Muslim stops synagogue torching

New York Daily News ^ | 1/10/03

[areafiftyone]

A Muslim gas station attendant was being hailed as a hero for saving a Brooklyn synagogue yesterday from being torched by a man he described as "totally out of control."

Syed Ali, 35, was working at the Amoco station on Ocean Ave. in Sheepshead Bay at about 4 a.m. when he sold $2 worth of fuel to the alleged would-be arsonist.

The Pakistani immigrant said he watched in disbelief as Sead Jakup, 22, took the canister across the street and began dousing the Young Israel of Kings Bay synagogue.

Ali quickly called 911, and cops arrived before Jakup, a Bosnian Muslim, could set the temple ablaze.

"Mr. Ali saved the shul [synagogue]," said Allen Popper, president of the synagogue. "He's a hero."

Ali said that Jakup first asked to pump gas into a plastic bucket. Assuming the man's car had run out of fuel, Ali gave him a gas can to fill up.

He said he "couldn't believe my eyes" when Jakup marched straight to the synagogue.

"I saw him spilling gas on the sign in front of the synagogue," Ali said. "Then, he started spilling it onto the door - that is when I called 911."

But as Ali waited for the cops, Jakup returned, demanding a refill.

"He was totally out of control," said Ali, adding that Jakup was screaming, "I want more gas!" as he kicked the cashier's booth Ali was in.

Police cars and fire trucks pulled up as Jakup allegedly tried to smash the booth's glass door with a trash can.

Ali declined to accept the mantle of hero, saying he did only what any responsible person would do. "It's a sacred place he was going to destroy," Ali said.

Cops said Jakup appeared intent on burning the temple down.

"He was carrying a book of matches," said a police spokesman, adding that the case was being investigated as a bias crime because the target was a house of worship.

Jakup, who was fired Tuesday from his job as an apprentice laborer for the city's Department of Environmental Protection, was charged with third-degree arson.

A relative, Haji Popinara, 34, said Jakup - who lives with his father and sister four blocks from the synagogue - is mentally disturbed.

She said that on the day Jakup lost his job, he smashed his sister's TV and VCR.

"It's not about religion," Popinara said of yesterday's incident at the synagogue. "He just flipped."

[areafiftyone]

As much as I rant and rave about the Muslims and Islamic extemists - when a Muslim does something good - it should given just as much notice! He could have gotten killed or doused by gasoline and set on fire if that guy got thru and if the cops hadn't come on time. God bless him!

[Guillermo]

Mr. Ali better watch his back! Although some may think of his as a "hero", others in his own community will not...

[Tijeras_Slim]

Agreed.

[aruanan]

A great contrast.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I wish stories like this would get more and more air play. For nothing else, it would show those Muslims who are being brainwashed with hate, that there is another way.

I wish there were more and more stories like this.

[Uncle Miltie]

Well hot damn. I can now count about five virtuous acts by muslims since 9/11.

Thanks, congratulations and good luck to this gentleman. I look forward to many more muslims adhering to civilized standards.

[BrooklynGOP]

This is minutes from me!

[BrooklynGOP]

Ha. In fact I think this is where I fill up my car! For some reason I read Nostrand ave instead of ocean ave (need more coffee). This is between ave z and vhoories ave if i am not mistaken - the temple is right across from it.

[pikachu]

Sadly, thw would-be arsonist will be in more trouble for releasing hydrocarbons from the gas into the air than he would have received for arson...

[areafiftyone]

So do I.

[DoctorMichael]

Begrudging, hoping-for-more acts-of-sanity Bump.

[Mr. K]

"He was carrying a book of matches," said a police spokesman, adding that the case was being investigated as a bias crime because the target was a house of worship"

Does this mean if he had torched your house or mine it would not be so bad...??
Because he was THINKING biased thoughts when he comitted the crime...

[TLBSHOW]

Well hot damn. I can now count about five virtuous acts by muslims since 9/11.


don't be fooled....

[justshutupandtakeit]

Don't be surprised to find this decent man dead from "unknown causes", "armed robbery", suicide by hammer etc.
The way the moslemaniacs and the rest of organized crime maintain control is by killing the decent who refuse to contenance the fanatics/criminals. Thus, 1% can control the 99% who don't buy the lunacy.

This gentleman should receive police protection and a medal.
His death would be a message to the 90% to shape up and not resist the killers. Isn't the slogan of the leaders of Islame "Lunatics of the world Unite. You have nothing to lose but your sanity."

America thanks you, Mr. Ali.

[AppyPappy]

"It's not about religion," Popinara said of yesterday's incident at the synagogue. "He just flipped."

Yet another mere coincidence involving a Muslim attacking Jews.

[areafiftyone]

Sure - and he just picked a Jewish synagogue because it happened to be in his way like the TV set and VCR.

[BrooklynGOP]

I guess hate crime laws won't apply to this.

[TLBSHOW]

hate crime laws won't apply to this

They better!

[MinuteGal]

This is being investigated as a "bias" crime? What happened to the term "hate crime" so loved by the liberals? This should be a hate crime, and the term "bias crimes" should be reserved exclusively for the media.

Leni

[crystalk]

It would appear that the Pakistani attendant would have had little choice but to call for help in any event, since the madman was attacking and trying to get at him.

I also notice that, when the madman went berserk, it was a holy place of a specific religion not his own that was attacked: he hadn't lost it to THAT degree. He passed churches to reach this place.

It is also significant what the madman's own religion WAS-- oops, it was the Religion of Peace[tm].

Still, one thing can be said: the majority of Muslims converting to Christianity in the last ten years in the USA were Pakistanis, probably because many of them had never really had much instruction or been practicing Islam very seriously in the first place. This Ali would appear to be a prime candidate: I will just betcha he hasn't seen the inside of a mosque since he reached the USA.