This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1086
September 16, 2005
MIM: It is worth noting that many alleged vandalism cases against Muslim owned institutions and businesses have later proved to have been self perpetrated,which makes the police vow to prosecute the perpetrator "irregardless of their faith" an interesting caveat , combined with the fact that Florida was experiencing the aftermath of a hurricane on August 25th, and many people did not have electricity for days and had been advised to stay at home because of debris on the roads. The Assadiq Islamic Educational Foundation has been out of the news lately, and this incident has spawned a press conference and an 'interfaith gathering' at the mosque which indicates that the faux pas of bringing neo Nazi's to Boca Raton may be forgiven. Bill Gralnick, of the American Jewish Committee, who denounced Assadiq for bringing Baker, but made sure he didnt appear to be condemning anyone outright, was on had to assure Qazwini that his organisation supported the mosque, in it's hour of dire need. Needless to say, no one has yet to questioned whether the alleged vandalism was a ploy designed to get the mosque in the public eye as victims, and exploit the publicity and interfaith concern for Da'wa purposes. Directly after 9/11 Imam Ibrahim Dremali former Imam of the Islamic Center of Boca Raton, claimed he had been threatened with death by some locals in a pick up truck with American flags waving from the car who had followed him home from the mosque. Dremalis alleged attackers were never found, but karate black belt Dremali continued to milk the story for all the victimhood it was worth, even claiming that he had left Boca Raton for Des Moines as a result ! The Boca News article refers to "local anti Muslim extremists" who sparked the protests against neo Nazi William Baker's appearence at what Assadiq claimed was a 'bridgebuilding exercise' with the community, namely a celebration at the Boca Marriott to mark the birth of Mohammed. The event quickly became a public relations debacle when it was revealed that the Mayor of Boca Raton, who is Jewish, and the Mayor of Coral Gables, whose wife is Jewish, were both listed as guests of honor at the event. Both mayors publicly 'disinvited themselves' and Assadiq Center kept Baker as a speaker while the event took place with an army of media outside the hotel. Shortly thereafter Assadiq's website all but disappeared and all of Qazwini's lectures were removed. It seems to have taken a 'hate crime' to bring them out of the woodwork to show themselves as victims". ------------------------------------------------ Police probe ‘hate crime' vandalism at Boca mosque |
Published Thursday, September 15, 2005 |
This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1086