To the Editor:
The terrorist group Hamas is coming to the Ohio Statehouse. Yes, a group listed as a terrorist organization in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel is coming to Columbus on October 28th.
“The Many Faces of Islam” conference, sponsored by the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio, will feature two speakers with connections to Hamas. One speaker, Anisa Abd al-Fattah, has co-authored two books with the current Hamas spokesman, Ahmed Yousef. Yousef fled the United States in 2005 to avoid going to trial for terrorism and is currently doing public relations work for Hamas in Gaza. Fattah has also issued a press release decrying the assassination of the “peace-loving” Sheikh Yassin, the founder of Hamas. I think Fattah forgot that Hamas is responsible for dozens of terrorists attacks, brain-washing children to serve as suicide bombers, and calling for attacks on the United States. Sounds peace-loving to me. Another speaker, Robert Crane, has also been involved in organizations aiding Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Do these people truly represent the interfaith community? In August, they were supposed to speak at a conference in Washington, which was canceled at the last minute and the speakers were denied entry by the U.S. House Sergeant at Arms. Why are our state representatives allowing people with connections to terrorists to speak, while they are banned on the national level? Our state representatives must cancel the conference. I do not want terrorists in my statehouse, and I think it is an abomination to let them speak.
Nicole PoulinColumbus, Ohio
