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Friends describe terror suspect as well-known New York musician
kansascity.com ^

Posted on 06/01/2005 1:41:18 PM PDT by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget

NEW YORK - (KRT) - The Bronx martial arts expert arrested in an alleged plot to build a secret al-Qaida training camp is a well-known city jazz musician who has backed greats like Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter, friends said Tuesday.

Tarik Shah, 42, has played bass at local clubs for years, and fellow musicians said they've never heard him espouse an allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

"This man talks about music. That's all he talks about," said pianist Donald Smith, 61, who last month played with Shah at St. Nick's Pub in Harlem.

"The only thing we know is he is a devout Muslim, loves God. He loves his family."

But prosecutors charge Shah, the son of a former aide to Malcolm X, was only using his musical skills as a "cover" for a plan to train his Muslim "brothers" to wage jihad.

Shah and Columbia University-educated doctor Rafiq Sabir, 50, are both U.S. citizens. They appeared in court Tuesday to face charges of conspiring to provide material support to al-Qaida.

Prosecutors said Shah and Sabir were caught expressing their eagerness to help terrorists in secretly taped conversations with an undercover FBI agent posing as an al-Qaida recruiter and a federal informant.

Shah even scouted out a warehouse in Long Island for a possible terrorist training camp, and Sabir vowed to treat wounded jihadists in Saudi Arabia, authorities said.

"I characterize this as desperate prosecution on the part of the government," Shah's attorney, Anthony Ricco, said after Shah's brief appearance Tuesday in Manhattan Federal Court.

Shah, who is being held without bail, nodded to fellow musicians and his wife, Zakkiyyah, as he entered the courtroom in handcuffs. He was ordered to return to court June 28.

"He's a wonderful musician and a wonderful person," said friend and jazz saxophone player Salim Washington, 48, noting Shah has recorded albums with Lincoln and Carter. "He is not in any way tied with things that have been alleged."

Ricco suggested the arrests were an attempt by the government to bolster public perception that it is aggressively pursuing terrorists.

"He wouldn't be here if he wasn't a Muslim," Ricco said. "This is an orchestrated prosecution."

Sabir, who was trained in martial arts by Shah, appeared in Federal Court in Fort Pierce, Fla., and informed a magistrate that he was still trying to hire an attorney.

Sabir, arrested at his Boca Raton, Fla., home early Saturday, will be arraigned June 15.

"This anti-American stuff they're accusing him of is absurd," said Dan McBride, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Boca Raton, where Sabir is a member.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; baltimorecell; blackmuslims; bocaratoncell; bowtie; columbiau; jihadinamerica; kenya; malcolmx; nationofislam; rafiqsabir; religionofpeace; religionoftolerance; sabir; shah; tarikshah; thenemywithin; theyareeverywhere; trop; waronterror
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To: Publius6961

"He wouldn't be here if he wasn't a Muslim," Ricco said. "This is an orchestrated prosecution."

That's right Baptists are not flying planes into buildings.


21 posted on 06/01/2005 2:38:11 PM PDT by since1868
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To: martin_fierro
"Tarik Shah, 42, has played bass at local clubs for years, and fellow musicians said they've never heard him espouse an allegiance to Osama bin Laden."

Of course they never heard him say it...Bass players are not allowed to enter doors marked "musicians only"...

22 posted on 06/01/2005 2:40:52 PM PDT by JDoutrider
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To: since1868

He is there because of being a criminal muxlum terrorist.Watch out for the muxlum race cards to start flying when captured. NSNR


23 posted on 06/01/2005 2:45:31 PM PDT by No Surrender No Retreat
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To: Zeppelin

Words spoken by a fool and jazzroom lawyer. Those two law abiding musklims were framed by Mark Furhman. NSNR


24 posted on 06/01/2005 2:47:58 PM PDT by No Surrender No Retreat
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To: No Surrender No Retreat
I am so sick of it. In October I am moving to Pa.
I love Northern Va. but it is so populated with Muslims
I am sick of seeing them everywhere I go.
Anybody wanna call me a racists I don't care.
25 posted on 06/01/2005 2:49:37 PM PDT by since1868
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To: No Surrender No Retreat; cardinal4
"This anti-American stuff they're accusing him of is absurd," said Dan McBride, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Boca Raton, where Sabir is a member."

Dan McBride is the spokesman for the Islamic Center of Boca Raton? And Mustafa ibn Fahd is the spokesman for the Boca Raton PD's Emerald Society?

26 posted on 06/01/2005 2:50:39 PM PDT by Ax (You've got to hand it to Venus de Milo.)
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To: LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget
The Bronx martial arts expert arrested in an alleged plot to build a secret al-Qaida training camp is a well-known city jazz musician who has backed greats like Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter, friends said Tuesday.

Oh, well, I guess there's no need for a trial. There's no WAY he could be a terrorist, is there?

27 posted on 06/01/2005 2:54:26 PM PDT by IronJack
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To: No Surrender No Retreat
"He wouldn't be here if he wasn't a Muslim," Ricco said.



Well duhhhhh, I guess good old Ricco forgot that not all Muslims are terrorist, but most all terrorist are Muslim.
28 posted on 06/01/2005 2:57:38 PM PDT by DAC21
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To: DoctorMichael

yup , going over their "arrangements"


29 posted on 06/01/2005 3:00:50 PM PDT by Dad yer funny
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To: martin_fierro

Wait'll you see Anthony Ricco X , looks like something from central casting , NO S**T


30 posted on 06/01/2005 3:03:19 PM PDT by Dad yer funny
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To: LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget

Muslim martial arts expert. Tooth Fairy. Santa Clause. Easter bunny etc.


31 posted on 06/01/2005 3:23:01 PM PDT by Ajnin (I)
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To: b4its2late
from the Guardian (uk) Wednesday September 11, 2002

Mohammed Atta's PhD supervisor and head of the faculty of town planning at the university of Hamburg-Harburg.

I knew Mohammed Atta well. Or rather, I knew a man who called himself Mohammed el-Amir - a pleasant, personable and very intelligent young man. I taught him. He consulted me. We had long and detailed academic discussions. When I hear things about Mohammed Atta, I have this image in front of me of Mohammed el-Amir. But it is not easy to reconcile the two. Mohammed el-Amir was just not decipherable as the "terror pilot" Mohammed Atta.

The perfectly possessed are quite functional and efficient in their everyday life. Atta was a pathetic puppet of Satan, dressed for success in the western world.

32 posted on 06/01/2005 3:34:27 PM PDT by Antioch (Benedict XVI: "I think the essential point is a weakness of faith.")
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To: LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget; All
"I characterize this as desperate prosecution on the part of the government," Shah's attorney, Anthony Ricco, said..."

Any doubts of his guilt? Just checkout the track record of who he picked for his lawyer!


"Anthony Ricco makes his closing statements Monday, disputing the allegation that Odeh was a technical adviser in the Kenya bombing."
CNN.COM (May 7, 2001)

33 posted on 06/01/2005 3:40:11 PM PDT by drpix
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To: drpix
Ricco's father was a disciple of MalcomX
34 posted on 06/01/2005 3:43:05 PM PDT by since1868
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To: since1868
"Lawyer" Ricco's suit & BOW-TIE is a good clue that the apple didn't fall too far from the tree.
35 posted on 06/01/2005 4:02:42 PM PDT by drpix
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To: drpix

why are these people taking seriously.


36 posted on 06/01/2005 4:06:52 PM PDT by since1868
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To: martin_fierro
"I've heard him. He da bomb." GROAN!
37 posted on 06/01/2005 4:06:59 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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