An American Muslim Journal

Muslims getting a pass from Media Elites over Nidal Malik Hasan, Ft. Hood Massacre?

I concur with Ta-Nehisi Coates - the media folks who are not hyper-ventilating over Nidal Malik Hasan's religion are doing the right thing.  Coates said this on The Atlantic blog:

If we grant that Hasan was motivated by religion, what does that actually tell us? What is there  beyond the fact that people will, at times, interpret religion as a justification to commit heinous acts?

Coates is responding to Jeff Goldberg who thinks the media is not making enough of a ruckus over Nidal Malik Hasan's religion.  Goldberg said this on The Atlantic blog:

But I do think that elite makers of opinion in this country try very hard to ignore the larger meaning of violent acts when they happen to be perpetrated by Muslims.

Jeff Goldberg is wrong.  Too much is made of religion when a violent crime is committed by a Muslim.  At the very least, more is made of religion when a violent crime is committed by a Muslim.  The media coverage back in June 2009 over the fratricide in Arkansas and the murder of a physician in Kansas is an excellent example of this - in the former the alleged shooter's religion (Islam) was an immediate center-piece of the media coverage and in the latter the alleged shooter's religion (Christianity) was completely downplayed.

The coverage over the Ft. Hood massacre has been spotty.  Last night Lou Dobbs (I know, not the paragon of journalistic integrity) actually said something like "Since Nidal Malik Hasan's religion is tangentially related tot he shootings, this case should be treated as terrorism."  Huh?  There is a long ways to go before American Muslims get the fair treatment they deserve.  Until then it is up to American Muslims to continue speaking out and saying what they stand for - especially when a co-religionist is alleged to have done something as vile as murder.

Ft. Hood Murders & Illinois interfaith reaction: Presbytery of Chicago prayers for Muslims

This afternoon I received a very comforting email from Dr. Jay Moses, Pastor of Congregational Ministries at the First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton.  It was about a prayer that he led in his church today.  It was unexpected but not surprising to hear about this prayer (not surprising because I know how generous my Christian and Jewish friends can be).

I have not known Jay for very long - we met over the summer during meetings between the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and the Chicago Presbytery.  Although we only worked together organizationally for a short time, I really enjoyed connecting with him. 

Our second meeting was very thought-provoking.  We spent a lot of time talking and getting to know one another.  It was during this meeting in August 2009 that I learned some more about the distinctions between Protestants and Catholics and the meaning of evangelism and the attitude of various Christian communities to evangelism.  We compared it to those traditions within the Islamic community which are equally focused on "da'wah" or inviting people to Islam.  I know I enjoyed the conversation mostly because Jay let me do most of the talking - and about myself as well!

I'm really glad that Jay opted to stay in touch with me post-CIOGC.  Interreligious dialogue is something that is very important in these times and whenever I can build a new interreligious relationship and maintain it and grow and nurture it I feel I have made important strides in this work.

Jay sent me a prayer that he and others in the Presbyterian Church recited (not sure that's the right word) in today's services.  Here is the prayer:

Though the sea should roar, though the mountains shake, God of all Mercy, gird us up this morning.  As you protected life in ancient days from the monstrous plans of Tiamat, from the treacherous howls of Levian, protect those who are weak today, mourn with those who mourn, comfort the comfortless, shut up the mouth of death.  In the darkness of hopelessness, you split the night and forced your light into this world.  As you created space for your people so long ago, as you set boundaries on the waters of the earth, and provided a place of refuge, and hope for creation, we gather together today to find that place of gathering, and of safety.  In your strength, in your compassion, set the bounds of terror far from the innocent this morning, may you rain discernment upon us, breath into us your image, so that we may choose life from death, and death dealers from strangers in our midst.  Raise up justice, so there may be peace.

In Jesus Christ you have given us a sign of your presence in the worst of circumstances.   As the crowds turned so quickly on that day, as Wisdom could not be found, as the sky darkened again against the sin of the cross, of the cross purposes of our own desires, you spoke hope to simple and faithful servants at the break of dawn so as to create hope rather than despair….Be close to your servants on this day, lift them up, let them speak, may true leaders of Wisdom be found.  Give us Christ on this day, a crucified one, to sturdy us up for what the future may bring.

Spirit of life, blow upon the earth on this day, blow the crooked straight, close the eye of the quick to judge, fill the broken hearted with signs of your work, cleans the wounds of our hearts, and the dirt from our eyes, so that we may see and be a people of Wisdom, of Reconciliation, and of the Kingdom once more.  Create in us a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within us….
 
We lift up the sick, the downtrodden within our church….
We lift up the legislation for Health care….

We lift up the victims of the outbreak of violence at Ft. Hood….We pray for the families of the wounded and their recovery, of the 13 slain, we pray for the families of Michael Cahill, Libardo Caraveo, of Justin DeCrow, John Gaffaney, Frederick Green, Justin Hunt Amy Krueger, Aaron Nemelka, Michael Pearson, Russel Seager, Francheska Velez, Juanita Warman, Kham Xiong,   Save us from the violence within our hearts, the violent ways our religions can be manipulated by the hopeless and sick…..God give us eyes to see the troubled within our societies,  heal our minds, protect us from what is easy and challenge us to work towards what is necessary for stability and life for our children.

We pray for the millions of innocent muslims in the United States in the upcoming days….We pray for those of Arabic descent and their treatment within our neighborhoods and towns….We pray for Wisdom O God….. (emphasis added)

We pray as Jesus taught us to pray….

Knowing that Jay and his congregation were thinking of us felt like a getting an incredible and unexpected gift.  I sent Jay an email from my blackberry as soon as I got the prayer text and asked if this was a prayer that had been recited in his Church.  Jay sent me back this response:

It was,I just wanted to let the muslim community know a little bit of the prayers going on today....we are going to need many more....

Salaam

Thank you for this gift Jay.

Nidal Malik Hasan & the Ft. Hood Massacre - A "Jihadi" Attack or Criminal Act of Mentally Disturbed American? Responses & Reactions the Day After

Nidal Malik Hasan, an American Muslim from the East Coast serving as a psychiatrist in the U.S. Army at Ft. Hood, went on a random and bloody shooting spree that killed 13 innocent people and wounded another 31 unsuspecting Americans yesterday (11/5/09) at Ft. Hood, Texas.  Americans of all points of view and from all walks of life and points of view have added their opinions over the past 24+ hours.

AMERICAN MUSLIM RESPONSE

Three major national American Muslim organizations, all mainstream and reputable, released statements immediately after word of the horrific attacks made the news.  The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Islamic Society of North America and the Council on American Islamic Relations all spoke out quickly and clearly in statements that condemned the massacre of innocent fellow Americans (read more here).

That is important.  These organizations, collectively, represent the voice of mainstream Muslims and authentic Islam in America.  But there are grassroots organizations like mosques and even individual American Muslim who are also making their voices heard.  These are voices that need to be heard by all Americans.

A West Point Graduate, a Physician and an American Muslim in Afghanistan React

To be clear, I am talking about one individual here.  Dr. Imad Haque is a surgeon in the United States Army and is currently serving in Afghanistan.  I was able to reach Dr. Haque via email yesterday.  I asked him if he would share his reaction to the Ft. Hood massacre.  I did not know he had been deployed to Afghanistan when I emailed him.

Dr. Haque responded to my email last night.  This is Dr. Haque's first message to me:

Junaid-

Salams. Good to hear from you... alas it is under such circumstances...Waking-up in Afghanistan- I just heard about the events at Ft.Hood. I will get my thoughts together and get you something in a few hours from now.Thanks again for your message.

Imad

About 14 hours later - mid-morning on Friday for me - I got another message from Dr. Haque.  His first concerns and thoughts were for the victims and their families.  This is what Dr. Haque wrote to me - from his deployment in Afghanistan - about his initial feelings:

Salams Junaid-
Well it's been a long contemplative day here-as a Soldier, a Doctor and a Muslim. My first feelings go out to the victims. Having been in a pre-deployment center very much like the one at Ft.Hood only a few months ago- I can only imagine the terror the victims must have experienced. My next thoughts are for the families that will be notified about the death or injuries of their loved ones. Then I think of my colleagues at Darnell, Scott and White and Methodist Hospitals who do what I do for a living- operate and try to save the lives put in jeopardy so senselessly. I prayed today for all of them.

Maybe I am reading more into this than Dr. Haque intended but I found it notable that he described himself as a Soldier first.  And that he took time today to pray for all those who were affected is a testament, in my opinion, to the strength of his faith.  Dr. Haque then turned his attention to the proverbial elephant in the room - Nidal Malik Hasan:

After these thoughts subside- my next thought is for my fellow military, American-Muslim physician. A career track not dissimilar to my own. Born to immigrant parents. Attending elementary and high school here. His choice of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences reflected a real commitment to the military and his country.

As a physician that has deployed and has cared for American Soldiers at nearly every level of care in the military health system- from a level II Aid Station to major hospitals in Germany and at home- my next question is what went wrong? What happened to my colleague that led him to undertake such an unspeakable act? I am not a psychiatrist by training- but I certainly remember the most basic tenants of the field- identify a patient if they represent a threat to themselves orothers. This is one of the most basic concepts in his field- yet he was unable to control these thoughts or have the insight to seek help.

Two men with similar backgrounds and upbringing and a seemingly shared commitment to service and yet two very different responses to the call to serve in a war zone.  Dr. Haque is deployed in Afghanistan faithfully serving his country while Nidal Malik Hasan lays in a hospital bed under constant guard awaiting a military tribunal that will ultimately decide his guilt or innocence. 

What is it about Dr. Haque that drives him to serve, far away from his beautiful family, while his fellow soldier and co-religionist resorted to a horrific homicidal rampage?  I think the last part of Dr. Haque's email sheds some light on this last question - the question of what motivates him to be a dedicated Soldier in the United States Army and a devout Muslim at the same time:

As a Muslim, Physician and Soldier- I chose to serve my country because of the opportunities it has afforded me. Most profound of these is the Freedom to be a Muslim and practice my faith more freely than anywhere in the world. Though I may not agree completely with all foreign policy decisions made or how they are executed- I do my duty as a soldier. As a citizen, I have an equally important duty to exercise my right to chose and change my leaders if I feel they do not represent my beliefs- not through the end of a gun- but through the very Islamic concept of Democracy.

I've known Dr. Haque - Imad - since we were both kids playing baseball at recess during the summer-long, day-long Islamic school we attended together at the Islamic Foundation Mosque & School in Villa Park, Illinois in the 1980s.  We lost touch over the years and reconnected via Facebook recently.  I've always thought it was laudable that he chose a life in the military.  But until now I've never really understood what an asset he is to us - to all Americans.  That is because he is a real life example of an American Muslim living the ideal of patriotism and God-consciousness together in harmony.  Outstanding indeed Imad!

Another American Muslim physician and a living, loving example of Islam

Dr. Hesham Hassaballa, a medical doctor in Chicago and another dear friend, shared his private thoughts and emotions in the wake of the Ft. Hood murders.  Dr. Hassaballa, like me and Imad, has lived his whole life in America and is now raising his own family as distinctly American Muslim.  All Americans should take the time to read Dr. Hassaballa's thoughtful reflections on God, faith and the vision of the peaceful coexistence of all people at his blog - God, Faith, and a Pen: Living in the Light of His Love.

In reflecting on Nidal Malik Hasan's murders yesterday Dr. Hassaballa wrote this:

My heart, my thoughts, and my prayers go out to the families of the brave soldiers who died at the hands of this barbaric murderer. Their sacrifice and loss is no less noble, no less important, no less appreciated than the loss of a fellow American in battle overseas. As a parent who has lost his own child, I know far too well the pain of the parents right now who have come to the horrific realization that they will outlive their child. May God be with them all.

I appreciate Dr. Hassaballa's blog posts because he puts himself out there completely for the sake of promoting greater understanding between people of different faiths.  This past summer he lost one of his children, a beautiful little daughter, to a long term battle with a crippling disease.  Most people (myself for certain) would be loathed to put that hurt out in the public's eye, but Dr. Hassaballa does just that, and he does this so that he can connect with us on the most intimate and personal level.  I challenge even the most hard-hearted extremists - of any faith or no faith at all - to be unmoved by Dr. Hassaballa's commentary.

EXTREMIST RESPONSES

The Islamophobes are, of course, foaming at the mouth over this tragedy at Ft. Hood.  The individuals over at places like "The Jawa Report" do not seem to care much for the victims so long as they can take unsubstantiated shots at any and all Muslims.  If you are an upstanding Muslim indivdual or organization then the "writers" at this blog will do their best to sully your name by labeling you a front for the Muslim Brotherhood. 

And then there are the Debbie Schlussels of the world.  The idea of driving more eyeballs to her vile website gives me pause but it is important for honest and decent people to see the unmitigated hate that some folks are spewing online and on talk radio (I believe Ms. Schlussel is keen to promote herself there and where ever else she can get some attention)(read more about Ms. Schlussel here and here).

The gist of these anti-Muslim and Islamophobic extremists' argument is that since Nidal Malik Hasan is a Muslim then his murders are, ipso facto, terrorism.  It does not get any more bigoted and narrow-minded than that.

But alas, Muslims are not ones to be out done in the extremism department.  At the discussion forum of the notorious Hizb ut Tahrir one commentator said this of Nidal Malik Hasan's murderous actions:

To be honest, a lot of people cast doubt on the iman of a Muslim who agrees to join the British or American army but I see this as a good thing that there must have been some iman in there for him to take such a big step as this.

So, according to this person who is described as a "senior member" of the discussion forum at Hizb ut Tahrir, Nidal Malik Hasan's homicidal rampage is a sign of his faith?  People of sincere faith know that this is an absurd notion but it does not stop extremists from espousing it and promoting it.

OTHER RESPONSES

In addition to the American Muslim response and the extremists' response there was also quite a bit of thoughtful reflection from columnists, interfaith leaders and friends and neighbors from coast to coast.  A friend of mine wrote on my Facebook page:

I'm just so upset that we have to defend this maniac's religion in the first place. After all, no one asks me to defend Timothy McVeigh....It's just a clear commentary on where the Muslim-Arab population (and those perceived as such) stand these days. We all know killing people is wrong. Why should anyone have to apologize?!

Essentially this friend was responding to an earlier blog post and some other comments that were posted on Facebook in response to the blog post.

John Nichols of The Nation weighed in very early yesterday with a very thoughtful piece entitled "Horror at Fort Hood Inspires Horribly Predictable Islamophobia".  In the article Mr. Nichols said:

The point here is not to defend the soldier or his alleged actions -- the evidence at hand suggests that he was, at the least, a deeply troubled man whose statements and actions should have raised concerns among his superiors long before Thursday's incident. By Friday, there were news reports that he shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great") before opening fire. There was clearly something wrong with this imperfect follower of Islam. But that does not mean that there is something wrong with Islam.

These comments, one from a friend posting a note of support, solidarity and encouragement on Facebook and the other from  The Nation news magazine, a major news and opinion publication, illustrate that the responses to the heinous murders at Ft. Hood do not have to be couched in anti-Muslim and Islamophobic rhetoric to be fair and balanced.

CONCLUSION

It has been a day and half since the shootings.  We still have a lot to learn about Nidal Malik Hasan.  Hopefully he will survive and will stand trial.  In this short time we have seen a wide range of reactions both good and bad, accurate and inaccurate.  It is important for us as a pluralistic, diverse nation to understand these events and to process them in a way that is fair and reasonable, not because it is good for American Muslims, but because our future ability to coexist in peace depends on it.

American Muslims condemn Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's Ft. Hood shooting & killing

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's shooting and killing spree at Ft. Hood in Texas was horrific, cowardly and unjustifiable under any circumstances.  May God bless and protect the survivors and the friends, families and colleagues of all who were killed or wounded by Hasan's violence.  May God grant those innocent souls who were killed today by Hasan peace.

One the most well known, reputable and representative American Muslim organizations in the United States, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), issued a written statement at 5:30pm today (11/5/09) condemning the shooting and killing at Ft. Hood in Texas.

In this afternoon's statement MPAC stated as follows:

MPAC and the Muslim American community unequivocally condemn this heinous incident.  We share the sentiment of our President, who called the Fort Hood attack "a horrific outburst of violence."  We are in contact with law enforcement and US federal government officials to gain more facts from this tragic incident and work together in dealing its aftermath.

"Our entire organization extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed as well as to those wounded and their loved ones," said Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. We stand in solidarity with law enforcement and the US military to maintain the safety and security of all Americans.

MPAC reaffirms its call to all members of American Muslim communities to be in contact with local law enforcement for the safety and security of their communities and their institutions.

MPAC is reflective of the broader American Muslim community.  It's organizational values set it at the top of American Muslim institutions for its unwavering commitment to peace and justice for all people while being equally committed to strengthening America domestically and internationally.  MPAC's programs and efforts consistently encourage American Muslims to serve American society and to address the challenges to Americans domestically and internationally through civic engagement at all levels.

Another major American Muslim organization to come out with a timely and unequivocal statement of condemnation is the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).  ISNA's statement was very clear:

The Islamic Society of North America condemns in the strongest terms the attack on soldiers at Fort Hood, resulting in the murder of at least a dozen soldiers and the wounding of many others.  We express our deepest condolences to the victims and their families.

ISNA works closely with the many American Muslims who honorably serve our country in the military and the statement noted that one of ISNA's leaders, Dr. Louay Safi, was working with military chaplains at Ft. Bliss, Texas.

Also adding its voice this after is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).  CAIR issued a statement which said:

We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms possible and ask that the perpetrators be punished to the full extent of the law. No religious or political ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured.

These three organizations, MPAC, ISNA and CAIR, are among the leading American Muslim institutions nationally.  It says a lot that each of them came out quickly and unequivocally with a statement condemning the murders at Ft. Hood.

I know that when something like this happens many fellow Americans want to know why American Muslims do not speak out.  Even though reputable news outlets like CNN have noted that this case does not have a terrorism link, we American Muslims are speaking out.  After all, even if this was not a case of terrorism, many innocent people were killed and wounded.  It is not too much to ask that people of faith speak out and pray.  That's what we are doing now.

Please share this message with others.

Islamophobic response: Maligning legitimate civic action in the wake of Luqman Ameen Abdullah shooting

It was bound to happen sooner or later.  The Islamophobes are out in force maligning the legitimate efforts of American Muslims to engage in civic action that seeks to bring about an independent investigation into the shooting death of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah by the FBI on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan.

The reliable Islamophobes of Jihad Watch (a biased an hateful blog that is proudly Islamophobic) unfairly (surprise surprise) twisted the legitimate calls for justice at Abdullah's funeral last week by describing them this way:

They're trying to shift attention away from the jihadist violence allegedly being plotted at the Masjid al-Haqq, and onto the supposed excess of the FBI reaction.

Jihad Watch is also suggesting that because American Muslims called for justice at the funeral this means that the shooting of Abdullah was unjust.  No, that is not what it implies.  A person was shot and killed.  What were the circumstances surrounding the shooting?  Was the shooting necessary?  Did the FBI act properly before, during and after the shooting?  A call for justice is a call to have these legitimate questions answered.

The tactic is well known but too many honest people who are looking for a better understanding of Muslims and Islam fall for this tactic because these bigoted people are adept at creating an echo chamber of anti-Muslim hysteria that unfortunately gets passed off as legitimate information.  The tactic is to impute a negative intent on otherwise benign words and then repeat the false charge over and over again until it "appears" that this is the popular and correct assumption.

In this case Jihad Watch and Steve Emerson and Robert Spencer and others are trying to argue that anything short of uncritical support for the FBI in its handling of the attempted arrest of Abdullah is a support for the alleged views and actions of Abdullah as recorded in the indictment and affidavit that predicated the arrest warrant.  This is not the case at all.  The allegations about Abdullah as set forth in the Leone affidavit are repugnant.  But the allegations, not matter how heinous they may be, do not justify an unlawful shooting. 

Unfortunately, it appears that the Islamophobes can notch this case up (at least thus far) as a success.  Although major American Muslim organizations have called for an investigation (see here), there has been very little done at the grassroots level in places like Chicago to call for an independent investigation.  This is possibly the result of fear.  American Muslim leaders are afraid of speaking up because they are worried that their calls for justice will be perceived as support for the alleged actions and views of Abdullah.

What a shame.  It is a shame that leaders of the American Muslim community have not taken a more vigorous stand on this issue.  This is a time when American Muslim leaders can show that they understand how civic engagement works by effectively organizing and mobilizing people into constructive civic action that brings about a fair, full and independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah.

Locally in Illinois the largest (at least based on self-professed reach and scope and capacity) Muslim organization - the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago - is silent on the shooting death of Abdullah.  One of the past chairs of CIOGC sent an emotional email to the community's leaders (it had its various shortcomings too) calling them to stand up and act for justice in the wake of the Abdullah shooting.  Nothing came of it, and so far as public information discloses, nothing more is forthcoming from that past chair or anyone else.

The current chair, Zaher Sahloul, is surprisingly mum on the issue.  That is very odd since he speaks of CIOGC as an institution that brings American Muslims together and works for justice and the common good.  Today Sahloul said in an editorial that

CIOGC has been working relentlessly toward this goal of a justly balanced community, where Muslim Americans can play a role in bearing witness to their fellow Americans by defending justice, promoting common good and fighting evil.

I will concur that CIOGC has done some very good work in working for justice and promoting the common good.  But where is it now?  What is CIOGC doing vis-a-vis this issue?  Sahloul invokes Imam Siraj Wahaj in the editorial this way:

According to Imam Siraj Wahhaj, chair of the Muslim Alliance in North America, the Council is one of the few organizations in the nation that is doing real work in the field to integrate the indigenous Muslim communities and the immigrant Muslims through its Mosque-pairing initiative and Intrafaith action.

What better way to show CIOGC's efforts to bridge the gap between the immigrant Muslims and African American Muslims in our community then by taking a stance on the shooting death of an African American Muslim?  Interestingly, Sahloul's editorial is entitled "the power of unity".  There certainly is power in unity, but is unity something that can be embraced when it is convenient and not at other times?  Is that really unity?

Just talking the talk is not enough.  It is (or it should be) unacceptable to let this important issue (the call for an independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah) fester while attention is focused on the community's elite rubbing elbows with Governor Quinn and complimenting one another on what greatly leaders we are at Saturday's annual community dinner.

There is still time to do the right thing.  Sahloul can use the annual dinner as an opportunity to place the spotlight on the Abdullah shooting.  Sahloul has some incredible people on the professional staff.  He and his board can work with the professional staff to put together petitions for the dinner's attendees to sign.  These petitions can be addressed to the Illinois congressional delegation asking them to support the call for an independent investigation into the shooting death of Abdullah by the FBI.  Sahloul can raise tough questions during the dinner as members of the FBI will be there as guests as well.  The question is, do our leaders have the will to speak out for justice when it may be uncomfortable or even inconvenient for them to do so?

Let's hope the maligning rhetoric of Islamophobes does not stop our leaders in Illinois from taking up another cause for justice.

Luqman Ameen Abdullah: FBI's "Shooting Incident Review" Team may investigate

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the FBI may be looking into the shooting death by the FBI of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah.  Abdullah was shot dead in a warehouse last Wednesday (10/28) when the FBI attempted to arrest him and several others pursuant to an arrest warrant in Detroit/Dearborn area.  The facts surrounding the shooting are in dispute.

The Wayne County News is reporting that

The FBI said Monday that it has dispatched a Shooting Incident Review Team to Detroit to investigate the incident, which is done when agents are involved in a shooting.

Interestingly, the Detroit Free Press is now beginning to report the shooting a bit differently.  As you may recall, initially the media reported the FBI version of events - that Abdullah was shot after firing on the FBI special agents.  Here's how the Detroit Free Press described the shooting in today's story:

Abdullah was shot dead by FBI agents on Wednesday during a raid on a warehouse in Dearborn after he allegedly fired at a police dog, killing it.

This is what family and friends of Abdullah contended as early as Friday of last week.  In case you do not see the distinction I will spell it out - the FBI is alleged to have shot Abdullah in response to his shooting the dog and not for firing on the agents themselves.

It is good that the "Shooting Incident Review Team" from the FBI is looking into the shooting.  I do not know much about the protocols employed by this review team and whether this part of the FBI is able to exercise enough autonomy in its investigation to be able to render a critical assessment if it turns out that mistakes were made by the special agents who shot and killed Abdullah.

At this juncture I am a bit skeptical of the impartiality of this review team.  I'm not saying they cannot be fair.  I will wait and see, but in the mean time, I think it is important for there to be a push for an independent investigation.

It has been a full week since the shooting and as of this evening the major local Muslim organization, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, has still been silent vis-a-vis the shooting.  This is not right.

Perhaps the community should look to CAIR-Chicago to take a leadership role in organizing and mobilizing the community over this issue.  I do think the job falls squarely within the responsibilities of CIOGC but if it is unwilling or unable to discharge this obligation then someone else needs to step up.

According to Dawud Walid's personal blog (Dawud is the Executive Director of CAIR-Michigan), there will be a community town hall meeting this Friday to discuss the shooting and to educate the public about their rights and to learn some of the history behind the FBI and its domestic spying (i.e., COINTELPRO).  This is important because there is a dearth of knowledge among American Muslims even still about the sordid history of the FBI vis-a-vis civil rights organizations and other counter-culture movements.

Stay tuned for more as it comes in...

Luqman Ameen Abdullah: National Lawyers Guild Calls for Assassination Investigation

Today the National Lawyers Guild called for an investigation into the FBI shooting of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah.  What is most interesting is the language the NLG chose in describing the shooting - they called it an assassination.  The title of their press release is National Lawyers Guild Calls for Immediate and Independent Investigation into Assassination of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah by FBI Agents in Dearborn .

Some people within the American Muslim community are going to get excited when they see this language being employed to describe the shooting death of Abdullah at the hands of the FBI.  I am disappointed with this particular choice of words.  The body of the press release does not refer to the shooting of Abdullah as an assassination so it seems the word was used to draw attention to the press release.

That's fine as a publicity tactic.  My concern is that American Muslims are going to pick up on this word and start using it.  I am worried that the NLG's strongly worded press release is going to lull American Muslims into complacency.  As it stands right now there are very few people even talking about the need to push for an investigation.

Alternatively, the NLG's framing of the situation (as an assassination) may encourage others to adopt equally conclusory  language in their calls for an investigation.  This is not the way to  build a coalition of Americans from across the political spectrum.  Instead, it pushes the cause far to the Left.

I welcome the support of the NLG and of good people on the Left but this situation needs Americans in the Middle and the Right of the political spectrum as well.  Whether the shooting death of Abdullah is an assassination is a determination to be made through a full, fair and independent investigation.  To say that it is an assassination at this juncture is premature, and it will alienate many Americans who might otherwise join a coalition based on principles such as promoting accountability of law enforcement, justice and equal protection under law.

And for reasons that I cannot understand, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) is utterly silent on this issue.  I did not find anything about Abdullah's shooting death at the hands of the FBI on the CAIR-Michigan website either.  The Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan has, according to its website, met with the FBI in Detroit but there is not much additional information on their website either.  The personal blog of Dawud Walid has some good information.  Dawud Walid is the executive director of CAIR-Michigan.

I know that some big national organizations have called for an investigation.  However, I also know that these major national organizations generally do not have the ability to organize and mobilize people at the grassroots.  That is something organizations like CIOGC can do if they are inclined to do so.  That is why I am looking for more grassroots groups to begin working on this issue.

At this juncture it may become necessary for individuals to fill the leadership void and begin organizing and mobilizing American Muslims and their friends, family, neighbors and classmates of other faiths to get behind a push for an investigation into Abdullah's shooting death by the FBI.

Luqman Ameen Abdullah, over 1000 mourners, calls for independent investigation into FBI shooting

Did the FBI special agents in Detroit, Michigan really shoot Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah last week because he shot a dog?

Did they unleash a dog to subdue Abdullah because he would not get down on the ground as had the other targets of the arrest warrant?

Did the FBI special agents shoot Abdullah 18 times?

Did the FBI special agents handcuff Abdullah after he had been shot 18 times?

Did the FBI special agents airlift the FBI dog for immediate medical care while Abdullah lay handcuffed and bleeding with 18 bullet wounds?

And is it true that Abdullah did not shoot at FBI agents but only at the dog that was unleashed upon Abdullah?

Is it true that, prior to two years ago (prior to the confidential informants being planted), Abdullah and his followers were not planning crimes?

Is it true that the FBI headquarters in Detroit are very close in proximity to Abdullah's mosque and that the FBI has no evidence of any planned attacks on the facility and or a member of the agency?

With regard to the alleged plot to attack the super bowl a few years ago (as reported by the newspapers), is it true that Abdullah is recorded or reported as having said that he did not want to attack and or harm innocent people?

Is the location of the shooting being preserved so that evidence of the shots fired from Abdullah firearm can be analyzed vis-a-vis his location and the location of the special agents on the operation in order to assess (probably rather than precisely - since only Abdullah could have told us what his intent was) what he was aiming at and attempting to shoot?

What is the FBI's policy on use of deadly force and for shooting to kill?

These are the kinds of questions people are asking, and these are the kinds of questions that need to be answered in order to address allegations that the shooting of Abdullah was unlawful.

The leaders who spoke at Abdullah's funeral prayers called upon the government to conduct an independent investigation and I suspect that these are some of the questions they want answered by an unbaised and independent investigation.  Honestly, as much as I want to give the FBI the benefit of the doubt, the more I hear about some of the circumstances surrounding the investigation and the shooting, the less I think an independent investigation is just a good public relations effort and the more I think it is a necessary step in holding the FBI accountable for its actions.

Others believe it is a good idea to conduct an independent investigation.  Jeff Gerritt of the Detroit Free Press writes that an independent investigation into Abdullah's shooting is a good idea too.  Gerritt writes on his blog that

no one should assume government wrongdoing or impropriety — nor has anyone I’ve talked to in Detroit. Still, there is growing skepticism about what happened during the Wednesday raid, and how the government uses informants to infiltrate Muslim groups. The account now widely held in the community is that Abdullah was shot repeatedly by agents, after he shot an unleashed police dog, despite official reports that Abdullah fired on agents. Because Abdullah was both African American and Muslim, his death has racial and religious overtones, especially among a people who have faced excessive police force throughout their history.

This is a reasonable position and outlook.  Gerritt pragmatically points out that the shooting death of Abdullah can become a source of tension between us and the Muslim world abroad.  While we cannot stop others from thinking what they will, we certain can do our part in not giving our detractors with more "evidence" of America's bias against Muslims and Islam.

Imam Johari Abdul Malik wrote the following on his blog:

This tragic shouting raises deep concerns regarding the use of lethal force by law enforcement agents.

This troubling issue did not begin with the shooting death of Abdullah. African Americans have long suffered from bona fide cases of excessive force by law enforcement.  For now local and national African American leaders have been relatively quiet on the shooting death of Abdullah but that may be because they are working out the dynamics between themselves and the American Muslim community since Abdullah was a member of both.

We can already see the skepticism with which American Muslims who knew Abdullah are receiving the news of his shooting death and the allegations surrounding the indictment that predicated the arrest warrant.  People who knew Abdullah are shocked by allegations that he advocated an "offensive jihad" and that he was advocating a "separatist Islamic state" within America.

What individuals like Ihsan Bagby and Imam Johari Abdul Malik and members of Abdullah's family are saying is that the allegations and claims are wholly out of character with the Abdullah they knew.  This is not a matter of excusing illegal actions. 

Clearly those who knew him, and who are themselves are law-abiding and upstanding citizens themselves, are shocked at the allegations.  It is completely understandable for those closest to Abdullah to be skeptical of the allegations and downright suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his shooting death at the hands of the FBI.

The best way to bring closure to this tragic story is to conduct a full, fair and independent investigation of the FBI shooting and if it is found that there was a deviation from the FBI's policies and procedures (or that the policies and procedures themselves are flawed and warrant revision) or that the investigation itself was in any way illegal or unjustified, then those holding positions of accountability should required to account for these shortcomings and or failures.

But how can the FBI be made to conduct such an investigation?  People are going to have to organize and act in concert in order to make the authorities with the power to act follow through.  Masjid al-Haqq and the shooting are in Representative John Conyers district.  Rep. Conyers has always appeared to be a man of conscience and a person inclined to do the right thing.  However, in a case such as this, with many hot-button allegations in the mix, it is up to the people who care about seeing justice done to organize the civic actions and advocacy that "forces" the hands of Rep. Conyers to act.  Press releases and statements and so forth on one dimensional.  The effort, if it is going to work, needs to include a wide range of voices from across the country.  This is not just an American Muslim issue.  It is not just an African American issue either.

Assuming that the justice community is succesful and there is an investigation and it is full, fair and independent, then all parties in interest must be prepared to live with its results.  If a full, fair and independent investigation exonerates the FBI then we will all breathe a bit easier.  That kind of a finding might be the basis for a more meaningful dialogue between the FBI and American Muslim leaders going forward.  This is in everyone's best interests.

If the investigation discloses that the FBI acted improperly or illegally, then we are all in trouble.  We cannot afford for our primary domestic anti-terrorism agency to even appear to be carrying out seemingly extrajudicial killings.  This is not in anyone's interest.

But in the end, regardless of what the outcome of an investigation is, the fact remains that Abdullah will not be able to tell us what he meant by his words or whether he even uttered them, and we will not be able to see our justice system at work in affording Abdullah due process.  I believe that all law enforcement officers would agree that this would have been the ideal outcome.

AmericanMuslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT) Calls for Probe Into FBI Shooting Death of Luqman Ameen Abdullah

A coalition of local and national organizations which includes the American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), MAS-Freedom, Muslim Students Association - National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), and United Muslims of America (UMA) issued a statement and press release earlier today calling for a probe of the shooting death of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah.

In the press release AMT states:

It is imperative that an independent investigation of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah's death make public the exact circumstances in which he died.

Locally, in the Chicagoland region at least one prominent American Muslim leader from the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago consultative body is urging the community's leaders to also make some noise in order to bring about an independent investigation of the shooting death of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah.  The crux of this leader's argument seems to be that since there is a presumption of innocence and Imam Luqman had not yet been proven guilty, the FBI shot and killed an innocent man.

In an email exhorting other Chicagoland leaders to step up in calling for an investigation into Imam Luqman's shooting this leader ridiculed the notion that Imam Luqman was anything but a peaceful man who fed the hungry, sheltered the homeless and worked for the community.  If Imam Luqman was looking to wage a war on America why hadn't he done it yet asked the local leader rhetorically?  Clearly Imam Luqman has at least one very passionate supporter in the Chicagoland leadership.

Others who were perhaps more close to Imam Luqman did not sanitize Imam Luqman's beliefs quite as much.  Dr. Ihsan Bagby, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky and a board member of the Muslim Alliance in North America (a national African American Muslim institution on whose board Imam Luqman sat), reportedly told the Detroit News that Imam Luqman's organization - Ummah - is anti-government but does not advocate violence.

Many American Muslim leaders seem to want an independent investigation into th shooting death of Imam Luqman.  The facts surrounding this shooting support the call for an independent investigation.  Furthermore and under the circumstances, an independent investigation is an absolute must if the FBI is to regain/retain credibility with the American Muslim community.

The 43 page affidavit by FBI Special Agent Leone notes in multiple places, based on transcripts of audio recordings of conversations with Imam Luqman (purportedly recorded by undercover informants and without Imam Luqman's knowledge) that he was frequently armed, sometimes wore a bulletproof vest and spoke of dying in a shoot out rather than being arrested if he were ever confronted by law enforcement.  Regardless of whether or not these claims by Imam Luqman were true, clearly the FBI was on notice that this man may very well put up  a deadly struggle.  As such, why didn't they attempt to arrest Imam Luqman in a setting that would have lessened the chances of deadly shootout taking place?

One cannot help but think of the recent "raid" on a slaughterhouse in Kinsman, Illinois (this raid was in connection with the then sealed indictment against Tahawwur H. Rana on charges of providing material support to a terrorism conspiracy).  Unlike the move on Imam Luqman in Detroit which was based on an arrest warrat, the action on the slaughterhouse in downstate Illinois was based on a search warrant.  According to local news reports including eye witness accounts the FBI had a used a massive show of force including nearly 100 agents and even a helicopter.

It may be reasonable to assume that the FBI used a large team of agents and resources as a deterrent for anyone at the Kinsman, Illinois slaughterhouse who may want to resist the execution of the search warrant.  To a lay person this strategy of overwhelming force in order to protect law enforcement agents might make sense.  Furthermore, this strategy, whether it is so intended or not, has the benefit of protecting the lives of individuals upon whom the search warrant is served by deterring them for even trying to resist.

So, if a search warrant merits a small army of federal agents, then why would an arrest warrant (which seems to be a far more serious matter than a search warrant) not merit similar or even greater precautions and deterrence measures?  What did the attempted execution of the warrant on Imam Luqman and the others named in the arrest warrant look like?  Why has this not been discussed by the media thus far?

Also, given that the FBI believed, based on what they purportedly heard from two years worth of audio recordings and informant statements, that Imam Luqman is armed and is likely to resist arrest with deadly force, why did the FBI not attempt to arrest Imam Luqman in a setting where there was a greater element of surprise and where he had fewer options to flee?

Lastly, there remains the question of whether or not deadly force was necessary.  The news reports are not clear as to what exactly Imam Luqman did or did not do.  It is known that an FBI dog was shot and killed.  Reportedly the dog was killed by Imam Luqman.  Did the FBI agents kill Imam Luqman in a moment of retaliation in an already tense and deadly situation?

These and other and better questions need to be answered in a independent investigation of the shooting death of Imam Luqman.  American Muslim leaders have a responsibility to mobilize a grassroots civil action campaign to pressure the FBI into conducting an independent investigation. 

The credibility of the FBI within sectors of the American Muslim community is abysmally low as a result of its policy and program of conducting "assessments" of potential threats by "proactively" pursuing leads that take undercover FBI informants into otherwise legitimate, lawful and constitutionally protected gatherings (this policy was revealed with Muslim Advocates and other civil liberties groups recently successfully sued to get the FBI to turnover some of it surveillence policies).  The shooting death of Imam Luqman has the potential of escalating skepticism of the FBI's motives to the kind of deep-seeded distrust and even contempt or hate of the FBI as Imam Luqman was portrayed as having in the affidavit of Special Agent Leone.

This is not acceptable.  It is not acceptable for the FBI and the American Muslim community to be at odds with one another.  Like it or not, there are real threats out there.  There are people who wish to bomb and kill and terrorize Americans in America for political gain.  We know very well that the people who are responsible for this wanton violence are indiscriminate in their attacks and have no qualms about killing Muslims.  That means American Muslims are at as great a risk of being victims of future terrorist attacks as anyone.

At the same time, if the terrorists wish to use American Muslim institutions and resources and try to recruit within the American Muslim community, then it is imperative that there be a strong relationship between law enforcement and the American Muslim community based on mutual trust and respect.  American Muslims cannot possibly know what to look for and how to detect clues to extremist operations without the help and support of law enforcement (including the FBI).

An independent investigation into the shooting death of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah is a must for all of the foregoing reasons.  It is the right thing to do and it is the pragmatic thing to do as well.

Luqman Ameen Abdullah, David Coleman Headley, Tahawwur Rana, Najibullah Zazi, Ali al-Marri, Tarek Mehanna, Michael C. Finton aka "Talib Islam"

Luqman Ameen Abdullah.  David Coleman Headley.  Tahawwur Hussain Rana.  Najibullah Zazi.  Ali al-Marri.  Tarek Mehanna.  Michael C. Finton.  These names are dominating the headlines

These names and their stories are not what I want to focus on.  What I want to spend time on is my family.  I want to use some of my free time to do something meaningful and substantive on an issue like homelessness.  I want to take some time to deepen my knowledge about Islam and about other faiths.

But who has time for any of that?  There is little time for anything meaningful when so much time is spent reading about and then responding to allegation after allegation of American Muslims being arrested and prosecuted for alleged terrorism plots or for criminal enterprises.

And that's likely the case for a lot of American Muslims, and that is a shame for everyone.  There is a lot of time and energy being sucked up by the demands these cases are putting on honest, law-abiding American Muslims that is really needed for other important issues. 

It is not just the cases being brought against American Muslims that is forcing our community to redirect its energies away from issues that impact the common good.  It is also the constant flow of anti-Muslim rhetoric that comes from politicians (Sue Myrick's Freaky Foursome), rabid Islamophobes on the airwaves on on the internet, the FBI's aggressive information gathering on otherwise lawful activities in an effort to "proactively" develop "assessments" about whether people or organizations are involved in national security threats and on and on.

These cases have a deleterious effect on our leaders as well.  Knowing that so many cases have come before these new ones with a lot of hype about the terrorism charges but then fizzling into plea bargains resulting in relatively harmless non-terrorism charges, leaders in the American Muslim community take a very dim view of U.S. Attorneys' claims.  Often American Muslims focus on the excesses of law enforcement and on unconstitutional laws like the PATRIOT Act and the biases that underpin the investigations involving American Muslims.

I concur with the concerns of American Muslim leaders.  These concerns are real.  They are not, however, the only issues we should be thinking about when we hear about the allegations against individuals like Tarek Mehanna, Michael C. Finton (aka Talib Islam) and others.  Shouldn't the allegations also scare us?  After all, if these allegations are true then our family members might easily be among the innocent victims of these plots.

The mantra on our listservs is "innocent until proven guilty" when news of these cases become known.  It amazes me, as a former public defender, to hear people talking about "innocent until proven guilty" when some of these same people openly question the permissibility in Islam of defending alleged drug dealers and alleged pimps and alleged prostitutes (are they not entitled to the same presumption?).  I am committed to the principle of "presumed innocence" but I am more than a little skeptical of some of my co-religionists' apparent shared conviction.

I want to ask my friends within the American Muslim leadership if they would be so keen on focusing on the presumption of innocence if the alleged plot turned out to be against Muslims and the alleged would-be attacker were a neo-Nazi or a skinhead or some other violent anti-Muslim criminal?  In another post on this blog I recently wrote this:

A very disturbing story broke during the day today about a would-be terrorist in Boston who is Muslim.  His name is Tarek Mehanna.  He was born and raised in the U.S., and among other allegations Mehanna supposedly conspired to kill civilians with assault rifles in malls.

How should I react?

First, I’m going to imagine that he is not a Muslim.  Next, I’m going to pretend that he planned to attack and kill Muslims in the U.S.  I’m going to imagine that he was caught before he could carry out his plans and that law enforcement found Islamophobic literature on his personal computer and informant testimony implicates him in a plan to secure assault rifles to carry out an indiscriminate attack on a mosque or a Muslim elementary school.

How do I feel about this Islamophobic would-be mass murderer whom the authorities have apprehended?

My initial reaction would be horror and fear.  How could someone try to do something this evil?  How could someone target defenseless children?  This hits home.

I would also be very angry.  Frankly, I’d be thinking of ways to make sure prosecutors knew that the American Muslim community was watching this prosecution very closely and that the American Muslim community wanted this man prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

And yes, the lawyer in me would expect, buried deep underneath the fear, anger and disgust, that he receive a fair trial and be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Are these legitimate reactions to this fictional scenario?  I think so.  So then would it be fair to react this same way knowing that Tarek Mehanna is an American Muslim and that he is alleged to have been targeting fellow American civilians for a murderous shooting spree and that he may have been motivated by a perverted understanding of Islam?

Yes, it certain is.  There is absolutely no reason for me to feel any differently.

I think the answer is "NO".  This is understandable.  But it is not acceptable.

Today one of the most prominent leaders within the Chicago community made some comments which just smacked of hyperbole, exaggeration and fearmongering.  The gist of this leader's comments were that we must assume that none of the allegations surrounding the Chicago and Detroit cases from this week are true until we see the proof vis-a-vis the trial and that these cases are symptoms or the products of the PATRIOT Act and that if we (American Muslims) do not stand up and fight to repeal the PATRIOT Act then we will be a lot closer to a world where Muslims will be subjected to routine preventative detentions (which would be, in my opinion, an abrogation of habeus corpus).

While there is truth in his comments, the unsophisticated manner in which he conveyed his message (it lacked nuance and detail) has the effect of misleading the less informed within the community.  I fear that some leaders will take such a message and spread it among the American Muslim community.  Maybe that's what this leader wants.

It would be a shame if this particular leader's message, particularly if delivered in the same inarticulate, overbroad way and without nuance as I received it, is given to the community because it will backfire.  Fear can create a sense of urgency but it is a poor source of motivation to action in these scenarios. 

Telling people about the gross excesses of the PATRIOT Act and the impending imposition of mass domestic preventative detentions and so forth certainly creates fear and that fear creates a fight or flight reaction.  But when the odds are presented as so overwhelming and no meaningful strategy is provided to give direction and hope to combat these evils, then people will retreat into their homes and into their lives and will further remove their Islamic identity from public life.  How can that be helpful?

This particular leader's hyperbolic comments also help to role back the gains American Muslims are making with Americans from other faith communities. 

I have a lot of friends who are not Muslim.  I talk to them about politics and religion and terrorism and crime.  From talking with them I know that people beyond the American Muslim community are open to understanding the challenges we face as a religious minority (facing unprecedented public scrutiny of our faith).  People are willing to make up their own minds about the excesses of our government and overbroad and overreaching provisions in the PATRIOT Act. 

However, we need to retain our credibility when making our arguments to our friends in the interfaith community and part of that means being more nuanced in how we ourselves understand some of the actions and decisions of law enforcement officials. 

Let's remember that the FBI is not a monolith.  It is not in inorganic entity.  It is a group of men and women who have committed their careers to serving and protecting America.  We are wrong to vilify the FBI en masse.  No doubt there are policymakers and executives in the FBI who are making and executing bad policy and there are (as we've seen from time to time) agents who are biased, but we cannot allow their mistakes or bad acts to taint everyone in that organization.  The same goes for our lawmakers and our judiciary.

I would love to believe that no Muslim is guilty of the crimes with which they have been charged.  There is a real possibility that some of them will be exonerated.  Others will plead guilty and yet others will be convicted.  Let's hope and pray for the former but gird ourselves for the latter.

A time will come when the bad acts of some Muslims will no longer be imputed to the entire religious community.  We are going to have to work hard to get to that point.  We will work hard to get there not because that is an end unto itself.  I hope we will work to get to that point so that we can then use our time to address all the other, more pressing injustices that demand our attention.