Posted on 10/07/2005 6:24:23 PM PDT by Pikamax
OU's Muslim Students Fearful After Explosion Authorities: No Evidence Hinrichs Had Ticket, Tried To Buy Ticket To Game
POSTED: 9:42 am CDT October 7, 2005 UPDATED: 11:11 am CDT October 7, 2005
NORMAN, Okla. -- Many Muslim students at the University of Oklahoma are laying low after rumors spread that a terrorist plot was behind a deadly explosion near a packed football stadium, Muslim leaders say.
"A lot of students are taking precautions, staying at home," said Houda Elyazgi, an officer with the Muslim Student Association. "I wear the scarf, so I fear for my security now because of all this speculation."
In an e-mail sent Thursday afternoon to students, faculty and staff members, OU President David Boren encouraged all not to "judge others or jump to conclusions about others on the basis of color, race, gender, economic status or freely exercised religious beliefs.
"To rush to judge others or make assumptions about them on that basis is nothing short of prejudice. It has no place in America and it certainly has no place at the University of Oklahoma."
Investigators believe the bomb blast that killed OU engineering student Joel Henry Hinrichs III, 21, was a suicide. Boren reiterated in the letter that there is "no evidence of a conspiracy involving others which creates an ongoing threat to our OU community."
Oklahoma Muslim leaders feared their community would be targeted after the explosion.
"When it first happened, we said, 'Oh, God. Here we go again,"' said Imad Enchassi, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.
Enchassi remembered how suspicion fell on the Muslim community in the days after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, as did Boren, who noted that some speculated early on that the explosion that killed 168 people was the work of a Middle Eastern terrorist.
"As we all now know, the person responsible was not someone from the Middle East but was Timothy McVeigh and at least one other American who assisted him," the statement read. "We can only hope that all of us, including some media outlets, would have learned from that recent rush to incorrect conclusions."
At least four Muslim students were handcuffed and questioned after the OU explosion, and Muslim leaders fielded telephone calls from reporters.
Hinrichs' Pakistani roommate, Fazal M. Cheema, is Muslim, although not particularly religious, according to regulars at the Norman mosque.
Cheema worked at the football stadium, according to the OU student directory, and the men lived at Parkview Apartments, a university-owned property popular with Islamic students because it is adjacent to the local mosque.
Some media reported that Hinrichs spent time recently at the mosque, which was denied by the president of the mosque, who asked that his name not be used for fear of retaliation.
Hinrichs' father, Joel Hinrichs Jr., said this week his son was skeptical of ideology and was not Muslim.
Meanwhile, OU officials addressed allegations that Hinrichs had tried to enter the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, which sits about 100 yards from the spot where the explosion happened.
University spokeswoman Catherine Bishop said OU officials reviewed their ticket records and determined that Hinrichs, of Colorado Springs, Colo., didn't purchase a football ticket from any university outlet.
Bishop also said university officials hadn't heard anything to indicate Hinrichs tried to buy a ticket from one of the fans selling them outside the stadium.
The FBI has reviewed video surveillance tapes and, so far, haven't uncovered anything that indicates Hinrichs tried to enter, Boren said.
Norman police, however, reported that an officer became suspicious when he overhead Hinrichs trying to purchase ammonium nitrate fertilizer from a local feed and seed store two days before he died.
The manager of Ellison Feed and Seed said the store no longer carried that kind of fertilizer, which was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
As for the Muslim community, Elyazgi said it has been particularly difficult because Wednesday marked the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk.
"I'd rather be focusing on my fast and this joyous month than having to worry about my back," Elyazgi said.
There is a reason for that, Imad. A very good reason, as it happens.
Might I suggest that all "good Muslims" take a very alert posture -- and report any suspicions they might have about their fellow religionists to the authorities.
Or is that asking too much?
Here we go....bleeding heart alert.
Unless of course the others are white, Anglo Saxon, heterosexual, male, and conservative Christians.
What do you think? TTU 35, NU 24, something like that?
what a frickin joke. i wonder if any of the NON muslims are afraid, or do they really matter since they are infidels?!
exactly what they are afraid of i am not sure, since the media seems to be quite successfully mothballing this story so that no one gets any idea that islamoterror is any more prevelant than all those abortion facility bombers out there.
You may find this to be of interest.
If our offense looks like last week, yes.
Rumors? I'd call it "evidence." Quite a lot of it, too.
Too bad that bench was not in the local mosque because that's where all this stuff starts at.
OH NO! - NOT ANOTHER CHRISTIAN SUICIDE BOMBER!
.... Wait, never mind ...
"University spokeswoman Catherine Bishop said OU officials reviewed their ticket records and determined that Hinrichs, of Colorado Springs, Colo., didn't purchase a football ticket from any university outlet."
PhiKap, how could they possibly know if he purchased a ticket or not? Do you have to give your name when you buy a ticket and it is put in their record book?
Why worry, we don't cut heads off, you pukes.
Thanks a lot for the ping, Spunky. This story is so PC that is it nauseating.
Article also says his roommate " Cheema worked at the football stadium,.."
If this is the case, Cheema could very well know where all the video surveillance cameras are located and he could have told Hinrich so he could avoid being seen.
Hey Boren, Freepers are not dummies.
That's my question. How could he possibly know that? I don't believe much of what he says at this point. And usually the only information I get is on here.
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