The Islamic Society mosque in Cambridge, Mass. was understandably subjected to scrutiny after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing conducted by two of its members. Leaders of the religious center quickly and unequivocally repudiated the vicious act, insisting that the Tsarnaev brothers were acting on their own and wholly outside of the influence of their mosque.
A recent New York Post report, however, indicates that the two young men were far from the only radicals to come out of this congregation, offering further reason to suspect it might be a breeding ground for Islamic radicals.
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Among the most disconcerting individuals to hail from the Islamic Society mosque is Ahmad Abousamra, a 32-year-old believed to be the top propagandist for Islamic State, the terrorist organization also known as ISIS. After releasing brutal footage, including the beheading of two Americans, it now appears that a frequent attendee of the Massachusetts mosque was in large part responsible for the graphic message of hate being disseminated worldwide.
He reportedly celebrated the 9/11 terrorist attacks and, as a result, was radicalized to the point that he traveled to the Middle East to receive terrorist training. A federal indictment indicates that he intended to stage a shooting spree at a Boston mall targeting random shoppers.
There is currently a $50,000 bounty out for Abousamra’s capture.
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Unfortunately, there are plenty of other examples indicating that the mosque is producing homegrown radicals at an alarming pace. Founder Abdurahman Alamoudi, for example, is serving a 23-year sentence for a terrorist plot he allegedly hatched. Subsequent reports indicate that he was a major fundraiser for al Qaeda.
At least two other one-time worshipers at the mosque are also incarcerated for similar crimes. Another is prohibited from entering the U.S. after declaring a holy war against American soldiers. Yet another has been linked to a $12 million infusion of capital into a suicide bombing program in Palestine.
Nevertheless, the mosque claims that all of the radical elements emerging from within its ranks amount to mere coincidences. That claim does not jibe, however, with claims that leaders have welcomed radical speakers to address congregants with pro-terrorist propaganda.