Attorney defends Minneapolis mosque against rumored link to Somali fighters

[xiinfaniin]

Attorney defends Minneapolis mosque against rumored link to Somali fighters

By CHAO XIONG, Star Tribune

 

December 8, 2008

 

Sheikh Imam Abdirahman Ahmed led thousands of worshipers in prayer Monday at the Minneapolis Convention Center, his deep voice echoing through a cavernous room as a mostly Somali group bowed low, intoning in return.

 

After more than an hour of prayer for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, Ahmed sat stock still and speechless as his attorney rebuffed rumors that his mosque, the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center in the Cedar-Riverside area, is possibly connected to a dozen young men's disappearances.

 

Before about 8,000 worshipers and journalists, Mahir Sherif deflected blame from the mosque while carefully treading neutral ground, neither admitting or denying rumors that young Somali men are returning to fight in a homeland torn by civil war.

 

"I have no reason to substantiate it," Sherif said of the rumors. "I have no reason to dispute it."

 

The mosque has not recruited any men to fight in Somalia and is not a political organization, he said. Some family members have said young male relatives have disappeared only to call and say they were safe and somewhere in Somalia. Some of those young men reportedly attended Abubakar As-Saddique.

 

Ahmed and a mosque youth coordinator were barred Nov. 29 from boarding a plane to Saudi Arabia for a spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. Sherif said he is trying to get Ahmed off a no-fly list.

 

Sherif said some families have "come to us" to report young men missing, but that he hasn't spoken to any of those youths. Sherif noted that the Internet is a more powerful recruiting tool than a mosque and that the young men's circle of influence did not start and stop with the mosque.

 

The men's connection with Abubakar As-Saddique is more a given than the exception, he said, given the mosque's size and long history in the Somali community. "That does not mean the center is recruiting or indoctrinating any of this stuff."

 

Sherif said mosque leaders sympathized with the families. "We encourage other parents who may suspect their children of having similar plans to seek professional help," he said. "Should they seek our help, we are here to do whatever we can."

 

However, a local Somali journalist said that some family members of missing men have been unable to get an audience with Ahmed. At a news conference Saturday, those families talked about three men ages 17, 18 and 19 who have been missing since Nov. 4.

 

Shirwa Ahmed of Minneapolis is believed to have blown himself up in Somalia in October. The FBI won't confirm his death but confirmed returning a body from Somalia to Minneapolis. Ahmed was buried in Burnsville last week.

 

On Monday, worshipers were handed a prewritten letter expressing concern about the airport incident, along with mailing addresses and phone numbers for Minnesota politicians and state Attorney General Lori Swanson.

 

The FBI has not explicitly informed the mosque that it is part of an investigation, although it has said Ahmed cannot fly, Sherif said.

 

FBI spokesman E.K. Wilson has said the agency knows of young Somali men from across the United States going to Somalia. The agency hasn't confirmed that there is an investigation into why the men are leaving. Reached Monday, Wilson had no information.

 

The mood was tense as thousands of worshipers departed. "The last few weeks have been a mess for the Somali community," said Murshid Barud.

 

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391

 

© 2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

[xiinfaniin]

listern to NPR about Muslims in MN

[xiinfaniin]

Somali community worries about missing men

Updated: 12/8/2008 7:07:52 PM

 

Today is a holy day for the Islamic community. Early this morning nearly 10-thousand gathered at the Minneapolis Convention Center this morning for prayer.

 

But it is a bit somber, while the Minneapolis Somali community is grappling with allegations that as many as 12 of their own, young men, have gone missing to allegedly fight in Somalia as a part of that country's 20-year-old civil war.

 

"I am hearing what everyone else hears that that is why they went; honestly, I do not have that information," Mohir Sherif, an attorney for the Minneapolis mosque Abubakar as-saddique.

 

He spoke to the media today to make clear that the mosque did nothing to encourage any young Somali men to leave Minneapolis to fight.

 

"That does not mean, that does not say anything that the center is somehow recruiting or indoctrinating or financing any of this stuff," Sherif said.

 

Sherif says the mosque, home to thousands of Somali Muslims, is one of peace and that it is likely the men missing did attend prayer service there.

 

"Do they go to the center; I would be surprised if they did not."

 

Over the weekend Somali leaders addressed the media on behalf of Minneapolis Somali families who claim their sons have fled to Somalia. The families claim their sons left Minneapolis on November 4th and are unsure if they left to fight in the Somali civil war.

 

But tensions ran high this morning, especially from young Somali men feeling their community is being mis-represented by the media.

 

"Please, our community is good; we come here to a better life," Mohammed Kali said.

 

Kali says it is true that young Somali men have a difficult time adjusting to the U.S and to Minnesota but that as a whole, they want to make it work.

 

The F.B.I. confirms that it is aware that young Somali men from Minneapolis have travelled to Somalia potentially to fight for terrorist groups. However, the F.B.I. will not confirm an official investigation into the matter.

 

Mohir Sherif also wanted to notify the media today that Abubaka's Imam was told a short time ago while trying to fly to Haj that he was on the no-fly list and could not go. Sherif alleges that the F.B.I. placed the Imam on the no fly list based on the rumors about the young Somali men from his Mosque allegedly fleeing the U.S. to fight for terrorist groups. The F.B.I would not confirm the Imam is on the no fly list.

 

By Jana Shortal, KARE 11 News

 

Read Jana's Blog

[LayZie G.]

Looks like poster is still at it with the Mosque business.

 

Why do you insist on pushing this story? Perhaps, guilt is eating you.

 

As for detaining the Imam and the young man at the airport, it was a good call by the officials.

 

I resent the fact that some folks including poster are testifying in cyberspace on a grand jury summon of sort.

 

Give me a break fellas, unless you can account the Imam's ins and outs by the hour prior and during and after the time the young men disappeared, then please do yourselves a favor and sit down. Let the authorities do their job.

 

I get that your community has become part of a terror network and it angers you but it does not change the fact that the authorities believe the Masjid had played a role in influencing these young men with the help of its leader. If you put your emotions in check and examined the entire ordeal, it is not really that far fetched to think that the Imam may have had a role to play in the recruitment process.

 

An influential figure, trusted and probably well respected in the community. Perhaps a role model to young men? He would definitely be my #1 target. Not that I would automatically label him as a terrorist sympathizer but it will give me a chance to possibly eliminate him from the list of suspects in case he is innocent.

 

Scenario#1: He may have had a hand in introducing these men to some group, who in turn managed to successfully convince the young men that paradise awaited them, etc etc.

 

Scenario#2: Imam may have had a hand in financing this plan under the table through independent groups. Either way, the masjid books need to be examined. I also believe that FBI does not want bad publicity and would not have risked it by stopping two black, muslim men from taking off to Hajj if there was no probable cause.

 

 

Remember the German incident? Two gullible young brothers plan to take off to a different continent in hopes of training to be martyr's, those officials rushed to judgment without building a case against the young men or having little or no evidence that can stand in court. Just because the judge dismissed the case, does not mean that it proved their innocent.

This time, the stakes are higher, young men died in the hands of adults but at the same time, the case should be examined thorough fully.

 

Furthermore, it does not help your Imam's cause by claiming his innocent in cyberspace, you are just making him look guilty if you continue to defend him the way you are going about it.

 

 

In addition, I believe that everything aan sameyno wey qoron tahay, teedakale haduu qofka innocent yahey, Illaah will see to it that their name is cleared from this mess. GIVE THE SYSTEM A CHANCE AND STOP PANICKING.

[xiinfaniin]

more coverage on this matter....

[NGONGE]

LG,

As much as I adore you and try to force myself to agree with you at all times (but obviously fail), I just can't help but shout: INNOCNET UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, you empty bucket.

[LayZie G.]

NG, you dry paint, re-read my post.

[NGONGE]

^^ Oh that old excuse. I did, dear. I still say innocent until proven guilty. Do you have any objection to the concept?

[underdog]

I seem to be missing some facts on the whole matter (if indeed these facts exist). As far back as I can remember Somali families in North America and Europe have occasionally sent back some youth (almost always young men) to Somalia as some (usually) misguided attempt to reattach them with their roots (daqan celis?).

 

What hard facts are available to indicate these twin city kids have become 'fighters' against the direction of western wisdom?

 

I seem to recall young men engaged in some violent crimes who were quickly whisked away to Somalia to avoid prosecution.

 

I'm sure authorities didn't just wake up one morning and say "Hmmm, there's 12 Somali youth missing from this hood"

 

Where are all the accusations coming from? and I'm sure if they had any suspicions on the Imam and the mosques, there would be arrests made.

[xiinfaniin]

NG, Baashi, and Sophist here you may find the faces of some of your old friends in MN!

[Hayat]

As much as I adore you and try to force myself to agree with you at all times (but obviously fail), I just can't help but shout: INNOCNET UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, you empty bucket.

loooooool. .

 

however i have to admit this situation in its entirety is deeply concerning. It somewhat effects everyone in a different level.

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by LayZie G.:

Remember the German incident? Two gullible young brothers plan to take off to a different continent in hopes of training to be martyr's, those officials rushed to judgment without building a case against the young men or having little or no evidence that can stand in court. Just because the judge dismissed the case, does not mean that it proved their innocent.

This time, the stakes are higher, young men died in the hands of adults but at the same time, the case should be examined thorough fully.

 

With all due respect, sister, I think you are really starting to become rather stubborn with regards to the Germany case. Here is what happened:

 

1. Cops arrest two brothers: attorney Lazie G convicts them on SOL of being Shabab and good as guilty, while the rest of us say innocent till proven guilty.

 

2. They are realeased due to lack of evidence. Meanwhile, Attorney Lazie G commits a freudian slip in another thread, claiming two brothers, " blew themselves up in Germany". Of course, we remind that the brothers were released.

 

3. Finally, despite the case been thrown out, the cyber attorney Lazie G is still maintaning that: two brothers went to become martyrs in a foreign land and that the authorities were to quick in releasing them. Furthermore, according to attorney Lazie G, the men could still be guilty, even though the judge threw the case out.

 

 

As we said many times before, and mr Ngonge said: innocent till proven guilty. Why is it so hard for you to do that? Also, how one earth would know if those officials: "rushed to judgment without building a case against the young men or having little or no evidence that can stand in court"? you work for the authorities and have some insider info? cajib.

 

Xiin, sorry for hijacking your thread, jihadka ino wad

[Jacaylbaro]

looooooooooooooooooooooooool@attorney Lazie G