Wichita religious leaders gather to offer support to Islamic Society

Leaders of various Wichita churches and faiths gathered at the Islamic Society of Wichita on Sunday to support the Muslim group, which faced opposition over its choice of a speaker.

The Islamic Society canceled a March 25 address by Monzer Taleb, part of a fundraiser to benefit the group’s activities. The Muslim group has said that it called off the speech partly because of a statement by U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo and partly because it felt threatened after some people were reported to be planning to bring guns to a protest outside the mosque the night of the fundraiser.

In a statement the day before the planned fundraiser, Pompeo, R-Wichita, said that Taleb has been a vocal supporter of terrorism. Pompeo also criticized the timing of Taleb’s address – on the Christian holy day of Good Friday and coming shortly after terrorist attacks in Brussels.

The Islamic Society maintains that Taleb is only a motivational speaker with a peaceful message, that the timing of his appearance was a coincidence and that it doesn’t promote terrorism nor does it want to be associated with it.

On Sunday, the Rev. Tim Lytle of Unity of Wichita Church met with others at the Islamic Society facility off K-96 near Woodlawn and read from a statement. “We appreciate that the Society canceled its fundraiser because of security concerns after the threat of an armed protest, but we believe they, and the speaker, were treated unfairly,” Lytle said.

“We are convinced that prejudice and injustice against any group affects all of us,” he said.

The letter was signed by a dozen religious leaders.

As Lytle read the statement, about 30 members of various religions gathered with several members of the Islamic Society in the lobby of the mosque.

In other remarks, Lytle said that peace-loving Muslims have been “targeted by fringe groups.”

Lytle said he thinks there is widespread backing for the religious leaders’ support for the Islamic Society, although a “small minority” has voiced “angry and hateful things.”

Hussam Madi, spokesman for the Islamic Society, listened to Lytle’s comments and said the Muslim group has felt overwhelming support that has “given us more strength” to practice their religion.

Lytle questioned why Pompeo, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, had only recently focused on Taleb when Taleb has spoken at the Wichita mosque at least four times in the past without protest.

“I was unaware of the Hamas-linked cleric’s previous visits to the Islamic Society of Wichita,” Pompeo said in an e-mail to The Eagle. “Had I been, I would have asked the center to cancel those visits too. This is about using good judgment as America works to defeat those Islamic extremists with ties to terror.”

This story was originally published April 3, 2016 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Wichita religious leaders gather to offer support to Islamic Society."