Senator Schumer Denounces Wahhabism

October 13, 2003

Source: Newsday

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usschu1013,0,1315578.story

On October 13, 2003 Newsday reported that "Sen. Charles Schumer, who has denounced the Saudi Arabian government for two years as weak on terrorism, is now attacking a new target: the Saudi state religion, which he says promotes terrorism and is making 'dramatic inroads' in the United States... At hearings and news conferences, Schumer is publicizing connections he sees between U.S. Muslim groups and Saudi Arabia's puritanical Islamic movement, Wahhabism...He warns that Wahhabis 'are trying to hijack mainstream Islam' in U.S. mosques, schools and prisons and 'are allowed to recruit disciples who pose a tremendous threat to Americans everywhere. Schumer's statements have brought harsh criticism from some prominent Muslim groups, which accuse him of an anti-Islamic smear campaign aimed at bolstering Israel.