An imam at Masjid Bilal, a mosque in the northern Houston community where New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar lived, accused Jews of using usury to exploit and take control of the economy wherever they went, according to video footage published by the Middle East Media Research Institute on X/Twitter on Thursday.
Masjid Bilal is one of 20 Islamic Centers run by The Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH), according to The Daily Mail.
“Imagine, in Europe, what was happening to the Banu Israil [Jews] there? As we said, [Jews were] killed, destroyed, persecuted. Now, the question is, why?” Imam Eiad Soudan asked in footage published by MEMRI. “Why does the whole world want them to stay in Palestine?”
Soudan answers the question, claiming that Jews have sought to take control of the economy of whichever country in which they have ended up.
Eiad Soudan, Imam of Houston Mosque Where New Orleans Attacker Worshiped: Jews Seek to Control the Economy Wherever They Go, That’s Why Hitler Killed Them; Europeans Support Israel Because They Don’t Want Jews Back in Their Countries (Archival) pic.twitter.com/AFXc7cIC82
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) January 2, 2025
“[Jews] have many problems, but that’s one of the main problems — they like to take control of the economy. Everywhere they go... as long as they get to the goal, the means don’t matter. Interest, usury, is haram [prohibited] for them. Still, they use it to get control of the economy,” Soudan said.
“That is why the other countries don’t want them back. So when they support them, they are not supporting them because they love them. It’s like: ‘Please stay there, we’ll do whatever you want, stay there, don’t come back.'”
Soudan continued, reciting a line from chapter 5, verse 64 of the Quran, which refers to Jews who were at odds with the Muslims.
“And they strive to spread corruption in the land. And Allah does not like corruptors,” MEMRI cited the imam as saying in Arabic.
Referencing Hitler in his statements
Continuing in English, Soudan referred to Hitler’s treatment of the Jews.
“In the First World War — Germany won or lost? Lost. Until this guy, Hitler, with the nice mustache, he [came into] power, and we all know what he did,” Soudan said. “And, by the way, Hitler hated the Banu Israil so bad, because of the economy thing, they were in control of the economy, but not only that, they used to consider them a lower level of citizen. And they used to believe that German blood was above every other blood. Hitler did not only kill many of the Banu Israil, by the way. So those who say that only the Banu Israil paid the price — everybody paid the price, they say thousands of Muslims were killed.”
On New Year's Day, Jabbar murdered 14 people in a shooting and ramming attack in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Dozens more, including two Israelis, were wounded in the attack.
The Daily Mail noted that although Masjid Bilal is located a few minutes walk from Jabbar’s residence, the extent of his connection to the mosque is unknown.
Following the attack, media reports cited a social media post by Masjid Bilal, urging members not to respond to inquiries from the media.
If approached by the FBI, the statement read, community members should refer to CAIR or ISGH.]
“It is crucial that we stay united at this time as we condemn these terrible acts. Please stay safe,” the statement read.
In another statement posted to social media following the New Orleans attack, the ISGH said that it was “horrified” by the event and condemned the “act of terror” as “pure evil.”
The ISGH also sent its condolences to the families of those killed, stated it was praying for the quick recovery of those hurt, and encouraged anyone with relevant knowledge to be in contact with law enforcement authorities.