Muslim Military Contractor Investigated, Banned from Bases

Local Texas news reports indicate that the reaction to the Fort Hood massacre may be having some reaching and current consequences.

The Dallas Morning News reportedly asked why Louay Safi was allowed to lecture about Islam on US military bases.  Initially, the Army praised Safi, but it subsequently announced that he had been banned from military bases due to a criminal inquiry initiated by NCIS.  According to The News, Safi 

had denounced government counterterrorism efforts, and public records show he and some of his closest associates had ties to terrorism suspects.

Apparently, the investigation began after someone (apparently at Fort Hood) complained about the Islamic Society of North America, whom Safi represents:

Military officials said the inquiry began after a Dec. 3 complaint about ISNA. The complaint came in as Safi concluded three days of lectures at Fort Hood, which is still traumatized by the Nov. 5 massacre.

In addition to being a high level official in the ISNA, Safi is also in charge of the ISNA’s endorsing agency for US military Chaplains:

Safi is a senior official of the Islamic Society of North America, the country’s largest Muslim organization…In addition to serving as ISNA’s communications director, Safi runs its program certifying Muslim chaplains for work in the U.S. military and prison system. He publicly denounces terrorism and advocates peace.

The extremely long and detailed article at the Dallas Morning News goes into great detail in describing the relationships among the ISNA, Safi, alleged terrorists, accused terrorist imam Anwar al-Awlaki, and even Nidal Hasan.

It also wonders out loud if the ISNA was potentially on the Fort Hood investigators’ minds when they said that Chaplain endorsers might not be adequately reviewed or overseen, creating the potential that endorsers might be influenced by those with a “propensity toward violence.”