We're eager to meet with the FBI to develop protocols (Letter to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Letters to the editor

October 28, 2006 12:00 AM

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

We're eager to meet with the FBI to develop protocols

The Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh delegates from local mosques heartily appreciate FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jeffrey B. Killeen's stated desire to foster mutual understanding with the Muslim community and protect our civil rights ("It's Wrong to Suggest the FBI Targets Those of Arabic Origin," Oct. 21). In the spirit of Mr. Killeen's letter, we have two requests of the FBI that we have made in writing directly but have not received a reply to, and after your publication of his letter we are confident that the FBI will support its stated desires with actions:

1) We would like a meeting with the FBI to develop a protocol for searching mosques without causing an unnecessary disruption of services or intimidation of the congregants. We believe it is possible for the FBI to conduct investigations without putting a cloud of suspicion on our whole community as was done on the June 30 raid of the Light of the Age Mosque. We believe this meeting is consistent with Mr. Killeen's statement that the FBI reaches out to the Muslim community.

2) We would like an inventory of any items removed from the Light of the Age Mosque in the raid that took place on June 30. The provision of an inventory is standard, and we are sure the FBI does not believe Muslims should be singled out to be denied this right.

We look forward to a successful meeting on protocols for searching our mosques as well as a delivery of the inventory, and we look forward to a Post-Gazette story on such positive steps the FBI can take to show that we can believe its assurances about its relationship with your Muslim neighbors.

YUSEF ALI
President
Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh Executive Committee
Point Breeze

The letter also was signed by Jibril AbdulHafeez, vice president; Khalid Chatta, treasurer; and S. Saleh Waziruddin, secretary.