| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front |
| U.S. Imam Denies Concealing Terror Links |
| 2004-01-16 |
| An Islamic leader accused of concealing alleged links to anti-Israel terror groups to gain U.S. citizenship said Friday the charge was misguided and he would be vindicated. Surrounded by Damrah, 41, was charged Tuesday with obtaining U.S. citizenship by providing false information. The indictment alleges he was a member or had links to several groups, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and concealed those affiliations on his citizenship application. He pleaded innocent and was released on $160,000 bail for a trial Feb. 23. Possible penalties include five years in prison, loss of citizenship and a $5,000 fine. Damrah said he believes the government is blatantly targeting Muslims Lies! All Lies! U.S. Attorney Gregory White declined to address specific comments by Damrah, but he said prosecutors intend to enforce the law. Leaders of other faiths said Friday they supported Damrah. "We know Imam Fawaz Damrah to be a man of God and a man of peace, a humble man who is able to publicly repent for past mistakes," said a statement from St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and religious and immigrant groups. Now there is a ringing endorsement if ever I heard one. In the mid-1980s, Damrah was imam of a New York City mosque that later was led by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a radical Egyptian cleric convicted in 1995 of a foiled plot to blow up city landmarks. Many suspects in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing attended the mosque. Sounds like a pretty strong link to me.... On Friday, Damrah condemned terrorism, saying, "The facts will bear out that my choices have been in line with a conscientious, positive contributor and upright citizen of this country." |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |