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Ann Arbor Muslim Leader Detained by INS
The Detroit News ^ | 12-17-01

Posted on 12/17/2001 11:32:09 AM PST by Moleman

   DETROIT -- A Muslim community leader who is on the board of trustees of an international group that was raided by federal agents last week has been detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, his attorney said Monday.
   Rabih Haddad, 41, was detained by the INS on Friday and was being held on a visa violation, said attorney Ashraf Nubani. INS officials said Monday that they could not confirm or deny that Haddad was being held and said it was unlikely any information would be released on the case. The FBI referred all questions to INS.
   Nubani said INS officials told him Haddad would be held without bond or a detention hearing. He said those who pose a danger to the community or are considered a flight risk generally are denied bond or a detention hearing, but he said Haddad falls into neither category.
   Haddad, a native of Lebanon now living in Ann Arbor, is on the board of trustees of the Global Relief Foundation, a Bridgeview, Ill.-based group whose offices were raided on Friday.
   No arrests were made there. Two Global Relief Foundation offices in Yugoslavia also were searched Friday by NATO-led peacekeepers and U.N. police. A NATO spokesman said three people were detained there but gave no details.
   The group's assets have been frozen. U.S. Treasury Department spokesman Tony Fratto said early Saturday that "there was coordinated action to block the assets because the groups are suspected of funding terrorist activities."
   Messages left with the Global Relief Foundation on Monday were not immediately returned.
   Nubani said Haddad's detention came now because of the political climate following Sept. 11.
   "If he had any (immigration) issue he would have been picked up long ago," Nubani said.
   Nubani said Haddad came to the United States in 1998 on a tourist visa that has since expired. But he said Haddad applied for permanent residency through a provision of the Lise Act passed by President Clinton in 2000.
   Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU of Michigan, called Haddad "a beloved person in the Ann Arbor community," who has a wife and four children here.
   "In my view the federal agents are destroying any trust that exists between the law enforcement and the Arab community," Steinberg said. "It's counterproductive for the federal government to seek assistance from the Muslim community on one hand and then arrest their leaders on the other."
   Michigan is home to about 350,000 Arab-Americans. The Justice Department sent letters to hundreds of southeastern Michigan men, mostly from the Middle East, seeking to interview them in the terrorism investigation. Officials have sought help from local Arab leaders in the interview process.



TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: michaeldobbs
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Islam is a religion of peace...
1 posted on 12/17/2001 11:32:09 AM PST by Moleman
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: Moleman
It sure is. Our President told us so. The INS/FBI obviously are suffering from an extreme case of Islamophobia.
3 posted on 12/17/2001 11:43:04 AM PST by GuillermoX
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To: Moleman; Islamic_Violence
I am putting this to the Islamic_violence bump_list.
4 posted on 12/17/2001 11:45:47 AM PST by harpseal
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To: proud patriot
Treat the terrorist like he deserves to be treated!
We need to tell this to the morons at the ACLU.
These bozos wants to treat terrorists like school children who poked another with his pencil
5 posted on 12/17/2001 11:47:31 AM PST by Moleman
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To: Moleman
Nubani said Haddad's detention came now because of the political climate following Sept. 11.
"If he had any (immigration) issue he would have been picked up long ago," Nubani said.

And who says Arab Muslims have no sense of humor?
This is the funniest statement I have heard in years.

6 posted on 12/17/2001 11:47:59 AM PST by Publius6961
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To: Moleman
It's interesting that he's from Lebanon. Prior threads discussed where these charities were involved. Global's website notes: "Kosova Chechnya Pakistan Ethiopia Afghanistan Kashmir". Notably all areas where al-Qaeda is involved. Notably does not include areas like Egypt, Lebanon, etc. where charity work could be done too, especially the children's work claimed. Check out this thread:

Sources: Feds raid Islamic charity groups (Dec. 14)

7 posted on 12/17/2001 11:47:59 AM PST by Shermy
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To: Moleman
Nubani said Haddad's detention came now because of the political climate following Sept. 11. "If he had any (immigration) issue he would have been picked up long ago," Nubani said.

Yeah, right. He couldn't possibly be here illegally, because he was not arrested until they started checking his immigration status. We all know that the INS never misses anyone.

8 posted on 12/17/2001 11:49:09 AM PST by Hugin
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To: Moleman
"In my view the federal agents are destroying any trust that exists between the law enforcement and the Arab community"

9/11 not withstanding.

9 posted on 12/17/2001 11:50:24 AM PST by AppyPappy
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: Moleman
Thanks for posting this.

This in this article says it all for me, "Nubani said Haddad came to the United States in 1998 on a tourist visa that has since expired. But he said Haddad applied for permanent residency through a provision of the Lise Act passed by President Clinton in 2000.,"

Now Haddad and his fellow illegals need to catch the next plane for Portland, Oregone if INS releases him. His buddies had better head to Portland, Oregone, too!

(Why Haddad should go to Portland, Oregon!)

11 posted on 12/17/2001 12:02:51 PM PST by Grampa Dave
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To: Moleman
He's a Cornhusker.

Rabih Haddad holds a Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 1992, he co-founded Global Relief Foundation, a humanitarian organization. He has served as chairman of GRF's board since 92, and as its CEO between 92 to 96. He currently serves as GRF's public relations director and also fundraises extensively for its projects. He in addition lectures and writes, mostly on topics related to relief work and the Islamic faith. For more information on the Global Relief Foundation please visit www.grf.org

Where I found the biography

12 posted on 12/17/2001 12:04:11 PM PST by Shermy
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To: Moleman
What in the hell is a Muslim doin in Michigan anyway??? Gettem outta there! Got no right to breathe good clean (okay, not clean) American air.
13 posted on 12/17/2001 12:20:08 PM PST by Warren
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To: theoldright
Yeah, Abraham's a bum
14 posted on 12/17/2001 12:28:25 PM PST by Moleman
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To: Shermy
Interesting...
15 posted on 12/17/2001 12:30:20 PM PST by Moleman
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To: Moleman
"In my view the federal agents are destroying any trust that exists between the law enforcement and the Arab community," Steinberg said.

Wasn't it President Reagan who said "trust AND verify?" With our Arab/Muslim visitors and neighbors, we are FORCED by the acts of their countrymen, to verify FIRST, BEFORE trust.

So if they are unhappy, the targets of the unhappiness SHOULD be the countrymen and co-religionists, who put them into this situation. Our FBI, INS, should be trained to say "...don't blame me, blame radical Islam, blame bin Laden, blame mullah Omar, blame any Arab or Muslim terrorist you want, but don't blame the US. The US is into the justified, self-defence phase.

16 posted on 12/17/2001 12:33:41 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: Moleman
ACLU=AMERICAN civil liberties union...This raghead ain't no American...He has no rights in America...He an illegal arab alien which means he's a potential terrorist...He should be under armed guard all the way to the ship that takes him away from here...
17 posted on 12/17/2001 12:37:06 PM PST by Iscool
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