New Islamic developments in cities like Plano, Texas, have residents concerned about a rising spread of Sharia-based teachings and community structures. And their concern isn’t misplaced, as videos from inside the movement reveal candid admissions about enforcing religious law, including punishments for theft and adultery.

“Those shopkeepers who sell the rings and stuff on the kiosks, when it’s time for Salah, what do they do? Even to this day, they put a cloth over it and they go pray. Nobody’s going to steal anything. Why? Because you will lose your hand over it,” Yusha Evans of Plano, Texas, said on video.

“And if you’re in Medina, they don’t have to take you very far, because the Sharia court is right next to Masi. They don’t have to take you very far; you will lose your hand. So the deterrent is there,” he continued, noting that those who have been caught and given this punishment statistically do not repeat-offend.

“It’s almost nonexistent,” he added. “They’re sending out polls about whether you would like to live under Sharia for a reason. I would rather you keep your mouth shut than say some of things that I’ve heard been said. Because any Muslim who says they would not like to live under Sharia, they have just made a statement that exited them out of their entire religion.”

“That’s a pretty hardcore stance,” Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” comments. “That if you don’t agree with Sharia law, you don’t want to live under Sharia law, but you do want to practice Islam, sorry, you’ve left the religion.”

Gray, like many others, is concerned about the budding Muslim communities in places like Plano, where Evans lives.

“The only reason it’s a problem is because they’re trying to institute Sharia law, and they’re discriminating against Christians and Jews and anybody else who wants to move into that area by telling them that 75% of your money is going to go to the mosque we’re building,” Gray explains.

“There’s a misunderstanding that this is a new thing. It isn’t. There’s at least two of these pretty big communities here in Irving, where our studios are located, and there’s already an existing one, I believe, in Plano,” he continues, adding, “They’re just trying to make it much bigger.”

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Islamic city planned for Texas hires ex-Paxton attorney to defuse Sharia law concerns

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) in late March directed the Texas Rangers, the Texas State Securities Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission to launch investigations into the East Plano Islamic Center concerning its plans to develop a Muslim-centric city on 402 acres near Josephine, roughly 40 miles outside Dallas.

The development would reportedly feature a mosque, a K-12 faith-based school, an outreach center, commercial developments, sports facilities, and 1,000 homes, townhomes, and apartments.

'There definitely could be an argument that there's conflict because I'm still being represented by him and he's representing clients that we are investigating.'

The proposed city has ignited fears within the surrounding community that it will implement Sharia law and potentially ultimately lead to a "no-go zone."

State investigations

Abbott has repeatedly expressed concerns about the planned community.

In February, Abbott stated in a post on social media, "To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are 'no go zones' which this project seems to imply."

"Bottom line. The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas," the governor concluded, referring to EPIC's promotional clip advertising the plans.

The Texas Funeral Service Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter to EPIC in March, demanding that it "immediately stop all illegal funeral service operations."

According to Abbott, EPIC had been operating a funeral home without an established license in violation of state law.

Abbott announced on April 1 that EPIC "may not begin construction" on its community, stating that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality discovered it had failed to obtain required "authorizations or permits."

The governor insisted that EPIC City "has serious legal issues" and announced that a dozen state agencies are looking into the proposed community.

The governor tasked the Texas Rangers with investigating EPIC "for potential criminal activities." The Texas Workforce Commission is probing "potential discrimination in violation of the Texas Fair Housing Act." The Texas State Securities Board is looking into any "potential financial harm to Texans." Additionally, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is examining "potential violations of Texas consumer protection laws."

"Texas vigorously safeguards the freedoms granted to American citizens in the U.S. Constitution, including the freedom of religion," Abbott said. "To that end, the Texas Workforce Commission opened an investigation into the group behind the proposed EPIC compound who are potentially breaking state fair housing laws by refusing to sell or rent housing to certain groups based on religion or other protected traits."

Texans share concerns

The RAIR Foundation USA was among the first to begin sounding the alarm about EPIC and its proposed city.

Amy Mek, the founder and editor in chief of the RAIR Foundation, warned that the project is not just "a housing development."

"It's the expansion of a Sharia-controlled society, starting with the radical school already operating at the EPIC Mosque in Plano, Texas," Mek wrote. "Now, EPIC is scaling up — EPIC City will operate with no city oversight, no state-controlled curriculum, and no accountability to American laws."

'No one associated with EPIC … follows Sharia law or is in favor of Sharia law.'

Many residents in Blue Ridge, a city roughly 20 miles away from Josephine, voiced their concerns about the proposed development during a recent city council meeting.

Douglas Deaton, a former police lieutenant in Plano, stated that a Sharia law enclave existed in Texas long before EPIC proposed its city plans.

"There seems to be a general misunderstanding that we're talking about a plan to build an Islamic, Sharia-friendly community. The EPIC neighborhood already exists in Plano. It's been there for nearly 12 years. With 74 residential properties, a massive mosque, schools, a medical clinic, and multiple businesses," he told the city council. "You have to be a member of their mosque to live there."

"This is not a matter of radicals hiding in plain sight; they're not hiding. They've been open about their beliefs and their intent," Deaton added.

On Wednesday, Paxton spoke with Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck about the governor's actions against EPIC, revealing interesting new details about the controversy.

"We're not going to sacrifice [our constitution] for Sharia law. It's just not going to happen in Texas," Paxton told Beck. "At the same time, we want to be cognizant that people have a right to have their own religion, and we respect that."

Paxton explained that the community cannot discriminate against potential residents based on religion, noting that doing so would violate housing laws.

He stated that he recently learned that the attorney representing EPIC City's developers, Dan Cogdell, is the same lawyer who previously defended him against impeachment. Paxton was acquitted of all charges in 2023.

The AG called it "a little concerning" that he was not made aware of that fact sooner.

"There definitely could be an argument that there's conflict because I'm still being represented by him and he's representing clients that we are investigating," Paxton told Beck.

EPIC responds

EPIC has denied claims that its proposed community will disregard state and federal laws to implement Sharia law.

Cogdell accused Abbott of spreading lies about the planned city, claiming that the project is "the victim of racial profiling."

"These aren't foreign adversaries. These are Texans. These are Americans. These are United States citizens," Cogdell told KTVT last week. "No one associated with EPIC, no one associated with that community follows Sharia law or is in favor of Sharia law."

Cogdell had a message for Abbott.

"Quit tweeting lies, false information, and nonsense. Because my clients right now, what they are doing is they are suffering from essentially gubernatorial hate speech," he stated.

Cogdell reportedly told KTVK that his clients have received "dozens of death threats." As a result, the developers were "too scared to go on camera," according to the news outlet.

When reached for comment, the governor's office referred KTVK to previously released statements.

Beck was offered an opportunity to speak with the project's developer on Thursday, only to discover that Cogdell had been tapped to talk on their behalf. Upon realizing this, Beck canceled, insisting that he wanted a candid conversation with the developer, not the attorney. The developer signaled interest in rescheduling for next week.

During Thursday's radio show, Beck stated, "I got an email from somebody who said, 'You know, you should talk to the developer directly.'"

The email read, "Given the amount of misinformation circulating, it might be beneficial to speak directly with the landowner developer to ensure accuracy."

"So I said yes to that on the program," Beck stated. "Then I find out that it's the lawyer. Well, what happened to the directly to the landowner developer? So they said he'll be prepared for our conversation sometime next week."

"I don't have anything bad to say about the developer if it's all on the up and up," he added. "It's just, there's some things about this, the people that are engaged in it, that are a little disturbing."

The developer did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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'You cannot hide': Alleged Tesla firebomber finds out actions have consequences — possibly decades in federal prison

Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a message Monday night to radicals: "If you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars."

Bondi made clear that this was not an idle threat, noting that Cooper Frederick, 24, has been charged in connection with the March 7 firebombing of a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado.

"All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety," said the attorney general. "Therefore, there will be no negotiating. We are seeking 20 years in prison."

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Frederick was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of malicious destruction and attempted destruction of property by fire and one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.

'It's incredibly challenging to keep our citizens safe.'

On March 7, just after midnight, Loveland Police officers responded to a report of arson at the local Tesla dealership, where similar incidents resulting in federal criminal charges occurred on Jan. 29, Feb. 2, Feb. 7, and Feb. 24. Police indicated that an incendiary device had been thrown at the building, then ignited between Tesla vehicles, "putting several occupants inside Tesla at risk." Vehicles at the location were apparently also damaged by rocks in the attack.

Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran expressed frustration at the time over the perceived light touch that a previous alleged arsonist received, noting, "It's incredibly challenging to keep our citizens safe from copycat behavior when there are no repercussions to lawlessness."

Fortunately, repercussions were imminent.

Loveland Police arrested Frederick, a Fort Collins resident, on March 13, and slapped him with five state felony charges, including second-degree arson; criminal mischief; criminal attempt to commit a class 5 or 6 felony; and use of explosives or incendiary devices during the commission of a felony.

Frederick was released on a $20,000 cash surety bond the following day and left the state; however, the FBI caught up with the alleged firebomber and arrested him on federal charges in Plano, Texas.

"You can run, but you cannot hide," Bondi said in her video in reference to Frederick's arrest.

Kelly Page, Frederick's attorney, told CNN that her client had not run from the law but had moved back to Texas to live with his parents.

"Despite the insinuation by Ms. Bondi that Mr. Frederick fled and was apprehended in Texas, DOJ was notified of this move by counsel, and Mr. Frederick remained fully cooperative with the courts and the investigation until he was arrested on the warrant at his home in Texas," said Page.

The FBI formed a dedicated task force last month to bring an end to the ongoing attacks against Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations.

The bureau has urged the public to "exercise vigilance and to look out for suspicious activity in areas occupied by Tesla dealerships or Tesla-related entities." Concerned citizens keen to report a threat can call 1-800-225-5324 or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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Texas anesthesiologist arrested for allegedly tampering with IVs, one of which may have caused the death of fellow doctor

An anesthesiologist in Plano, Texas, has been arrested after several IV bags containing inappropriate drugs have supposedly been traced to him. Prosecutors allege that one of these bags caused the death of a fellow doctor, and another caused serious complications for at least one other patient.

Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., 59, has been arrested after security footage indicated that, on several occasions, he had tampered with IV bags, which may have caused some of the emergency incidents that arose during otherwise routine surgeries at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Center throughout the summer.

According to Fox News, Ortiz had been under investigation by the FBI after he was allegedly seen on security cameras placing IV bags into a warmer. The bags were then used during subsequent procedures in which serious complications unexpectedly arose.

Officials investigated the bags and determined that they contained "visible tiny holes in the plastic wrap." They also discovered the presence of bupivacaine, a numbing agent often injected into the spinal cord during surgery to alleviate pain but which can be fatal if injected directly into a vein.

Authorities suspect that such was the case for one of Ortiz's colleagues. On June 21, Dr. Melanie Kaspar, 55, a co-worker at Baylor Scott & White, took a saline bag home to help her rehydrate following an illness. However, almost immediately after she inserted the IV into her vein, she went into severe cardiac distress and died.

Another young man, 18, identified in the filing only as J.A., also had a serious complication develop during a minor sinus surgery on August 24. J.A. had to be intubated and transferred to intensive care. Tests of the saline solution in one the patient's IV bags revealed the presence of bupivacaine, epinephrine, and lidocaine, none of which should have been there, but which could have caused the symptoms.

J.A.'s current condition is unknown.

After the J.A. incident, Baylor Scott & White temporarily suspended its operations, and the Texas Medical Board then suspended Ortiz's medical license on September 9. As the surgical center also experienced an usually high complication rate this summer, investigators are now considering whether those cases can be connected back to Ortiz.

Though none of the complications occurred during any of Ortiz's surgeries, the complaint notes that none of them occurred while he was on vacation either. They all occurred around the time that Ortiz was in the facility or shortly thereafter. The incidents also reportedly began shortly after Ortiz was subjected to a disciplinary inquiry for deviating "from the standard of care."

There have been other charges leveled against him as well. Since 1999, at least three women have accused him of domestic violence, and he was convicted of an unspecified crime after he shot a neighbor's dog in 2015. The dog ultimately survived.

Now, Ortiz has been charged with tampering with a consumer product causing death and intentional drug adulteration. He is expected to appear in federal court on Friday. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Texas AG blasts 'mob rule,' police chief after angry driver is only person charged when Black Lives Matter militants 'illegally shut down traffic'

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blasted "mob rule" and Plano's police chief after an angry driver caught on video confronting Black Lives Matter militants for blocking traffic was the only person charged in Saturday's incident.

What are the details?

After Paxton caught wind of the viral showdown, he issued a statement Monday decrying "a group of radical-left armed agitators and a police chief unwilling to enforce the law."

The Texas AG said that after "a group of militant BLM protesters illegally shut down traffic underneath a major highway," an "Antifa-like character pulled what appears to be a gun and pointed it at the man" who had exited his car "to demand the mob clear the way."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Paxton added that "rather than disperse the crowd or arrest the lawbreakers, the lone police officer told" the driver who confronted the group to "go away."

What did police have to say?

Plano police told WFAA-TV that the object in the protester's hand is an electronic control device, which the station wrote is "commonly known as a Taser."

Police Chief Ed Drain added to WFAA that the device was "purchased without a permit or license, and the person who pointed the device did not commit a criminal offense by doing so."

In the video, the angry motorist appears to attempt to slap a phone out of the hand of one of the protesters. Police said in its statement that "a female reported that she was assaulted by a male who confronted the protestors. Due to the position of the crowd, the officer did not witness the assault. The officer de-escalated the situation by removing the male ... from the crowd ... After speaking with the victim and the suspect, and reviewing video footage of the incident, detectives filed an Assault-by-Contact charge with the Municipal Court against the male suspect," the station reported.

Plano police told WFAA the names of the victim and suspect are not being released over concerns for their safety, and that assault by contact is a class C misdemeanor.

In addition, police told the station that the protesters were asked to disperse after the confrontation and complied. Officers also told them that obstructing traffic is illegal, WFAA reported. Chief Drain added to the station that traffic was held up for for seven minutes.

VIDEO: Angry motorist confronts BLM protesters blocking busy intersection as police officer does nothing

Video of a Texas motorist confronting protesters blocking a busy intersection has gone viral. The video shows a police officer seemingly permit the protesters to block traffic from flowing through the intersection.

What happened?

The video shows a large man storming through backed up traffic to confront Black Lives Matter protesters blocking a busy intersection in Plano, Texas. The incident reportedly took place last Sunday, the Dallas Observer reported.

"Get the f*** out of my way!" the man screamed. "Where's the godd*** cop?" He then found a cop standing by the intersection, who was seemingly allowing the protesters to block traffic.

"Get these f***ing people out of the way!" the man screamed at the cop. "They can't be standing in the middle of the road!"

The protesters then swarmed the man as he squared up to fight. One of the demonstrators, attorney Lee Merritt, attempted to intervene to de-escalate the situation, the Observer reported. As tensions quickly rose, the officer escorted the angered motorist away from the protesters and back toward his car. The video did not show the police officer clear protesters from the intersection.

(Content Warning: Strong language):

Texas Residents At Breaking Point: Citizens angry with BLM protesters blocking traffic. https://t.co/MvITK943UW
— New Granada (@NewGranada1979) 1620426529.0

What are the details?

According to the Dallas Observer, protesters were demonstrating after 26-year-old Marvin Scott III died while in police custody in March. Seven of the eight police officers allegedly involved in Scott's death, which was ruled a homicide, were fired, while the eighth officer has since resigned.

Hava Johnston, who was involved in the protest, said demonstrators were making their way to a nearby Chick-fil-A when they crossed through the intersection and blocked traffic.

Johnston told the Observer the enraged motorist should have been arrested for his actions, claiming a black man would have been.

"The question is: Why wasn't that guy treated the same way that a person of color would have been treated?" she said.

The Plano Police Department has not publicly addressed the incident.

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Islamic city planned for Texas hires ex-Paxton attorney to defuse Sharia law concerns

State investigations

Texans share concerns

EPIC responds

'You cannot hide': Alleged Tesla firebomber finds out actions have consequences — possibly decades in federal prison

Texas anesthesiologist arrested for allegedly tampering with IVs, one of which may have caused the death of fellow doctor

A Black Lives Matter Activist Pulling A Gun On Bystanders Should Be The Last Straw For This Destructive Group

Texas AG blasts 'mob rule,' police chief after angry driver is only person charged when Black Lives Matter militants 'illegally shut down traffic'

What are the details?

What did police have to say?

WATCH: Plano Police Do Nothing While Black Lives Matter Illegally Takes Over City Streets

VIDEO: Angry motorist confronts BLM protesters blocking busy intersection as police officer does nothing

What happened?

What are the details?

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State investigations

Texans share concerns

EPIC responds

What are the details?

What did police have to say?

What happened?

What are the details?

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