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
"This disturbed individual did not attend our mosque and did not get any explosives from us or explosives training, and we did not provide him with target suggestions or promise him eternal reward in Paradise for killing infidels. Only an islamophobic bigot would look for a connection!"
I'm wondering what they found on Hinrich's computer and whether that had anything to do with learning of the threat to NY... I hope they've succeeded in foiling those plans. Last I saw they had 3 or 4 in custody. First reports of the NYC threat detailed looking for 19 operatives (per ABCNews).
Thanks- then I don't need to do that.
To speak bluntly, I'm tired of the whining, the blaming of everyone else, and all the other static from the Muslim community- a community whose more fanatical members bomb, maim, and terrorize the defenseless and innocent.
Go here, go to the "last," and work backwards. It's a lot of reading, but if you don't already have an awareness of this stuff, you will never again view "the religion of peace" in the same light:
As far as I know, this hasn't changed. And IMO, it's something that needs to be looked into very much. Perhaps Carol Cole can use her considerable investigative skills to determine just where Hinrichs was during that time, the same skills she employed to determine that Hinrichs wasn't at the mosque.
This should scare the hell out of all of us. The timing is a great concern. NYC is the target tomorrow and this last week. I think this idiot jumped the gun and blew the time line. ALL of the Norman OK connections AND the Feds are working under sealed warrants.
I'm cleaning my guns tomorrow and staying home. Yes I know that's what they want but I want to be around when the revenge is metered out.
Pass the Pepto, it sickens me too. Channel 9 this morning (despite the fact that they've broken the news of most of the facts we know right now) ran not one but two stories about how "nervous" the Muslim "community" (aka plotters) is and how they stand for "peace."
Has it occurred to these Islamics that maybe we wouldn't be so suspicious of them if only they would quit bombing Westerners and Americans? Even those who haven't bombed anybody (yet) have, either overtly or covertly supported those who have done the bombing. If they're not out in the streets demonstrating against suicide bombers, they're showing a form of support.
When was the last time anyone here heard a Muslim openly, publicly, and loudly denounce terrorists?
pong
It is all tied together somehow. I hope we find out in time to stop it.
They're trying, NavVet, but freepers are keeping the story on top of the rug so far. I noticed when visiting a verboten website that Jayna Davis is reporting again, and I know her to be a tenacious investigator--if she has anything to do with it, this story won't be easily swept under any rugs!
He was full of shi'ite.
You haven't been reading much about this case, have you?
If I had to speculate, I envision this guy, already depressed and disaffected and unsure of his direction in life, getting upset by the war in Afghanistan in the fall of 2001. Members of the Norman cell, or their fellow travellers at OU, spot the guy and see him as a perfect dupe to be befriended, recruited, and programmed.
By the time the 2002 photo is taken, Joel Henry Hinrichs III is now Jihad Joe.
By the time he returns to school, he is a trained operative going through the motions of continuing his life until he is activated and given orders.
The most recent Al Qaeda videotape, with the American convert issuing the threats, is the signal to his cell that the time has come for Jihad Joe, and other American converts, to wake up and perform their missions.
Muslims need to clean up their neighborhood.
PKM might have a better take on this, but in my experience, the Norman Transcript seems very liberal. I hardly ever buy the paper, unless someone I know is being written about. An article like this is pretty much what I would expect from them.
Norman, in general, seems more liberal than the outlying communities. If bumper stickers are any measure of politics, during the last election I saw a lot more pro-Kerry stickers than pro-Bush stickers. In my opinion, liberals will apologize for almost any outrage, including terrorism. It's all because of their difficult childhoods, or their poverty, etc., according to them.
Have posted the summary on your thread. I also added a few more things before doing it so it's the "updated" update! LOL
I too am tired of the whining... Given the history in Norman you would think they would be putting forth word into the community condemning every act of terrorism that takes place anywhere in the world. But, after all according to their own doctrine lying during a Jihad is "holy".
I pride myself on being non-judgemental, and anti-racist. This whole thing is putting a severe strain on those feelings in regards to followers of this religion. God, please forgive me if I am wrong in my perspective on these things! I am trying to keep in mind that there has GOT to be some in the religion who don't view all followers of other religion as infidels, but all I hear is the same old thing...
I'll try to find the report. I remember hearing it several times, but most notably in a video report. I hope to God it's not the one that's conveniently missing at Ch. 5 now...
I'll have to look for the last message from Zaqwawi? These messages usually come two weeks before an attack. I'll have to go back and read it.
Your last paragraph is excellent. Kissinger agrees with you. This was NOT a pre-emptive strike.
-"...and I hoped that no Muslims were connected to that because we don't need that here," Elyazgi said.-
Sounds like a RUSH TO JUDGEMENT to me.
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