[Please go to the following link to hear the audioclips that are embedded in this World Net Daily article. I could only post the actual text from this article. Following the WND article is the link to the “puff” piece in yesterday’s Houston Chronicle about the Harmony Science Academies. Let’s remember that the Gulen Institute is situated at the University of Houston. Underneath the Houston Chronicle article, I have posted the latest list of Gulen schools. This list was provided to me by someone who has done extensive investigations into the Gulen schools and has seemingly tied the Harmony Science Academies to Gulen.
If interested, please go to my article posted at: http://ramparts360.com/uncategorized/texas-senate-honors-islamist-imam/
From the University of Houston, Gulen Institute website:
The Gülen Institute was established in October 2007 as a non-profit organization and a joint initiative of the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and the Institute of Interfaith Dialog.
The perspectives of the institute are inspired by the life and works of the distinguished contemporary scholar and civic leader Fethullah Gülen. Visit Fethullah Gulen Forum for updates on Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement.
Donna Garner]
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http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=267417
GLOBAL JIHAD
WorldNetDaily Exclusive
Islamic indoctrination on U.S. taxpayers' tab
Founder of charter school chain called 'most dangerous Islamist in the world'
Posted: February 27, 2011
6:09 pm Eastern
WorldNetDaily
A large network of jihad-preaching schools dots the American landscape, and it's being paid for by taxpayer dollars.
The network of more than 100 facilities in 27 states is the result of the work of Turkish expatriate billionaire Fethullah Gulen, who lives in a heavily guarded compound near Saylorsburg, Pa.
Terrorism analyst, author and Family Security Matters contributing Editor Paul Williams explains that Gulen left Turkey under a cloud, and came to the United States carrying an agenda.
"Fethullah Gulen is a chap who fled Turkey in 1998. He was attempting to avoid prosecution from the secular government at that time; he wanted to set up an Islamic government," Williams explained.
"He moved to Pennsylvania and established a mountain fortress around Saylorsburg, which is in the heart of the Poconos," Williams explained.
Court records from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania's federal courts indicate that Gulen won his removal case against Homeland Security by showing that he was an "alien of extraordinary ability," and that by staying in the United States he could pursue his work of "authoring articles and providing guidance 'to fellow scholar in the fields of theology, political science, Islamic studies, and education.'"
Williams says Gulen had help.
"The Department of Homeland Security uncovered that Gulen has over $25 billion in assets. That's more money than many countries have. Most of this money has been channeled to Gulen from the CIA," Williams asserted.
Koinonia Institute senior analyst Steve Elwart says Gulen was helped by a number of different factors.
"He was denied his visa the first time around by DHS by saying that he didn't have any experience since he was trying to come in as an educator. DHS said that he really didn't have the qualifications to hold himself out as an educator," Elwart observed.
Elwart says there was another concern.
"There were also concerns about his ties to the CIA and that as it turned out, those concerns were apparently valid, because when he appealed the decision, he got two letters of recommendation from the CIA," Elwart continued.
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Listen to an interview with Elwart:
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"That would strengthen the position that he did seem to have those ties," Elwart added.
Williams explains that U. S. officials may have had a reason for funneling money to Gulen.
"I'll tell you why the CIA is funding him. These countries (referring to the Middle East and former Soviet Central Asian Republics) have vast natural gas and oil reserves. They are afraid of where those reserves will go, so we want to gain some control over the supplies," Williams claimed.
Now his fingerprints are all over schools across Asia – and dozens more charter schools across the United States. Those are schools that are run on the taxpayers' money, but have private teaching agendas, often using the subtle inferences in social studies courses to advocate for Islam, observers report.
"He has these schools all over Central Asia and these counties, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, all have Turkish backgrounds. They speak Turkish. They share a Turkish culture. They share the same religion so it's really easy for him to establish these schools throughout Central Asia," Williams explained.
"They have prospered; they have grown and the countries where they are have become increasingly militant and increasingly anti-American," Williams added.
Williams says Gulen put his money to work, first in his home country of Turkey.
"He used that money to create this political party in Turkey and to take over the newspapers, and almost all of the Turkish media. He's also created a network of Islamic charter schools in Turkey that has spread through Central Asia, particularly in the newly created Russian republics," Williams also stated.
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"Gulen's movement is so radical that it is outlawed in Russia and even in The Netherlands, a country that's known for its tolerance, would not allow any funding for the Gulen schools," Williams added.
Elwart adds that there was one still another factor influencing U.S. assistance to Gulen.
"There has been a movement in the last two administrations to promote what they call moderate Islam by bringing these people forward and financing them to get people inculcated into the Muslim culture," Elwart explained.
"In terms of following the money trail, part of it I think was from the United States government. There were a number of people out there that see him as a religious leader which in fact he comes from a family of imams, and people donate to him," Elwart detailed.
Williams asserts that Gulen's long-range plans are to re-establish an Islamic caliphate.
"He created a party which is called the Justice and Development Party. The prime minister is Tayyip Erdogan. He's severed relationships with Israel and he's allied himself with Iran," Williams observed.
MEMRI Turkish expert Rachel Sharon-Krespin writes in an article in Middle East Quarterly that Fethullah Gulen is a major player in Turkish politics. Besides the Justice and Development Party, he also owns, controls or operates a network of schools and universities in Turkey, as well as the major newspapers and television stations.
In an American Thinker article, Center for Islamic Pluralism Director Stephen Schwartz says that Gulen is the power not only behind a movement in Turkey, but is the controlling force behind what Schwartz calls a Turkish Diaspora.
Elwart agrees that Gulen's intention is to use his schools to indoctrinate the students into Islam at taxpayer expense.
"Gulen has started his school system in the United States through the charter school system, which of course is publicly financed. That is one of the big worries about the Gulen movement is that they're using the charter schools to educate these kids and give them Islamic indoctrination, so to speak, and it's being done at taxpayer expense," Elwart observed.
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Listen to another interview with Elwart:
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Williams says the indoctrination is subtle and administrators say the schools aren't trying to be Islamic.
"They'll say these schools are completely secular. These schools don't promote any Islamic doctrine; they're not political in any way. But according to Gulen himself these schools serve, in the shadows, the creation of a new Islamic order," Williams maintained.
"If you read about Gulen in the foreign press, they have it pretty well nailed down. In speeches he talks about the importance of stealth jihad, of infiltrating places and appearing very secular," Williams added.
Gulen's claim to be a secular educator whose interest is simply in promoting interfaith dialogue appears to have been successful, as the claim was used to support District Judge Stewart Dalzell's opinion in Gulen's case.
"The final requirement is that an applicant show that his or her 'entry into the United States will substantially benefit prospectively the United States.' 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(1)(A)(iii). The AAO did not find-and the Government does not contend-that Gulen fails to meet this criterion. Based on his unchallenged statement that the visa he seeks 'will allow me to continue to advocate and promote interfaith dialogue and harmony between members of different faiths and religions,' A.R. at 1053, activities that are certainly a benefit to the United States in these times of tensions between adherents of different religions, we find no basis for denying his application on that basis," Paragraph E of the opinion stated.
Williams disputes the judge's ruling and says that Gulen's own speeches say the opposite.
"In his own speeches he says you can really infiltrate a secular government in a place like the United States and wreak all kinds of havoc. That's what he's been doing. Once again the schools are funded by us. They're at least 140 of them. He's been called the most dangerous Islamist in the world and very little light is being shed on him and his activities," Williams stated.
Elwart says the potential indoctrination is very subtle, even though he believes it's intentional.
"There is a certain amount of an Islamic-centered slant to their teaching. One place they really start bringing in the slant is through their after-school programs and what they call their outside programs," Elwart observed.
"For example, they'll have Turkish festivals and the kids can compete in making costumes, writings and the like. Many times the prize for these in these competitions is a cultural trip to Turkey," Elwart also said.
Elwart believes that the Gulen charter schools are going largely unnoticed by the American public.
"This is a problem with the charter school system; it's fragmented. There is not a lot of oversight on the schools so people are disconnected from one another. If they see something that isn't quite right at their school they don't have any place to go to to raise the alarm," Elwart asserted.
Elwart says the schools are established and then each school brings in teachers from Turkey using H1B visas. These are visas granted to people with math and science skills.
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Listen to another interview with Williams:
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"Most of the time these applications will say they need to bring in these teachers because of the lack of math and science teachers available locally. The teachers that do come in are Muslim and almost all of them are from Turkey," Elwart explained.
He explains that administrators are usually brought in on more temporary visas which explains the frequent turnover in the Gulen-connected schools.
The web site, Charter School Scandals, reports that the Pioneer Charter School for Science in Everett, Mass., is a Gulen School.
Pioneer Charter School of Science Public Relations Director Aimee Mott says that her school was started by a group of concerned parents.
"It was a community of really parents and other concerned members of the community who thought that in this area, Everett, Chelsea and Saugus area, that the public schools were not meeting all the needs of all the students," Mott stated.
"They decided to get together, submit a charter to the state for our school and that was in 2006. So, our first year in operation was in 2007 and 2008," Mott said.
Mott also says that the school's newness means it relies on taxpayer dollars.
"Because we are a new charter school, all of our funding at this point comes from the state. We are funded just like a public, we are a public school. We are a public charter school," Mott described. "We are working on applying for a grant to get some funding for some things."
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The school's web site gives few details on the school's curriculum, provides no list of faculty members and lists only the principal and the board members.
The Massachusetts Department of Education school directory lists the head of the school as Barish Icin, and also gives the members of the school's board of directors.
Among the board members listed are Board Chairman Murat Kilic, Mustafa Ozdemir, Nuh Gedik and Ramazan Nigdioglu. A name origins web site, HearNames.com, verifies that all of the surnames are of Turkish origin.
Nigdioglu is also connected to the Cambridge Ridge and Latin School where he is on record as recommending that the best students at the Latin School be rewarded with a trip to Turkey.
Williams says that Gulen's school network is well-funded, well-organized and well-represented.
"He has set up lobbying groups and through his lobbying groups he has given millions and millions of dollars to both Republicans and Democrats. He has gained their favor and support so his schools are rubber-stamped," Williams observed.
Williams warns Gulen's compound in the Poconos is much like the one in Islamburg, N.Y., that Williams says he's visited.
"I went up there to take a look at his fortress and it is a fortress in the heart of the Pocono Mountains. Hundreds of Turks live there. According to all the neighbors there are helicopters constantly surveilling the area looking for intruders," Williams described.
"There are sentry posts there and the neighbors have complained to the FBI about gunshots and explosions," Williams added. "They have a foreign militia on American soil. If this doesn't get people up in arms, I don't know what will."
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7448570.html
A long line to learn
Harmony Academy charter system is booming, despite initial suspicions by parents and a lackluster economy
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
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List of Gulen schools in Texas and surrounding areas:
Austin Gulen Organizations - (all office at 12400 Amherst Dr, Suite 108, Austin, Texas 78727):
- Raindrop Foundation (Austin, Texas) - Mehmet Okumus operates this location. 7 locations in Texas. I believe the main office is the Houston branch. Locations in AR, MS, NM, LA, KS and OK
- Institute for Interfaith Dialog (Austin Branch of Houston office) - Dr. Yetkin Yildirim (Vice President) and Dr. Guner Arslan is "Founding Member"
- Turkish American Women's Association (Austin, Texas)
- Austin-Antalya Sister City Committee - the Chair is Prof. Burhanettin Kuruscu (a professor of economics at University of Texas a Austin) and seems to be managed by Dr. Yetkin Yildirim
- WhirlingDervishes.org - evidently a site run by the Raindrop Foundation of Texas. I understand their performances are booked through Austin.
- Bluebonnet Learning Center of Austin. 3-5 year olds. Summer programs at Harmony School of Science.
- Harmony Science Academy of Austin, 930 E. Rundberg Lane, Austin, Texas 78753 (K through 8)
- Harmony School of Excellence of Austin. 2100 E. St. Elmo Rd. Austin, Texas 78744 (K through 8)
- Harmony School of Science, Austin. 11800 Stonehollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78758 (K through 8)
- Harmony Science Academy of North Austin, 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy, Pfluegerville, Texas 78660 (5 through 12)
(All of the "Harmony" schools have a website at http://hssaustin.org)
Houston Gulen organizations (most office at 9301 West Bellfort, Houston, Texas 77031):
- Cosmos Foundation, Houston - operates all Gulen-organized "Harmony" charter schools in Texas. Located in same office park at Bluebonnet Learning Center, Gulf Language School and Texas Gulf Institute. As of March, 2010 the President of Cosmos is "Oner Ulvi Celepcikay." http://www.harmonytx.org/
- Texas Turkish Chamber of Commerce, Houston - linked to Raindrop Foundation and TUSKON;
- Houston-Baku Sister City Committee (?) - linked to Raindrop Foundation which is listed as a 'Sponsor' on site;
- Gulen Institute, Houston - a venture between the University of Houston and the Institute for Interfaith Dialog; located at the UH Graduate College of Social Work, Houston;
- Houston-Istanbul Sister City Committee - President is M. Ruhi Ozgel (offices are located at 9301 W. Bellfort which also houses the Institute for Interfaith Dialog);
- Alumni of Turkey Trips (http://www.alumniofturkey.org/) - Houston? Evidently a new website created by Institute for Interfaith Dialog and Raindrop Foundation both of Houston.
- ISWEEEP - Annual Cosmos Foundation science fair in Houston.
- Institute for Interfaith Dialog, Houston - President is Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan (?)
- Turqouise Center, Houston - cultural center located at 9301 W. Bellfort with IID, Houston-Instanbul, Raindrop, etc.)
- StudyTurkish.org - based at Raindrop House, Houston. Affiliated with University of Houston;
- Houston Blue Mosque - (http://www.houstonbluemosque.org/) connected to "Citadel Foundation"(?). Islamic mosque offering daily prayers and religious events. Both operate at 9301 W. Bellfort;
- Azerbaijanian American Cultural Alliance, Houston - located at 9301 W. Bellfort.
- Turkic Fest, Houston. Annual Turkic "Cultures and Children's Festival" evidently organized by the Raindrop Turkish Houston of Houston;
- Turkish Cultural Center, Houston (?) - mentioned as being housed with Raindrop and Institute for Interfaith Dialog in 2007 Texas Monthly article. Now Turquoise Center?
- Bosniaks Cultural Community of Houston - organized by Miralem Turkic?
- Citadel Foundation, Houston - Islamic charity located at 9301 W. Bellfort (see: Houston Blue Mosque, supra).
- Turkmen Young Scholars Association (Houston?)
- Harmony Science Academy, Houston
- Harmony Science Academy of NW Houston
- Harmony School of Excellence, Houston
- Harmony School of Endeavor, Houston
- Harmony School of Ingenuity, Houston
- Harmony School of Innovation, Houston
- Harmony School of Science, Houston
(Besides the Harmony Schools in Austin and Houston, there are 14 other locations (for a total of 25, not including vocational and pre-school - 4 more than my last count in early '09) in Texas as listed on their website at http://www.harmonytx.org/schools/)
- Helix Design & Production (produces many of the Gulen websites in Houston). Located at 10700 Kingston Street, Houston, Texas 77099. Same address as Texas Turkish American Chamber of Commerce
- Rainbow Painting (http://www.rainbow-painting.com/index.html). Listed as "Rainbow Construction" on Cosmos Foundation 2006 IRS Form 990 - Cosmos paid over $2.3M that year for 'construction' services yet Rainbow Painting's website shows that it did no work in Houston until 2007. Operated from a single family residence at 12722 Ashford Meadow Drive, Houston, Texas 77082;
- Ege Construction Company of Turkey (Houston office) http://egeconstruction.org/;
- Atlas Construction Company of Turkey (Houston office) - provided construction services of over a $1M to Harmony Schools
- Karagan Law Firm, Houston. Small 2-5 person firm run by Yalcin Karagan who was licensed to practice in Texas in 2000. Although website indicates personal injury focus, did he handle labor certifications for Gulen H1B's? Received $178, 520 on 2006 Cosmos IRS Form 990 for legal work.
Louisiana Gulen organizations (not a complete listing)
Atlas Foundation of Louisiana - locations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans (http://www.atlaslouisiana.org/)
Baton Rouge-Malatya, Turkey Sister City Committee
Gulen-affiliated Educational Institutions (not a complete listing):
Texas Gulf Institute (vocational, computer training) Houston, Texas - located at http://www.tgicareer.com/
Gulf Language School (located with Texas Gulf Institute), Houston, Texas - http://www.gulfesl.org
Bluebonnet Learning Center, Houston, Texas (also locations in Dallas and El Paso). For children 3-5 years of age. Located in same office park as Texas Gulf Institute and Gulf Language School (?). http://www.bluebonnetlearningcenter.com
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Sent to Donna Garner by unnamed source:
List of Gulen charter schools can be found here:
http://www.charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com
Their main arteries are:
Magnolia Science Academy (California)
Sonoran Science Academy (Arizona)
Harmony Science Academy (Texas)
Horizon Science Academy (Ohio)
Donna Garner
Wgarner1@hot.rr.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 12:29PM