 |
Chronology of Islam in America (2005)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
September 2005
The commissioner apologized for a chief inspector's view that Philadelphia
is a terrorist haven, but the chief inspector didn't budge
Sept. 1: The head of the Philadelphia Police Department's counterterrorism unit is standing by his assertion that the city is a hideout for terrorists. His boss, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson, apologized for him and contradicted him during a lunch with bemused and offended Arab Americans and Muslims at the Al-Aqsa Mosque at the edge of Northern Liberties. But Chief Inspector Joseph E. O'Connor would not take back the comment he made after the London transit bombings that Philadelphia is "notorious for fund-raising and recruitment" by terrorist organizations. "I do know they recruited at a mosque," said O'Connor, referring to the London bombers. "I'm not saying that it's happening here... . I don't know." "It's not happening here," Marwan Kreidie, head of the Arab American Development Corp., a community organization, told him. "It could," O'Connor shot back. When pressed, he could not provide any details to back up his assertion that the city is a terrorist haven. Johnson, sitting beside O'Connor at a lunch intended to mend fences at the Germantown Avenue mosque, jumped in to say that O'Connor's position is not that of the Philadelphia Police Department. (Philadelphia Inquirer - September 2, 2005)
Karen Hughes addresses ISNA convention
Sept. 2: Karen Hughes, one of President Bush's closest advisers, told a gathering of American Muslims (in Chicago) that part of her new State Department job is to help amplify the voices of groups like theirs that are condemning terrorism and religious extremism. The Islamic Society of North America had invited Bush to attend its annual convention. He sent Hughes, who was recently confirmed as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. She also met with a number of Muslims attending the convention. ISNA's vice president, Ingrid Mattson, said those attending the meetings with Hughes were frank about their disagreements with the Bush administration on everything from foreign policy to concerns over the erosion of civil liberties. Several told her about the problems they regularly have with air travel because their Muslim names or dress prompt suspicion. One man who was supposed to be in a meeting with Hughes walked in at the end because he was held by airport security for three hours until his name was cleared, Mattson said. (Media Reports)
Lodi Muslims not surprised by FBI mole
Sept. 3: A Sacramento prosecutor recently revealed in a court filing that the FBI had used a “cooperative witness” over the span of some years to aid it in the Lodi (CA) terror probe. To some, that could mean a mosque member turned informant. To others, it means the federal government had a mole in the community. Some members of the local Muslim community say a man named Nasim Khan stirred suspicion in some from the moment he came to Lodi three years ago. Now, he could be the reason for the deportation of two mosque leaders and the linchpin in the prosecution of two more mosque members awaiting trial in a federal court. Locals say they wouldn’t be surprised if there were more of Khan’s kind among their ranks, or even native residents willing to unearth more evidence against fellow Muslims. (The Tracy Press – Sept. 3, 2005)
U.S. Muslims pledge $10 million for hurricane relief
Sept. 4: A coalition of major American Islamic groups meeting at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Chicago today announced a pledge to raise $10 million in humanitarian relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The coalition also announced the formation of a Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force (MHRTF) to coordinate the aid effort. MHRTF members include (in alphabetical order) Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North American (ICNA), Islamic Relief, ISNA, Kind Hearts, Life for Relief and Development, Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Muslim Ummah of North American (MUNA). “It is a national and Islamic obligation to assist one’s neighbors when they are in need,” said ISNA Secretary General Sayyid Syeed. “The American Muslim community pledges to do its part in helping those Americans, of all faiths, who suffered such great losses in lives and property.” (Media Reports)
Mosques vandalized in NE, CA and NY
Sept. 6: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on local and national law enforcement authorities to investigate possible bias motives for recent vandalism at mosques in Nebraska, California and New York. According to police reports, the Islamic Foundation in Lincoln, Neb., was vandalized twice this past weekend. In California, representatives of the Islamic Center of Redlands say their mosque has been a target of vandalism and trespassing. And in Beacon, N.Y., a city garbage receptacle was reportedly thrown through a window of Masjid Ur-Rashid on August 23. "We urge local law enforcement authorities and the FBI to determine whether anti-Muslim bias played a role in any of these incidents," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. (CAIR Bulletin)
Bush's power to detain US enemy combatant upheld
Sept. 9: President George W. Bush has the power to detain Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen who has been held in a South Carolina military brig for more than three years as a suspected enemy combatant without being charged, a federal appeals court ruled today. "The exceedingly important question before us is whether the president of the United States possesses the authority to detain militarily a citizen of this country who is closely associated with al Qaeda," wrote Judge J. Michael Luttig in the opinion for the three-judge panel. "We conclude that the president does possess such authority," wrote Luttig, a conservative whom the Bush administration has been considering for a possible Supreme Court nomination. Padilla, a former Chicago gang member and convert to Islam, was suspected by U.S. officials of plotting with al Qaeda to set off a radioactive "dirty bomb" in the United States. On May 8, 2002, Padilla was arrested at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport after returning from Pakistan. Bush then declared him an enemy combatant, and Padilla was placed in solitary confinement at a Navy brig in South Carolina -- where he remains.The appeals court reversed a decision by a federal judge in South Carolina who ruled in February that Bush had no authority to have Padilla held as an enemy combatant. The judge said Padilla must be released if he is not charged with a crime. (Washington Post - September 9, 2005)
Muslim groups help Katrina victims on 9/11 anniversary
Sept. 11: About 2,000 Muslim volunteers helped victims of Hurricane Katrina at Houston’s convention center today, the fourth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Muslim leaders from around the country who were in Houston for the volunteer effort said the anniversary was coincidental. But they welcomed the opportunity to highlight their faith's true meaning. "We're not trying to prove anything, other than what our faith requires us to do," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Muslim American Society. "What goes with our faith is to help others, to respond and show compassion when people need it, and I'm glad we can do it." Religious and community groups who volunteered to help at shelters picked through a random drawing what day they would work. Houston's Muslim community got Sunday. Muslim groups such as Islamic Relief and the Muslim American Society, are part of the Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force, which is raising $10 million for victims of Katrina. Ahmed said the groups so far have raised between $3 million and $4 million. (Media Reports)
Massachusetts Governor suggests: Wiretap mosques
Sept. 13: Governor Mitt Romney raised the prospect of wiretapping mosques and conducting surveillance of foreign students in Massachusetts, as he issued a broad call for the federal government to devote far more money and attention to domestic intelligence gathering. In remarks that caused alarm among civil libertarians and advocates for immigrants rights, Romney said in a speech to the Heritage Foundation that the United States needs to radically rethink how it guards itself against terrorism. ''How about people who are in settings -- mosques, for instance -- that may be teaching doctrines of hate and terror," Romney continued. ''Are we monitoring that? Are we wiretapping? Are we following what's going on?" (Boston Globe - September 15, 2005)
Groups Criticize Massachusetts Governor’s Comments
Sept. 15: Civil liberties and Muslim groups criticized Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney today for suggesting that authorities should spend more time monitoring mosques and their attendees, possibly with wiretaps. "It's irresponsible for the top elected official in any state to suggest blanket wiretapping of houses of worship," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. Ali Noorani, the executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition said: "There's a need for the U.S. government and the intelligence system to better understand the Muslim community," Noorani said. "The way not to do it is to wiretap and surreptitiously surveil an entire community." (Washington Post - September 16, 2005)
Harassment against Middle Eastern groups has doubled since Sept. 11, 2001
Sept. 19: According to the most recent U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report, charges of discrimination against Muslims — or those perceived to be Muslim, such as South Asians — has doubled nationwide from 1,100 to 2,168 since Sept. 11, 2001, given a similar time span. The most common types of employment discrimination against Muslims include name-calling, job termination and denial of religious wear or other accommodations for religious practices, said Shirin Sinnar, attorney at San Francisco-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. A recent study shows that people with Arab or South Asian-sounding names may not even get their foot in the door. Among all ethnic groups, Arab Americans and South Asians fared the worst in employment hiring in the Bay Area, according to the Berkeley-based Discrimination Research Center. Backlash from 9/11 hasn't cooled off because of the world climate, such as the war in Iraq and the recent London transit bombings, all associated with Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim, says Safaa Ibrahim of CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area. "The climate around the world impacts public opinion here, creating backlash against certain ethnic and religious groups," she said. (The Argus – September 19, 2005)
Ramstein center in Germany is Air Force's first designated Jewish-Muslim prayer space
Sept. 20: Just weeks after Air Force policymakers issued guidelines limiting public prayer, officials at Ramstein Air Base (in Germany) threw open the doors to a unique new chapel dedicated to interfaith worship and understanding. The new Kaiserslautern Military Community Interfaith Chapel, which formally opened today, is an unusual hybrid by any religious standards: It's the Air Force's first designated Jewish-Muslim prayer space. The project is the fruit of seven months of work and collaboration by an unlikely pair: reserved, contemplative Chaplain (Capt.) Hamza Al-Mubarak, a Muslim imam; and outgoing, ever-smiling Chaplain (Capt.) Donald Levy, a Jewish rabbi. The two helped design the center: an airy, light-drenched building with two identical chambers, each decorated for Muslim or Jewish services. Both chaplains delivered opening prayers at the center's dedication. (Stars and Stripes – September 21, 2005)
New York judge dismisses Saudi charitable organization, princes from Sept. 11 lawsuits
Sept. 21: A Saudi Arabian charitable organization and two Saudi princes were dismissed as defendants today in three civil lawsuits accusing them of providing support to al-Qaida before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack. U.S. District Judge Richard Casey made the rulings as he continued deciding who could remain as defendants in cases brought by representatives, survivors and insurance carriers of the victims of the attack. The judge dismissed the Saudi High Relief Commission and Saudi Princes Salman and Naif as defendants in three lawsuits, saying he lacked jurisdiction to let the cases proceed in the United States. He made similar rulings in January, when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, three princes and several financial institutions were dismissed as defendants. (Newsday - September 21, 2005)
Jury awards $2.45 million to Egyptian-born doctor cleared of terrorism link
Sept. 23: An Egyptian-born radiologist initially suspected of having terrorist ties in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001 and later cleared was awarded $2.45 million by a federal jury in Pittsburgh, PA, that decided his right to privacy was violated. Dr. Basem Moustafa Hussein, 40, won the award from his former landlord in Neshannock Township outside New Castle, where he was living in 2001. The jury said his building manager at The Meadows Apartments, Sherri Lynn Wilson, was liable along with her company for violating his privacy when she walked into his unit on Sept. 11 and saw, among other items, a compact disc jacket that showed a jetliner flying through two buildings next to a fireball. Wilson called state police, leading to a federal investigation that ended a few days later when the FBI concluded Hussein had nothing to do with terrorism. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - September 23, 2005)
NJ counter-terror agents reportedly target suspects for practicing Islam
Sept. 26: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today urged state law enforcement agencies nationwide to check suspect databases to make sure they are not being used to profile Muslims. The CAIR made that request following reports that agents of the New Jersey Office of Counter-Terrorism have been barred from filing reports to the State Police database after the discovery of more than 100 entries that seemed to target suspects only because they practiced Islam or were active in the Muslim community. The State Police action sparked a dispute that became so intense, acting Gov. Richard Codey's office had to intervene two weeks ago by summoning Attorney General Peter Harvey, State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes and Counter-Terrorism Director Sydney Caspersen to a Statehouse meeting to broker a peace, according to Star-Ledger. (Star-Ledger - September 26, 2005)
Supervisors say 'no' to Islamic center south of Lodi, California
Sept. 27: Plans for an Islamic community center and school south of Lodi, California came to a grinding halt today when the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors decided unanimously against a land use permit for the project. Farooqia Islamic Center supporters filed an application at the county level nearly three years ago, though the vision for the project has been in the making for more than a decade. The project, which included a worship hall and a K-4 school, was approved by the county Planning Commission on July 21, but was soon appealed by residents living in the agricultural area surrounding the Lower Sacramento Road property. The project has been at the county level since former Imam Mohammad Adil Khan, who lived at a house on the site, applied for a land use permit on Dec. 18, 2003. But in June, the property was put under the microscope in a terror investigation led by the FBI against several members of the Muslim community. During the investigation, Khan was arrested on an immigration violation and subsequently agreed to be deported to his native Pakistan. (Lodi News News-Sentinel – September 28, 2005)
Sony Studio drops Muslim comedy film
Sept. 28: Hollywood studio Sony has come under fire for refusing to release a film about Muslim comedy – allegedly fearing repercussions for even mentioning the religion. Studio chiefs demanded comedian Albert Brooks change the name of his movie, Looking For Comedy In The Muslim World, and expressed worries over its content. The film tells of a comedian (Brooks, playing himself) sent by the US government to India and Pakistan to find out what makes Muslims laugh. The Los Angeles Times has published a letter from Sony chairman Michael Lynton to Brooks, saying: ‘I do believe that recent incidents have dramatically changed the landscape that we live in and that this, among other things, warrants changing the title of the film.’ (Media Reports)
Boeing, Bell apologize for mosque attack ad
Sept. 30: Boeing Co. apologized today for a published advertisement for its V-22 Osprey aircraft showing troops dropping onto the roof of a mosque in what appears to be a simulated battle scene. The ad, coming amid rising concern among Muslims over U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, prompted immediate complaints from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which demanded the withdrawal of the campaign. But Boeing, which created the ad with partner Bell Helicopter, said publication was a "clerical error" by the National Journal, which ran the ad on September 24. "We consider the ad offensive, regret its publication and apologize to those who like us are dismayed with its contents," said Mary Foerster, vice president at Boeing's defense unit, in a statement. (Houston Chronicle - Sept. 30, 2005)
Imam expresses regret for remarks on 9-11 attacks
Sept. 30: The Imam who resigned from the Fire Department today because of controversial remarks he made about the Sept. 11th attacks has expressed regret that his "innocent" comments led to "pain" and "rage." In a letter addressed to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Fire Department and New Yorkers, Imam Intikab Habib said that his comments yesterday that he was unsure if Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaida were behind the terrorist attacks -- were formed by the conflicting media reports that he had heard. Habib, 30, also said his interview with a Newsday reporter yesterday was the first time he'd ever dealt with the media. The native of Guyana who studied Islam in Saudi Arabia made his remarks a day before he was to become the second Muslim chaplain in the Fire Department's history. Today he resigned. (Newsday)
|
