Muslims of the Americas—Meherrin, Virginia

Meherrin, VA is the location of a 25-acre commune run by Muslims of the Americas.[2] The organization is headquartered at Islamberg in New York and is led by a radical cleric in Pakistan named Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani.

A 2009 Virginia State Police report confirms that the MOA’s chapter in Virginia has been involved in drug trafficking, fraud, surveillance and counter-surveillance, sale of counterfeited items and attempted government infiltration. It also said that they have held “paramilitary drills” that included firearms use and MOA-owned businesses and charities are used to fundraise for Gilani.

However, the report rated the MOA “attack capability” in VA as “low.” It states, “Current intelligence suggests the MOA attack capabilities have declined and members lack the training resources to mount a serious attack.” Another section of the report concedes that “intelligence gaps make it impossible to assess the level of criminal activity” of MOA in the state.[3]