An American Muslim Journal

Trial postponed for Tarek Mehanna, alleged would-be terrorist from Sudbury - Metro Desk - Local news updates from The Boston Globe

Mehanna, 28, a US citizen, was arrested in 2008. He faces charges of conspiring to support terrorist organizations. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and was about to travel to Saudi Arabia for a new job when he was arrested.

Prosecutors said he traveled to Yemen in 2004 to seek terrorism training. When he failed to get the training, he returned and planned to aid terrorist sympathizers by translating Arabic documents promoting violent jihad and distributing them over the Internet.

His defense lawyers argue his travels to Yemen were for educational purposes, and that he was simply following his own religious beliefs when discussing Arabic writings over the Internet. They say there is no evidence he was working for any terrorism organization, or at anyone’s direction.

via www.boston.com

It has been about 2.5 to 3 years since Tarek Mehanna was arrested. There hasn't been much information about him in a while.

What's going on with his case? According to this Boston Globe article, his trial is scheduled to go forward in late October.

If you know something about this case please share it with me on this blog.

Mass. terror suspect was asked to leave mosque - Yahoo! News

An official with the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center says Rezwan Ferdaus of Ashland was suspected of sympathizing with al-Qaida and criticized the mosque's participation in interfaith efforts and politics.

via news.yahoo.com

I'd like Rezwan Ferdaus' friends to step forward and tell us what Ferdaus' did to right the wrongs he saw our country committing.

How did he come to decide that wanton violence was the solution?

I see guys like Ferdaus regularly at my former mosque. They don't like interfaith dialogue, they don't like any interaction between men and women and they don't believe in political engagement. The men (and some women too) who I've met with such views have never been known to take it to the level of Ferdaus.

What's the difference between Ferdaus and the very conservative American Muslims who share some of these same views as Ferdaus? I don't know. It's not a rhetorical question. I want to understand.

I'd also like to know what Ferdaus' parents are thinking. Did they promote a home environment that cultivated Ferdaus' radicalization?

The American Muslim media ought to investigate this man, his family and his friends more extensively to attempt to understand him more.

Running with friends & fellow American Muslims on 9/11 to help wounded veterans

I wanted to do something meaningful to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11.  It's a sad and sobering anniversary every year.  I find it hard to believe that 10 years have passed since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

This year I'm running in a half marathon - the Chicago Half Marathon - on Team Red White and Blue to raise money and awareness for wounded veterans' re-integration.  Team RWB is a 501(c)(3) charity that focuses on connecting wounded veterans with civilians to help build bridges between the two communities in order to help wounded veterans reintegrate into civilian life.

I'm running it with a group of friends and co-workers and other Team RWB supporters.  Among this group are two others who happen to be American Muslims too.  We are not necessarily wearing our faith on our sleeves.  It just happens to be that a few of us are Americans and Muslims both.

If this does not seem noteworthy to you - that Muslims would be honoring this somber anniversary by doing something for American veterans - than I thank you.  I wish more people saw it this way.

There are a lot of folks out there, however, who seem to think the worst of Muslims, even their fellow Americans who happen to be Muslims.  There are a lot of folks out there who are not bigots but who harbor very negative views about Muslims because they've only seen the worst representatives of the faith.  I hope our efforts and other similar efforts around the country get noticed and serve as alternatives for those who wonder what Muslims really think and feel about 9/11.

Over the years I've spoken at commemorative services and attended interfaith prayers.  I'm doing some of those activities this year too.  Running in the half marathon is meant to be an additional and more challenging endeavor to mark the seriousness of this solemn occasion.

Please visit my fundraising page at firstgiving.com and the Team Red White and Blue website for more information!

Thanks!

Libya Rebels Focus Wrath on African Migrants - NYTimes.com

TRIPOLI, Libya — As rebel leaders pleaded with their fighters to avoid taking revenge against “brother Libyans,” many rebels were turning their wrath against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, imprisoning hundreds for the crime of fighting as “mercenaries” for Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi without any evidence except the color of their skin.

via www.nytimes.com

Sigh... Imperfect human beings...

Yesterday's freedom fighters becoming today's oppressors...

Dear Libyan People: we prayed for you as you struggled to free yourselves from the oppression of Qaddafi, and now we pray that you will create a more fair society...

Brawl Breaks Out at N.Y. Amusement Park Over Religious Head Scarves - TIME NewsFeed

Ola Salem, who was with the group, told the New York Times, "They said no because of my headgear. I said, 'It's not my headgear, it's my religion.'"

via newsfeed.time.com

This is embarrassing. This statement "It's not my headgear, it's my religion" is ignorant.

We all know that Muslims can be as trashy and stupid as any other faith or ethnic community, and we've all seen stupid people at mosque fairs getting into scuffles and acting thug-ish.

Shame on the police if they overreacted. That should be addressed. The trashy behavior of some of the participants should be called out and shunned as well. Don't let those among the Muslim group who acted abusively or in a disorderly way to hide behind other issues.