Mystery surrounds FBI raid on North Side mosque [Pittsburgh]

Post Gazette ^ | 7/1/06 | Moustafa Ayad

[LibWhacker]

Agency calls it part of 'criminal' probe

FBI agents yesterday raided a North Side residence known to many in the neighborhood and the Pittsburgh Islamic community as both an Islamic school and mosque.

The agency would say only that the search was in connection with a "criminal investigation" and wouldn't elaborate.

The raid began around noon when authorities shut down the intersection of Boyle and Hemlock streets, residents said. The activity centered around a three-story green house located in the 1300 block of Boyle Street. It is home to the Sankore Institute and Light of Age Mosque, which doubles as...

[LibWhacker]

Wow, big mystery... Muslims... Raid... FBI... Mosque... I wonder if they were they selling girl scout cookies without a license or what?

[A CA Guy]

Must have got wind of some radical Islamic cells ready to act up.

[DTogo]

Muslim community members familiar with the group said the institute is not a part of the seven mosques under the auspices of the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh. Most members of the mosque are African-American, neighbors said.

Ties to the would-be Sears Tower bombers in FL??

[sneakers]

late night bump to read in the morning (yawn!)

(Thanks for the post!)

[sageb1]

Exactly. Hey, Moustafa, get a clue.

[sageb1]

THE GATHERING

Snicker...Good old Harry Belafonte.

[sageb1]

Also this:

Lost in Translation

[nopardons]

Must have.

[taxesareforever]

Muslim community members familiar with the group said the institute is not a part of the seven mosques under the auspices of the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh.

It's still Muslim and therefore suspicious just like all of them.

[MediaMole]

The activity centered around a three-story green house located in the 1300 block of Boyle Street.

Growing castor beans for ricin?

[ncountylee]

"any time law enforcement officials raid a house of worship it raises concerns,"

But this is a Mosque not a house of worship.

[mockingbyrd]

a mosque raises concerns for me.

[SheLion]

hmmmmmm looks like the Mosque's have moved into Pa since this map was published!

[Pro-Bush]

What a busy week - first the Miami 7, now this? If another one happens we may have a pattern here. Could they be related?

[PennsylvaniaMom]

When I first saw this on KDKA tonight at 11 pm, I thought of the upcoming AllStar Baseball Game to be played at PNC Park. This building is within walking distance of PNC...as both are located on Pittsburgh's North Shore. The report, by David Highfield, showed the house, the armed FBI agents, the group's spokeperson, but made no reference to the All Star Game, which I thought was rather odd, given the fact that security has to be the number one priority at the game. Hope more info on this come out...

[processing please hold]

Ties to the would-be Sears Tower bombers in FL??

That was my first thought.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Maybe, but my concern is the Major League Baseball All Star Game...the game is in a week, and this building is blocks away from PNC Park.

[Jaysun]

When I first saw this on KDKA tonight at 11 pm, I thought of the upcoming AllStar Baseball Game to be played at PNC Park. This building is within walking distance of PNC...as both are located on Pittsburgh's North Shore. The report, by David Highfield, showed the house, the armed FBI agents, the group's spokeperson, but made no reference to the All Star Game, which I thought was rather odd, given the fact that security has to be the number one priority at the game. Hope more info on this come out...

Excellent point. If it was for no other reason than to ensure safety during the game then it was justified. You can't very well secure a place housing thousands of people without making sure there aren't any Muslim herds within a certain distance of the place.

[martin_fierro]

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Website here.

[beyond the sea]

Muslim community members familiar with the group said the institute is not a part of the seven mosques under the auspices of the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh. Most members of the mosque are African-American, neighbors said.

I wonder how many of the "members" learned their "faith" in prison.