"Why welcome a ringleader of Iranian persecution and oppression? Khatami was given a bully pulpit even though we know that his 'dialogue' is demagoguery and his version of history doesn't square with the facts," Crouse said Friday.

Hers was the second group to raise similar objections. Just a day earlier, the Assyrian Christians voiced their opposition to Khatami's recent appearance in Chicago.

Khatami was given the platform to spread his "propaganda" about the "peaceful religion of Islam" and was described by the cathedral dean as a "man of peace and moderation," the women's group said.

That even though during his presidency opposition was outlawed in Iran and other religious and cultural influences were suppressed, the group said.

"In the midst of the war on terror, entertaining such a speaker was ill-advised and disrespectful of our soldiers fighting overseas; the hosts of the event at the Cathedral should have known better," the organization said.

"Mr. Khatami and his hosts could use a dose of realism - his policies resulted in the persecution of Christians, other religious minorities, and even those among Iran's own who were dissidents," Crouse said.

"Let's pray that along with giving Khatami a platform for dialogue, the Cathedral will also offer an altar of repentance where God's forgiveness and transformation is available to those who seek His face," she said.

One day earlier, Sabri Atman, of the Assyrian Christians, said the former Iranian president's appearances around the U.S. are an insult to all freedom-loving people around the world. That's why the group staged a protest nearby while Khatami was speaking in Chicago.

"Our people are scattered across the world because of radical Moslems like Khatami and their slaughter of our people," Atman told WND.

"I am a Christian Assyrian, and I have a very limited chance to talk about my people," he said. "I feel very strange that Khatami comes to the United States and is free to speak."

He said the Assyrian Christians are "the original people" in the region but they no longer have the same rights in their country that Khatami does in the United States.

"While he enjoys the freedom to say whatever he wants against America, the Assyrian Christians in his own country suffer even as we speak. He does not afford to others the freedom he enjoys in America," Atman said.

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., has described Khatami as "one of the chief propagandists of the Islamic fascist regime."

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51905

NEW YORK: Families of Persian Jews Sue Khatami

A group of Jewish-Iranian families has filed suit in federal court against the Ayatollah Mohammad Khatami for kidnapping and torturing their relatives, serving him with the summons at the dinner sponsored by the Council on American Islamic Relations: Families Of Kidnapped Persian Jews Sue Khatami In US Court.

NEW YORK, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ - Seven Jewish-Iranian families have filed suit in an American federal court against former President Mohammad Khatami over charges that he is responsible for the kidnapping and torture of their missing family members. The families, currently residing in Los Angeles and Israel, contend that Khatami instituted the policy of imprisoning their relatives without trials and refusing to provide them any information concerning their whereabouts. The Jews were arrested on different occasions during the years 1994 through 1997, as they sought to leave Iran across its border with Pakistan.

On Friday evening copies of the complaint and summons were served on Khatami at a reception in Arlington, Virginia hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Khatami has twenty days to file an answer denying the allegations or default the case.

The plaintiffs, who are not U.S. citizens, brought the suit under special laws - the Alien Torts Act and the Torture Victims Protection Act - which permit foreigners to sue their tormentors for torture and kidnapping in American courts. The lawsuit filed in the New York District Court is being represented by attorneys Robert Tolchin of New York, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of Jerusalem and Pooya Dayanim of Los Angeles. The plaintiffs are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages against Khatami for his role in the on-going disappearance of their loved ones.

Since the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, millions of Iranian citizens have sought to escape from the Islamic regime. In normal circumstances when Muslim citizens are arrested attempting to leave without official permission, the established punishment is a small fine or a short jail term.

However, in the instances where Jewish citizens have been similarly arrested, the Islamic government has instituted much harsher penalties. The Plaintiffs allege that Khatami has singled out the Jewish community and authorized the policy of secretly imprisoning the Jews indefinitely.

END