Posted on 02/02/2005 4:27:13 PM PST by joyce11111
Muslim asks FBI to explain remark on jihadists
The leader of Bilal Mosque group says comments by the agent in charge in Oregon have set back fence-mending
Tuesday, February 01, 2005 NOELLE CROMBIE A prominent Portland-area Muslim leader has asked the top FBI agent in Oregon to explain his recent remarks about the presence of jihad-trained fighters in the state.
In an e-mail Monday to Robert Jordan, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon, Shahriar Ahmed, president of the Bilal Mosque Association in Beaverton, wrote he was "shocked" to hear Jordan say there are people in Oregon who have trained in terrorist camps in Afghanistan.
In his remarks, Jordan said: "We have people here in Oregon that have trained in jihadist camps in bad areas. In the bad neighborhoods of the world." He added that the FBI knows "they've trained overseas, taken oaths to kill Americans and engage in jihad," but the challenge is "to prove those things."
Jordan, through his spokeswoman, has refused to explain his remarks. Beth Anne Steele, the FBI spokeswoman in Oregon, said Monday that Jordan planned to respond to Ahmed's letter privately.
Jordan's remarks come as the Portland City Council is considering whether to continue its commitment to the joint terrorism task force with the FBI. The issue has not been scheduled for a council vote.
Ahmed said Jordan's comments have dealt a setback to efforts to mend ties between federal law enforcement officials and local Muslims, an already fragile relationship damaged by the botched Brandon Mayfield case last year.
Mayfield, an attorney and Muslim, was detained as a material witness for two weeks in connection with the deadly train bombing in Madrid, Spain. Federal officials had linked him to the terror attack through a fingerprint, which they later said they had misidentified. Mayfield is suing the federal government over his detention.
Ahmed, who has been a vocal supporter of Jordan and his efforts to repair relations with Muslims, said the agent's comments were "so out of character."
"He has been very cautious in what he has said," Ahmed said.
Ahmed said the remark damaged the image of Muslims. In his e-mail to Jordan, Ahmed writes that he thought Muslims had "communicated to you the affect such comments have, especially from law enforcement, in making our lives, those of our wives who wear the head scarf, the lives of our children, especially our daughters who wear the head scarf in school, extremely difficult."
In an interview Monday, Ahmed questioned how people should respond to Jordan's statements.
"What is he expecting from us? What is he expecting from our neighbors? What are we supposed to do?"
Ahmed, who also sent the letter to local religious leaders, said he wants to hold a public meeting with Jordan.
Kareem Shora, director of legal policy for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, based in Washington, D.C., called Jordan's remarks irresponsible.
"If the average individual hears that coming from someone in authority at the FBI, you don't know how that plays out in real life on the streets," Shora said. "Are people going to start suspecting the average Arab American citizen on the street?"
Noelle Crombie: 503-2767184; noellecrombie@news.oregonian.com
Copyright 2005 Oregon Live. All Rights Reserved.
Could you imagine Jerry Falwell demanding that OBL expalin exactly what he meant with the 'infidel' remark?
"shocked" to hear Jordan say there are people in Oregon who have trained in terrorist camps in Afghanistan."
I was shocked to see planes crashing into the WTC, Pentagon and a field in Pa. Oddly enough I wasn't real concerned about where they were trained.
Explain? I'd rather the FBI explain this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1334618/posts
Good. F 'em. His remarks were very clear and require no explanation.
HOW ABOUT SOME FENCE MENDING FOR 9-11 YA BA$TARD$?
This is insane. It's not like Jordan said, "All Muslims in Oregon trained in camps in Afghanstan," or "All members of the Bilal Mosque are terrorists."
Good grief. I'm surprised CAIR isn't mentioned in the article too.
in making our lives, those of our wives who wear the head scarf, the lives of our children, especially our daughters who wear the head scarf in school, extremely difficult."
I've got a solution for Ahmed. Go back where you came from. They will accept your wife's scarf, your towel, your insane religion and most of all, YOU. Have a nice trip!!!!
Can you prove Mr. Ahmed that there are not?
Sounds like a lame attempt to find out what the FBI knows about their local cell.
Just lying to yhe infidels....
oops - "yhe" = the
Why the hell should we explain anything to people sworn to destroy us?
Muslims should assimilate to American values or beliefs or return to their "heaven". What are any Muslims doing here in the first place.
Either believe in American beliefs, values and customs or get the hell out. Go back to your goat herding in the desert. Scram.
I am such a tolerant "liberal" aren't I?
Muslims make me want to puke. What sort of monstrous egomania prompts an immigrant member of a terrorist religion to continually slap it's host full in the face? Will we let these bastards piss all over us forever?
Well and succinctly stated.
Seconded.
"What are any Muslims doing here in the first place."
They immigrated here because years of Islamic society in their homelands have created hell holes full of misery.
Why explain the glaringly obvious? There ARE jihadi terrorists in Oregon.
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