Green Muslims of New Jersey (GMNJ) is an environmental activist organization based in Central New Jersey with a predominantly Muslim membership base.

Leadership

Saffet Abid Catovic is the founder and board chair for GMNJ. Catovic is also the head of the Islamic Society of North America‘s (ISNA) Office for Interfaith, Community Alliances and Government Relations. As of 2023, Catovic serves as the Chair of the Parliament of the World’s Religions‘ Climate Action Task Force as well as a member of the organization’s Board of Trustees. In addition, he is a Fellow of GreenFaith and their Senior Muslim Advisor, a founding member of the Global Muslim Climate Network (GMCN), a board member of the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), and a board member of the Statewide Clergy Council of Faith in New Jersey, a local religious organization that is part of the Faith In Action national network. ¹ Catovic was previously the New York representative of the Benevolence International Foundation (BIF), a charity organization that in 2002 was designated by the United States Department of Treasury as a financer of terrorism. ^{2 3}

In 1992, Catovic moderated and spoke at a conference for the Islamic Committee for Palestine (ICP) in Chicago. In his introductory remarks, he claimed, “We as Muslims of course long range would like to have the Khilafah (Caliphate) back, ok. So if anyone has any misunderstandings that is our long range intention…and any Muslim and any activity, any Islamic activity anywhere wants that.” ⁴ At the same conference, the panel Catovic moderated included convicted Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Sami Al-Arian and radical cleric Mohammed Al-Asi. ⁵

1. “Imam Saffet Abid Catovic.” Blessed Tomorrow, Accessed November 28, 2023. https://blessedtomorrow.org/leaders/imam-saffet-abid-catovic/
2. “Catovic: The Caliphate is our goal.” The Investigative Project on Terrorism, December 25, 1992. https://www.investigativeproject.org/275/catovic-the-caliphate-is-our-goal
3. “Press Release: Treasury Designates Benevolence International Foundation and Related Entities as Financiers of Terrorism.” U.S Department of the Treasury, November 19, 2022. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/po3632
4. “Catovic: The Caliphate is our goal.” The Investigative Project on Terrorism, December 25, 1992. https://www.investigativeproject.org/275/catovic-the-caliphate-is-our-goal
5. “Catovic: The Caliphate is our goal.” The Investigative Project on Terrorism, December 25, 1992. https://www.investigativeproject.org/275/catovic-the-caliphate-is-our-goal