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Nonetheless, post-9/11, Muslims have been vilified for their faith, ethnicity, activism, prominence, and, in the case of the Holy Land Foundation, charity. Bogusly, however, they were called a terrorist group and shut down, its principles given long prison terms for providing legitimate financial and other assistance, not aid to global terror groups.
Imam Amin Abdul Latif understands well. Recently, without explanation, he was removed from a plane with his son, also an Iman, despite having cleared security. Angrily he responded:
"I've never experienced anything like that before, that level of humiliation and disrespect. Never in my life! As an American citizen, you expect more. The whole idea of freedom of religion - that's what we pride ourselves over. As Americans, we pride ourselves! Now, we (no longer can) take pride. You single out a group of people (for their faith). This is just horrible."
Ironically, he and his son were headed for an Islamophobia conference.
More serious are bogus indictments, charging innocent men and women with terrorism, conspiracy to commit it, and related offenses. Two Queens, NY men, both Muslims, are likely victims, Ahmed Ferhani and Mohammed Mamdou, charged with planning to bomb synagogues in Manhattan.
On May 12, New York Times writers William Rashbaum and Al Baker headlined, "Suspects in Terror Case Wanted to Kill Jews, Officials Say," both writers implying prosecutorial credibility by their inflammatory headline, saying:
According to New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly, their ambitions didn't end there, expressing an interest also "in blowing up the Empire State Building."
Earlier, innocent men and women were charged with alleged plots against various New York landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, Times Square, Kennedy Airport, and the Empire State Building.
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