Muslim Cleric Loses Security Clearance

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) A 57-year-old Muslim cleric who is a founder of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, a Pennsylvania state prison imam and a nuclear physicist doing classified work for the government, Dr. Moniem El-Ganayni, lost his security clearance in a dispute with the FBI and the Department of Energy.

El-Ganayni has vowed to fight for its reinstatement.

It all began with a book, "The Miracle in the Ant," one of numerous volumes published by Harun Yahya, an Islamic creationist from Turkey. The book details ant anatomy and behavior, and argues that these characteristics disprove the theory of evolution.

Dr. El-Ganayni had ordered the book for the Forest prison library and was passing out photocopied chapters for the Muslim inmates housed in segregation to read in their cells. Eventually, he came to the chapter called "Defence and War Tactics," about ants that produce acid, use camouflage or enslave other ants.

Then there's this passage, under the heading "Walking Bombs":

"The ultimate in public service is to destroy enemies by committing suicide in defense of the colony. Many kinds of ants are prepared to assume this kamikaze role in one way or another, but none more dramatically than a species of Camponotus of the saundersi group living in the rain forests of Malaysia."

Additionally, El-Ganayni put himself in the sights of the FBI by allegedly speaking in opposition to the agency's recruitment at mosques. To further complicate the situation, El-Ganayni was fired from his position with the prison because of disputes regarding Ramadan and visitation policies.

Ultimately, the DOE began investigating and El-Ganayni's security clearance was pulled. He had worked at the Bettis Laboratory, an advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology lab in West Mifflin operated by Bechtel Bettis Inc. for the U.S. Department of Energy for 18 years. Now the job and all accrued benefits are in jeopardy with the loss of the security clearance.

The DOE isn't commenting on the case, however, El-Ganayni has a hearing promised for some future date. He'll present his case and fight the government in court, if necessary.

To conclude, the Post-Gazette weighs in on the case with:

There is much the public doesn't know about the DOE's case against Dr. El-Ganayni, but one hopes he's not about to lose his livelihood over baseless or exaggerated fears. The scientist is probably just another misunderstood person who has run afoul of paranoid bureaucracies in post-9/11 America.

El-Ganayni is just "another misunderstood person," eh?

Tip: JTowers