Facing New Realities as Islamic Americans

[Rose Siding]

Sunday, September 12, 2004; Page A01

The evening at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center began cordially, with a dinner of lamb and rice for the head of the FBI's Washington field office and seven of his agents. But the mood grew tense after the guests were escorted to the prayer room of the Falls Church mosque for a town hall meeting.

"We need to know the definition of terrorism and terrorists," one mosque member told the agents. Why, asked another, had the FBI raided a Muslim organization that had helped him go on a pilgrimage to Mecca?

A third member of the congregation said the FBI's informants were unreliable. He ridiculed its agents for warning his friend, a taxi driver who works 16 hours a day, that he was "moving around too much."

"Takbeer!" shouted the audience of about 80 people. "Takbeer!" The mosque official moderating the meeting quickly explained to the guests that the word "is a Muslim 'Hallelujah!' "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14497-2004Sep11.html

[Nambe]

1. We sold a business to a really nice Lebanese gentleman....

four years ago. He has to have a body guard when he goes out with his family now, and we're in Oregon.