Posted on 11/18/2006 1:24:18 PM PST by calcowgirl
LODI, Calif. - Eighteen months after FBI agents swarmed Lodi's Muslim community and arrested a father and son on terrorism-related charges, investigators said they are still examining several individuals named by the pair.
U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott and Drew Parenti, who heads the FBI's Sacramento office, met Friday with about 100 members of the Pakistani community at the Lodi Muslim Mosque. The site was part of a federal probe into what investigators initially said was a suspected terrorist cell in the agricultural community south of Sacramento.
Hamid Hayat, 24, was convicted in April of one count of providing material support to terrorists and three counts of lying about it to FBI agents. His father, Umer Hayat, 48, was convicted of lying to investigators about the amount of cash he carried to Pakistan on a 2003 trip, but a jury deadlocked on terrorism charges.
Scott said investigators are now only interested in a few friends and relatives of the Hayats fingered by the men during hours of often confused and conflicting interviews.
"They named other people in the Lodi community that went to Pakistan and attended terrorist training camps," Scott said. "If you are under investigation, you know it by now. Being scared should no longer be part of the climate."
Parenti appealed to the Islamic community for help before he and other law enforcement officials met with community leaders over spicy curry, lamb, chicken and rice at the imam's residence next door to the mosque.
"The FBI does not consider all Muslims terrorists," Parenti said. "We need your help. We need your eyes and ears."
Islamic leaders said ill feelings remain.
"Our community is afraid," said mosque president Mohammed Shoaib. "We want some kind of communication instead of fear."
Hafiz Baqi said the hour-long meeting changed his opinion of the government investigators.
"I can see that they are human like us," Baqi said. "They are just trying to do their job."
Ping
Thanks for posting. Interesting.
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