Mr. Qatanani was arrested in Israel in 1993. The Israeli government said Qatanani confessed to being a member of Hamas, but was released following a plea bargain.
According to an FBI report, Mr. Qatanani moved to New Jersey in 1994, the year following his arrest in Israel, and worked together with El-Mezain to raise funds for Hamas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began proceedings for the deportation of Mr. Qatanani because of his failure to disclose his conviction in Israel. The DHS also said he “engaged in terrorist activity” and is “guilty of material misrepresentation and “engaging in unauthorized employment… by allowing an out of status alien to reside with him.” It further discusses a “highly dubious” transfer of thousands of dollars to the West Bank.
A court filing in 2008 by the DHS states, “It is certainly suspicious when a person who has been convicted of being a member of, and providing services to, Hamas, who has personal ties to a Hamas militant leader, and also sends undisclosed cash to the West Bank.”
Imam Mohammad Qatanani used his pulpit to praise the Holy Land Foundation and to say that those conspirators who were found guilty should be immediately released from jail. Imam Qatanani also repeatedly uttered disturbing and defamatory statements about Jews, Israel, and Christians. He also asked expressed support for providing funding for the children of suicide bombers.
Governor Christie had repeatedly praised the Imam. In July of 2012, at an Iftar dinner at the governor’s mansion in New Jersey, Governor Christie praised referred to Qatanani as his “friend”, and “My view is he’s always had a very good relationship with us, and he’s a man of great goodwill.”
You might well ask who the attorney was who represented Mr. Christie’s “friend” Mr. Qatanani, and saved him from deportation by the DHS?
It was none other than Sohail Mohammad.
Is it possible Mr. Christie feels that Sohail Mohammad is such an American success story because he counts the votes in the Islamic Center of Passaic County? Precisely to whom is Governor Chris Christie really pandering?
Originally appeared at the American Thinker.