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March 4th - March 17th, 2011
COMMUNITY NEWS
FBI
>> continued from pg 1 law enforcement and communities like you,” said Colgan. After a three minute statement, Colgan asked the congregation if they had any questions. One community member asked what was the purpose of his visit. After being told it was for dialogue and that the FBI “works for the tax payers”, the audience member wanted to follow-up with a question but was told to give others a chance.
One Pakistani community members asked how the FBI can come professing to want dialogue while “coming from the back door” and “sending spies with Muslim names” to monitor the community. “If I was the president of the mosque I would not let you come here without strip [searching] you because you might drop something to hear what’s going on here,” he said emphatically. The Arab brother interjected. “We are not afraid of what’s going on here, you know everything [because] we broadcast it on
the Internet.” Several community members also said they appreciated the FBI’s work helping to prevent attacks on masajid, violent crimes, and police brutality. The case of Antonio Martinez – who attended ISB along with other Baltimore masajid – was brought up by a representative from the Muslim Link. The representative questioned how “stringing along” a young person who was new to Islam and “enabling them to act out ideas” suggested to them by the FBI helped national security.
“The FBI cannot gamble with the hope that someone will [reform],” replied Cogan. “I can’t discuss the facts of the case. Thats your opinion. Let’s say that [he was entrapped], then that person can be found not guilty in front of a jury of ones peers. And that’s what makes our nation so unique, we have checks and balances.” The Muslim Link representative offered to continue dialogue through the newspaper, and the agent said he would relay the community’s comments to his office.
Farooq Marfani then asked Colgan why “people are so scared of the FBI”. “I’m not here to discuss fear, I’m here to discuss how to build stronger relationships,” replied Colgan, after which ISB board member Muhammad Jamil closed the floor from further questions and asked people to continue discussing with agent Colgan in the lobby. “He will not discuss any particular case,” said Jamil. Outside in the lobby, about a dozen men gathered around Colgan and peppered him with mostly comments, and some questions. “We can’t build masjids freely, we can’t travel freely just because we practice Islam. Because you met someone you become tainted and investigated …. people get nervous because they won’t be treated freely,” commented one African-American community member. “I get investigated every five years by the FBI,” responded Colgan, referring to his regular agency background checks. “We don’t focus on individuals based on their race, ethnicity, or religion, we focus on threats,” he explained. One African student complained that “if you are a Muslim student studying something like chemistry, we feel like we are being looked at as a possible terrorist who might be studying to manufacture bombs.” “Whenever the FBI is mentioned in the Islamic community, they are looked at as the people who don’t treat us fairly as equal citizens,” explained one Arab-American community member, who also cited long delays for unknown reasons in getting green cards and citizenship as something which shows mistreatment of Muslim Americans.
Muslim Youth Soccer League
SPRING SEASON Starts April 2, 2011
Onsite Registration Day at PGMA Saturday, March 12th 10am - 2pm: Special Price $55 this day (Regular $65) Register online @ www.myslonline.net
Registration closes Friday, March 18th
All Games will be played at MYSL Home Field at PGMA 9150 Lanham Severn Rd, Lanham, MD 20706 WANTED: Coaches/Referees/Sisters’ Coordinator Contact: info@myslonline.net or 202-525-MYSL (6975)