Islamic Center of Fort Collins

The mosque’s constitution states that “the ownership of the Islamic Center of Fort Collins rests with the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT).”[1]

Anwar al-Awlaki, an American convert who later became an Al-Qaeda leader in Yemen, “discovered a knack for preaching” at ICFC, where a fellow attendee recorded his sermons. Although his sermons from this time do not contain extremism, one mosque attendee noticed that he did not condemn suicide terrorism and suspected he supported it.[2]

The ICFC has brought used Islamist preachers with a history of extremist rhetoric to help raise money for its new mosque. The radical Imam Siraj Wahhaj of Masjid At-Taqwa spoke at an ICFC fundraiser on February 9, 2008.[3]

The ICFC also used Mahdi Bray as a fundraiser multiple times when he led the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation. He spoke for the mosque on September 29, 2007,[4] August 29, 2009[5] and August 28, 2010[6] and, reportedly, August 28, 2011.[7]

In 2000, Bray was on stage with Abdurrahman Alamoudi when he praised Hamas and Hezbollah. Bray gave an approving gesture and the audience cheered when the statement was made. Bray tried to downplay his action by saying he was only pumping his fists, not raising his hands.[8]

Bray later condemned the Israeli assassination of Hamas’ spiritual leader as “state-sponsored terrorism.”[9] He also accused the U.S. of waging a “war on Islam.”[10] In February 2008, Bray traveled to Egypt to stand in solidarity with Muslim Brotherhood members being prosecuted by the ruling government.[11]

The ICFC has reportedly distributed texts by Islamist groups like the Al-Furqaan Foundation and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth based in Saudi Arabia. It is also said to use books by Abul Ala Maududi, the founder of the Pakistani Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami.[12]

The ICFC website has a section of “supplications that we can perform in many of our everyday activities.” One part is about “fear of oppression of enemy.”

[ad] Under the heading, “Upon encountering an enemy or those of authority,” it lists the following Islamic verse: “O Allah, You are my supporter and You are my helper, by You I move and by You I attack and by You I battle.”  Under the heading “supplication against the enemy,” it lists the Islamic verse: “O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Swift at reckoning, defeat the confederates. O Allah, defeat them and convulse them.”[13]

In January 2009, ICFC organized a protest against Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip targeting Hamas.[14]

Although the ICFC’s newsletter instructs Muslims to tell co-religionists overseas that “the majority of Americans are not blood-thirsty adulterers but peace loving individuals,” it also says that “those profiting from spreading hate have hijacked the media and stifle the truth.”[15]

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