A coalition of groups opposing the expansion of the radical Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax, Virginia, has filed a complaint with the Virginia attorney general’s office concerning the county government’s involvement in promoting the school.
The Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force (VAST) is upset that Fairfax County sent e-mail invitations to county residents, inviting them to a free dinner and symposium called “Understanding Islam Conference: A Symposium to Promote Peace, Harmony, Understanding and Cultural Diversity” held on June 20 by an Islamic group.
The event was aimed ostensibly at helping promote the school’s plans to expand its Fairfax campus to accommodate 200 additional students. VAST chairman James Lafferty says the county should not have helped to promote the event.
“The academy is sponsored by the Saudi government, and it is a very radical form of Islam,” he contends. “It is anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, anti-American -- all those things.”
And yet Lafferty says the county has consistently given the school everything it wants.
“We’ve opposed that at public hearings and in every way we can -- and each time the county government has sided with them,” he points out. “And this was the first example that we’ve seen where the county government actually did a mailing to support this dinner that was nothing more than a propaganda session for radical Islam.”
The county board of supervisors will vote July 13 on final approval of the Islamic school expansion.
