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U.S. Muslims in More Trouble: April 23.
According to
NPR,
the FBI is
targeting
IANA
(Islamic Assembly of North
America), which has an office in
Michigan. It is alleged that IANA's web site has
a fatwa from Saudi Arabia
and this attracted the "investigation." As far as
we know, IANA is a "salafi"
group which sticks to purely religious issues and
has not been involved in
any "militant" activity against the U.S. One
Muslim from IANA has been
arrested. Others are not coming to their office
for fear of arrest. The head
of IANA is traveling overseas.
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CHICAGO CALLING
by Ather Masood
PAKISTANI
MURDERED.
JAPANESE-AMERICANS STOP COBLE SPEECH
COMPARING CASES OF
IMAM JAMIL al-AMIN
and MR.
SAMIRAH
Mr. Mohammad Haroon was targeted for a hate crime
On Wednesday Evening after
attending Prayers on April 16, 2003. Mr. Haroon
had his throat slashed by
unknown assailants in Chicago. Mr. Haroon
attempted to get help, according to
eye-witnesses but it was too-little too-late. The
Chicago Police has listed
the case as a probable hate crime.
Community leaders gathered on Saturday to pay
tribute to the fallen Muslim.
At the famous Bombay Bazaar on Devon, Muslims
grieved with the family members
of Mr. Haroon. A well covered media event showed
how Pakistanis and Muslims,
in general, are seriously feeling threatened by
recent events. This is the
second hate crime to take place since the Gulf
war has started again. We will
keep track of all hate crimes in the Chicago-
land area from this point on.
Previously the Islamic Foundation was targeted.
It is important for Muslims
to not travel alone during these times.
Mr. Haroon leaves behind his wife, a daughter,
and three sons. We urge
Muslims and people of conscience to direct their
attention to this aggrieved
family. We urge others to call and voice your
concern at:
Superintendent's Hotline: 312-939-5555
Chicago Police Department:
Address: 3510 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60653
E-mail: police@cityofchicago.org
Telephone: 312-746-6000
We also urge you to donate to the family, since
the main earner has now been
killed. Donations can be made to:
Council Of Islamic Organizations Of Greater
Chicago (www.CIOGC.org)
{The CIO is a federation of Islamic institutions
representing over
400,000 Chicago-area Muslim Americans -
330 E. Roosevelt Rd., Suite G5, Lombard, IL
60148; Ph. 630.629.7490;
Fax. 630.629.7492; eMail:
council@CIOGC.org}
COBLE QUIT COMMENCEMENT SPEECH
Due to pressure from the Japanese-American
community, Representative Coble
was unable to speak to his alma mater for
graduation ceremonies on May 10.
The congressional representative was unable to
continue his public engagement
after his attacks on Japanese-Americans and
Muslims generally. We continue to
call on Muslim organizations to work with the
Japanese community in this
nation to combat Mr. Coble's behavior. Petitions
from the Japanese-American
Council have been effective in silencing Mr.
Coble's vicious attacks on
others. [The Japanese-American community members
organizing against Mr. Coble.]
IMAM JAMIL-AL-AMIN AND MR. SAMIRAH: PARALLELS IN
INJUSTICE
These are two CLEAR cases of American justice. In
truth one can hardly be
surprised seeing the legacy of the American
Indian Movement, the Chicano
struggle, the
Black Panther Party,
and the Civil
Rights Struggle. But the
silence to the matter is most baffling to all
concerned.
It has been several years since Imam Jamil was
convicted of killing a police
officer. It will be several months since Mr.
Samirah has been barred from
entering into America. But the question persists:
are these cases examples of
American Democracy? Or American Fascism?
Why is Imam Jamil STILL in prison? Why was Mr.
Samirah considered a danger
to security? Under what basis of proof was Imam
Jamil jailed? Who defined Mr.
Samirah a security threat? We must honestly ask
ourselves such questions.
It is clear from the court cases themselves that
both men were targeted for
being Muslim leaders. Both were active in their
respective fields of
influence. Both were loved by Muslims and
Non-Muslims. Despite the fact that
both did an enormous amount of good, the court
did not seem to care. Imam
Jamil cleaned Atlanta's West End more than any
Police officer ever did in
Georgia. Mr. Samirah articulated more Islamic
causes in America than most
politicians today.
Imam Jamil was a role model for countless Muslims
and Black youth and will
REMAIN SO. Mr. Samirah was a shining example for
Muslims and Arab-American
children AND WILL REMAIN SO. Imam Jamil
successfully removed drugs, alcohol,
prostitution, and theft from West End. The
success and revitalization of that
part of Atlanta is due to Imam Jamil's efforts
AND NOT THE APD. Mr. Samirah
removed more misunderstanding, complacency,
media
charades, from the Muslim
community than either the Republican or
Democratic parties.
Up until this day we are told that Imam Jamil
killed a police officer. Even
at the court case itself, this issue was clearly
unfounded. What we saw
instead, was a fearful witness who was forced to
testify and later recant his
own testimony. THIS ALREADY HAPPENED BEFORE. CAN
WE NOT SEE THE PATTERNS?
For Bro. Samirah it was pure lies and not
witnesses. We are told he was
deemed a threat to American national security.
But nobody ever explained how
or why this is the case? Even at the very hearing
we simply hear Mr. Samirah
was a threat. But this is a presumption. WHERE
IS THE EVIDENCE.?
A person is presumed innocent until proven
guilty, we often hear. But in both
cases presumption was the basis of guilt. It was
quite clear that Imam
Jamil's case has received worldwide attention
before
Sept. 11, 2001.
Now we
hear all sorts of loony stories about him running
off to Bughdad.
Dr. Samirah saw a similar case of bewilderment
stories alleging his
questionable academic credentials according to
the federal prosecutors.
However, this has nothing to do with the case of
his supposed threat to
American security. Also, How does Imam Jamil
running off to Baghdad have
anything to do with his case in America?
In both cases we see desperate attempts by
desperate figures to disrupt the
lives of Muslims.
The pattern is clear:
1. bring up false charges
2. create a stage to discredit
3. ultimately destroy the individual.
In both cases we saw allegations thrown out by
Federal prosecutors. It was
"Alleged that Imam Jamil pulled the trigger to
kill a police officer. It was
alleged that ONE person saw the Imam pull an
AK-47 out. In fact several
residents only saw FBI agents shooting at Imam
Jamil. Without even going into
the issue of the anonymous caller, WHAT PROOF IS
THERE ON THE IMAM?
Similarly is the case of Mr. Samirah. It is
Alleged he was a security threat.
It is still alleged he is harmful to American
increased surveillance. But
how? The prosecution did not say or explain.
Instead we hear numerous
allegations of Mr. Samirah's unfounded
educational credentials. WHAT PROOF
IS THERE ON MR. SAMIRAH.
By now it should be clear, both were targeted for
being Muslim activists. Mr.
Samirah was a regular guest on the Chicago
Tonight show with Bill Ponce. Imam
Jamil has been a regular commentator on American
injustice since the 60's
Black History Month came and went. However, Imam
Jamil was not amongst those
recognized for contributing to the Civil Rights
Struggle. Every Democratic,
Republican, and Independent politician knew Mr.
Samirah. This is no secret
that he was advocating for the Falasteni people
and Muslim causes in front of
their own mouthpieces.
Muslim leaders who are fearless are being
attacked. Those who smile and are
happy THINK they are safe, but for how long? The
Muslim people must take
charge themselves. The efforts to free them and
others must continue even if
the day is long and the fight is just beginning.
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2003-04-26 Sat 06:51ct