Islamic Center of Portland (ICOP), also known as Masjed As-Saber, is a mosque located in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland, Oregon. According to the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), the imam of ICOP allegedly had ties to radical Islamist terrorism, including associations with Islamic fighters who travelled to Afghanistan to assist the Taliban after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. ^{1 2 3}

Despite reporting semi-annual operating expenses of only $25,914.84, ICOP reportedly distributed over $263,000 in COVID-19 related grants on behalf of the City of Portland and the Oregon Health Authority between August and December 2020. ⁴

Activities

Islamic Center of Portland (ICOP) is an Islamic religious organization located in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland, Oregon. The organization claims to provide educational and religious services to the Muslim community in the Portland area in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an. ⁵

Programs run by ICOP include the Ahlul-Bayt Sunday school that focuses on teaching students from aged 4 to 18 the Qur’an, Muslim prayer, and Islamic values. The Ahlul-Bayt school claims to have graduated 250 students since it began. ⁶

Other programs of the ICOP include the Muslim Cemetery of Portland, a five-and-a-half-acre all-Muslim cemetery established in 2015 with 3,800 burial plots. ⁷

ICOP’s website also provides information on volunteer opportunities, ⁸ program schedules, ⁹ and how to reserve the physical space of the center for events. ¹⁰

Alleged Extremist Connections

According to the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT), since the mid-1990s, Islamic Center of Portland (ICOP) has been linked to individuals connected with radical Islamist terrorism. IPT alleges the mosque’s former imam, Muhammed Sheik Abdirahman Kariye, had his assets frozen in December 2001 following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in response to allegations that Kariye was sending money to Al-Qaeda. IPT also claims that Kariye was associated with the Portland Seven radical group, with at least two members of the mosque alleged to have aided Taliban forces in attacking U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. IPT also reported that a witness claimed Karyie provided $2,000 to fighters who travelled to Afghanistan and that the money provided was acquired from members of ICOP. ³

According to IPT, a worshiper at ICOP, Ali Khaled Steitiye, was arrested on October 24, 2001, on federal gun charges. He was later convicted after federal agents investigated his home where they found over $20,000 in cash, ammunition, firearms, and a calendar with September 11, 2001 circled in red ink. In 2004, Steitiye pled guilty to illegal possession of a machine gun. ³

Leadership

Islamic Center of Portland (ICOP) has pages on its websites for governing committees including a board of trustees, an education committee, and a financial committee. As of late 2024, the webpages for each of these committees are empty and list no members. ⁵

Financials

According to 2020 financial records, the Islamic Center of Portland (ICOP) reported total revenue of $34,658 and total expenditures of $25,915. Roughly $24,043 of the revenue was reported as online donations. Roughly $12,916 of expenditures were spent on payroll. ICOP also claimed to have spent $263,340 outside of its organization’s profit and loss statement, including providing $72,090 in internet assistance cards with grants provided by the city of Portland, Oregon, as well as providing $38,625 in lost wage assistance, $52,275 in rent assistance, $38,016 in payroll reimbursements, and $21,594 in grocery assistance with grants provided by the Oregon Health Authority. ^{11 4}

1. “About Us.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/aboutus.html https://icop.org/aboutus.html.
2. “Masjed As-Saber.” Masjed As-Saber. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.assaber.com/index.html.
3. “Islamic Center of Portland (Masjid As Sabr). The Investigative Project on Terrorism. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.investigativeproject.org/mosques/414/islamic-center-of-portland-masjid-as-sabr.
4.  “Masjed Assaber Statement of Activity.” Masjed AS-Saber. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.assaber.com/userfiles/files/Aug%202020-Dec%202020%20Income%20Statement%20Report(1).pdf/
5. “About Us.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/aboutus.html.
6. “Ahlul-Bayt School.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/school.html.
7. “Muslim Cemetery.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/muslimcemetery.html.
8. “Volunteer Opportunities to Support Us.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/getinvolved.html.
9. “Programme Schedule.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/upcomingevents.html.
10. “Reserve Center.” ICOP. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://icop.org/reservecenter.html.
11.  “Financial.” Masjed As-Saber. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.assaber.com/financial.html.