Pittsburgh Mosque Members Denounce FBI Raid

July 8, 2006

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06189/704371-53.stm

On July 8, 2006 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, "The congregation of the Light of the Age mosque yesterday denounced the June 30 FBI raid on the site as 'unjust, unethical and unnecessary.'

Tahir Abdullah, assistant director of the congregation, read a statement from the Muslim Alliance in North America, a coalition of primarily African-American Muslim organizations from across the United States, saying that the raid on the North Side mosque violated a house of worship during services.

The FBI arrested Larry M. Williams of Lincoln-Lemington, who has felony convictions in Washington state and other outstanding warrants, including one for failing to register as a sex offender.

The arrest took place during prayer hours, and some members of the largely African-American congregation were detained and questioned on the street, group members said. The facility was searched and streets blocked off for several hours during the FBI action.

The group and supporters who joined members at a news conference yesterday accused the FBI of harassing citizens of African-American descent and of religious insensitivity in conducting the raid during worship hours.

'We're concerned with the kind of terrorist label that is being attached to Muslims,' said Yusef Ali, president of the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh. 'We're concerned the raid will lead the public to believe the stereotype and that more Muslims will be profiled.'"