The leader of Ohio's largest mosque was sentenced Monday to two months in federal prison and four months of house arrest for lying about his connections to terrorist groups when he applied for U.S. citizenship. Palestinian-born Fawaz Damra, imam of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, could have received up to five years in prison on the charge of obtaining U.S. citizenship in 1994 by providing false information. Prosecutors had requested the maximum sentence, but U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin said he did not view the citizenship application offense as a terrorism issue the way prosecutors had tried to suggest. Sentencing guidelines for first-time offenders called for probation to six months in prison. Prosecutors also urged Gwin to immediately revoke Damra's citizenship, but Damra's attorneys asked him to wait until after the appeal, which could take years. Gwin did not immediately rule on the matter.
U.S. Attorney Gregory White said after sentencing that revoking Damra's citizenship is more important than getting a longer prison sentence. Gwin allowed Damra to remain free on bond. He said the imam could start serving his sentence after the Muslim holiday of Ramadan ends in November. Damra, 41, stood upright with his hands folded in front on him, wiping his face with a handkerchief while the sentence was announced. His attorney, John Cline, declined to comment, except to say the imam will appeal. Damra was convicted June 17. The government said that when Damra applied for citizenship, he concealed ties to Afghan Refugee Services, the Islamic Committee for Palestine and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, groups the U.S. government classifies as terrorist organizations. The defense, which called no witnesses, said Damra may have supported certain groups but did not consider himself a member or affiliate of them. At the trial in June, prosecutors showed video footage of Damra and other Islamic leaders raising money for an arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Jurors also were shown footage in which Damra called Jews "the sons of monkeys and pigs" during a 1991 speech and said "terrorism and terrorism alone is the path to liberation" in a 1989 speech. Damra has continued to lead the mosque in the Cleveland suburb of Parma. Some mosque members unsuccessfully tried to oust him, but others have supported him.
One important question may be asked who gave the money to build that mosque, and I am sure answer will be SODDY |