Madina Archives

Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

Muslim killed in Dallas
ahmer
09/16/01 at 21:15:27
[slm] This is really sad. I have been holding this for the whole day due to the lack of confirmation. But a bro in dallas just confirmed to me that a New Jersey resident Muslim was murdered last night or early morning today in Dallas at a gas station. He had just bought a gas station in Dallas, TX. According to my reliable sources, the police is not calling it a hate crime, but FBI is taking this as a possible hate crime. This is extremely sad and a lot of people in this area of NJ knew the good brother. He has left behind his family as well. His death is confirmed but still i wouldn't call it a hate crime. There is no offical news of his killing still. Perhaps it will surface by tomorrow. So please exercise caution and watch out for any news on this tragedy. There are lot of rumors out here that can spread panic among communities. We recieve numerous calls about rumors ranging from horrible acts to beatings, while the actual cases are going unreported due to fear. Please pray for the deceased. May Allah bless his soul. I will keep you posted. Ameen [wlm] ahmer

Killing of Pakistani grocer may have been hate crime, police say
ahmer
09/16/01 at 21:25:39
[slm] awful...!!!awful..!!! Just as my fears proved, This is heart wrenching really.. brothers and sisters!! Everyone knew him. Just read and i couldn't stop weeping.As i finished typing in the earlier message, i found this story. Please pray and pray..!!May Allah help us!!! [wlm] ahmer Fatal shooting draws FBI Killing of Pakistani grocer may have been hate crime, police say 09/17/2001 By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News Dallas police and the FBI are investigating whether the shooting death of a Pakistani grocer in Pleasant Grove was out of anger at Muslims for Tuesday's terrorist attacks. Police have been unable to determine a motive for the Saturday night slaying of 46-year-old Waqar Hasan at Mom's Grocery. There is no evidence of robbery or a struggle, said homicide Sgt. Larry Lewis. Nothing was out of place. There are no surveillance cameras in the store, he said. Sgt. Lewis said police called the FBI because of the possibility that the slaying was a hate crime. "We have, just in case of recent events, notified the FBI," he said. "I have nothing to prove it was a hate crime, but nothing to disprove it." The FBI could not be reached for comment Sunday night. Family members said that because nothing was taken from the store, they fear the shooting was a response to the attacks in New York and Washington. "I really think it's someone trying to take revenge," said Mr. Hasan's cousin, Khalid Ishaq of Richardson. "Or maybe he did come in to rob and saw ... [that Mr. Hasan] looked like one of those people he saw on TV all the time." Sgt. Lewis said detectives have no direct evidence that the slaying was a hate crime. "No motive, no robbery, no suspects, no witnesses," reads a brief description of the slaying in a police report. Typically, results of investigations into hate crimes are forwarded to the Justice Department, which determines whether further investigation is needed. Mr. Hasan's brother-in-law, Nadeem Akhtar, said he was asked about Tuesday's attacks during interviews with homicide detectives and FBI agents at the Dallas police station. "They asked what I thought about Osama bin Laden," said Mr. Akhtar, referring to the government's prime suspect in the attacks. Mr. Akhtar and another brother-in-law, Zahid Ghani of New Jersey, who works for a Pakistani news service, said Mr. Hasan was not actively political or religious. "He was only confined to his business and his children," Mr. Ghani said. "Family; that's it. He didn't talk of politics." Family members said they had not talked with Mr. Hasan about Tuesday's attacks. Customers who frequent Mom's Grocery, in the 10800 block of Elam Road near the Dallas border with Balch Springs, said they had talked with Mr. Hasan about the attacks and he expressed concern, not for himself, but for his brother-in-law, Mr. Ghani, who works in New York. Those who live nearby said they did not hear or see anything suspicious until police arrived Saturday night. Mr. Hasan was found shortly after 10 p.m. in the deli area of the store, police and family members said. The cashier area had bulletproof glass. Mr. Hasan's family believes the shooter coaxed Mr. Hasan out from behind the glass by asking for a sandwich. "It appears he was waiting on a customer," Sgt. Lewis said. The slaying is the second at the store in six years. Detectives also investigated a shooting death at the store in September 1995, Sgt. Lewis said. Family and friends said the shooting left them fearful. Mr. Ishaq said his wife was afraid to take their three children out of the house. "They keep saying Muslims, Muslims, Muslims. The whole religion is under condemnation," said Mr. Ishaq, who wore a tan shirt with USA embroidered in blue letters. Muhammad Suleman, chairman of the Dallas Central Mosque, said education and awareness are needed to help the nation separate the acts of a few from the Muslim religion as a whole. "Just like in New York, an innocent life was taken," said Mr. Suleman, also president of the Islamic Association of North Texas. "Those people in New York, they had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. The same way this person who was shot in Dallas was innocent. He had nothing to do with it. He spoke the same language, looked like them, but did not share their beliefs." Other possible hate crimes have been reported throughout the country despite pleas from political and religious leaders not to blame the entire Muslim community for Tuesday's attacks. Last week, mosques in Carrollton, Denton and Irving were attacked in what authorities believe could have been a reaction to the terrorist attacks. Shots were fired into the Carrollton and Irving mosques and a firebomb was thrown into the mosque in Denton. Phoenix police are investigating whether the Saturday afternoon shooting death of a gas station owner was a hate crime, according to the Arizona Republic. That man may have been mistaken as Middle Eastern, his family said, because of his beard and turban. He is a Sikh from Punjab, India. Mr. Hasan moved to Dallas from New Brunswick, N.J., about six months ago. His family, wife Duree and four daughters, ages 10 to 17, were expected to move to Dallas in December. His mother was also moving because the Dallas climate would be better for her arthritis. Mr. Hasan had not seen his family since he moved. Family members said Mrs. Hasan was "in denial" and told them not to speak of her husband's death again until they saw his body. Mr. Hasan moved to the United States from Pakistan in 1990 because it was "unsafe over there," Mr. Ishaq said. "He thought this country was going to be safe." Police ask that anyone with information call detectives at 214-670-1633.
NS
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author. The rest © Jannah.Org