Posted on 09/15/2002 10:40:55 AM PDT by RCW2001
Muslims Turned Away After Fla. ScareBy TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press Writer MIAMI (AP) - The Miami hospital where three Muslim medical students were headed before they were detained in a 17-hour terror scare on a Florida highway says they aren't welcome there anymore. The head of Larkin Community Hospital said Sunday he had received more than 200 e-mails after the incident, some of them threatening. "Obviously, nothing is final," said Dr. Jack Michel, president and chief executive officer of Larkin. "Our primary objective is to take care of patients. I don't know how that could be done with all this media coverage." He said the men's medical school, Ross University, had agreed to transfer them to a different training program and that they might be welcome at Larkin later. The three students scheduled a news conference Sunday afternoon with their attorneys and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Ayman Gheith, 27, Kambiz Butt, 25, both from suburban Chicago, and Omar Choudhary, 23, of Independence, Mo., were on their way from Chicago to Larkin for a nine-week medical training program. They said they had completed their training at Ross, on the Caribbean island of Dominica, and wanted to find an apartment in Miami. The men had reached Interstate 75, the main east-west route through the Everglades, early Friday when Florida authorities pulled them over. An alert had been issued for their cars after a woman said she overheard one of the men at a Georgia restaurant make "alarming" statements including saying Americans "mourned on 9/11 and they are going to mourn again on 9/13." Authorities shut down the interstate and, with news helicopters hovering overhead, searched the men's two vehicles, dragging their clothing onto the highway with robots, but found nothing. Seventeen hours later, the men were released. No charges were filed. Altaf Ali, of the Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, at first said he was considering legal action against the hospital for violating the students' civil rights. But he decided to hold off after Michel agreed to meet with him Sunday and discuss the issue. Michel said he agreed to meet with Ali, but said no time had been scheduled. "I implored him to not make a hasty decision yet," Ali said. "I reiterated to him we cannot succumb to pressure based on hate. If he is receiving hate and hostile e-mails, we can't succumb to that kind of intimidation." Michel said his decision was not based on the threatening e-mails. "The last thing I need is for my nurses and physicians is to be worried about being interviewed and losing track of our primary function," Michel said. Gheith is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Jordan, Choudhary is a U.S. citizen born in Detroit, and Butt is in the United States on a visa. "The situation used to be Americans are innocent until proven guilty. Now it's the other way around," Choudhary's father, Javed, said in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "And even after you're proven innocent, some people like the CEO are not accepting that. It's extremely prejudiced and unfair." He said he hoped Ross University administrators would find other arrangements for his son and his friends so they can continue their medical training.2002-09-15 16:41:36 GMT |
This was said by the father of one of these yahoos. On the contrary, I think the CEO makes his position clear, while at the same time not dispargaging anyone.
Mr. Choudray, methinks thou doest protest too much.
Hmmmm. I thought he was a citizen. I guess not...?
It worked. The nurse called the cops.
Guess these guys weren't quite so innocent.
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"Profiling" is inevitable. Three single, young, moslem men, joking about 9/11 should be enough for suspicion even if they DIDN'T blow through a toll-booth with cars that were tagged by the dogs for explosives.
They should be thankful they aren't in Gitmo.
I must have missed that part.
It worked. The nurse called the cops.
Guess these guys weren't quite so innocent.
You have to remember though, that this is what some of the police are saying. Other police officers have stated that they are not sure. The men themselves have not said that they did this. They are still innocent until proven guilty. Just as you would be if someone accused you of making statements such as this.
I know my first reaction was to see what LE did ... not to immediately bombard the hospital with hate mail. This lines up with the sister - who was also to intern there - said about the "bigoted, ignorant Southerners." Anyone agree?
Some good cop, bad cop being employed with the story?
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