... Mr. Zindani turned to the Muslim World League,
a nonprofit organization primarily funded by the Saudi government. The World
League provided financial support to establish the Commission on Scientific
Signs. Mr. Ahmed, who moved to Chicago in 1983, was put on its payroll at
$3,000 a month, and traveled from coast to coast cultivating U.S. and Canadian
scientists.
The commission drew the scientists to its conferences with first-class plane
tickets for them and their wives, rooms at the best hotels, $1,000 honoraria,
and banquets with Muslim leaders -- such as a palace dinner in Islamabad
with Pakistani President Mohammed Zia ul-Haq shortly before he was killed
in a plane crash.
Mr. Ahmed also gave at least one scientist a crystal clock. Mr. Ahmed, who
left the commission in 1996 and now operates an Islamic elementary school
in Pennsylvania, says he reassured the scientists that the commission was
"completely neutral" and welcomed information contradicting the Quran. The
scientists soon learned differently. Each one was given a verse from the
Quran to examine in light of his expertise. Then Mr. Zindani would interview
him on videotape, pushing him to concede divine inspiration.
... Mr. Bahafzallah says the commission raises about $250,000 a year from
individuals and businesses, besides its subsidy from the Muslim World League.
It has operated five conferences since 1986, most recently in Beirut in 2000,
each costing about $100,000.