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| Sheik knew eyes were on him |
| 2002-09-10 |
| In the weeks before Sheik Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye was arrested, the Southwest Portland mosque he led retained two attorneys and hired a public relations firm to defend itself against media inquiries linking it to Osama bin Ladenâs terrorist network. Wonder why they'd do that? Y'don't suppose...? Kariye, 41, was arrested by members of the Portland FBIâs Joint Terrorism Task Force at Portland International Airport early Sunday. He and his four young children and brother, Hakim, were planning to fly to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Just a little outing back in the Old Country... Charles Gorder, an assistant U.S. attorney in Oregon, said in U.S. District Court in Portland on Monday afternoon that residue of the explosive TNT was found inside two pieces of luggage belonging to Kariye and his family after his arrest at the airport. "Now, you boys know that fishin' with dynamite's illegal in this here county, don't you?" Kariye, the imam, or religious leader, of the Islamic Center of Portland- Masjed As-Saber, was charged with two felony counts of unlawful use of a Social Security number. He appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty. There were no charges of terrorism mentioned at the arraignment. Such as unlawful use of dynamite... The FBI would not comment beyond a brief news release issued Sunday about the arrest. But documents suggesting that money may have flowed from the Islamic center to a charity set up by bin Ladenâs former personal secretary, Wadih El Hage, are at the root of the media inquiries. No! You're kidding, right? A holy man, involved in something like that...? The centerâs president, Alaa Abunijem, said he would not discuss specifics. âSometimes people have an agenda, and they would rather twist the facts to sell papers than tell the truth,â said Abunijem, a Palestinian American who emigrated from Jordan and works for Intel Corp. And sometimes they've got the goods on you... Kariye âwould never do anything to harm the Muslim community or himself or anyone else. He is one of the best people I know,â said Talal Abdulkarim, a spokesman for the Islamic center. "He's just into dynamite, y'know?" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |