 Before The Clarion Project’s National Security AnalystRyan Mauro brought attention to the mosque in December 2011, the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids (ICCR) website had an article explaining its history and beliefs
The website stated that it was built with the financial assistance of a close friend of the Saudi Royal Family. Saudi King Faisal donated $45,000, the Kuwaiti government donated $6,000 and the Libyan government provided Qurans.
The now-removed section of the website recalled how “moderate†groups like Jamiyat al-Islah of Kuwait, Jamaat-e-Islami of Pakistan and the Muslim Brotherhood of Sudan began arriving in the U.S. in the early 1950s. All three groups are Islamist.
It went on to say that “radical groups banned in many Muslim countries†like Hezbollah, Takfir al-Hijrah and “Jihad†also arrived. The article seemed to celebrate that ICCR was part of a convergence of all these Islamist groups.
“Here they are able to forge links with students of other nations providing the nucleus for an international network of leaders committed to the creation of an Islamic state, or an Islamic world order,†it said.
The website also blamed “ultra-conservative Christians†for Muslim extremism.[1]
The website reacted to the anti-Islam video, “Innocence of the Muslims,†by posting a condemnation from the Vice Chairman of the International Union of Scholars, an organization led by Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yousef al-Qaradawi.[2]
A prominent member of the mosque is Bill Aossey, the founder of Midamar Corporation.
[1] “Islam in Iowa,†Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids website, https://web.archive.org/web/20110809225817/https://crmosque.com/about-iccr/islam-in-iowa