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A Faith Leader Was Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Student and Employee. He Still Lives Within Feet of the School.
WTTW ^ | May 4, 2023 | Blair Paddock

Posted on 11/15/2023 9:42:19 AM PST by Morgana

It was over in about a minute.

A brief exchange was all it took for convicted sexual predator and faith leader Mohammad Saleem to be granted permission to live within feet of a school — something not normally permitted under Illinois’ sex offender laws.

After pleading guilty in August 2016 to sexual assault, Saleem and his lawyer, Donna Rotunno, who represented Harvey Weinstein in his New York criminal sexual assault and rape trials, stood before a judge in January 2017.

Rotunno asked the judge to sign an order allowing Saleem to stay at his residence next to the school that educated and employed his victims.

According to court transcripts, the exchange went as follows:

Judge James N. Karahalios: “Wasn’t he living in the —”

Donna Rotunno: “The rectory.”

Karahalios: “-- school or?”

Rotunno: “The rectory of the mosque.”

Karahalios: “Of the mosque.”

Rotunno: “Correct. He can’t go to the school which we made clear in the order. But because of where the property is, a Kane County Probation Officer was assigned to this case and they asked for some clarification so that’s what we’re asking for …”

Karahalios: “All Done. Thank you.”

The year prior, Saleem pleaded guilty in two separate cases to sexually abusing a former student and an employee at the Institute of the Islamic Education (IIE).

As a result, he was sentenced to 24 months of probation and was required to register as a sexual predator.

While Illinois law states that it is unlawful for a child sex offender to reside within 500 feet of a school, playground, or any facility providing programs or services exclusively directed toward people under age 18, the court order allows the prominent religious leader to live on a property adjacent to a school.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.wttw.com ...


TOPICS: Islam
KEYWORDS:
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Seems I need to be more diverse in reporting of this story in religion so I found this one from earlier this year.

Seems when you are a moose limb you can get away with certain things.

1 posted on 11/15/2023 9:42:19 AM PST by Morgana
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To: Morgana

Forget it, Jake; it’s Illinois.


2 posted on 11/15/2023 9:46:25 AM PST by DPMD (ua)
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To: DPMD

Come on Jake I knew things were bad in New York but Illinois? Are they slumming it up there too?


3 posted on 11/15/2023 9:47:44 AM PST by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: Morgana

Given the topic it’s almost comical for the use of the term of where he lived: “rectory”.


4 posted on 11/15/2023 9:48:58 AM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: Morgana
We all live within feet of a school.

Headline writer should go back to school.

Having said that.... is he still employed by the mosque?

5 posted on 11/15/2023 9:50:00 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Keep America Beautiful by keeping Canadian Trash Out. Deport Jennifer Granholm!)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

The article says “faith leader” so I’m gonna bet he is.


6 posted on 11/15/2023 9:52:25 AM PST by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: Morgana
Seems when you are a moose limb you can get away with certain things.

Just like a Catholic priest.

I guess they are taking notes from Catholicism in how to deal with abusive clergy.

7 posted on 11/15/2023 10:10:40 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.)
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To: metmom

then there’s this. Just to expound on her fallacy of diversiveness:

Almost 1,700 priests and clergy accused of sex abuse are unsupervised
An Associated Press investigation found that those credibly accused are now teachers, coaches, counselors and also live near playgrounds.

Nearly 1,700 priests and other clergy members that the Roman Catholic Church considers credibly accused of child sexual abuse are living under the radar with little to no oversight from religious authorities or law enforcement, decades after the first wave of the church abuse scandal roiled U.S. dioceses, an Associated Press investigation has found.

These priests, deacons, monks and lay people now teach middle-school math. They counsel survivors of sexual assault. They work as nurses and volunteer at nonprofits aimed at helping at-risk kids. They live next to playgrounds and daycare centers. They foster and care for children.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/religion/nearly-1-700-priests-clergy-accused-sex-abuse-are-unsupervised-n1062396


8 posted on 11/15/2023 10:13:44 AM PST by patriot torch (..)
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To: Morgana
That is sad.

When you do those kind of things you should lose your status as a "faith leader".

Firing should be the least of it.

9 posted on 11/15/2023 10:18:17 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Keep America Beautiful by keeping Canadian Trash Out. Deport Jennifer Granholm!)
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To: Morgana
his lawyer, Donna Rotunno, who represented Harvey Weinstein in his New York criminal sexual assault and rape trials,

Sounds like some high-priced lawyer so he can stay where he is, for whatever breason.

10 posted on 11/15/2023 10:55:23 AM PST by Fido969 (45 is Superman! )
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To: metmom

“I guess they are taking notes from Catholicism in how to deal with abusive clergy.”

Maybe they are taking notes from your hero Pastor John MacArthur, who is accused of covering up sexual abuse by a senior clergy member.


11 posted on 11/15/2023 10:56:01 AM PST by MDLION ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart" -Proverbs 3:5)
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To: Tell It Right

Wrecked ‘im?

Darn near kill’d ‘im.


12 posted on 11/15/2023 10:56:57 AM PST by Fido969 (45 is Superman! )
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To: metmom

You just can’t help yourself, can you? It’s like a sickness ...


13 posted on 11/15/2023 10:58:04 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: Morgana

He shouldn’t be allowed to live within a mile of children.


14 posted on 11/15/2023 11:00:05 AM PST by TBP (Decent people cannot fathom the amoral cruelty of the Biden regime.)
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To: MDLION

Really? *ACCUSED*

Isn’t that what Catholics freak out about when Catholic priests are accused? It’s only an accusation. You have to give the priest the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proved guilty and all?

Except when it’s a Protestant accused by a Catholic then it’s written in stone. Right? Too bad y’all don’t extend the same grace to others you expect for yourselves.

Why do you do what you condemn others for? If you don’t like others doing it to you, then why do you feel free to do it?


15 posted on 11/15/2023 12:15:57 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.)
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To: NorthMountain

The same can be said for several Catholic posters on FR.

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.


16 posted on 11/15/2023 12:17:01 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.)
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To: metmom

As to your first sentence, I don’t agree with you.

As to your second sentence, I suggest you apply it to your own life.

This thread is about misconduct in a moslem setting. Do at least try to stay on topic.

Same as when the thread is about misconduct in a protestant setting. Try to stay on topic.


17 posted on 11/15/2023 12:44:15 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: patriot torch
Did you even read the article you posted? It's talking about how people who were removed from Catholic ministry because of credible accusations of abuse are now out in the community and aren't being supervised ... by any governmental agency.

Obviously it is the church's problem to (a) remove these people from ministry; and (b) communicate to relevant authorities why they were removed. That's apparently been done. Good.

It's not the church's problem to supervise them for the rest of their natural lives, is it? Guess what: we have neither the resources nor the legal right to hire spies to watch them forever.

Neither would your church, if the situation were reversed.

18 posted on 11/15/2023 1:38:23 PM PST by Campion (Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father's love - Little Flower)
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To: Campion

And how does that excuse the rcc for knowingly transferring priests who they know have a history of abusing children? The rcc has done this for generations.


19 posted on 11/15/2023 1:48:21 PM PST by patriot torch (..)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

We all live within feet of a school.
= = =

A school of what?

Not fish, but maybe Goats?


20 posted on 11/15/2023 2:06:44 PM PST by Scrambler Bob
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