        What does it say about Jason that he wants to exonerate Medi?

        Nothing good.

        • Boots

          Clowns like Jason (sorry to disrespect clowns by comparing Jason to clowns) don’t want to have a discussion. Insults are liberal gravitas. I never expected a response from him because I don’t believe the article can be factually challenged. Thanks.

    • NAHALKIDES

      Well, let’s see: does it relate facts in an intelligible manner? Yes.

      Is the story it tells important enough to be something a typical citizen should know? Yes again, at least if you admit the importance of understanding the great civilizational struggle of our times, the modern West versus medieval Islam.

      Looks like journalism to me.

  • camp7

    In my neck-of-the-woods crescents are cut in outhouse doors and stars are way above the smell. But, I guess you could combine the two for designer toilet paper.

  • cacslewisfan

    Good grief. Is there any way to round up the political class and parachute drop them over the Middle East? Please go live there if it’s so great. This is crazy.