Activists Simmer Over Alleged Terror Ties to Campbell's Soup

Oct. 19, 2010— -- From the people who helped bring you the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy come new allegations of Muslim "infiltration" linked to an organization hired to certify Campbell's soup.

Conservative blogger Pamela Geller, who helped build opposition to a proposed Islamic center near the site of the 9/11 attacks, has begun a grassroots protest against the Campbell Soup Company over the group that it uses to label Halal certain varieties of soup for sale in Canada

Geller says she doesn't oppose the company's decision to label soups that conform to Islamic dietary rules, but says the company has employed a Muslim organization with terrorist ties to oversee the certification.

"I have no problem with labeling things Halal," Geller, who founded "Stop Islamization of America", told ABCNews.com. "The problem is that they went to [the Islamic Society of North America] for their designation, a named a co-conspirators in the Holy Land Foundation trial."

ISNA was named an "unindicted co-conspirator" in a 2007 federal terror trial brought against the Holy Land Foundation, a Muslim charity located in Texas, which was convicted of funneling more than $12 million to Palestinian terror group Hamas.

In November 2008, five individuals associated with the Holy Land Foundation were found guilty of 108 charges related to providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations and conspiring to launder money. Two of the group's top officials, Shukri Abu-Baker and Ghassan Elashi, were each sentenced to 65 years in federal prison.

"My question to Campbell is: 'Why would you use this group?' Why them, given their ties to these sorts of groups?" asked Geller.

Geller called ISNA's involvement with a popular brand a "stealth jihad." Campbell's doesn't use the labeling for its soups sold in the U.S.

Campbell Soup Company says it began labeling about 15 varieties of vegetarian soups in January. The company retained ISNA to do the certifications, because the organization was commonly employed by other Canadian food manufacturers.

"ISNA was identified as the leading certifier in Canada," said John Faulkner, spokesman for Campbell Soup Company. "After this hit Facebook, we went back to our Global Security department and through contacts at the State Department and the FBI have been assured ISNA is a reputable organization."

In a statement, ISNA acknowledged being named a co-conspirator in the 2007 trial, but added, "the government admitted that its labeling of ISNA many years ago was nothing more than a legal tactic. Indeed, ISNA now has a very positive working relationship with the federal government."

ISNA Is Disappointed, Angered

ISNA "is disappointed and angered by the recent allegations by far leaning right wing bloggers, such as Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, who wrongly associate certification of Halal foods with terrorism and label ISNA as a terrorist organization," the group said in a statement.

Created 40 years ago, ISNA, based in Plainfiled, Ind., says it is the largest Islamic organization in North America.

Campbell said the boycott has "not been impactful" on soup sales in Canada or the U.S.

The soup company estimates there are some 1 million Muslims in Canada, and the population is growing. The company called the population a "measurable percentage, which makes the pretty good subset" for targeted marketing.