Hinrichs and Nick Berg
Posted on 10/08/2005 4:03:10 AM PDT by LibertyRocks
Muslim communities fear association with bomber
The Norman Transcript
Invites public to mosque for Ramadan
By Carol Cole
Transcript Staff Writer
Distorted media stories have city and student Muslim communities on edge, after it was revealed that bomber Joel "Joe" Henry Hinrichs roomed with a Muslim student at the Parkview apartments near the University of Oklahoma campus.
However, the FBI has found no connection between the 21-year-old engineering major, who died from an explosion at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday about 100 yards outside OU's Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium packed with more than 84,000 fans, and the Muslim community, other than other than Hinrichs' rooming with OU finance major Fazal M. Cheema from Pakistan.
And Hinrichs apparently never visited the Masjid An-Nur Islamic mosque that has served the Muslim community at 1304 George Avenue since 1978.
"He had never been to our mosque and he's not associated with our mosque in any way, shape or form," said 44-year-old Mohamed Farid Elyazgi, who has lived in Norman with his family since 1985. "We had never seen him until we saw his picture in the media."
Elyazgi emphasized that Islam forbids suicide and Muslims condemn all acts of violence.
He said many area Muslims have become concerned about television stations filming stories about the bombing in front of the mosque and its sign, fearing it could fan fear and perhaps violence against Muslims or associate the incident with the Islamic Society of Norman.
The community is mindful of what happened after the 1995 Murrah Building bombing, when it was thought there could be Middle Eastern involvement, spurred on by some Oklahoma City stations.
"(There were) a lot of Muslims who got harassed and some hate crimes against them," Elyazgi said, remembering that Stillwater's mosque was shot at.
The Oklahoma City bomb- ers turned out to be homegrown in the form of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
OU President David Boren warned against jumping to conclusions in an e-mail that went out to students, faculty and staff Thursday.
"To rush to judge others or make assumptions about them on that basis is nothing short of prejudice," wrote Boren, emphasizing the campus' low crime rate. "It has no place in America and it certainly has no place at the University of Oklahoma."
Elyazgi is especially concerned because two of his six children attend the University of Oklahoma.
"I think the concern right now is because some of the Muslim women, they wear their scarfs and they become a target for everyone to identify them," he said.
When he first heard the news about the bomb, it sent chills and a silent prayer through him.
"To be honest, when I heard about the bombing and that it was a suicide bomb, I just prayed to God that no one was hurt and I hoped that no Muslims were connected to that because we don't need that here," Elyazgi said.
After 9/11, emotions were high and Elyazgi kept his children at home for several days.
"Because you never know how people are going to react," he said. "We're just asking people to be understanding as usual. There was a big difference in how Oklahomans reacted to 9/11 than the way they reacted to the 1995 bombing.
"We are part of society here and we know that one of the things great about America is the diversity in America and the acceptance of different people from different places. They come together and they live in peace. We'd like to see our country prosper."
Elyazgi said they want to invite people to the mosque to see Muslim culture for themselves, with today being the third day of their holy month Ramadan.
"Anybody is welcome to come and eat with us and we welcome them to the mosque," he said.
There are special night prayers and dinners as Muslims break their all-day fast from dawn to sunset.
"So anybody who would like to see what we are all about and how we live and how we try to uplift our souls in this holy month of ours and try to share the hunger and the thirst of others," Elyazgi said. "It's just a beautiful atmosphere. I wish you would come and join us and how we are very peaceful and caring about each other."
Carol Cole 366-3538 ccole@normantranscript.com
That's good to know, thank you! I definitely count on others to dispell as much as to provide! (o:
The tape I'm looking for is linked on this page in the right hand column and is titled "Learning about Hinrichs"
http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/5063479/detail.html
It may also link to the current threat against NYC, which may be part of the reason why info is being kept close to the vest.
Murrah bombing info- the Norman mosque is mentioned.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/artman/publish/article_135.shtml
You're right, that video is missing. Verrrry interesting. I wonder why.
Have you checked your cache? It might still be in your cache.
Good idea... I'll try that.
Well guys it looks like all the PAKI's that live in my apt complex here in Orange Cty Cal have gone to ground. So something is up, I have been a little slow in following stuff this week.
I would use the word exterminate rather then "clean" but either way, there would be none left. ROP my A$$.
You should have done this research when he told you his fiction (an absolute lie) and then posted it here. Instead, you used your muslim friend like he was an impeccable source and added no thoughts of your own.
Read your own previous posting on this thread again....they sounds like that of a DU apologists. Sorry....if you want to make comments that only a PC liberal would make, expect to be called on them.
>>It seems like this one is getting swept under the rug for some reason.<<
You will see your children die in a jihadist bloodbath before:
• OU President Boren dares risk losing a dime by telling the truth
• The FBI admits they were wrong about Timothy McVeigh
• The MSM admits that Bush was right about the War on Terror
and by "wrong" about McVeigh, I mean not following up on Islamic connections...
Hinrichs and Nick Berg
Thanks for the side by side pictures.
The FBI...let me see...oh, I remember them!
They're the ones who lied to us about Waco.
Great idea in theory.
A) Fact #1 - we, along with the rest of the world, has class distinctions. Fact #2 - Number 1 isn't going to change in our lifetimes.
B) The mere act of attaining citizenship does not automatically make that person a good American citizen. Same as being born in America doesn't make one a good citizen. There are, and always will be good and bad people.
C) You're talking legal immigration. There are untold numbers who have entered this country illegally or who have over stayed their visas making them crimminals.
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