Earnest James Ujaama
Earnest J. Ujaama | |
|---|---|
| File:University of Washington, Earnest Ujaama, Phd.jpg | |
| Born | December 14, 1965 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | عبد القادر |
| Education | MA. Ed.-Antioch University -Seattle B.A. - University of Washington  |
| Occupations | |
| Employer | Self-employed |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | F. Kahin (1997-2007) |
| Children | Daughter |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Mustafa Ujaama |
| Notes | |
Ujaama supported Sharia', defended the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Taliban government from 1998-2001, developed StopAmerica.org website in 2002, and continues to oppose the expansion of Jim Crow-ism which he identifies as U.S. foreign policy. | |
Earnest J. Ujaama (born December 14, 1965) is an American Muslim social activist, Ph.D candidate, and a former Entrepreneur trainer. On June 10, 1994, then Washington state lawmaker Jesse Wineberry issued a certificate declaring James Ujaama Day in the state of Washington. He was also presented with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Senator Harry Reid, a similar certificate from former U.S. Congressman James H. Bilbray, a key to the City of Las Vegas, and was honored by KCPQ13 as a "Special Person."
On July 22, 2002, Ujaama was arrested as a Material Witness warrant, becoming the first American to be detained on U.S. soil while under investigation using the USA Patriot Act 2001.[1]
Early life
Earnest Ujaama was born James Earnest Thompson. He was born to James Alexander Thompson and Carolyn Margret Nelson. His father was born in the city of Long Island, New York and his mother born in the city of Champaign, Illinois. His parents met in Denver at Smiley Junior High School. They began dating a few years later while teenagers at East High School. The two eventually got married and had twin girls. Due to prematurity, the twin girls died. A few years later, Earnest was born. Their second son, Joseph Edward Thompson would be born. The family moved to Seattle, Washington in 1969 shortly after the birth of their third son, Mustafa Ujaama (formerly Jon Alexander Thompson). Jan, the fourth child would be born not long after that. Due to an electrical fire, the only girl and last child would succumb to smoke and heat. The family was devastated and sought family counseling.
In Seattle, the family lived in the Rainer Vista before his mother and father purchased a house on 25th & Spruce Street (172-25th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122). The house was located in the Central District only a block away from James A. Garfield High School (Seattle) and the school where Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson and Jimi Hendrix attended. Ujaama attended Leschi Elementary School, Madrona Middle School, Washington Middle School before moving to San Diego, California to live with his father in a neighborhood called Encanto Park. He attended Pacific Beach Junior High School while living with his father. He later returned to Seattle and attended Garfield High School, then transferring to Ingraham High School.
In his early years, Earnest was known to his community simply as "James" or "Jimmy." He played basketball for the Central Area Boys & Girls Club on 19th & Spruce which was directly across from the new Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party house, a place where Ujaama frequented as a youth. Earnest also played football for Central Area Youth Association (C.A.Y.A.) as a youth. He also boxed for Gold Gloves at the Central Area Boys and Girls Club and played Chess in local tournaments winning a trophy.
As a youth, Earnest was very involved in youth sports and competitive matches, but he also loved fishing, hiking, and writing business plans and proposals. He was naturally good at selling things. Many in the community, such as former Contractor, consultant and social activist, Eddie Rye and King County Council member Larry Gossett, a former Black Panther member and radical activist, knew Earnest as an entrepreneur who "tried to sell everything" and was a "good hustler."[2] A federal magistrate, Judge Weinberg remarked that his life was "exemplary."[2]
Family
Ujaama is born from a very large, unique and diverse family originating from the Southern United States. There is a family member that has served in the U.S. military during every major conflict since the War of Independence. Although his father and mother never served in the Armed Forces, they both were children of career military officers. His father’s father (grandfather on his father’s side), Mr. James Winston “Tommy” Thompson was born in Kissimmee, Florida. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the Army, stationed in France during WWII and soon after serving in the Korean War. Ms. Dorothy Thompson was born in New York City, New York in 1922 and served as W.A.C.S. Army Air Corps. She retired from the Air Force finance center.
Carolyn’s father (Ujaama’s grandfather), Earnest Franklin Nelson, was a member of the Tuskegee Airman. He served as an Air Mechanic in the 99th Pursuit Squadron, U.S. Army-Air Corps. Carolyn’s mother (Ujaama’s grandmother), Ms. Neomi Polkinghorne-Nelson was crowned Mrs. Tuskegee. She worked for the U.S. Post Office, Air Force finance center and retired as an Internal Revenue Service Supervisor in Seattle. Mr. Nelson worked at Boeing as an Aerospace Design Engineer. He died with a scholarship fund founded in his name.
In addition Ujaama’s great grandfather, Mr. Cecil Dewey Nelson, was a member of the French Legion which earned him the War Cross “Croix de guerre” 1914-1918. Mr. Cecil Nelson is Ujaama’s grandfather’s father. His mother’s grandmother’s father, Dr. James Rivers Polkinghorne, was an entrepreneur, pharmacist and doctor of medicine who owned land in Pensacola, Florida. He also owned several patents, rental property and a pharmacy store. In addition, he was a Justice of the Peace where he had chairs for Coloreds in the county courthouse. Both men were educated at Universities in the U.S. and France.
Ujaama’s first cousin and his brother, Mustafa Ujaama, both served in the U.S. Military and were honorably discharged. He also has many uncles and aunts who either retired from Military service or at least served with honorable discharge.
An early introduction into activism
Ujaama was exposed to activism at an early age in life. His father was a Socialist who distributed papers for the Socialist Party. Many of the closest friends of his mother and father were either Socialists or Black Panthers. Neither groups were favored by his grandfather, Mr. Earnest Nelson. Mr. Nelson believed that the Black Panthers were supporting Communism which he and his friends had fought to eliminate. The primary founders of the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party, brothers Aaron and Elmer Dixon, were close family friends due to their father and mother being very close friends with Ujaama's grandparents, Mr. Earnest and Neomi Nelson. Aaron's first wife and Ujaama's mother were also very close, and they often worked together as activists.
Turning to Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneur Basics 101 Workbook (1993); How to Be An Entrepreneur (1994); Coming Up (1996). None of his books are currently in-print today.
In around 1974, at eight (8) years of age, Ujaama was introduced to a regional supervisor for newspaper delivery services at The Seattle Times. The supervisor liked Ujaama and offered him an opportunity to deliver The Seattle Times newspapers 7 days a week as an independent contractor. As an independent contractor, Ujaama would deliver newspapers, sign-up new customers for a monthly subscription on his route, collect the subscription amount at the beginning of every month in the form of cash or check, and pay a wholesale amount for his newspapers. Whatever remained from the cost of the newspaper, the company allowed him to keep as profit for himself. Ujaama became very good at signing up new customers, collecting payments, paying for his newspapers, and delivering them daily on time. His customers were very pleased with him and so was the supervisor. Eventually, he obtained two other routes. This began to cause problems and he soon began to fall behind. He eventually hired his brothers and friends ato help out, allowing them to share in the profits.
Starting a lawn maintenance business at age 9
On many occasions, Ujaama would help his customers by raking the leaves from off their front yard at no charge. He began to do this regularly, especially for his elderly customers. Many of his customers were elderly and they would often provide him with monetary tips and cookies. Ujaama was known to everyone for his good manners and salesmanship. However, he noticed that he was making more money in tips for helping his customers with yard clean-up, than what he was earning selling newspapers. So he started his first business raking leaves and mowing lawns. He kept his paper routes, but hired his brothers and neighborhood friends to deliver the newspapers while he collected the money and maintained his accounts. This eventually came to a halt when the Supervisor discovered that Ujaama was subcontracting. Subcontracting was against The Seattle Times policy. Forced with the decision to choose between his paper routes and his new business, he chose the latter and never looked back.
Writing business plans
One day, Ujaama came across an Income Opportunities magazine which impressed him. He later found others like it, such as Entrepreneur magazine. From these magazines, he gained ideas about businesses, and learned how to write business plans. He was only ten years old at this time. As a young entrepreneur, Ujaama was never afraid to try out new ideas or sell something. He was good at selling an idea and raising money from family and friends. People believed in him, but as he began to get older it had a negative impact on his school. He would often skip out on classes or be late. His school work fell behind, too. He became a dreamer, an idea person, and would sometimes stay up very late writing plans for his business ideas. He also played basketball, football and was an avid fisherman at this time. Unfortunately, though he would get into fights that landed him in the Principal’s office and suspension.
Learning to be a contractor
It was at around this time, now age 13, that he met his Uncle who was a painting contractor in the Bay Area. His uncle took him under his wing and adopted him as a son. He became like a father to him, hiring him to work with his crew as a house painter. By observing and asking many questions, Ujaama learned from his Uncle how to be a contractor. He learned the bidding process, how to write up estimates and make contracts. Working for his Uncle, always in the summers, gave Ujaama something to do to keep him out of trouble. However, Ujaama continued to do poorly in school. By this time, his mother was laid off from her job and under a lot of pressure to find money to pay the mortgage on her house. She sent him and his brothers away to live with their father in San Diego, while she tried to work it all out.
Becoming a candy seller
While in San Diego, Ujaama made two close friends. Both very entrepreneurial like him. Together with his new friends, they began selling candy with for a marketing vendor. The vendor would pick them, and others, up in a van loaded with boxes of chocolate and Almond Roca candies. Everyone who wanted to earn some cash, could go out. The vendor would have routes pre-selected and drop everyone off in a different neighborhood in pairs. Ujaama and his friends, would sell candy, going door-to-door from around 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. At the end of the night, the van would return to pick them up. Everyone turned over half their money and whatever they didn’t sell to the vendor. Not long after, though, Ujaama learned the business for himself, and began buying the same candy wholesale direct. He hired his friends, and together they sold candy, keeping more in profits for themselves. Ujaama made more money in one day than he had in an entire week working for the vendor. In addition, he was happy to helping his friends also make more money.
Now back in Seattle, Ujaama was doing well until both him and a friend were accused of trying to threatening another kid with a gun and attempting to steal his bicycle. Ujaama’s mother decided to send him back to his father, so that he would not go to jail. Back in San Diego for the second time, Ujaama returned to selling candy.
Marketing business
The year was now around 1983, and while out selling candy one day, Ujaama met a man who offered to pay him more money selling coupon books. The man was the owner of a marketing company which convinced auto businesses to provide products and, or services at a discount or free of charge. Whatever the man was able to negotiate would add up to more than a thousand dollars in free and discounted services and products. The man would then sell booklets that offered these free and discounted services and products for around twenty-five dollars. Ujaama worked for the man about three months, which was long enough for him to learn how the business worked, then he eventually started his own business doing the same. He landed his first client, a car repair shop located in the Bay Area. The client was introduced to him by his aunt who liked the concept.
Entering the advertisement business
Through Flyers Direct, Ujaama designed and sold advertisement for businesses. He eventually bought an entire full page from a major African American newspaper located in San Diego and resold the space for advertisement. This idea caught the attention of a marketing specialist and a salesman at a major corporation. They both proposed a meeting with Ujaama and offered to help him with the business by providing money and clients. The business did very well. In fact, it did so well that the newspaper refused to renew their contract, opting instead to start the same idea. This idea would become what is now known as the community marketplace. He eventually returned to Seattle and took the idea with him to do the same with another African American newspaper. From this idea, Ujaama began to experiment with desktop publishing.
Turning politics into opportunity
By this time, Ujaama was living with his father and failing in school. He was now 18. Faced with not being able to graduate from high school, he enrolled at North Seattle Community College becoming President of the Black Student Union and a board member of the Washington Association of Community College Students (WACCS). Ujaama was paid a stipend and provided access to a car. It was while in this position and lobbying on behalf of community college students that he met Washington State Representative, Jesse Wineberry and Washington Sate Senator, George Fleming. This positioned opened his eyes to a world of opportunities through the doors of politics and activism. Ujaama decided to attend the University of Washington, but he needed a high school diploma which he never received. Ujaama was urged by his mother to get a General Education Diploma or G.E.D. So he did all in one day. Having never studied for the test, he scored very high and passed. This enabled him to attend the University of Washington, which he did in 1985. However, Ujaama got involved in pledging a fraternity and soon began to fall behind in his classes. He turned his attention back toward business. A bad experience involving race-relations led him to want nothing more to do with education.
Introduction to computers
Ujaama met up with a friend who had graduated from Western Washington University. And together they began meeting up and experimenting with computer games. He became very efficient with, especially, desktop publishing and proficient in Microsoft Disk Operating System software. While working part-time at a Micro Disk Software duplication services, where he worked duplicating software, including the Aldus Desktop Publishing software, Ujaama learned quickly about software production. He eventually became the warehouse manager having access to wholesale pricing of floppy disks. He also worked part-time for Nintendo in Redmond, Washington but it was while working at Micro Disk that he began to purchase bulk software floppy disks (3.5") and resell them to numerous customers on the University of Washington main avenue, called University Way N.E. or "the Ave." Before this, however, Ujaama traveled to and worked in Alaska as fish processor for Pelican Seafoods. He returned to Seattle after a traumatic experience involving racism. However, he was able to earn enough seed money to purchase a computer of his own. He loved desktop publishing, creating advertisement flyers and writing.
Soon, through selling floppy disks and while working at Micro Disk, Ujaama met a Vietnamese Exchange student and entrepreneur who had started a computer store on the Ave. Ujaama would regularly visit him and have lengthy conversations about the business of computers. But one day the man told Ujaama that he would no longer be the owner of the store because he was selling it and returning back to his country soon upon his graduation. Ujaama quickly entered into a deal to purchase two desktop computers called XT’s. He convinced a friend to purchase one of them so that he could get a best price. His friend did and Ujaama purchased both computers at a significant discount.
Buying a computer store
When the new owners took over, Ujaama was now in 24th year and had been studying How to Buy and Sell a Business with no money down by Arnold Goldstein. He had also been studying his favorite entrepreneurs, Reginald F. Lewis and Michael Milken, believing that he could buy a business with no money down. The new owners renamed the computer store to Campus Computers and re-opened their doors. Ujaama would stop by and sell them floppy disks. He would also buy them sodas and chat with them for many hours. On one particular day, opportunity struck in a big way. One of the business owners told Ujaama that they were seeking a buyer to repay their loans. Ujaama advised them on how to save their partnership and get into the green, however, they were no longer happy with each other. They only wanted to find a buyer for the business and dissolve their partnership, and possibly their friendship.
Ujaama left and returned to both of the owners offering to purchase their store with a few conditions. One condition was to teach Ujaama all that they knew about the business and building computers for however long it took. They agreed. The second condition is to turn over their supplier and customer lists. They agreed. With that, Ujaama set in motion all that he had learned about leverage buy out or LoBO. Ujaama took their customer list and sold all of their inventory, increased their sales, and used the money to cash them out. Ujaama took ownership in less than a full month becoming the first African American to own a business on the Ave.
From Campus Computers to bad partnership
Campus Computer, Ujaama’s newly acquired business was bringing nearly $1,000 per day. He had more money than he knew what to do with at barely 25. He purchased a new car, began living in a very posh apartment after moving out of his mother’s house, doing business by day and going out at night. He also started drinking privately and dating different women as a consequence of becoming successful. But his business was doing very well. He was taking out ads in The Seattle Times classifieds and attracting customers mostly from Boeing and were engineers working in AutoCAD. They would buy from Ujaama computers with many extra add-ons called peripherals. Not long after, his main supplier came to visit and make an offer which Ujaama would refuse on numerous occasions. His supplier wanted him to sell his store and work for him. After a few months, Ujaama business started to slow down and the money wasn’t coming in like it once did. This time when the supplier came by, Ujaama told him he’d come to work with, but not for, him. The two made an agreement to become partners and share half of all new deals acquired by Ujaama.
One day, the supplier approached Ujaama with a deal to purchase computer chips and split the profits half way. This sounded good, Ujaama would invest thirty thousand and take in twenty with a full return of his investment. The total value of the deal was $100,000. The supplier had to go to Taiwan to make the purchase and when he returned he had a buyer already in place. He would make the exchange and we both would be a few thousand richer. But that deal never happened and Ujaama was told by his new partner that he didn’t make any money on the deal. In fact, he cheated Ujaama out of his share. So Ujaama found a way to get his money back through accounts receivables owed, but not paid to the company. He was asked to collect the debts that customers did not want to pay.
From politics to teaching entreprenership
Eventually, Ujaama and his former supplier disbanded because of lack of trust. Instead, Ujaama traveled to New York and purchased cosmetic watches and other types of knock off branded items that were popular sale items all over in the poor communities. He lost money and turned his attention toward politics. He got involved in the election of former Mayor Norm Rice, contributed money to his campaign, and helping State Rep. Jesse C. Wineberry run for re-election. While working to help Wineberry, Ujaama learned more details about the racial profiling of young Black men. It was at this time that he began to think about teaching entrepreneurship and ways to help mitigate the problems of drug arrests and gang violence destroying African-American communities. He would later start "Be Your Own Boss, No Drugs and No Gangs."
Motivated by encouraging words from Jesse Wineberry, Ujaama sat down and began writing a book just for young African Americans who may have been involved or had thought about being involved with selling drugs or joining violent gang activities. This was Ujaama’s audience and he found them, often organizing peaceful block parties for both Crips and Bloods. From there he began to design curriculum, write and publish newer editions of his entrepreneur book, and teach entrepreneurship. Ujaama had always believed that his generation was more interested in having the American dream, so therefore were sellers of drugs, not users. He thought of his generation and those younger as entrepreneurial in their efforts. While others were fast to criticize and criminalize the youth of his generation, Ujaama was fast to defend and inspire them use their talents in other areas. Ujaama's Be Your Own Message was not aimed at drug users, but drug dealers involved in violence. He wanted the gangs to stop killing and dealing, and start producing and building. His message was well-received by many throughout his community. However, it was a young Washington State Representative, named Jesse C. Wineberry that inspired Ujaama to write a book and begin teaching.
On "Coming Up" in his own words
Well, I wrote Coming Up in response to the barriers faced by Black men. With drugs, guns, gangs, the police, and both local and federal prosecutors all lined up to reduce the life chances and opportunities to live the American dream; a dream provided to every White American upon birth. There needed be something that could guarantee an avenue to obtain that dream for African Americans. I believed that avenue was entrepreneurship, so I wrote about in a way that would have an impact on youth coming up in the 90’s. And that was at the apex of America’s war on drugs — code for war on Black communities.[3]
Mr. Ujaama wrote in his novella, "'Coming Up' ain't what it's all cracked up to be, for a young black man straight up; And, in America it ain't all straight. Solution: each one, teach one.[4]"
His book traces the story of two young African-American men, both young entrepreneurs, who "upon graduating from high school at the top of their class...embark on a difficult (life) passage. Andre becomes a drug dealer and Hakim purchases a computer store; both become very successful..."
Ujaama’s two main characters, Andre and Hakim, experience the harsh realities of obtaining success in a White-male dominated society. But the most compelling part of the story is the structural racism faced by these two young entrepreneurs. Andre, after returning home and visiting with friends is arrested for association and loses his scholarship. Eventually, he is released with all charges dropped, but is introduced to a major drug dealer while in prison who promises him an opportunity to make more than enough money to take care of his family. Andre doesn't hesitate to accept the offer. Meanwhile, Hakim is facing another kind of structural racism at an all-White university where he too is attending on scholarship. He becomes a very successful computer dealer and store owner, but faces problems when he attempts to hire some friends from his neighborhood in Central Area Seattle. His frustration with structural racism, eventually drives him away and back to Seattle where he meets up with Andre and the two plot a come back. "I would give my life to do this movie,"
Ujaama writes in Coming Up, "We need to show our kids successful Black business owners. And, show them that we too have a history of business ownership. It's too bad that young men and women from the Black community can read and hear about Bill Gates and Paul Allen, but would not have a clue about Reginald Lewis or John H. Johnson." [4]"
Becoming Muslim and never looking back
In a private interview conducted at his home in Seattle, Ujaama was asked why he became Muslim, the following was part of that interview and a partial explanation:
Many people ask me what made me become Muslim. They will often ask not so much out of a genuine curiosity, but as a way to understand me and refute my faith. This happens primarily with certain family members who believe that we have a family tradition that belongs to the church. It was while I was enrolled at Seattle University, a Jesuit school, and in a history class that a discussion came up surrounding Islam. The professor of our class was asked a question about Islam and the Prophet —peace and blessing be upon him— I became intrigued. This was in 1994, and I was so busy trying to find myself and such an angry man on the inside, that I could not follow up on my intrigue. I was also a heavy drinker, although there were only a handful of close friends, each alcoholics and druggies in their own right, who knew this. Being the womanizer that I was, and a heavy drinker, there was no way I’d be seeking a closer relationship with my creator. Now I was very good at keeping all of this on the down low. Very few people saw this side of me, but those who did knew it was not the best part of my character.
On one occasion, I had been out with friends at a social club and we’d been drinking pretty good. After the club closed, we decided to go to a strip joint. While there with three of my closest friends, one of them spotted a girlfriend of mine and alerted me to her giving a lap dance to an ugly, older White man. One of the friends, either in joking or out of concern, commented: ‘Ujaama has that look like either he is going crash (sleep) or about to tear shit-up.’ Unfortunately, it was the latter. The table flew up in the air and next thing I know I’m outside the club while sirens could be heard. My friends hurried me into their car and sped off. They later told me what happened and I felt so ashamed, that I refused the leave the house ever again. I also vowed never to drink or go to any other club again. And I didn’t either until about a year later. I had a difficult time totally abandoning the bottle. Finally, when I did, it was because of my faith in Islam. When I decided to become Muslim, there was no looking back” [5]
Arrest
Returning to Seattle
Ujaama was devastated by the the war in Afghanistan. A cousin told him to “get over it” and so he turned his attention toward business endeavors. While in Pakistan, he lived in Karachi with a family he met through a friend named Uzair Paracha. Uzair had been involved in a Non-Governmental Organization and news agency. Ujaama had also wanted to start a NGO news organization in Afghanistan, but that idea came to a screeching halt after September 11, 2001. Instead, with his fall out with Abu Hamza over ideology, as well as complete departure from Finsbury Park Masjid, Ujaama started a business called Visioideas in Karachi, Pakistan. He would soon develop websites for organizations in London and design software outsourcing the work to his his team along with three of his virtual partners. His new partners were proprietors of the company called eTaleem.com. Together they began work on an Urdu Messenger program aimed for speakers of Urdu. This software program would be the first language translation engine software for both native English and native Urdu speakers, helping them to communicate in real time. With the software in Beta version and ready for a launch, "we needed to raise nearly two million U.S. dollars and so I was tasked with finding investors” recalls Ujaama [6]
Ujaama continues to describe the nature of his return to Seattle,
The first place that I needed to go was the city of Ottawa in Canada. I was now in London at the time and preparing for my trip which would take me to three places: Ottawa, Canada; Ann Arbor, Michigan U.S.; and Seattle, WA. Of course, I had planned to stop in Denver, Colorado to visit my brother and go fishing, afterward heading onward to Seattle, and returning to Denver before returning home to my wife and almost 2 year old daughter to London. I would never make it home [6]
Ujaama made it to Ottawa. He traveled by train to Ann Arbor, Michigan and met with an investor there with positive results. He then continued his travels onward to Denver, Colorado to visit his brother and other family members. While there, his brother argued over small stuff but were delighted to be together. They went fishing, as Ujaama recalls, and eventually traveled up to Seattle. While fishing at a damn, they noticed a car following them. And they had also noticed that a helicopter was also not far behind.
When they arrived to Seattle, they visited a friend who was a travel agent on “the Ave,” not far from where Campus Computers had once been. The friend had cautioned Ujaama about the name of his website, StopAmerica.org and advised him to change it to something less provocative. Ujaama did not listen, however because he thought it sent the message that “America should get out of the war business” [7]
While Ujaama was visiting his mother, he had a phone call from the wife of Semi Osman asking him for his help. She told Ujaama that her husband needed a new attorney because this one was not helping him and didn’t care about him. The two Ujaama brothers decided to visit the attorney, but only after seeking the advice of a friend, also an attorney. The friend told Earnest that this particular attorney was a good lawyer, so the Ujaama brothers called him to arrange a meeting. Without knowing that there was investigation pending, in which Osman was involved, they met with the lawyer and attempted to find out how they could help. Afterward, they gathered other friends from the former masjid to make a plan on how to raise money and help Osman. Osman’s wife, Angelica asked to meet with Earnest again and he did. He wanted to assure her that the attorney was doing a good job. However, she was secretly recording their conversation to provide federal agents in the hopes of gaining some incriminating information [8]
Ujaama's early Anti-War campaign
Unbeknownst to Ujaama, an investigation was underway specifically find some reason to detain him. Semi Osman was pressured by his lawyer to provide something incriminating, but he was not the only one. While FBI agents were busy attempting to find any weak links, the set their sights on Ujaama. But Ujaama was now producing anti-war t-shirts and literature, talking to friends, and letting all those close to him know that he intended to take his anti-war message to Washington.
There were many people in the community used to Ujaama’s stand against power. On many occasions, he had stood and observed police as they arrested someone from the neighborhood. Since the police and the Seattle’s Black community had on many occasions a pretentious relationship, Ujaama’s message that America’s war and foreign policy resembled “Jim Crow on steroids” resonated. He sold many StopAmerica.org anti-war t-shirts.
However, there were FBI agents and many from outside of Ujaama’s community, mostly conservatives, who seen www.StopAmerica.org website, the message, and the name as highly offensive and anti-American. Ujaama countered, “there is no such thing as any one America, only one world.” He believed that the world was one and everyone was a citizen of the world community. But he also believed that Osama bin Ladin was innocent of U.S. charges and that 9-11 was a result of America’s foreign policies which were oppressive.
When Ujaama learned of the attacks, he told investigators that at first, he felt “happy” because he thought it would send a wake up call to change U.S. foreign policies. Quoting Malcolm X, Ujaama allegedly told investigators that it was like “chickens coming home to roost.” According to court transcripts, he testified that he now “believe[s] that education, not violence, is the best way to change our foreign policies,” and that the 9/11 “attacks were not Islamic, nor were they justified.” [9]
Further notes
This author is in possession of all court transcripts, sentencing memorandums, and primary documents related to United States vs. Earnest James Ujaama, SDNY 04 CR 356 KBR. Most of these are filed under seal. At times, I have referenced a few of these documents throughout. Most of what is found on the Internet is piece-meal journalism, speculation or theory, and is outdated. This case was constantly evolving from around July 2002 - December 2006, and January 2007 - October 2015. In addition, this case in actuality had very little to do with Ujaama, and more to do with his co-conspirators: Abu Hamza al-Masri, Osssam Kassir, Haroon Aswat, and Feroz Abassi. The government has admitted that Ujaama's knowledge of the details was unknown, and that he was not engaged in terrorist activity. They do claim, however, that he inadvertently supported terrorism, a point of contention rendered moot, at his sentencing.[10]
Only interview given
Earnest James Ujaama has only granted one interview. That interview was conducted in May 2016, with CBS Denver 4, Rick Sallinger. The interview can be seen in the news article Denver Native talks about getting tangled in the war on terror.
Ujaama's final charges
Ujaama was charged with four counts: (1) Title 18 USC 371 Conspiracy to provide and conceal material support, in relationship to a plan to develop a “jihad” training camp in Bly, Oregon; (2) Title 18 USC 2339A Conspiracy to provide and conceal material support, in relationship to an agreement to take Feroz Abassi to Afghanistan to join the Taliban in their fight against Northern Alliance; (3) Title 18 USC 2339A and 2 Providing and concealing material support, in relationship to [alleged] conduct of Feroz Abassi; and (4) Unlawful Flight to Avoid Testimony in relationship to leaving the country without permission [10]
The offense for count one ended on January 1, 2000. Although there had been an investigation in that same year, Ujaama was not charged with a crime until after August 2002. The government agreed that Ujaama had less knowledge of the ultimate purpose of the provision of the material support, because as they also stated, "(he) testified at the Kassir trial that he did not intend for the Bly training camp to support Al-Qaeda",[11] and "the government is aware of no information to the contrary" [10]
Selected Bibliography
- Ujaama, Ej. (1991). Young People's Guide to Starting a Business. Self-published.
- Ujaama, Ej. (1993). Entrepreneur Basics 101. Seattle, WA: Be Your Own Boss Publishing.
- Ujaama, Ej. (1994). How to Be An Entrepreneur. Seattle, WA: Be Your Own Boss Publishing.
- Ujaama, Ej. (1996). Coming Up. Seattle, WA: Inner-City Publishing.
- Strickland, Daryl. (1991, August 1). Young, Gifted and Black -- 'Living Large' The Legal Way - Enterpreneur, 25, Shares Tips on Business with Teen Gangs. The Seattle Times.
References
- ^ Feit, Josh (September 5, 2002). "A.K.A. Bilal Ahmed U.S. charges Seattle man with ties to al Qaeda". The Stranger.
With the exception of Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh, it's the first public indictment brought against a U.S. citizen on domestic terrorism charges in the Bush administration's "War on Terrorism."
- ^ a b Egan, Timothy (October 2, 2002). "Threats and responses: The Seattle suspect; Riddle in Seattle: Is man held by U.S. a terrorist or just a hustler?". The New York Times.
- ^ (Ej Ujaama, Personal communication, 2016
- ^ a b Ujaama, Earnest (1996). Coming Up. Inner-City Publishing.
- ^ (Ej Ujaama, Personal Communication, 2016).
- ^ a b (Ej Ujaama, Personal communication, 2016).
- ^ (Ej. Ujaama, and R. Samad, Personal communication, 2016).
- ^ United States v. Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, 04 CR 356, S.D.N.Y. 2014.
- ^ Kassir Trial, Testimony, at 2207
- ^ a b c United States v. Earnest James Ujaama, 04 CR 356, SDNY 2015.
- ^ Kassir Trial, Testiomy, at 1308