The notorious Dar al-Hijrah mosque chaired for many years by a man who curried political favor with the Clintons and other politicians – over the span of several years – is defending Boko Haram, the group making headlines for kidnapping hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls. The Daily Caller reports that the outreach director, who has held the position for over a decade, would not denounce Boko Haram.

“There is a great reluctance to excommunicate someone by extension. … It would be like convicting someone in absentia,” said Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, the spokesman for the “Home of the Migrants” mosque, or Dar Al Hijrah mosque, in Falls Church Va. If crimes have been committed, the Nigerian government should punish the individuals, he added.

On May 7, Abdul Malik led a group of Muslim advocates at a press conference at the National Press Club, where they denied that Islamic strictures are shaping Boko Haram’s years-long campaign of killing and kidnapping Christians.

“Islam is not the problem,” said Ahmed Bedier, a Florida-based Islamic advocate. “We’re tired of people coming on television and asking where does this ideology come from,” Bedier said. “Well, this ideology comes from nowhere,” he insisted.

Apparently, Imam Johari would like for you to overlook the fact that the leader of Boko Haram was caught on video declaring that the kidnapped girls would be sold according to Allah’s will. Similarly, Bedier used to be a communications director for the Florida chapter of CAIR, to illustrate just how like-minded Muslim Brotherhood front groups and members are with Dar al-Hijrah’s leadership.

Bassam Estwani delivers sermon at Dar al-Hijrah in 2011.

Bassam Estwani – the man who was one of Dar al-Hijrah’s founders and who chaired the mosque for years afterward – likely oversaw the hiring of Imam Johari. As Shoebat.com has reported, Estwani had access to several politicians over the years, to include President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Reps. Thomas Davis, Jim Moran and several others. Estwani has also remained in close contact with the mosque and its leaders, as reported by Sheobat.com.

When the Washington Post did a story on the mosque nearly two years after the Fort Hood jihad attack and shortly after Anwar al-Awlaki was killed by a U.S. Drone. Al-Awlaki had served at the mosque as an imam. As Shoebat.com reported, al-Awlaki was hired by Esam Omeish – a man who has expressed anti-Semitism – and overseen by Estwani. Estwani gave a sermon at the mosque and was interviewed about al-Awlaki by the Post:

“Before he came to Dar Al-Hijrah, I didn’t know anything about him,” said Bassam Estwani, one of the early founders of Dar Al-Hijrah and former chairman of the board. “Brothers from California recommended him as a good scholar.”

Estwani said he was stunned by Aulaqi’s later evolution into a radical extremist, describing him as, “very nice, very disciplined, polite, helpful to everyone. Never saw any sign of extremist thinking. He was a scholar, spoke both languages, Arabic and English, very well. I wondered to myself afterward is he the same person who spoke here?”

Really? We’re to believe that Estwani had no idea? Let’s see, in addition to hiring al-Awlaki, he hired Omeish, an unindicted co-conspirator in the first World Trade Center attack, more anti-Semites, he oversaw the hiring of an outreach director who won’t condemn Boko Haram and he welcomed Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yusuf al-Qaradawi to the mosque in the 1990’s.

Yet, we’re to believe he had no clue about al-Awlaki’s real intentions or beliefs?

The only dupes more pathetic than what Estwani would have you believe he is are the willful idiot politicians who embraced him.